Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
New Study Adds To Data Linking Parkinson's Disease To Gut Issues
The Washington Post: Parkinson’s May Begin In The Gut, Study Adds To Growing Evidence
A new study adds to a growing body of evidence that Parkinson’s disease, long believed to have its origins in the brain, may begin in the gut. Gastrointestinal problems are common in patients with neurodegenerative disorders, to the point where a condition known as “institutional colon” was once thought to afflict those who lived in mental health institutions. In Parkinson’s disease, the entire gastrointestinal tract is affected, causing complications such as constipation, drooling, trouble swallowing and delayed emptying of the stomach. These symptoms often appear up to two decades before motor symptoms such as rigidity or tremor. (Kim, 9/5)
The Hill: Nearly 1 In 5 Dementia Cases Could Be Related To Vision Impairment: Study
Nearly 1 in 5 dementia cases could be associated with vision impairment, according to a study published Thursday, suggesting better eye health could help to lower the diagnosis rate. Dementia does not refer to a specific disease but is a general term for the impaired ability to recall, think or make decisions that inhibit daily tasks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. (Nazzaro, 9/5)
Stat: See-Through Mice? Scientists See Potential In 'Tissue Clearing'
When a dye called tartrazine is added to food, it creates a bright yellow hue often associated with lemon-flavored candy. But when mixed with a little water and daubed on the skin of mice, the dye makes their skin nearly transparent. (Oza, 9/5)
KFF Health News: Thanks To Reddit, A New Diagnosis Is Bubbling Up Across The Nation
In a video posted to Reddit this summer, Lucie Rosenthal’s face starts focused and uncertain, looking intently into the camera, before it happens. She releases a succinct, croak-like belch. Then, it’s wide-eyed surprise, followed by rollicking laughter. “I got it!” the Denver resident says after what was her second burp ever. “It’s really rocking my mind that I am fully introducing a new bodily function at 26 years old,” Rosenthal later told KFF Health News while working remotely, because, as great as the burping was, it was now happening uncontrollably. (Bichell, 9/6)
In cancer research —
Houston Chronicle: Houston Researchers Discover New Type Of Cells In Brain Tumor Patients
Houston researchers have discovered a “hybrid” type of brain cell that is capable of firing electrical impulses and may help doctors predict how long certain brain tumor patients will survive, according to a new study. Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine, the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital and UTHealth Houston said the cells are a hybrid of neurons and glia, the two main types of brain cells. ... Seventeen Houston researchers are credited in the study, which was published Thursday in the journal Cancer Cell. (MacDonald, 9/5)
CBS News: New AI Tool Developed By Harvard Medical School Can Help Identify And Treat Cancer
Researchers at Harvard Medical School have designed a new artificial intelligence tool that goes beyond what other AI systems can achieve in cancer diagnosis. This new ChatGPT-like AI model, designed by researchers at Harvard Medical School, was tested on 19 different cancer types including lung, breast, prostate, and colon cancer. It achieved a nearly 94% accuracy in cancer detection, and unlike other current AI models, was able to forecast patient survival. (Marshall, 9/5)
Stat: Vor Biopharma's 'Shielded' Transplant Delays Relapse In Leukemia Patients
A CRISPR-augmented stem cell transplant that protects healthy cells from the toxic effects of anti-cancer medicines has shown preliminary evidence that it can delay relapse in patients with an aggressive form of leukemia, its maker Vor Biopharma said Thursday. (Feuerstein, 9/5)
