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When You Eat Matters: Late-Night Meals May Affect Liver Health

What if protecting your liver involves more than choosing healthy foods? The timing of your meals could also play an important role. New research suggests that eating late at night may increase the risk of liver disease, adding to growing evidence that when we eat can be just as important as what we eat.

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) found that people who regularly ate after dinner or around bedtime were more likely to develop metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), commonly known as fatty liver disease, and cirrhosis, a serious condition involving liver scarring. Published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the study found a 20% to 30% higher risk of liver disease among late-night eaters compared with those who avoided eating late.

Although previous studies have linked late-night snacking to obesity and cardiovascular disease, its potential impact on liver health has received less attention. “A few studies have hinted at this idea but this is among the first long-term analyses to explicitly draw the connection to fatty liver disease,” said lead author Dr. Robert Wilechansky, a hepatologist specialising in liver transplantation at OHSU.

To investigate, researchers examined dietary and lifestyle information from nearly 200,000 participants in three major US studies: the Nurses’ Health Study, Nurses’ Health Study II and Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Participants were grouped according to their reported eating habits, allowing researchers to examine associations between late-night eating and liver disease over time.

The findings are particularly significant because fatty liver disease affects as much as 30% of the US population. While most people with the condition do not develop cirrhosis, researchers believe adjusting meal times could offer a relatively simple way to support liver health without necessarily changing what people eat.

One possible explanation lies in the body’s internal clock, known as the circadian rhythm, which regulates sleep, metabolism and numerous biological processes. The liver is especially sensitive to these daily cycles. Eating when the body is preparing for sleep may interfere with its ability to process nutrients efficiently, potentially contributing to metabolic problems.

“We are seeing over and over again that the timing of behaviors, whether it’s sleep, eating, or exercise, really matters,” said co-author Dr. Andrew McHill, a sleep and circadian physiologist at OHSU. Previous research suggests that eating during the biological night can impair metabolism, potentially increasing the risk of obesity, diabetes and other health problems.

However, the researchers emphasise that the findings establish an association, not proof that late-night eating causes liver disease. The study relied on self-reported eating habits, which may introduce inaccuracies. OHSU researchers are now recruiting participants for a clinical study to determine whether eating earlier can improve liver health. Meanwhile, limiting food intake during the hours leading up to bedtime may be a practical habit worth considering.

More information: Robert Wilechansky et al, Late-Night Eating is Associated with MASLD and Cirrhosis: The Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals’ Follow-Up Study, Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2026.09.047

Journal information: Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology Provided by Oregon Health & Science University

Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease Challenges Conventional Understanding of Risk Factors

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For years, high blood pressure and high cholesterol have been recognised as important risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease. But new research suggests that people who develop the disease before age 65 may follow a different path, experiencing a range of seemingly unrelated health problems long before their diagnosis.

A study by researchers at the University of Oulu and the University of Eastern Finland found that people with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease were more likely to develop several health conditions in the years preceding diagnosis. These included depression, dizziness, headaches, traumatic brain injuries, epilepsy, cerebrovascular disorders, thyroid diseases and problems associated with heavy alcohol use. Hearing loss and tinnitus were also more common six to ten years before diagnosis.

One of the most surprising findings was the absence of a stronger association with traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Unlike late-onset Alzheimer’s disease, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol levels were no more common among people with early-onset Alzheimer’s than among individuals of similar age and sex without neurodegenerative disease. The findings challenge conventional assumptions about the factors associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

The researchers examined health records covering the 15 years before diagnosis. They found few significant differences between the groups during the earliest period, 11 to 15 years before diagnosis. However, health problems became increasingly common as diagnosis approached, particularly during the final five years. This suggests that early-onset Alzheimer’s may have a distinct clinical profile rather than simply representing an earlier version of the disease typically seen in older adults.

“Our findings support the view that early-onset Alzheimer’s disease is not simply a younger-age version of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Rather than the familiar cardiovascular risk factors, we observed a range of other health problems becoming more common as diagnosis approached,” said Johanna Krüger, adjunct professor at the University of Oulu and the study’s lead investigator.

The study also revealed a sharp rise in healthcare use during the five years before diagnosis. Patients increasingly sought medical attention for various conditions, with healthcare visits rising most dramatically during the final year. Researchers believe this pattern of repeated medical encounters, combined with accumulating health problems, could provide valuable clues for identifying the disease earlier.

“No single disease or symptom predicts Alzheimer’s disease,” cautioned Laura Leppänen, a doctoral researcher at the University of Oulu and the study’s first author. However, she explained that recognising a combination of seemingly unrelated symptoms and increasing healthcare visits could prompt doctors to investigate possible neurodegenerative disease sooner. Earlier recognition is particularly important because Alzheimer’s disease in working-age adults can be difficult to identify, often resulting in diagnostic delays lasting several years.

The findings were based on patient records from memory clinics at Oulu University Hospital and Kuopio University Hospital, linked with nationwide Finnish health registers. Researchers compared 407 people diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease with more than 4,000 age- and sex-matched controls. The study highlights the importance of looking beyond conventional cardiovascular risk factors and recognising broader patterns of health changes that may precede an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

More information: Laura Leppänen et al, Comorbidities and health-care use prior to early-onset Alzheimer’s disease: A population-based case–control study, Alzheimer’s & Dementia. DOI: 10.1002/alz.71831

Journal information: Alzheimer’s & Dementia Provided by University of Oulu, Finland

Afterschool Intervention Shows Promise in Tackling Childhood Weight Concerns

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Could swapping sugary drinks for water help children maintain a healthier weight? A new study suggests that one simple change in drinking habits, supported by an engaging after-school programme, could make a meaningful difference. Researchers at Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) found that children who participated in a community-based intervention aimed at reducing sugary drink consumption showed improvements in their body mass index (BMI) over 12 months.

Published in JAMA Network Open, the randomised trial offers a promising approach to addressing childhood obesity, which affects nearly one in five school-aged children in the United States. Rather than asking families to overhaul their diets, increase exercise and improve sleep simultaneously, the intervention focused on a single achievable goal: drinking fewer sugar-sweetened beverages and more water.

The programme, called H₂GO!, involved 437 children aged eight to 13 at Boys & Girls Club locations across Massachusetts. Trained staff delivered 12 interactive sessions over six weeks, combining educational activities, taste tests, sugar measurement demonstrations and creative projects. Children produced music, videos and stories promoting water consumption, while parents and caregivers participated through take-home activities.

The results were encouraging. Compared with children at other club locations, participants showed significantly greater reductions in BMI z-scores, a measure that accounts for children’s age and sex. Nearly 30% of participating children moved into a lower BMI category after 12 months, compared with 18% in the comparison group, according to exploratory analyses.

Among children who began the study overweight, 44.4% of those receiving the intervention reached the healthy-weight category, compared with 31.6% at comparison sites. Children in the programme also reported drinking an average of 3.6 fewer ounces of sugary beverages and 6.6 more ounces of water daily by the 12-month follow-up.

Study co-leader Dr Monica Wang, associate professor of community health sciences at BUSPH, said the findings demonstrate how community-based programmes can improve children’s health even as childhood obesity remains a major national concern. She emphasised that meaningful prevention efforts need not be confined to medical settings, particularly when trusted community organisations already play an important role in children’s daily lives.

The researchers also recognised that healthier choices are not always easy. Families may face financial pressures, limited access to nutritious foods and environments where sugary drinks are readily available. By concentrating on one affordable, practical change, H₂GO! sought to make healthier habits easier to adopt without placing additional burdens on families.

Although the findings are promising, researchers acknowledged limitations, including reliance on self-reported beverage consumption. Further studies are needed to determine whether other factors influenced BMI changes and whether similar programmes could succeed in different communities. Nevertheless, the findings suggest that small, manageable lifestyle changes, reinforced through community support, may offer a practical way to help children develop healthier habits.

More information: Monica Wang et al, A Community-Based Behavioral Intervention and Body Mass Index in School-Aged Children – A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial, JAMA Network Open. DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.38188

Journal information: JAMA Network Open Provided by Boston University

Cannabis May Promise Better Sleep, but Does It Deliver?

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A good night’s sleep is something millions of people struggle to achieve, and cannabis has become an increasingly popular remedy. But what if it is doing more harm than good? A new study from Northwestern Medicine suggests that cannabis users may experience poorer sleep quality without even realising it, raising questions about whether marijuana is truly an effective sleep aid.

Published on 9 October in JAMA Network Open, the study found that both long-term and recent cannabis use were associated with disrupted sleep. Surprisingly, participants who used cannabis generally believed they slept just as well as non-users, despite objective measurements suggesting otherwise.

Researchers analysed data from 1,266 participants in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study, which has followed American adults for nearly 35 years. Participants’ cannabis use was tracked from young adulthood into middle age. Researchers then used wrist-worn sleep monitors for seven nights, alongside questionnaires, to compare actual sleep patterns with participants’ perceptions.

The results revealed a striking disconnect. People with greater lifetime cannabis exposure spent a smaller proportion of the night asleep, experienced more frequent sleep interruptions and remained awake longer after initially falling asleep. Recent cannabis users showed similar difficulties and were also more likely to sleep longer than eight hours per night.

“This study challenges the common belief that cannabis helps people sleep better,” said Dr. Thanh-Huyen T. Vu, the study’s corresponding author and a research associate professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University. “Our findings suggest cannabis may actually be associated with poorer sleep quality, even if people don’t perceive those changes.”

The association remained even after researchers accounted for factors such as age, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, depression and chronic health conditions. However, the study could not establish whether cannabis directly causes sleep disturbances. It also did not distinguish between smoking cannabis and consuming edibles, leaving questions about whether different methods of consumption affect sleep differently.

“Our data do not support the belief that cannabis is helpful as a sleep aid,” said senior author Mercedes R. Carnethon, chair of preventive medicine at Northwestern. With cannabis becoming more widely available and socially accepted, the researchers emphasised the importance of understanding its potential long-term health effects, particularly when users may be unaware of changes in their sleep.

For those seeking better rest, sleep specialist Kristen L. Knutson recommends sticking to proven habits rather than relying on cannabis. Maintaining a consistent bedtime, keeping bedrooms cool, dark and quiet, and avoiding screens before bed can all help. Relaxing activities such as reading, meditation or a warm shower may also encourage restful sleep. Anyone experiencing persistent sleep difficulties or loud snoring should consult a healthcare professional to investigate possible underlying sleep disorders.

More information: Thanh-Huyen T. Vu et al, Recent and Cumulative Cannabis Use and Sleep in Middle-Aged Adults, JAMA Network Open. DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.38303

Journal information: JAMA Network Open Provided by Northwestern University

A Quiet, Cool and Dark Bedroom May Mean Better Sleep for Young Adults

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A bedroom that is too bright, noisy or hot could be quietly robbing young adults of a good night’s rest. New research from Penn State suggests that while these disturbances may not reduce the total amount of sleep young people get, they can significantly affect how well they sleep — with possible consequences for long-term health.

The study, recently published in Sleep Health, examined how bedroom conditions affected 372 young adults with an average age of 22. Researchers found that participants reported poorer sleep quality when their sleeping environment was too bright, hot or noisy. Surprisingly, these conditions did not appear to affect how long they slept, while bedrooms perceived as too cold showed no measurable effect on sleep.

“Young adults often have little control over their sleep environments,” said lead author Adwoa Dadzie, a doctoral candidate in biobehavioral health at Penn State. College dormitories, shared housing and small apartments can make it difficult to control noise, light and temperature. Yet repeated sleep disruptions could affect health and development over time, she said.

Sleep quality involves much more than simply counting hours. How quickly someone falls asleep, how often they wake during the night and how long they remain awake all contribute to whether sleep is restorative. Someone who spends many hours in bed but sleeps poorly may therefore feel less rested than someone who gets fewer hours of uninterrupted, high-quality sleep.

For 14 days, participants completed morning reports describing how well they had slept and whether noise, light or temperature had disturbed them. They also wore wrist sensors that objectively recorded when they slept, how long it took them to fall asleep and how much time they spent awake during the night.

The results showed different effects depending on the disturbance. When bedrooms were too bright, participants tended to fall asleep later, spend more time awake during the night and report poorer sleep quality. Environments that were too hot or noisy were also associated with poorer sleep, according to both participants’ reports and data collected by the wrist sensors.

Noise may be particularly troublesome because the brain does not completely tune out the surrounding environment during sleep. “Parts of our brain stay vigilant to our environment during sleep, especially noises of something that could be a threat,” said study co-author Orfeu Buxton, professor of biobehavioral health at Penn State. What counts as disruptive, however, differs from person to person. Someone accustomed to city noise, for example, may tolerate sounds that seem extremely loud to someone raised in a quieter setting.

The researchers said the findings offer some relatively simple ways to improve sleep, even for young adults who cannot change where they live. Ear plugs, noise-cancelling devices, sleep masks and blackout curtains may help reduce common disturbances. Developing good sleep habits during young adulthood could also pay dividends later in life, Buxton said, potentially reducing the effects of accumulated sleep loss as people grow older.

More information: Adwoa Dadzie et al, Daily associations between the physical environment and sleep among a diverse, national sample of young adults, Sleep Health. DOI: 10.1016/j.sleh.2026.07.010

Journal information: Sleep Health Provided by Penn State

Sustained ‘Food is Medicine’ Program Linked to Improved Cardiometabolic Health

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A weekly supply of fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains may do more than help families put nutritious meals on the table. New research suggests that when such support continues for years, rather than weeks or months, it may contribute to measurable improvements in blood pressure and weight among adults.

Researchers at Mass General Brigham studied a long-running “Food Is Medicine” program offered through the Revere Community Health Center’s Food Pantry. Adults who received weekly plant-based grocery packages for an average of 2.7 years experienced dose-dependent improvements in several measures of cardiometabolic health, meaning those who received more packages tended to see greater benefits. The findings were published in Preventing Chronic Disease.

“Our results suggest that plant-based food interventions are promising and, in the future, should focus on longer duration for improving cardiovascular and metabolic health,” said senior author Lauren Fiechtner, MD, MPH, Division Chief of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Mass General Brigham for Children and Senior Health and Research Advisor at the Greater Boston Food Bank.

The study grew out of a longstanding partnership between Mass General Brigham Revere Community Health Center and the Greater Boston Food Bank. The food bank has provided nearly 379,000 pounds of food to the health centre this year alone, helping support patients who may have difficulty consistently accessing nutritious foods.

Researchers examined health data from 68 adults who received an average of 97 grocery packages over 2.7 years. Designed by a dietitian using the USDA 2020 Dietary Guidelines, the packages included fresh fruits and vegetables, canned beans, nut butter and whole grains. Each weekly package provided enough food for three meals a day for every member of a participant’s household.

The longer and more frequently people participated, the greater the improvements appeared to be. For every 100 food packages received, researchers estimated an average reduction of 3.21 mmHg in diastolic blood pressure, 2.6 kilograms in body weight and 1.04 kg/m² in body mass index.

Among participants who began the program with elevated blood pressure, systolic blood pressure also declined. However, researchers did not find significant improvements in hemoglobin A1c, a commonly used measure of longer-term blood sugar control. The findings therefore suggest benefits in some cardiometabolic measures, but not across every health indicator examined.

“This paper has the potential to change the conversation about Food Is Medicine interventions,” said first author Jacob Mirsky, MD, MA, a primary care physician at the Revere Community Health Center and medical director of the Food Pantry. He said future programs should consider frequent, high-quality and substantial food packages delivered over longer periods, giving patients a greater opportunity to benefit from sustained access to nutritious food.

More information: Jacob Mirsky et al, Plant-Based Medically Tailored Groceries From a Food Pantry and Adult Cardiometabolic Outcomes, Preventing Chronic Disease. DOI: 10.5888/pcd23.260023

Journal information: Preventing Chronic Disease Provided by Mass General Brigham

New Editorial Urges Stronger Emergency Planning for Older Adults

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When disaster strikes, older adults can face challenges that extend far beyond the immediate danger. A hurricane, wildfire, flood or heat wave can interrupt medical care, separate people from caregivers and social networks, and magnify health and mobility problems that existed long before the emergency began.

That broader picture is the focus of “Complex Emergencies and the Effects on Older Populations,” the opening editorial in the October 2026 special issue of the Journal of Applied Gerontology. Author and guest editor Lindsay Peterson, PhD, examines how disasters affect older adults in the United States, Puerto Rico and China, including those receiving care at home and in the community, assisted living communities and nursing homes.

Drawing together findings from 12 studies, the special issue shows that disaster vulnerability often develops over a lifetime. Researchers examine how childhood adversity, extreme heat, air pollution and multiple losses following hurricanes can affect cognitive function, mental health and daily functioning in later life. The studies suggest that the effects of disasters cannot always be understood by examining a single emergency in isolation.

Disasters can also disrupt the services older adults depend on. Research highlighted in the editorial found interruptions to home health and therapy services extending beyond the main disaster zone. Meanwhile, differences in staffing, organizational structure and resident involvement can leave assisted living communities and nursing homes with very different levels of preparedness.

Individual preparedness remains another concern. Even older adults with chronic illnesses or previous disaster experience may not have plans for maintaining medical care during a power outage or emergency. At the same time, resilience, hope, self-efficacy, caregiving relationships and access to reliable information can help strengthen preparedness and recovery.

“Motivation alone is not enough,” Peterson, of the University of South Florida School of Aging Studies, said. “Older adults need information that is timely, relevant, and meets their needs and life circumstances.” She added that stronger support is needed from emergency management agencies, healthcare providers, home care services and long-term care facilities.

Guest editor Lisa M. Brown, PhD, ABPP, of Palo Alto University, stressed that the consequences can also be psychological. Disasters may separate older adults from familiar routines, relationships and caregivers, with effects that continue long after the immediate crisis. Including mental health, caregiver support and trauma-informed care in emergency planning, she said, can help older adults, families and care staff cope during both the crisis and recovery.

The editorial calls for disaster planning to become part of routine clinical care, stronger emergency capacity in assisted living and nursing homes, and community programmes tailored to local circumstances, particularly in rural areas. Taken together, the research suggests that protecting older adults requires more than preparing for the next storm, fire or heat wave. It means strengthening the healthcare, caregiving, social and information systems they rely on before disaster strikes.

More information: Lindsay Peterson et al, Complex Emergencies and the Effects on Older Populations, Journal of Applied Gerontology. DOI: 10.1177/07334648261472656

Journal information: Journal of Applied Gerontology Provided by SAGE

Daily Walking May Help Protect Mental Health in Young Adolescents

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Simply moving more throughout the day may be linked to better mental health as young people enter adolescence. A large US study found that 11- and 12-year-olds who accumulated more daily steps tended to experience fewer symptoms of anxiety, low mood and behavioural problems a year later, suggesting that ordinary physical activity could play a meaningful role during this important stage of development.

The study, led by King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience in collaboration with the University of Massachusetts Amherst, followed 5,515 adolescents taking part in the US Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. Participants wore Fitbit devices for three weeks at around age 11 or 12, giving researchers an objective measure of their daily activity.

A year later, researchers assessed the adolescents’ mental health using the Child Behaviour Checklist, which measures symptoms including anxiety, low mood and behavioural problems. They found a clear pattern: the more steps young people took, the fewer mental health symptoms they reported. Those walking fewer than 5,000 steps a day had the most symptoms, while those averaging about 8,000 had fewer and those reaching 12,000 or more had the fewest.

Importantly, the benefits did not appear to level off within the range studied. Even relatively modest increases in activity were associated with better outcomes. An additional 1,000 to 2,000 daily steps, regardless of a young person’s starting point, were linked to better mental health and differences in brain structure.

Adolescents with higher step counts also had slightly thicker brain tissue in two regions involved in movement and emotional regulation. Researchers said these differences appeared to explain part of the association between physical activity and better mental health, although the changes were small. Daily step counts were not associated with academic performance.

“This study gives us some of the clearest evidence yet that even an everyday, low-cost, accessible measure of physical activity like daily step count is tied to how adolescent brains and mental health develop,” said senior author Dr Divyangana Rakesh of King’s College London. Lead author Qingyang Li added that the findings offer preliminary clues about which parts of the brain may be involved.

Dr Amanda Paluch, Associate Professor of Kinesiology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, said the findings show young people do not have to become elite athletes to benefit potentially. Everyday activities such as walking to school, active play and sports can all add steps. “It is not an all-or-nothing situation,” she said, emphasising the importance of finding enjoyable and sustainable ways for adolescents to move more.

The researchers cautioned that the study was observational, meaning it cannot prove that taking more steps directly improves mental health. Young people with better mental health may be more inclined to stay active. Still, the association remained after researchers accounted for earlier mental health problems, and the use of wearable devices provided a more objective picture of activity than self-reported questionnaires. The findings add to growing evidence that ordinary movement woven into daily life may have an important role in adolescent well-being.

More information: Qingyang Li et al, Physical Activity and Adolescent Brain Structure, Mental Health, and Academic Outcomes, JAMA Network Open. DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.36973

Journal information: JAMA Network Open Provided by King’s College London

Ageing Changes the Way Cells Recycle — Just Not as Predicted

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Taking out the trash is a chore even our cells cannot avoid. Through a process called autophagy, cells collect damaged proteins and other waste, break them down and reuse their molecular building blocks. This cellular recycling system helps prevent the accumulation of debris that can damage cells and contribute to disease.

For years, scientists have generally believed that autophagy declines as people grow older. That decline has been considered one of the hallmarks of ageing and has been linked to cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and neurodegenerative conditions. But new research suggests the story is considerably more complicated.

Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute reported in Aging Cell that autophagy does not simply slow down across the body with age. Instead, its activity appears to change differently depending on the type of cell and a person’s sex. The researchers also found preliminary evidence that exercise could influence cellular recycling in older adults.

“We commonly see people cite this idea that autophagy declines with age, but the actual evidence for this in humans is very thin,” said senior author Caroline Kumsta, PhD, an assistant professor at Sanford Burnham Prebys. To investigate, researchers studied skin and blood samples from healthy volunteers aged 23 to 72 and transformed some skin cells into induced neurons, allowing them to examine several cell types.

The team analysed the activity of genes involved in autophagy and directly measured how quickly cells recycled their contents. The results revealed striking differences. Autophagy declined with age in male skin cells but remained stable in female skin cells. In female-induced neurons, it actually increased with age. Gene activity also did not reliably predict the amount of recycling taking place inside cells.

The researchers then examined whether autophagy was related to physical health. Among adults aged 70 and older, higher autophagy was associated with poorer physical function across the cell types studied. Greater autophagy in blood cells was linked to lower aerobic fitness, while higher levels in skin cells were associated with higher body mass index. In induced neurons, greater autophagy was associated with lower grip strength and metabolism and a higher resting heart rate.

The findings raise the intriguing possibility that more cellular recycling is not necessarily better at every age. “It appears that increased autophagy flux may be good in younger people yet problematic in older people,” Kumsta said. Lead author Tatiana Moreno, PhD, said the results show that researchers need to consider cell type, sex and age when exploring autophagy as a possible target for healthy-ageing treatments.

A small pilot experiment also offered a clue about the role of exercise. Five adults aged 77 to 88 completed a 12-week mild exercise programme designed to help prevent falls. Afterwards, their blood-cell autophagy appeared to move towards levels seen in younger people while their physical performance improved. Although the pilot was far too small to establish cause and effect, the researchers say it provides an intriguing direction for future studies — and another sign that the relationship between ageing and cellular recycling may be far more dynamic than previously thought.

More information: Tatiana Moreno et al, Autophagy Flux Is Remodeled Sex- and Cell Type-Specifically During Human Aging, and Is Linked to Reduced Physical Function in Older Adults, Aging Cell. DOI: 10.1111/acel.70734

Journal information: Aging Cell Provided by Sanford Burnham Prebys

Immune Systems Age Faster Around Ages 40 and 60, but Differ Between Men and Women

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Women tend to live longer than men, yet they are more likely to develop many age- and immune-related conditions. Why this happens has long puzzled scientists. Now, researchers at Duke-NUS Medical School have uncovered new clues showing that the immune systems of men and women follow different ageing patterns — and that immune ageing may accelerate at particular stages of life.

The study, published in Nature Communications, found that immune cells do not simply deteriorate at a slow, steady pace as people grow older. Instead, they appear to go through periods of more rapid change, with major shifts in gene activity occurring around age 40 and again after 60. Some of the most fundamental processes that keep cells functioning, including genes involved in producing RNA and proteins, showed particularly marked declines during these periods.

T cells — white blood cells that play a central role in coordinating immune responses and fighting infections — showed some of the most striking changes. Researchers found a major shift in T-cell gene activity around the 40s, followed by another wave after age 60. Intriguingly, different types of T cells appeared to drive the changes at each stage, suggesting that different parts of the immune system may be affected as people move through later life.

The patterns also differed between men and women. Certain specialised T cells changed their activity differently across the lifespan depending on sex, potentially offering clues as to why some immune-related diseases affect women and men differently. Autoimmune diseases, for example, are strongly associated with both age and sex and occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues.

“We tend to think of ageing as a gradual process, but our findings show that the immune system does not simply decline at a steady rate,” said senior author Associate Professor Jacques Behmoaras of Duke-NUS. He said identifying these periods of rapid immune change could eventually help researchers determine when interventions might be most beneficial and why some autoimmune conditions disproportionately affect women.

The research is among the largest and most diverse studies of its kind. Scientists analysed the genetic activity of 3.8 million individual immune cells collected from nearly 2,000 healthy people between the ages of 19 and 97. The participants included people of Asian ethnicity, including Singaporeans. Data from multiple publicly available studies were combined to create a detailed atlas of immune ageing across the human lifespan.

Professor Antonio Bertoletti, another study author, said the findings reinforce previous evidence that T cells are particularly vulnerable to ageing. Understanding what causes these nonlinear changes could be important because declining or altered T-cell function may help explain why older adults become more susceptible to infections and inflammatory conditions.

Researchers also used the data to develop artificial intelligence models that estimate a person’s biological age, which can differ from their chronological age. The team hopes the models will help identify biological pathways and critical periods when interventions could be tailored according to both age and sex. Ultimately, the findings could help move medicine away from a one-size-fits-all view of ageing towards more personalised strategies for maintaining immune health throughout life.

More information: Harry Park et al, Sex-specific trajectories of nonlinear immune aging at single-cell level, Nature Communications. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-76737-4

Journal information: Nature Communications Provided by Duke-NUS Medical School

How Sex Chromosomes Shape Cancer Risk, Heart Health and Lifespan

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The X and Y chromosomes may be best known for their role in determining biological sex, but scientists are finding that their influence reaches much further. A new review published in Science suggests these chromosomes can shape how our bodies age, fight disease and respond to treatment throughout our lives.

For decades, many health differences between men and women have been explained largely by hormones such as estrogen and testosterone. But researchers say that is only part of the story. Genes carried on the X and Y chromosomes can have their own effects on the body, influencing everything from the immune system and metabolism to cancer, heart disease and brain ageing.

The review was co-led by University of Arizona Cancer Center physician-scientist Dr. Dan Theodorescu and Dr. Dena B. Dubal of the University of California, San Francisco. Drawing on evidence from human studies, mouse research and genomic technologies, the scientists examined how sex chromosomes may affect disease risk, progression and responses to treatment.

“X and Y chromosomes are often thought of as simple determinants for biological sex, but their role in human health is much larger,” Theodorescu said. According to the researchers, the chromosomes carry genetic instructions that can influence how cells age and how the body protects itself against major diseases.

The X chromosome offers a particularly intriguing example. Women generally have two X chromosomes, but one is largely switched off early in development. That shutdown is not always complete. Some genes remain active, while others may switch back on as people age, potentially giving female cells extra doses of certain genes. Animal studies also suggest that whether an active X chromosome comes from the mother or father could affect brain ageing and memory.

Age can bring other changes. Some cells may lose a sex chromosome altogether. In women, loss of an X chromosome has been associated with a higher risk of leukaemia. In men, loss of the Y chromosome in blood cells has been linked to cancer, heart disease, severe infections and Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists are now studying whether these changes signal ageing and disease or actually help drive them.

Cancer research is already providing important clues. Theodorescu’s laboratory has found that tumours that lose the Y chromosome can become better at escaping attack by the immune system. Surprisingly, those tumours may also respond better to immunotherapy. His team’s other research suggests Y chromosome loss in seemingly normal tissue could potentially serve as an early warning sign of genetic changes associated with cancer.

The findings could eventually change how researchers think about disease prevention and treatment. Paying closer attention to the X and Y chromosomes — rather than focusing primarily on hormones — could help explain why diseases develop differently from one person to another and why the same treatment does not always produce the same results. The researchers say designing clinical trials with these biological differences in mind could ultimately lead to more precise diagnoses and treatments tailored to individual patients.

More information: Dena B. Dubal et al, X and Y chromosomes as determinants of aging and disease, Science. DOI: 10.1126/science.aeh0145

Journal information: Science Provided by University of Arizona

Lead From Contaminated Soil May Find Its Way Indoors

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Lead-contaminated soil tracked into homes can create hazardous levels of lead dust, even in residences without lead-based paint, according to researchers at the Rutgers Environmental, Occupational and Health Sciences Institute. The study, conducted with community scientists, suggests outdoor soil may be an overlooked source of indoor lead exposure.

Published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, the study focused on East Trenton, New Jersey. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency added the neighbourhood to the Superfund National Priorities List in 2025 after identifying soil contaminated with lead associated with 19th-century pottery manufacturing.

Researchers found that 86% of 242 bare surface soil samples exceeded the EPA’s residential soil lead hazard level of 200 parts per million. In comparison, nearly 94% exceeded screening levels used when people may be exposed to lead from multiple sources. Lead author Sean Stratton said the findings were particularly concerning because surface soil can be easily accessed by children or tracked indoors.

The researchers also found elevated lead in household dust. Among homes without interior lead-based paint, 80% of floor dust samples exceeded the safety threshold. Interior floor lead levels did not differ significantly between homes with lead-based paint and those without it, suggesting that contaminated outdoor soil being carried indoors was a likely source.

Lead exposure is particularly dangerous for young children. According to the EPA, lead poisoning can affect brain development, damage vital organs and cause lasting behavioural and neurological problems. The findings highlight the importance of considering environmental sources of lead beyond deteriorating paint inside older homes.

Working with the East Trenton Collaborative, Rutgers researchers recruited and trained residents to collect soil samples from 122 homes. Researchers then used X-ray fluorescence analysers to identify lead-based paint and collected dust samples from floors, windowsills and window wells in 42 homes. The community-based approach provided researchers with access to residences while involving residents directly in investigating environmental risks in their neighbourhood.

Indoor lead exposure in the United States has historically been associated with deteriorating lead-based paint, which was commonly used in homes before the federal government banned consumer uses of lead paint in 1978. But the researchers said their findings challenge the assumption that newer homes, or homes without lead-based paint, are necessarily protected from indoor lead dust. Contaminated soil outside a residence can provide another pathway for exposure.

The East Trenton research builds on an earlier Rutgers partnership with the Newark Water Coalition, in which community scientists distributed 500 water-testing kits to investigate whether flushing taps could reduce lead exposure. That project found that flushing did not eliminate the risk. Researchers said the experience demonstrated the value of community-led data collection and helped establish trust for the East Trenton study, showing how residents can play an important role in identifying environmental health threats in their own communities.

More information: Sean Stratton et al, Lead soil contribution to dust loading in urban homes built before and after 1978, measured through a community academic partnership, Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology. DOI: 10.1038/s41370-026-00949-5

Journal information: Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology Provided by Rutgers University