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Hair Samples May Help Spot Mental Health Risks in Sick Kids

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WEDNESDAY, Sept. 17 2025Children with chronic illnesses face extra challenges, and measuring stress through hair samples may help doctors predict which kids are at highest risk for mental health problems. Researchers studied 244 Canadian children with chronic physical illnesses such as diabetes, arthritis and cystic fibrosis. Over four years, the team measured cortisol — a hormone released during stress — using hair samples. Cortisol is a chemical marker that reflects stress over time. More than two-thirds of the kids had consistently high cortisol levels. Those children were more likely to develop symptoms of anxiety, depression or behavior problems than peers whose cortisol levels declined over time, the study found. “Living with a chronic illness means facing daily challenges such as taking medications, missing school and adjusting activities, all of which can take a serious emotional toll,” lead author Emma Littler said in a news release. She’s a doctoral candidate in Public Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. The study also found that children whose stress hormone levels decreased showed fewer emotional and behavioral symptoms. “Identifying these risk factors early could help doctors and families intervene before emotional and behavioral difficulties take hold,” study co-author Mark Ferro, a professor of public health sciences at the university, explained. He added that hair cortisol is “non-invasive and easy to collect” and could one day…  read on >  read on >

Hair Samples May Help Spot Mental Health Risks in Sick Kids

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WEDNESDAY, Sept. 17 2025Children with chronic illnesses face extra challenges, and measuring stress through hair samples may help doctors predict which kids are at highest risk for mental health problems. Researchers studied 244 Canadian children with chronic physical illnesses such as diabetes, arthritis and cystic fibrosis. Over four years, the team measured cortisol — a hormone released during stress — using hair samples. Cortisol is a chemical marker that reflects stress over time. More than two-thirds of the kids had consistently high cortisol levels. Those children were more likely to develop symptoms of anxiety, depression or behavior problems than peers whose cortisol levels declined over time, the study found. “Living with a chronic illness means facing daily challenges such as taking medications, missing school and adjusting activities, all of which can take a serious emotional toll,” lead author Emma Littler said in a news release. She’s a doctoral candidate in Public Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. The study also found that children whose stress hormone levels decreased showed fewer emotional and behavioral symptoms. “Identifying these risk factors early could help doctors and families intervene before emotional and behavioral difficulties take hold,” study co-author Mark Ferro, a professor of public health sciences at the university, explained. He added that hair cortisol is “non-invasive and easy to collect” and could one day…  read on >  read on >

Wegovy May Help Quiet Constant Food Cravings, Study Finds

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A popular weight-loss drug may do more than help patients shed pounds. It could also help quiet the nonstop food cravings many people struggle with. New results from a U.S. survey of 550 Wegovy users found that patients reported a major drop in “food noise,” or intrusive thoughts about food, after starting the drug.  The findings were announced by Novo Nordisk, the Danish firm that makes Wegovy. The number of people surveyed who said they think about food all the time fell by 46%. Additionally, 64% reported better mental health and 80% said they developed healthier lifestyle habits while on the drug. “It is very encouraging to see these new data from people using Wegovy that, in addition to weight loss, Wegovy may help quiet disruptive thoughts about food, support improved mental well-being and help enable people to live healthier lives,” Filip Knop, incoming chief medical officer at Novo Nordisk, said in a company statement. The findings come from the Inform study, presented in Vienna this week at a meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes. Research presented at meetings should be considered preliminary until published. The study was not peer-reviewed and was conducted using a U.S.-based survey of Wegovy users.  Participants answered a 22-item “Food Noise Questionnaire,” a tool designed to measure the impact of food-related thoughts on daily life, as…  read on >  read on >

Wegovy May Help Quiet Constant Food Cravings, Study Finds

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A popular weight-loss drug may do more than help patients shed pounds. It could also help quiet the nonstop food cravings many people struggle with. New results from a U.S. survey of 550 Wegovy users found that patients reported a major drop in “food noise,” or intrusive thoughts about food, after starting the drug.  The findings were announced by Novo Nordisk, the Danish firm that makes Wegovy. The number of people surveyed who said they think about food all the time fell by 46%. Additionally, 64% reported better mental health and 80% said they developed healthier lifestyle habits while on the drug. “It is very encouraging to see these new data from people using Wegovy that, in addition to weight loss, Wegovy may help quiet disruptive thoughts about food, support improved mental well-being and help enable people to live healthier lives,” Filip Knop, incoming chief medical officer at Novo Nordisk, said in a company statement. The findings come from the Inform study, presented in Vienna this week at a meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes. Research presented at meetings should be considered preliminary until published. The study was not peer-reviewed and was conducted using a U.S.-based survey of Wegovy users.  Participants answered a 22-item “Food Noise Questionnaire,” a tool designed to measure the impact of food-related thoughts on daily life, as…  read on >  read on >

3D Printing Offering Hope For Spinal Cord Injuries

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A new process that combines 3D printing, stem cells and lab-grown tissues could prove a groundbreaking innovation for spinal cord injury recovery, a new study says. The process uses 3D printing to form stem cells into scaffolds containing microscopic channels that guide the growth of new nerve cells along the site of the spinal cord injury, researchers reported in Advanced Healthcare Materials. “We use the 3D printed channels of the scaffold to direct the growth of the stem cells, which ensures the new nerve fibers grow in the desired way,” lead researcher Guebum Han, a former University of Minnesota postdoctoral researcher, said in a news release. “This method creates a relay system that when placed in the spinal cord bypasses the damaged area,” said Han, now a mechanical engineer with Intel Corp. More than 300,000 Americans suffer from spinal cord injuries, and as yet there are no treatments to fully reverse damage and paralysis from the injury, researchers said in background notes. One problem is that nerve cells are unable to spontaneously regrow across the injury site, making these injuries permanent – for now. In their new study, researchers transplanted these 3D-printed scaffolds into rats with spinal cords that had been completely severed. The cells successfully turned into neurons and began growing nerve fibers in both directions along the spine, seeking to form new connections…  read on >  read on >

3D Printing Offering Hope For Spinal Cord Injuries

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A new process that combines 3D printing, stem cells and lab-grown tissues could prove a groundbreaking innovation for spinal cord injury recovery, a new study says. The process uses 3D printing to form stem cells into scaffolds containing microscopic channels that guide the growth of new nerve cells along the site of the spinal cord injury, researchers reported in Advanced Healthcare Materials. “We use the 3D printed channels of the scaffold to direct the growth of the stem cells, which ensures the new nerve fibers grow in the desired way,” lead researcher Guebum Han, a former University of Minnesota postdoctoral researcher, said in a news release. “This method creates a relay system that when placed in the spinal cord bypasses the damaged area,” said Han, now a mechanical engineer with Intel Corp. More than 300,000 Americans suffer from spinal cord injuries, and as yet there are no treatments to fully reverse damage and paralysis from the injury, researchers said in background notes. One problem is that nerve cells are unable to spontaneously regrow across the injury site, making these injuries permanent – for now. In their new study, researchers transplanted these 3D-printed scaffolds into rats with spinal cords that had been completely severed. The cells successfully turned into neurons and began growing nerve fibers in both directions along the spine, seeking to form new connections…  read on >  read on >

Dry Eyes Common, But Frequently Left Untreated

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Many folks are needlessly suffering from dry eyes, a new study says. More than half of people in the U.S. and Europe struggle with dry eyes, in which their eyes fail to produce enough tears to keep them lubricated, researchers reported today at a meeting of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) in Copenhagen. However, only 17% of U.S. and 20% of European patients have sought a diagnosis and treatment for the condition, potentially waiting years for professional help, researchers said. “Many see dry eye as a normal part of aging and something to endure,” researcher Dr. Piotr Woźniak, a refractive surgeon and dry eye specialist at Optegra Eye Clinics in Warsaw, said in a news release. “As a medical doctor, I find this particularly concerning because a simple eye drop could offer significant relief – but many people aren’t even asking for help,” Wozniak said. For the study, Wozniak analyzed results from a survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults in conducted in April 2024. Dry eyes frequently affected about 50% of Americans, with 80% dealing with symptoms like fatigued, itchy or watery eyes, the U.S. survey found. However, fewer than 1 in 5 people had gotten a diagnosis from an eye doctor, results show. Between 35% and 75% of people were very or extremely bothered by dry eyes, but 67%…  read on >  read on >

Dry Eyes Common, But Frequently Left Untreated

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Many folks are needlessly suffering from dry eyes, a new study says. More than half of people in the U.S. and Europe struggle with dry eyes, in which their eyes fail to produce enough tears to keep them lubricated, researchers reported today at a meeting of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) in Copenhagen. However, only 17% of U.S. and 20% of European patients have sought a diagnosis and treatment for the condition, potentially waiting years for professional help, researchers said. “Many see dry eye as a normal part of aging and something to endure,” researcher Dr. Piotr Woźniak, a refractive surgeon and dry eye specialist at Optegra Eye Clinics in Warsaw, said in a news release. “As a medical doctor, I find this particularly concerning because a simple eye drop could offer significant relief – but many people aren’t even asking for help,” Wozniak said. For the study, Wozniak analyzed results from a survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults in conducted in April 2024. Dry eyes frequently affected about 50% of Americans, with 80% dealing with symptoms like fatigued, itchy or watery eyes, the U.S. survey found. However, fewer than 1 in 5 people had gotten a diagnosis from an eye doctor, results show. Between 35% and 75% of people were very or extremely bothered by dry eyes, but 67%…  read on >  read on >

Eye Drops Replacing Reading Glasses? New Study Says It’s Possible

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Instead of searching for reading glasses, could middle-aged folks and seniors soon find themselves rummaging around for a misplaced eye dropper? Special eye drops used two to three times daily might one day replace reading glasses as a means of coping with age-related vision loss, researchers reported in Copenhagen Sunday at a meeting of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS). Researchers said most people using the drops could read an extra two, three or more lines on an eye chart. What’s more, their vision improvement lasted up to two years, results show. “Nearly all patients experienced positive improvements in near visual acuity, although the magnitude of the improvement depended on the status of their vision before treatment,” lead researcher Dr. Giovanna Benozzi, director of the Center for Advanced Research in Presbyopia in Buenos Aires, said in a news release. People naturally become farsighted as they grow older, a condition called age-related presbyopia, researchers said in background notes. The eye drops contain a combination of two active ingredients: pilocarpine, a drug that constricts the pupils and contracts the muscle responsible for controlling near-vision focus, and diclofenac, an NSAID that reduces inflammation and discomfort associated with pilocarpine. Researchers tested the drops on 766 patients divided into three groups, with each group receiving a different strength of eye drop – 1%, 2% or 3% concentrations…  read on >  read on >

Eye Drops Replacing Reading Glasses? New Study Says It’s Possible

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Instead of searching for reading glasses, could middle-aged folks and seniors soon find themselves rummaging around for a misplaced eye dropper? Special eye drops used two to three times daily might one day replace reading glasses as a means of coping with age-related vision loss, researchers reported in Copenhagen Sunday at a meeting of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS). Researchers said most people using the drops could read an extra two, three or more lines on an eye chart. What’s more, their vision improvement lasted up to two years, results show. “Nearly all patients experienced positive improvements in near visual acuity, although the magnitude of the improvement depended on the status of their vision before treatment,” lead researcher Dr. Giovanna Benozzi, director of the Center for Advanced Research in Presbyopia in Buenos Aires, said in a news release. People naturally become nearsighted as they grow older, a condition called age-related presbyopia, researchers said in background notes. The eye drops contain a combination of two active ingredients: pilocarpine, a drug that constricts the pupils and contracts the muscle responsible for controlling near-vision focus, and diclofenac, an NSAID that reduces inflammation and discomfort associated with pilocarpine. Researchers tested the drops on 766 patients divided into three groups, with each group receiving a different strength of eye drop – 1%, 2% or 3% concentrations…  read on >  read on >