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Breakthrough gene discovery offers new hope for medulloblastoma therapy

Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have identified a key gene that could lead to next-generation treatments for medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor in children.

24 Jan 2025

AI-based blood test could revolutionize diagnosis of Long Covid in children

One day Long Covid in children could be objectively diagnosed with a blood test, thanks to the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI). In fact, a study by the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome campus - Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS and the Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù IRCCS, has highlighted the molecular signature of Long Covid in plasma in pediatric age and used an AI tool capable of making the diagnosis based on the results of the blood sample, with 93% accuracy.

24 Jan 2025

School-based program cuts depression and anxiety in newcomer students

The first randomized control trial of the school-based intervention called Supporting Transition Resilience of Newcomer Groups (STRONG) shows significant reductions in depression, anxiety and behavior problems among refugee and immigrant students.

23 Jan 2025

Adverse childhood experiences linked to defensive gun use in adulthood

Researchers at Rutgers University have found that adverse childhood experiences can make people more sensitive to potential threats from others, which in turn increases their risk of engaging in defensive gun use in adulthood.

23 Jan 2025

Parental divorce in childhood tied to 61% higher stroke risk in older adults

Experiencing parental divorce in childhood is associated with a significantly higher risk of stroke in older adulthood, even after accounting for key risk factors such as income, depression, and diabetes.

23 Jan 2025

New approach to treating ependymoma with leukemia drug

Rakesh Jain PhD, Director of the E.L. Steele Laboratories for Tumor Biology at Massachusetts General Hospital and A. Werk Cook Professor of Radiation Oncology at Harvard Medical School, is senior author of a new study in PNAS, Targeting EPHB2/ABL1 Restores Anti-Tumor Immunity in Preclinical Models of Ependymoma.

23 Jan 2025

Research shows sharp growth in sedative and anxiety medication use disorders in youth

The prevalence of diagnosed disorders from recurrent use of sedative, hypnotic and antianxiety medications in adolescents and young adults has increased sharply since 2001, according to Rutgers Health researchers.

23 Jan 2025

Study reveals post-pandemic rise in child deaths

While child deaths in England fell temporarily during the COVID-19 pandemic, they have now risen to new heights, a new study from researchers at the University of Bristol and based on unique National Child Mortality Database (NCMD) data has found.

23 Jan 2025

Researchers map genetic differences across children with Wilms tumor

Genetically tailored treatment plans for children with a type of kidney cancer could help provide the most effective care while minimizing side effects as much as possible.

23 Jan 2025

Metronomic chemotherapy offers hope for children with neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor in children, with nearly 50% of cases diagnosed at an advanced stage, often with metastatic disease.

23 Jan 2025

Study finds sharp increase in mental health admissions among children in England

There was a 65% increase in the number of children and young people being admitted to general acute medical wards in hospitals in England because of a mental health concern between 2012 and 2022, finds a new study led by UCL researchers.

22 Jan 2025

Study reveals racial and ethnic differences in children's sleep patterns

Researchers from Michigan State University's Department of Human Development and Family Studies revealed that sleep patterns may vary across different racial and ethnic groups - notably for non-white and multiracial children.

22 Jan 2025

Maternal vitamin D deficiency may accelerate fetal aging and impact newborn health

Maternal vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy is linked to accelerated epigenetic gestational age in infants at birth, suggesting improper fetal development influenced by low vitamin D levels. The study also found associations between maternal age, birth height, and epigenetic aging, though cord blood vitamin D showed no significant impact.

22 Jan 2025

Social but lonely? The emotional challenges of highly sensitive people

Highly Sensitive Persons (HSPs) experience greater emotional loneliness due to their deep need for meaningful relationships, but their social interactions are similar to the general population.

22 Jan 2025

Study uncovers blood signatures linked to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

New University of Virginia School of Medicine research revealing the fingerprints of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome within blood samples could open the door to simple tests to identify babies at risk.

22 Jan 2025

Childhood epilepsy linked to late-onset brain amyloid disorders

Researchers from the University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University in Finland and the University of Wisconsin in the United States demonstrated that individuals who had childhood epilepsy have an increased accumulation of brain amyloid later in life, potentially predisposing them to late-onset brain amyloid disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease.

22 Jan 2025

How gut microbiota impacts childhood obesity

Gut microbiota plays a critical role in childhood obesity by influencing energy metabolism, inflammation, and appetite regulation, with emerging therapeutic strategies like probiotics, dietary interventions, and fecal microbiota transplantation showing promise.

21 Jan 2025

Oxford researchers call for framework to study AI's impact on youth mental health

A new peer-reviewed paper from experts at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, highlights the need for a clear framework when it comes to AI research, given the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence by children and adolescents using digital devices to access the internet and social media.

21 Jan 2025

Persistent poverty and parental mental illness linked to increased risk of youth violence

Living with persistent poverty and/or parental mental illness throughout childhood may double the risk of carrying and/or using a weapon and getting on the wrong side of the law by the age of 17, suggests research published online in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

21 Jan 2025

Childhood obesity treatment reduces long-term health risks but not depression

When children with obesity undergo weight-loss treatment, the effects have repercussions later in life and the risk of serious health problems and premature death is lower as they reach young adulthood.

21 Jan 2025