BiomedicalResearch

Structural changes commonly linked to joint degeneration are being detected in the knees of people in their early thirties—even in the absence of pain or other symptoms, according to a new study from the University of Oulu, Finland. The findings, published in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, suggest that early joint damage may begin well before clinical symptoms appear, and that weight plays a pivotal role in these changes.

Disruptions to the body’s internal clock — known as circadian rhythms — may significantly elevate the risk of premature death, according to a major new study published in Scientific Reports. Researchers analyzing data from large-scale U.S. and Chinese populations found that adults aged 40 and over with disrupted circadian rhythms faced heightened mortality from cardiovascular, metabolic, renal, and neurodegenerative diseases.

A groundbreaking study from the University of Bonn and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) has revealed that inflammation in the brain may play a central role in the early progression of spastic paraplegia type 15 (SPG15), a rare hereditary neurodegenerative disorder. Conducted using a genetically modified mouse model and published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, the research provides compelling evidence that immune system overactivation precedes neuronal degeneration—findings that may also shed light on the pathology of diseases like Alzheimer's.