A new study suggests that how active you are during the day, not just how much you exercise, may play an important role in maintaining brain health as you age. Researchers found that older adults with more consistent daily patterns of activity and rest tended to have larger brain volumes in areas linked to memory and emotion.

In contrast, people with more fragmented routines, frequently switching between activity and inactivity, showed greater brain shrinkage in regions commonly affected by Alzheimer’s disease, such as the hippocampus and amygdala.

The findings suggest that maintaining a stable daily rhythm, with sustained periods of activity during the day and proper rest at night, could help protect against neurodegeneration. Disrupted circadian patterns may contribute to structural brain changes over time and potentially increase dementia risk.

To support a less fragmented rest activity rhythm, experts recommend keeping consistent sleep and wake times, getting regular exposure to natural daylight, staying physically and socially active during the day, and avoiding long periods of inactivity. Limiting daytime naps and maintaining a structured daily routine may also help reinforce healthier activity patterns and support long term cognitive health.

Read more about the findings: https://bit.ly/4cVbC32

A recent outbreak of meningitis B in Kent has raised concerns due to how quickly cases have spread, particularly among young people in schools and universities. The condition is caused by Neisseria meningitidis group B bacteria, which can lead to serious infections of the brain and bloodstream.

How does it spread?

Meningitis B spreads through close, prolonged contact, as the bacteria live in the nose and throat. Common routes include coughing, sneezing, kissing, and sharing items such as drinks, cigarettes, or vapes. It is not easily spread through casual contact, but environments like shared accommodation can increase risk.

What are the symptoms?

Early symptoms can be mild and flu-like, including fever, headache, fatigue, and nausea. As the illness develops, more serious signs may appear, such as a stiff neck, sensitivity to light, confusion, and vomiting. A distinctive rash that does not fade when pressed is a key warning sign. Symptoms can worsen rapidly, sometimes within hours.

When should you seek medical help?

Meningitis B is a medical emergency. Anyone experiencing symptoms should seek urgent care immediately. Warning signs like confusion, drowsiness, seizures, or a spreading rash require immediate attention. Early treatment with antibiotics is critical and can be life-saving.

Why early action matters

Although rare, meningitis B can progress very quickly and lead to severe complications, including sepsis, organ failure, or long-term damage. Prompt recognition and treatment significantly improve outcomes.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4v2auS8

The largest Parkinson’s disease clinical trial ever conducted has been launched in the UK, aiming to speed up the discovery of treatments that could slow or stop the progression of the condition. The £26 million study, known as EJS ACT-PD, will recruit up to 1,600 people with Parkinson’s across more than 40 hospitals nationwide.

The trial uses an innovative multi-arm, multi-stage design, allowing several potential treatments to be tested at the same time. This approach enables ineffective treatments to be stopped early while promising ones continue, potentially reducing the time needed to identify effective therapies by several years.

The study is led by researchers at University College London and Newcastle University, with support from the NIHR, the Medical Research Council, and Parkinson’s charities. Initial treatments being tested include repurposed drugs already used for conditions such as high blood pressure and prostate enlargement.

Researchers hope the trial will identify treatments that go beyond symptom management and help slow the underlying progression of Parkinson’s disease.

Learn more about the trial: https://bit.ly/3LrKPQV

Two new biological subtypes of multiple sclerosis (MS) have been identified in research that could change how the disease is understood and treated. Scientists used artificial intelligence to combine blood tests measuring serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL), a marker of nerve damage, with MRI brain scans from around 600 people with MS to detect distinct patterns in disease progression. The work was led by University College London and Queen Square Analytics.

The two subtypes discovered are termed early sNfL and late sNfL. In the early sNfL subtype, people have high levels of sNfL at the start of the disease along with rapid lesion growth in the brain, indicating a more aggressive form. In the late sNfL subtype, brain volume loss appears before a rise in sNfL, suggesting slower disease progression.

Researchers say these findings move beyond the traditional clinical categories of MS based on symptom patterns, offering a biology-informed classification that could help tailor monitoring and treatment more precisely. This approach may support earlier targeted interventions and improve outcomes for people living with MS.

The research underscores a shift toward personalised management of MS by identifying underlying disease mechanisms, which may lead to better treatment strategies in the future.

Read the article: https://bit.ly/49bGSru

A recent study suggests that simple healthy habits may help keep the brain younger even in people living with chronic pain.

Researchers used MRI scans to compare “brain age,” a measure of how the brain appears on imaging, with participants’ actual age. People with healthier lifestyle behaviours tended to have brains up to eight years younger than expected, even when chronic pain was present.

Chronic pain is common in middle-aged and older adults and has been linked to accelerated brain aging in past research. In this study, researchers followed more than 100 adults aged 45 to 85 over two years and assessed chronic pain severity alongside lifestyle and psychosocial factors such as tobacco use, body weight, sleep quality, stress levels, and optimism.

The key lifestyle factors associated with a younger brain included maintaining good sleep hygiene, a healthy body weight, avoiding tobacco, managing stress effectively, and maintaining positive social ties. Researchers emphasised that lifestyle and social habits mattered more than pain severity alone and that many of these factors can be modified with support from healthcare providers.

This research highlights the potential importance of everyday lifestyle choices for protecting brain health.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/490c3an

A recent review of published research suggests that eating more ultra-processed foods may be linked to a higher risk of developing Crohn’s disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease. Scientists analysed studies from 2010 to 2025 and found a consistent association between higher consumption of ultra-processed foods and increased Crohn’s disease risk.

Ultra-processed foods include industrially produced items high in additives and low in fibre, such as packaged snacks, sugary drinks and ready meals. Ingredients commonly found in these foods, such as emulsifiers and preservatives, may disrupt the gut microbiome and impair the intestinal barrier, contributing to inflammation associated with Crohn’s disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease affects millions globally, and there is currently no cure, so dietary and lifestyle changes are often recommended as part of management. The review’s authors note that reducing ultra-processed food intake and increasing consumption of whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains may support gut health, though individuals with active disease should follow tailored medical nutrition therapy.

This research highlights a potential role for diet in Crohn’s disease risk and offers practical guidance on limiting ultra-processed foods in favour of nutrient-rich alternatives to support digestive health.

Read the article: https://bit.ly/49ayRo5