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Gene Therapy Slows Huntington’s Disease Progression for First Time

In a breakthrough clinical trial, scientists have shown that a single injection of a gene therapy named AMT-130 can slow the progression of Huntington’s disease by as much as 75%.

The trial involved 29 patients, compared against a historical control group from a long-term study. Among those who received the higher dose and were followed for three years, disease worsening was reduced by 75% relative to the control group. Biomarker measurements also indicated less nerve damage.

AMT-130 was well tolerated, with no major safety concerns reported. The treatment requires a one-time neurosurgical delivery to a targeted brain region.

Regulatory approval is still pending, though developers plan to seek accelerated approval in the U.S. first, then Europe and the U.K. This marks the first time a therapy has shown durable disease-modifying effects in Huntington’s disease in humans.

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Smoking, Vaping, and Nicotine Pouches Linked to Higher Type 2 Diabetes Risk

A new European study has found that using nicotine products, whether through smoking, vaping, or nicotine pouches appears to raise the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Researchers analysed data from thousands of people in Sweden and Norway and found that nicotine users were more likely to develop all four subtypes of the disease. The strongest link was with severe insulin-resistant diabetes (SIRD), where both current and former smokers doubled their risk compared to non-smokers.

Ever-smokers also faced a 20% higher risk of severe insulin-deficient diabetes (SIDD), a 27% higher risk of mild age-related diabetes (MARD), and a 29% higher risk of mild obesity-related diabetes (MOD).

Even non-smoked forms of nicotine, such as snus or pouches, were linked to greater risk, suggesting nicotine itself plays a major role.

The study challenges the idea that certain nicotine products are safer, pointing instead to the importance of avoiding all nicotine to reduce diabetes risk.

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Sugar Substitutes Linked to Faster Decline in Thinking and Memory Skills

A large study from Brazil suggests that consuming artificial sweeteners could accelerate age-related memory and thinking decline.

Researchers followed more than 12,000 adults for eight years and found that those who consumed the highest amounts of sugar substitutes experienced a 62% faster decline in cognitive skills compared to those who consumed very little.

This difference was roughly equal to an extra 1.6 years of brain aging. Even moderate consumption was linked to a noticeably faster decline. Of the seven sweeteners studied, six, including aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame-K, erythritol, xylitol, and sorbitol were associated with poorer outcomes, while tagatose showed no significant effect.

The connection was strongest in people under 60 and those with diabetes. The study raises concerns about the long-term impact of artificial sweeteners on brain health. The findings suggest that limiting sweetener use may help protect memory and thinking skills as we age.

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Turmeric May be the Answer for Better Weight Control in Diabetes

A new study has found that turmeric, or its active component curcumin, may help people with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes lose weight, potentially reducing their need for costly medications.

A review of 20 different studies of participants using doses between 80 mg/day and 2,100 mg/day over 8 to 36 weeks, found that for those with prediabetes, supplements significantly reduced body weight and waist circumference, but again had no effect on BMI.

In people with type 2 diabetes, supplementation led to improvements in body weight, waist circumference, body fat percentage, and hip circumference.

While encouraging, these effects are modest, and the overall evidence quality was often low to moderate due to small sample sizes and variability across studies—so turmeric isn’t a standalone solution but could be a helpful addition to an overall healthy lifestyle.

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New Injection for Easier Prevention of HIV Infection

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended approval of Yeytuo (lenacapavir) as a twice-yearly, long-acting injectable for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), aimed at adults and adolescents at high risk.

This major public health advance was fast-tracked and evaluated alongside global partners, including WHO and experts from across Africa and Asia, under both EU and global review programs.

Clinical trials showed zero new HIV infections among women and just two among men/gender-diverse participants using Yeytuo, compared to significantly higher infection rates in daily-pill (Truvada) users.

With only two tablets at initiation and injections every six months thereafter, Yeytuo could greatly improve PrEP adherence compared to daily regimens.

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Cardiorespiratory Fitness Could Protect Cognitive Health As We Age

Recent research adds to growing evidence that maintaining good cardiorespiratory fitness may help protect the brain as we get older.

A new study found that higher cardiorespiratory fitness was correlated with better performance across all cognitive domains. It even benefitted people on beta-blocker medications and those carrying the APOE e4 gene, which raises dementia risk.

Researchers suggest several mechanisms that could explain the connection: improved cerebral blood flow, reduced inflammation and oxidative stress, stronger neurotrophic factor signaling and enhanced connections between brain cells.

Even in older age, maintaining or improving fitness appears to support brain health, including for those with higher dementia risk. Regular physical activity remains one of the most powerful modifiable lifestyle factors for protecting cognitive function. 

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https://bit.ly/40s3SOC