Miscellaneous Research Thread

forestglip

forestglip

Moderator
Staff member
I think it'd be good to have a general thread for topics related to research that don't need a whole thread and for where there is no existing relevant thread to post to.

So I'm making this thread as a catch-all for research related topics (from any conditions) that don't fit elsewhere.
 
forestglip said:
Paywalled and no abstract, but maybe there's something interesting in this:

The association between glucocorticoids and long COVID (2025, Inflammopharmacology)
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A letter to the editor, commenting on a recent study which linked glucocorticoid therapy in COVID-19 patients to an increased risk of long COVID. The authors suggest caution in interpreting its results, mentioning potential confounding factors (disease severity, inflammation levels) & study limitations (lack of information about dosage, timing, treatment duration). They recommend that future research includes subgroup analyses involving factors such as inflammation severity & cortisol levels.
 
Nightsong said:
A letter to the editor, commenting on a recent study which linked glucocorticoid therapy in COVID-19 patients to an increased risk of long COVID. The authors suggest caution in interpreting its results, mentioning potential confounding factors (disease severity, inflammation levels) & study limitations (lack of information about dosage, timing, treatment duration). They recommend that future research includes subgroup analyses involving factors such as inflammation severity & cortisol levels.
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Thanks!
 
www.nzz.ch

Fischölkapseln sollen zahlreiche Leiden mindern oder davor bewahren. Was wirklich stimmt

Mehr als 30 Jahre lang hat der Zürcher Arzt Gregor Berger die Therapiemöglichkeiten des hochgejubelten Fisch- oder Algenöls gegen Depression oder Psychosen untersucht. Nun zeigt sich: Ihre Wirkung wird überschätzt – auch bei Krebs oder Demenz.
www.nzz.ch www.nzz.ch

Omega-3 fatty acids were once believed to protect against and even heal many diseases. Psychiatrist Gregor Berger dedicated over 30 years to researching their effects on mental illnesses such as depression and psychosis. His conclusion: their benefits are largely overestimated.

The hype around omega-3 began with observations of the Inuit, who had healthier hearts and lower rates of schizophrenia despite a fatty diet. This was linked to their high levels of EPA and DHA, essential fatty acids found in fish and algae. Early lab and small clinical studies suggested anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects, which fueled global research and supplement sales.

However, large clinical trials brought disappointment. Omega-3 capsules showed no significant effect on psychosis progression or depression in children and adolescents. Similar results were found for heart disease, cancer, dementia, and autoimmune conditions: only minor benefits for a few individuals, with no clear population-wide effect. In some heart patients, omega-3 supplements even increased the risk of arrhythmia.

The only proven effect is a reduction in certain blood lipids. Eating fish cannot simply be replaced by taking capsules. Berger now focuses on specific subgroups that might still benefit—people with a significant omega-3 deficiency or underlying inflammation. He hopes future studies will clarify whether targeted use could help these patients.
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Chandelier said:
www.nzz.ch

Fischölkapseln sollen zahlreiche Leiden mindern oder davor bewahren. Was wirklich stimmt

Mehr als 30 Jahre lang hat der Zürcher Arzt Gregor Berger die Therapiemöglichkeiten des hochgejubelten Fisch- oder Algenöls gegen Depression oder Psychosen untersucht. Nun zeigt sich: Ihre Wirkung wird überschätzt – auch bei Krebs oder Demenz.
www.nzz.ch www.nzz.ch
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Eating fish cannot simply be replaced by taking capsules.
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As I am unable to get past the paywall, is the assertion that eating fish does have the benefits previously ascribed to omega-3s/DHA/EPA alone? If not, to what is this statement referring?

I note that the quoted excerpt does still imply potential help for those with "inflammation."
 
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DHagen said:
As I am unable to get past the paywall, is the assertion that eating fish does have the benefits previously ascribed to omega-3s/DHA/EPA alone? If not, to what is this statement referring?

I note that the quoted excerpt does still imply potential help for those with "inflammation."
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Good question, unfortunately the article isn’t that clear about it.
Earlier in the article they briefly mention results that showed benefits of a fish diet and tests in cells against inflammation.

Later the article states:
"All the studies and tests have taught me one thing," says Berger. "Nutrition and dietary supplements are absolutely not the same. Food works very differently from powders and capsules." A plate full of salmon and mackerel cannot simply be replaced by omega-3 capsules. Moreover, no one can say for sure whether it is only the omega-3 fatty acids that keep the Inuit’s hearts healthy.
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www.newscientist.com

mRNA covid vaccines spark immune response that may aid cancer survival

An analysis of patient records suggests that mRNA covid-19 vaccines boost the immune response to cancerous tumours when given soon after people start a type of immunotherapy, extending their lives
www.newscientist.com www.newscientist.com

AI Summary:
mRNA COVID Vaccines May Boost Cancer Immunotherapy Outcomes

A Surprising Link Between Vaccination and Cancer Survival

New research suggests that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines might improve survival rates for cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy. An analysis of nearly 1000 patient records found that individuals who received an mRNA vaccine within 100 days of starting immune checkpoint inhibitors lived significantly longer. For advanced lung cancer patients, survival nearly doubled — from 20 months to around 37 months.

Checkpoint Inhibitors and Immune Activation

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are a class of cancer drugs that work by preventing “off switches” on immune cells from being activated by tumours. One such switch is PD-1, which can be flipped off by the tumour’s production of PD-L1. Blocking this interaction allows immune T-cells to keep attacking cancer cells. However, these drugs are only effective if the immune system is already engaged against the tumour.

How mRNA Vaccines Fit In

Cancer vaccines are usually custom-made to provoke the immune system against specific tumour proteins. These are expensive and time-consuming to produce. Unexpectedly, researchers observed that non-specific mRNA vaccines — even those not designed to target cancer — activated the immune system in a powerful way. In mice studies, these vaccines triggered an innate immune alarm, drawing T-cells from tumours to lymph nodes, where they could coordinate stronger attacks.

Real-World Data and Early Results

At the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, researchers found that vaccinated lung cancer patients receiving checkpoint inhibitors lived nearly twice as long as those who weren’t vaccinated within the same time frame. A similar trend appeared in melanoma patients, with survival times ranging from 30 to 40 months for vaccinated individuals, compared to 27 months in others.

Looking Ahead

While the data is promising, researchers like Elias Sayour caution against making clinical decisions based on these findings alone. A formal clinical trial is scheduled to begin before the end of 2025 to test the connection further. Past case reports have shown tumours shrinking after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination, even without immunotherapy — hinting at broader potential, though more studies are needed.

Concerns About Funding Cuts

Despite these promising findings, the U.S. government has recently reduced funding for mRNA vaccine development. Experts warn that this could hinder progress on what may be a transformative tool in both infectious disease and cancer treatment.
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Study: MRI contrast agent causes harmful metal buildup in some patients​

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www.ormanager.com

Study: MRI contrast agent causes harmful metal buildup in some patients - OR Manager

Editor's Note New research offers a potential explanation for why some patients retain toxic metals long after undergoing an MRI. Published in the journal
www.ormanager.com www.ormanager.com

“I wouldn’t take vitamin C if I needed to have an MRI with contrast because of the reactivity of the metal,” Wagner said.
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Study in question:
 
This appeared in my search alerts today - have not been able to read through but judging by the abstract may be of potential interest -

Attentional failures after sleep deprivation are locked to joint neurovascular, pupil and cerebrospinal fluid flow dynamics (Nature Neuroscience, October 2025)

Abstract:
Sleep deprivation rapidly disrupts cognitive function and in the long term contributes to neurological disease. Why sleep deprivation has such profound effects on cognition is not well understood. Here we use simultaneous fast fMRI–EEG to test how sleep deprivation modulates cognitive, neural and fluid dynamics in the human brain. We demonstrate that attentional failures during wakefulness after sleep deprivation are tightly orchestrated in a series of brain–body changes, including neuronal shifts, pupil constriction and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow pulsations, pointing to a coupled system of fluid dynamics and neuromodulatory state.
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CSF flow and hemodynamics are coupled to attentional function within the awake state, with CSF pulsations following attentional impairment. The timing of these dynamics is consistent with a vascular mechanism regulated by neuromodulatory state. The attentional costs of sleep deprivation may thus reflect an irrepressible need for rest periods driven by a central neuromodulatory system that regulates both neuronal and fluid physiology.
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