
News • Intracardiac nervous system
The heart has its own ‘brain’
Scientists have now discovered that the heart has its own complex nervous system – a 'mini brain', if you will – that is crucial to controlling its rhythm.

Scientists have now discovered that the heart has its own complex nervous system – a 'mini brain', if you will – that is crucial to controlling its rhythm.

A new way to inhibit the proliferation of Sars-CoV-2 opens up new perspectives in the fight against this coronavirus and other viral diseases that still have no medical treatment.

Spinal cord stimulation is performed for patients with chronic pain. However, for some patients, the procedure is not effective. A new method involving fMRI could help predict success.

Treatment options for diastolic heart failure are very limited. Using a 'virtual heart' model, researchers now found that speeding up the heart rhythm with a pacemaker could be a solution.

New research has linked having a cerebral stroke to lasting changes in the arteries in the abdomen. The study in animal models with hypertension could lead to new preventative strategies.

Depression may be a cause, rather than a consequence, of period pain, a new study finds. This further highlights the need for a holistic approach when treating mental health and reproductive issues.

The current rise in antibiotic resistance is once again sparking interest in phage therapy. Now, scientists developed a new tool that recommends the best possible phage cocktail for a given patient.

A wearable electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) device, which uses low-voltage electrical currents, could help reduce pain, fatigue, and mobility issues associated with long-Covid, a new study finds.

Exposure to air pollutants (PM2.5 and PM10) is associated with an increased risk of persistent long-Covid symptoms, partly due to its impact on the severity of the acute infection, a new study shows.

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects children differently than adults, a new study shows. The researchers found that paediatric patients are more prone to damage of the smallest brain vessels.

A research team has found wearable organic x-ray sensors could be the answer towards safer radiotherapy protocols for cancer patients, reducing the debilitating side-effects of the treatment.

New research has shown that using artificial intelligence (AI) can improve how urinary tract infections (UTIs) are treated, and help to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

A certain type of cells, called aneuploid epithelial cells, are usually associated with breast cancer. However, new research reveals that they can also be found in healthy women.

Nanoplastics are not only bad for the environment: A new study has shown that minuscule particles of plastic which enter the body also can impair the effect of antibiotic treatment.

Researchers have published findings that show the genetic structure of the heart’s shape may offer new insights into individual heart health.

It would seem that developing antibiotic resistance would give bacteria an immense advantage over their non-resistant counterparts. So, why do they not become dominant? New research may provide an answer.

A newly developed ‘biocooperative’ material based on blood can guide key processes taking place during the natural healing of tissues to create living materials that enhance tissue regeneration.

A new approach to fight glioblastoma: Swiss researchers have now developed an immunotherapy that not only attacks the brain tumor—it also turns its microenvironment against it.

Protection against blood clots: A new material, designed to mimic blood vessels, could allow for safer use of devices like catheters, stents, blood-oxygenation machines and dialysis machines.

Early and precise diagnosis of endometriosis is crucial for women's health and quality of life. Researchers are using hyperspectral imaging and AI to improve medical care for those affected.

Tumor cells are notorious for their rapid and uncontrolled division, and many cancer therapies aim to disrupt this. New findings suggest potential applications of apoptosis in blood cancer treatment.

New research suggests that transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) could be used to help people with pain, alcoholism, OCD, and Parkinson’s disease, without drugs or surgery.

New technology shows promise in protecting an implant against infections from resistant bacteria: By heating up small nanorods of gold with near-infrared light (NIR), the bacteria are killed.

Misfolded proteins lead to Alzheimer's disease – but where do they come from? Using a particularly powerful imaging technique, Swiss researchers now uncovered a key mechanism.

A new discovery about how the liver flushes cholesterol from the body could lead to more effective treatments for cardiovascular disease – the leading cause of death worldwide.