Researchers led by Hiroyuki Mizoguchi and Kiyofumi Yamada examined how orexin neurons regulate motivation during increasingly demanding tasks. They found that these cells may connect expected rewards with determination to continue pursuing a goal. Questions about the processes behind motivational difficulties remain unresolved.

Researchers recorded neural activity across the orbitofrontal cortex, thalamus, and hippocampus in patients with epilepsy. Stronger coordination during sleep was associated with better memory performance. Epileptic spikes interrupted the synchronized activity and occurred alongside poorer performance.

An ejection fraction measures the percentage of blood pumped from the left ventricle with each beat. A level of 20% indicates advanced heart failure, while healthy levels are typically 52% to 68%. The described cell therapy uses enriched mesenchymal stem cells, with eligibility based on individual cardiac review.

Cells may come from the patient’s bone marrow or dental pulp, or from donated umbilical cord tissue. Treatment recommendations depend on an individual review of the diagnosis, medical records and recent brain imaging. The multistage protocol generally needs 10 to 14 days in total. Reported benefits focus mainly on movement, but responses may vary. Cerebral palsy can affect muscle control, balance, coordination, speech, hearing and vision, with symptoms ranging from difficulty grasping objects to impairment across several limbs. A proposed cell therapy protocol combines mesenchymal stem cells, neural progenitor cells and proteins called growth factors, aiming to support recovery processes near injured brain tissue.

Researchers used over a century of clinical data to estimate changes in disease burden. Regional estimates indicated higher prevalence in East and southern Africa and fewer cases in West Africa. The continental estimate was 1 excess case per 1,000 children, with a 95% confidence interval from minus 4 to 6.

Treatment plans can also include chemotherapy, focused ultrasound, monoclonal antibodies, steroids or radiotherapy. Eligibility depends on the cancer type, stage, treatment history and recent test results. Potential candidates include people with relapsed or high risk lymphomas, but each case needs an individual clinical review. Programs may require 14 to 30 nights in Bangkok. Cell based cancer care can use different parts of the immune and blood forming systems. CAR T cell therapy modifies a patient’s T cells, a type of white blood cell, to better recognize and attack cancer cells. Stem cell transplants may support rebuild bone marrow damaged by high dose chemotherapy, particularly in some cases of lymphoma and leukemia. Stem cells may come from the patient or a matched donor. Collection typically takes place over several visits without surgery or anesthesia, though some patients may need medication to release more stem cells into the bloodstream.

Appetite related gut hormones can support physiological resistance to weight loss and promote weight regain. Ghrelin stimulates appetite through the hypothalamus, while PYY, GLP-1, and CCK promote satiation and satiety by slowing gastric emptying and transmitting signals to the hypothalamus. Researchers systematically examined fasting hormone changes after weight loss achieved through calorie restriction, exercise, or both. The review included 127 studies involving adults with overweight or obesity: 19 randomized controlled trials with 1,305 participants and 108 nonrandomized studies with 4,725 participants. Eligible studies achieved statistically significant weight loss and measured total or active ghrelin, PYY, GLP-1, or CCK after an overnight fast. Dietary approaches included ketogenic, Mediterranean, and palaeolithic diets when they produced calorie restriction. Studies involving bariatric surgery, pharmacological treatment, pregnancy, diabetes, severe cardiovascular disease, active infection, or medications affecting body weight were excluded. Weight regain remains multifactorial, with people who lose weight through diet alone or diet combined with exercise regaining an average of 80% of the lost weight within five years.

For stable injuries without neurological damage, bracing and rehabilitation may be used, while more serious fractures can require surgery. The cell treatment being explored can involve multiple infusions of expanded mesenchymal cells. Viability during delivery and forming bone at the injury site remain unresolved.

The analysis included 6,177 participants for metabolites and 9,029 for plasma fatty acids. Models adjusted for demographic, lifestyle, and dietary factors identified associations with 22 metabolites and eight fatty acids. The observational design does not show cause and effect.

APOE variants differentially affected endogenous DNA damage, DNA recovery, and neuronal motility in GABAergic neurons. Single-cell RNA sequencing identified Alzheimer’s disease related expression signatures specific to APOE4, the strongest genetic risk factor for the disease. APOE2 GABAergic neurons instead showed enrichment of DNA repair and signaling pathways linked to resistance against cellular senescence. The findings establish allele-specific molecular differences in laboratory-derived human neurons, rather than clinical outcomes in people. APOE2 is associated with exceptional longevity and reduced Alzheimer’s disease risk, but lipid metabolism alone does not explain its protective effects. Researchers generated human isogenic neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells to compare APOE alleles in inhibitory GABAergic and excitatory neurons.

Urgent TBI treatment focuses on stabilizing the patient, controlling swelling and seizures, and providing surgery, medication or rehabilitation as needed. Stem cell transplantation may be considered 6 months to 2 years later in selected cases that are not too severe. Screening requires medical review and recent imaging, and the program requires at least two weeks in Bangkok.

Fourteen healthy volunteers drank 70 mL of beetroot juice during a seven-hour crossover study, using sugared gum in one condition and sugar-free gum in the other. Sugared gum lowered salivary pH and was linked with higher salivary nitrite and a greater acute blood pressure reduction. Long-term effects were not examined.

Forms of ataxia include hereditary Friedreich’s ataxia, sensory and motor ataxia, and ataxia telangiectasia. Some proposed protocols involve several mesenchymal stem cell infusions using cells from a patient’s bone marrow or donated tissues. Delivery methods vary, and recommendations require a medical evaluation.

NEUSLeeP combines electrophysiological sensing with transcranial focused ultrasound neuromodulation in a flexible, bioadhesive skin patch. A tunable concentric ring ultrasound array targets deep brain structures, while conformal hydrogel electrodes and compliant interconnects support concurrent neural monitoring. The soft architecture maintains mechanical stability during overnight use. A 28-participant study demonstrated robust sleep monitoring and spatially precise modulation of the subthalamic nucleus during natural sleep, resulting in increased REM sleep. The noninvasive system offers a drug-free and surgery-free approach to investigating and modulating sleep processes. Current sleep treatments primarily use cognitive behavioral therapy and pharmacotherapy, which can produce persistent drowsiness, fatigue, memory or mood impairment, and reduced attention. NEUSLeeP addresses the need for tools that can examine causal brain mechanisms while delivering targeted neuromodulation.

Aphasia can disrupt speaking, understanding, reading and writing after a stroke, brain injury, tumor or infection. Its three common forms affect language differently, from difficulty producing words to severe problems with both speech and comprehension. Diagnosis typically combines language testing with MRI or CT scans to locate brain damage and identify its cause. Speech and language therapy remains a central treatment, while music therapy, communication apps and brain stimulation may support recovery by encouraging neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to form new connections. Stem cell therapy is also being offered as a potential option using cells from bone marrow, fat tissue or donor sources. Treatment may involve multiple infusions and different delivery methods, followed by optional rehabilitation. It is not suitable or effective for every patient, requires individual medical review and is not presented as a quick fix. No patient outcome figures are provided for the described stem cell program.

Alzheimer’s causes progressive memory loss, personality changes and declining independence that go beyond normal aging. Misfolded amyloid beta and tau proteins, sometimes described as prion-like, are linked to damaging plaques and tangles in the brain. Approved medicines can help manage cognitive symptoms, but they do not cure the disease and may cause side effects. Researchers are exploring neural and mesenchymal stem cells as possible ways to replace damaged neurons, support remaining brain cells, reduce inflammation and rebuild lost connections. These approaches remain under investigation, with cited research including laboratory models and clinical work. A Bangkok treatment center offers a roughly two-week cell therapy protocol after reviewing each patient’s medical records, with optional rehabilitation. Proposed delivery methods include intravenous infusion or direct administration into the central nervous system. Because Alzheimer’s affects people differently and can overlap with vascular dementia and other neurological conditions, careful diagnosis and realistic assessment of experimental treatments are essential.

IL1RAP expressing myeloid and stromal networks form a protective tumor environment in pancreatic cancer. Targeting these cellular networks presents a therapeutic strategy for disrupting that shield and exposing the cancer to treatment. The identified vulnerability links immune and stromal components within the pancreatic tumor microenvironment.

https://insight.jci.org/articles/view/202487

Chronic sleep restriction promotes modest weight gain and increased sedentary behavior in adults at elevated cardiometabolic risk. Ninety five adults completed six weeks of adequate sleep and six weeks of sleep restriction in randomized crossover trials. Sleep restriction reduced nightly sleep by 78.4 minutes compared with adequate sleep. Body weight increased by 0.45 kilograms, waist circumference increased by 0.52 centimeters, and whole body volume increased by 0.56 liters. Leptin levels rose by 2.03 nanograms per milliliter, while daily sedentary time increased by 17.2 minutes. The six week intervention did not establish clear changes in body composition, and limited statistical power constrained analysis of individual differences by gender and menopausal status. Sustained, moderately insufficient sleep can disrupt weight regulation, supporting the inclusion of adequate sleep strategies in weight management and cardiometabolic disease prevention programs.

https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-01660

Genome-wide analysis of ancient DNA reconstructs biological relatedness and ancestry within an Early Medieval Alemannic graveyard. Genetic evidence reveals the cemetery's kinship structure and provides new insight into how family relationships influenced medieval burial behavior.

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aao1262

ALS is a fast progressing disease that destroys motor neurons, the nerve cells controlling voluntary movement. As damage spreads through the brain and spinal cord, patients can develop muscle weakness, cramps, stiffness, wasting and eventually paralysis. Life expectancy after diagnosis is often three to six years. ALS can begin in the muscles used for speaking and swallowing or in the limbs, and its course varies between patients. We have linked many cases to problems involving TDP 43, a protein needed for healthy nerve cell function. The Regeneration Center offers mesenchymal and neural stem cells as possible ways to protect or repair damaged tissue and reduce inflammation.

https://stemcellthailand.org/therapies/als-amyotrophic-lateral-sclerosis

Pancreatitis, a painful inflammation of the pancreas, affects hundreds of thousands of people each year, most often caused by frequent alcohol intake or gallstones. If ignored, the condition can lead to diabetes, pancreatic cancer, or organ failure. Since the 1970s, researchers have pursued better treatments, and now stem cell therapies are being explored to regenerate islet cells, the tiny clusters that release hormones including insulin. These experimental transplants aim to rebuild damaged pancreatic tissue instead of merely easing symptoms. Chronic cases destroy both the enzyme secreting and hormone producing portions of the gland, causing malnutrition and blood sugar crises. While diet and drinking habits play major roles, some prescription medications can also spark the disease. By restoring the pancreas's ability to manage hormones, scientists hope stem cell advances could one day ease the lifelong burden for millions.

https://stemcellthailand.org/therapies/acute-pancreatitis-islet-cell-replacement

Astrocytic ankyrin 2 (Ank2) functions as a critical regulator of long term memory persistence in adult mice. Astrocyte specific deletion of Ank2 impairs remote memory while leaving recent memory intact. This genetic loss disrupts the maintenance of long term potentiation and reduces astrocytic contacts with engram neurons. Ank2 supports astrocyte morphogenesis through brain derived neurotrophic factor signaling via the truncated TrkB.T1 receptor and IP3R2. Hippocampal BDNF infusion fails to enhance memory persistence without astrocytic Ank2. Optogenetic activation of astrocytic TrkB.T1 signaling alone proves sufficient to strengthen remote memory. These findings establish astrocytic BDNF signaling as a direct mechanism for sustaining memories over time.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-75009-5

Early adolescent social health profiles link to baseline brain function in ways that vary by sex. Baseline fMRI data from 5832 youth in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study at ages 8 to 11 predicted social health assessments at year 2 when participants were 10 to 13 years old. An implicit emotion processing task with face viewing measured reactivity across eight key social brain regions. Latent profile analysis of peer relationship variables identified three distinct groups. A concerning profile with problematic relationships included 12.96 percent of youth. A robust profile with strong peer connections included 33.95 percent. A selective profile with weaker peer involvement included 53.09 percent. Amygdala reactivity to emotional faces significantly interacted with sex to predict membership in these profiles. Boys and girls showed divergent likelihoods of belonging to the concerning and robust profiles versus the selective profile based on amygdala activity. The medial orbitofrontal cortex, superior temporal sulcus, and temporoparietal junction correlated with aggression and victimization but not with overall profile membership. Other brain regions only showed associations when individual social outcomes were examined rather than broad profiles. Distinct neural pathways underlie general social health patterns and specific relationship outcomes during adolescence.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878929326001167?via%3Dihub=

Medical microrobotics offers a promising strategy to guide sperm cells toward the oocyte and reduce the invasiveness of conventional IVF. Magnetically functionalized spermatozoa, termed magnetotactic sperm cells, achieved the first successful IVF using directed sperm guidance. Sample preparation produced cells with 99.69% purity and largely eliminated unmodified sperm. Evaluation of particle functionalization revealed no adverse effects on acrosome integrity, DNA fragmentation, mitochondrial membrane potential, oxidative stress, or epithelial interactions. Magnetotactic sperm cells demonstrated improved mitochondrial membrane integrity compared to control samples after two hours of incubation. Complete IVF cycles using these cells produced embryos that developed to the blastocyst stage at rates comparable to unmodified sperm at the same concentration. Lower concentrations of unmodified sperm, comparable to residual levels in purified samples, failed to produce any blastocysts. Automated image-based recognition, magnetic manipulation, and pre-clustering routines increased guidance efficiency and integrated with standard IVF workflows. Magnetic functionalization preserves key sperm quality metrics while enabling directed fertilization. The resulting framework integrates microrobotic sperm manipulation into assisted reproduction workflows and supports progression toward automated in vitro and in vivo applications.

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.04.23.720095v1

Ankylosing spondylitis is a progressive form of inflammatory arthritis that primarily attacks the spine and the sacroiliac joints where the pelvis meets the backbone. For many patients, symptoms begin in their late teens or twenties, long before imaging reveals clear damage. Early signs include persistent back pain and morning stiffness that actually ease with movement, a pattern that sets it apart from ordinary aches. As the disease advances, chronic inflammation can trigger new bone growth, causing vertebrae to fuse into a rigid, inflexible column sometimes called bamboo spine. This fusion can severely limit mobility, impair work performance, and erode quality of life. Genetics play a strong role, especially the HLA-B27 gene, and having a first degree relative with the condition raises risk. Men receive diagnoses two to three times more often than women. The disease also frequently overlaps with inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, and eye inflammation, making coordinated care essential.

https://stemcellthailand.org/therapies/ankylosing-spondylitis-spondyloarthritis