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A drug prescribed for diabetes and weight loss has been shown to reduce brain shrinkage in Alzheimer's patients by almost 50%. The drug, called liraglutide, is one of the glucagon-like peptide receptor (GLP-1) agonists which also includes semaglutide - known as Wegovy or Ozempic - which are licensed for managing overweight and obesity and for type 2 diabetes.

The incidence of heart attacks and strokes was lower after COVID-19 vaccination than before or without vaccination, according to a new study involving nearly the whole adult population of England. This research further supports the large body of evidence on the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccination programme, which has saved millions of lives worldwide Samantha Ip The study, published today in Nature Communications , showed that the incidence of arterial thromboses, such as heart attacks and strokes, was up to 10% lower in the 13 to 24 weeks after the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

The results of routine blood tests could be used to speed up cancer diagnosis among people with stomach pain or bloating, suggests a new study led by UCL researchers. Most people who report these symptoms to their GP are referred for blood tests. However, it is not known how well these blood tests, used to explore a range of possible causes of ill health, can predict cancer risk.

Many people who were hospitalised with COVID-19 continue to have cognitive and psychiatric problems even two to three years post-infection, according to a new study published in Lancet Psychiatry . Conducted by a group of researchers across the UK led by the University of Oxford and the University of Leicester, and published in Lancet Psychiatry , the research highlights the persistent and significant nature of these symptoms as well as the emergence of new symptoms years after COVID-19 was first present.

Infecting volunteers with malaria reveals why some get sick and others don't - and points to ways to induce stronger immunity through vaccination. A 'human challenge' study - purposefully infecting volunteers with malaria - has revealed crucial insights into how new, more effective malaria vaccines can be designed.

A new state of the art review, published in The Lancet , highlights the scale and impact of Long COVID. It explains biological mechanisms behind the condition and suggests priority areas for future research. In a new review paper , researchers from the Universities of Oxford, Leeds and Arizona, analysed dozens of previous studies into Long COVID to examine the number and range of people affected, the underlying mechanisms of disease, the many symptoms that patients develop, and current and future treatments.

A drug that is currently used for the treatment of psoriasis has been found to be effective in treating the early stages of type-1 diabetes in children and adolescents, finds a new clinical trial led by Cardiff University. The new study has shown that Ustekinumab, an established immunotherapy that has been used to treat psoriasis since 2009, is effective in preserving the body's ability to produce insulin in type-1 diabetes - bringing the goal of managing type-1 diabetes without insulin a step closer.

There is a stark contrast in how young people access healthcare, depending on their income and where they live. According to a new study from Imperial College Business School , people aged 14 to 17 living in more affluent areas have easier and faster access to outpatient care, including mental health and dental services.

Scientists have invented a new way to deliver treatment into the brain using a parasite. The study - led by the University of Glasgow in collaboration with Tel Aviv University and an international team of researchers, and published in Nature Microbiology - has also made the first successful step in finding out whether the parasites could be engineered for this purpose.

New research led by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) into the spread of MERS-CoV, the virus carried by camels which causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), has found that young camels present a high risk for human exposure to the virus, with kissing and petting young camels found to be an important route of viral transmission.

Scientists have discovered a way to control mutation rates in bacteria, paving the way for new strategies to combat antibiotic resistance. Antibiotics are given to kill bad bacteria, however with just one mutation a bacteria can evolve to become resistant to that antibiotic, making common infections potentially fatal.

Proteins in the blood could predict the onset of many diverse diseases, according to a new study involving UCL researchers. The research team, who measured thousands of proteins in a drop of blood, report the ability of protein 'signatures' to predict the onset of 67 diseases including multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, motor neurone disease, pulmonary fibrosis, and dilated cardiomyopathy.

The new recombinant shingles vaccine 'Shingrix' is associated with a reduced risk of dementia compared to an earlier shingles vaccine, according to a major new study published in Nature Medicine . It is also more protective than vaccines against other infections.

A new paper published in Science Advances finds that life expectancy in India was 2.6 years lower in 2020 than 2019, with women and marginalised social groups suffering the greatest declines. The international study, co-authored by the Department of Sociology and the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science 's Dr Aashish Gupta and Professor Ridhi Kashyap , reveals that life expectancy in India suffered large and unequal declines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Scientists have discovered that 'turning off' a protein called IL-11 can significantly increase the healthy lifespan of mice by almost 25%. Researchers in the UK and Singapore have found that targeting the production of a key inflammatory protein in mice can extend their lifespan, reduce age-related disease and make older animals less frail.

Researchers have developed soft, stretchable 'jelly batteries' that could be used for wearable devices or soft robotics, or even implanted in the brain to deliver drugs or treat conditions such as epilepsy. The researchers, from the University of Cambridge, took their inspiration from electric eels, which stun their prey with modified muscle cells called electrocytes.

Children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes are at significantly higher risk of a number of mental health issues, including mood and anxiety disorders, a study from a team in the UK and the Czech Republic has found. We know that people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes can experience 'diabetes distress'. It's little wonder, then, that they are at risk of compounding mental health problems, spanning into their adult lives Benjamin Perry The findings highlight the urgent need for monitoring and support for the mental health of young people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

University of Glasgow cancer scientists will play a leading role in a new research centre to help find a cure for the most aggressive form of brain cancer. The Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence is jointly funded by the charities Brain Tumour Research and Beatson Cancer Charity, and will be a unique collaboration based at laboratories at the University of Glasgow and the University of Edinburgh.

A new study shows that retired rugby players who have suffered multiple concussions have abnormal levels of certain proteins in their blood. This may make them more prone to developing diseases such as motor neurone disease (MND). This is what new research led by our bioscientists has found as part of the UK Rugby Health project.

Scientists have developed a new approach to store and distribute crucial protein therapeutics without the need for fridges or freezers. The breakthrough, published in the journal Nature , could significantly improve accessibility of essential protein-based drugs in developing countries where cold storage infrastructure may be lacking, helping efforts to diagnose and treat more people with serious health conditions.