At 25, most people are wrestling with first mortgages, career choices or wedding plans; Annaliese Holland is deciding how, and when, her life will end. After growing up in and out of hospital with a rare neurological autoimmune disease that has left her in multi-organ failure and constant pain, the young South Australian has been …
Early onset Alzheimer’s is one of the most misunderstood medical conditions in the world. Most people associate memory loss and cognitive decline with aging, imagining symptoms emerging only in someone’s seventies or eighties. Yet for a small but significant number of families, the first warning signs appear much earlier. They can arrive quietly in the …
For most of human history, night was a period of natural darkness. The sun sank below the horizon, the stars emerged in a velvet sky, and the body followed an ancient script that had been written into our biology over millions of years. Today, however, very few of us ever experience a truly dark night. …
When the world is fast asleep and your bedroom is wrapped in darkness, it’s easy to feel like you’re the only one awake. Thoughts that seemed small in daylight can suddenly loom large. Cravings emerge for salty snacks, cigarettes, or a bit of social media doom-scrolling, and self-control seems to fade into the shadows. It …
For people living with severe spinal cord injuries, regaining the ability to walk can seem out of reach. However, a new scientific discovery is offering a closer look at how electrical stimulation may help restore movement, with researchers identifying specific nerve cells that play a critical role in the recovery process. The findings follow a …
For years, some women have quietly struggled with forgetfulness, disorganisation, and the constant feeling that everyday responsibilities require more effort than they should. They may have successful careers, loving families, and carefully maintained routines, yet still feel exhausted from trying to keep everything together. For some, these lifelong difficulties may be linked to undiagnosed attention-deficit/hyperactivity …
A vaccine commonly used to protect older adults against shingles is attracting attention for a surprising reason. Researchers have found evidence linking shingles vaccination to a lower risk of dementia, raising the possibility that an existing preventive treatment could also help protect the ageing brain. The findings are encouraging for people concerned about memory loss …
A treatment designed to travel through the nose has produced an intriguing result in brain aging research. Scientists reported that an experimental nasal spray reduced inflammation, improved cellular energy function and restored memory performance in preclinical models within weeks. The findings raise an important question about whether some age-related changes in the brain could eventually …
Lifting weights could offer an unexpected benefit for people hoping to stay healthier as they grow older. New research suggests resistance training may influence how old the brain appears, while a separate long-term study links regular strength workouts to a lower risk of premature death. The findings have drawn attention to two important questions about …
A discovery that began with a single-celled alga has now earned the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The breakthrough gives researchers an extraordinary way to switch specific nerve cells on and off using light, allowing them to study the brain with a level of precision that was previously out of reach. The technique, …
For years, Huntington’s disease has been known as a devastating inherited disorder that gradually takes away movement, memory, and identity. It leaves both patients and their loved ones feeling powerless as each generation faces the same decline. Families have endured its legacy with only temporary relief from medications that manage symptoms without halting the disease …
Human beings are wired for touch. From the moment we are born, skin-to-skin contact becomes our first language, a silent but powerful form of communication that reassures us we are safe, connected, and loved. Across cultures and centuries, the hug has remained one of the simplest yet most profound gestures, transcending words and bridging emotional …