With summer coming to an end, September is a time for reflection and new beginnings, with hopefully many positive memories of sunny days and sweet treats.
Many of us will begin new jobs, a new year at school, or new journeys (personally, I will be on a study abroad to Florence, Italy), which is why this time of year comes as a close second to January as a month for new beginnings.
Not only is this time about fresh starts, but with September comes fall, my favorite season, filled with pumpkin spice, apple cider, fuzzy sweaters and cool breezes that make me want to cozy up with a new book.
The transition from summer to fall also brings about a fresh crop of inspiring breakthroughs and discoveries from Mass General Brigham researchers worth checking out.
-- Sincerely, your MGB science summer writing intern and the biggest fan of pumpkin spice lattes and apple cider donuts, Nejma Reza
Science in the News
Study Uncovers Biological Clues About Daytime Sleepiness
Approximately 1 in 3 Americans reports experiencing overwhelming drowsiness during the day—a condition known as excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). EDS is linked to an increased risk of serious conditions such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes.
A new study from researchers at Mass General Brigham has now identified several molecules in the blood, known as metabolites, that are linked to EDS. The findings suggest that EDS may be caused by both internal body processes, such as hormone levels, and external factors such as diet.
The researchers also found that omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are commonly found in foods that make up Mediterranean-like diets, were associated with lower risk of EDS.
“Conducting a clinical trial would be a big next step and could help us understand if omega-3s and omega-6s could help lower risk of EDS,” said lead author Tariq Faquih, PhD. Read more.
Researchers Find Link Between History of Traumatic Brain Injury and Development of Malignant Brain Tumor
New research led by investigators at Mass General Brigham suggests a link between a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and an increased risk of developing a malignant brain tumor later in life.
By evaluating data from more than 75,000 people with a history of mild, moderate or severe TBI, the team found the risk of developing a malignant brain tumor was significantly higher compared to people without a history of TBI. Patients with a history of TBI should not panic, however, as the overall risk of developing a brain tumor is still low.
“These new findings underscore the importance of long-term monitoring for anyone with a history of TBI,” said co-senior author and corresponding author Saef Izzy, MD, FNCS, FAAN. Read more.
Mediterranean Diet May Offset Genetic Risk of Alzheimer's
Individuals with two copies of the APOE4 gene have a significantly increased risk of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. They tend to show earlier onset of symptoms, have distinct brain changes and exhibit altered metabolism and neuroinflammation.
Researchers from Mass General Brigham studied 4,215 women from the Nurses Health Study, and 1,490 men from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study over 30 years. They found that individuals with higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet had lower dementia risk, better cognitive performance and favorable metabolic changes, and that these benefits were strongest in individuals with two copies of the APOE4 gene.
"These findings suggest that dietary strategies could help reduce the risk of cognitive decline and stave off dementia by broadly influencing key metabolic pathways," said study first author Yuxi Liu, PhD. Read more.
Mass General Brigham Heart Researchers Take Center Stage
Researchers from Mass General Brigham presented on a variety of key topics at the recent European Society of Cardiology Congress. This included a call for shifting to a prevention-first approach to caring for heart failure patients, insights into the effectiveness of GLP-1 medications for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, and more. Learn more.
Meet Our Summer Research Students
Every summer, thousands of undergraduate and graduate students participate in research training programs at Mass General Brigham.
We spoke with 22 summer students from across the system to hear about their projects, goals, and how their time at Mass General Brigham has shaped their vision for the future of medicine. Read more.
Sleeping Pet of the Month
Meet Lily, the four-legged companion of Nicolas Depauw, PhD, a researcher in the department of Radiation Oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital.
"She has the important job of being cute every day,” says Depauw,”and then getting plenty of beauty rest, indeed.”
Past Prescriptions: This Week in Mass General Brigham History
Get out your shoulder pads and bump up that hair volume, because we are going back to the … past? In this month’s historical feature, the 1980s are in full swing. Think neon everything, cassette tapes spinning, Walkmans clipped to belts and some sweet all-white Converse running shoes.
BWH Team Provides Livesaving Health Services During 1984 Olympics
The September/October 1984 edition of Inside Brigham and Women's Hospital recaps the care provided by BWH physicians and nurses during six nights of Olympic soccer games that were played at Harvard Stadium that summer.
The medical challenges the team encountered ranged from blisters to two lost teeth to a heart attack.
The heart attack occurred in a 52-year-old man from Qatar who was in the stands to watch a match. Red Cross volunteers who were circulating in the crowd waved a yellow flag to alert the medical team to the situation.
A BWH nurse and physician ran into the stands to assist, and the man was stabilized and transported to Mount Auburn Hospital for additional treatment.
Each member of the BWH team who provided coverage during the soccer matches received official Lévi-Strauss uniforms consisting of three shirts, two pairs of pants, one jacket, one hat, and one pair of Converse running shoes (see photo above(.
Staff Picks
Before you go… Here are some of the Mass General Brigham community’s top picks
📺 Current watch: The Summer I Turned Pretty! — Mansa Devaki, Massachusetts General Hospital
🍦 Favorite ice cream: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough— Michael Regan MSc, PhD, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
☕ Go-to coffee order: More. — Leigh Hochberg, MD, PhD, Massachusetts General Hospital
🎤 Karaoke song pick: “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid — Meghan Smith, Mass General Brigham
Subscribe to BenchMarks!
Subscribe to our monthly research newsletter and be the first to know what’s shaking in science at Mass General Brigham. From groundbreaking discoveries to the latest “you-heard-it-here-first” breakthroughs, we’ve got the updates that’ll keep your curiosity grooving.
Leave a Comment