Last update:
Clinical genetics news
Genes tied to impulse control play a major role in addiction risk
Most of the genetic risk for developing a substance use disorder comes from genes that broadly affect how our brains process rewards, regulate impulses and weigh consequences—not from genes that specifically influence substance ...
13 hours ago
0
4
High meat consumption linked to lower dementia risk in APOE4 carriers
Older people with a genetic risk of Alzheimer's disease did not experience the expected increase in cognitive decline and dementia risk if they consumed relatively large amounts of meat. This is shown in a new study from ...
Mar 19, 2026
0
34
Neural map reveals how adult brain cells remember their origins
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have created the first detailed map showing how genetic activity is controlled in individual cells of the adult human brain and spinal cord. The study, published in Nature Neuroscience, ...
Mar 19, 2026
0
8
Gene mutation tied to schizophrenia slows brain's updating of beliefs
One of the symptoms of schizophrenia is difficulty incorporating new information about the world. This can lead patients to struggle with making decisions and, eventually, to lose touch with reality. MIT neuroscientists have ...
Mar 18, 2026
0
6
African Americans with specific gene variant show brain-network decline years before Alzheimer's appears
Rutgers-Newark researchers have shown that a genetic variant specific to African ancestry alters the brain in a way that could foretell the eventual development of Alzheimer's Disease. At the same time, their study revealed ...
Mar 18, 2026
0
3
Mitochondria identified as key players in a rare disease causing microcephaly
Human cells have two copies of each chromosome, and this balance is essential for genes to be expressed in the appropriate proportions and for cells to function correctly. When errors occur during cell division and the number ...
Mar 17, 2026
0
20
Genome analysis uncovers new cause of rare movement disorder
Despite modern high-throughput sequencing, the genetic cause of most rare movement disorders remains unclear. A research team in Bochum and Tübingen has now solved one piece of the puzzle: The researchers examined 2,811 ...
Mar 17, 2026
0
5
Can science slow down aging? Q&A with geneticist
Geneticist Anne Brunet explores what aging really is, how lifestyle choices might influence longevity, and the promising frontiers of aging research. Aging is a process that affects us all. But how many of us can clearly ...
Mar 17, 2026
0
6
New genetic risk score better predicts diabetes, obesity and downstream complications
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity are metabolic conditions with many causes, including overlapping and distinct genetic features. A polygenic risk score (PRS) can capture multiple genetic risk factors to provide an estimate ...
Mar 16, 2026
0
6
Gene expression program linked to neurotransmission in the living human brain identified
Researchers have identified a distinct and reproducible gene expression program associated with neurotransmission in the living human brain, offering unprecedented insight into the molecular mechanisms that support human ...
Mar 16, 2026
0
6
Mutant gene behind aggressive adult leukemia offers new clues for treatment
Imagine a tiny superhero inside every cell of your body whose job is to stop damaged cells before they turn dangerous. That superhero is a gene called TP53, and for decades scientists have known it as the "guardian of the ...
Mar 16, 2026
0
7
What pet cats can tell us about human cancer
They live in our houses, drink our water and even sleep in our beds. Cats have become an integral part of many households and share much of our lives. They also share much of their biology with humans. Pet cats get cancer ...
Mar 15, 2026
0
13
High-altitude survival gene may help reverse nerve damage
A genetic mutation that helps animals like yaks and Tibetan antelopes survive at high altitudes may hold the key to repairing nerve damage in conditions such as cerebral paralysis and multiple sclerosis (MS). The finding, ...
Mar 13, 2026
0
14
First-of-its-kind analysis reveals the structural variant landscape driving pediatric cancer development
The first and largest dataset of genomic structure variations specific to childhood cancers was published today by scientists from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the National Cancer Institute. The researchers assembled ...
Mar 12, 2026
0
10
Novel tool measures how cancer cells rewrite genetic instructions to aid growth and survival
Cancer is caused by faulty genes, but what also shapes a cancer cell's behavior is how a gene's instructions are trimmed and rearranged before they are turned into the proteins that keep a cell alive. A study published in ...
Mar 12, 2026
0
13
Major genetic risk factor for rare form of dementia identified
Researchers at VIB and Antwerp University have identified a major genetic risk factor for a rare form of frontotemporal dementia. The discovery, published today in Nature Genetics, provides a biological entry point for a ...
Mar 12, 2026
0
9
Super‑agers' brains stay young into old age. New research brings us closer to understanding why
My grandmother Leontina, who recently turned 100, still lives independently and remembers the birthday of everybody in her village. She is enviably healthy, has a remarkably sharp memory, and is likely a prime example of ...
Mar 12, 2026
0
10
New atlas maps aging brain epigenetic shifts across eight regions and 36 cell types
Neurodegenerative diseases affect more than 57 million people globally. The incidence of these diseases, from Alzheimer's to Parkinson's to ALS and beyond, is expected to double every 20 years. Though scientists know aging ...
Mar 11, 2026
0
8
Updated testing protocol may improve kidney disease diagnosis in Black patients
A closer examination of the APOL1 gene in Black patients with kidney disease can provide more accurate diagnoses than current protocols, a new study from researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and ...
Mar 11, 2026
0
5
Optical genome mapping detects additional genetic variants in nearly 20% of individuals with acute leukemia
New research assessing the efficacy of optical genome mapping (OGM) in a group of patients with acute leukemia has demonstrated that OGM provided reliable and robust analytical performance with high sensitivity and specificity ...
Mar 11, 2026
0
7
Genetic testing plays role in identifying malignant hyperthermia risk
Genetic testing can play an important role in identifying patients at risk for malignant hyperthermia (MH), guided by answering three simple screening questions, according to an article published online March 10 in Anesthesiology.
Mar 11, 2026
0
4
Study of 3 million Swedes links women's suicide risk to female relatives' attempts
A woman's suicide risk may be influenced by the suicidal intention of her female first degree relatives, with sex-specific effects of a shared familial environment and possibly other social factors having a key role, finds ...
Mar 10, 2026
1
10
Study identifies gene linked to chemotherapy resistance in prostate cancer
A gene called FOXJ1 may drive resistance to taxane chemotherapy during treatment for advanced prostate cancer, according to a new study led by investigators at Weill Cornell Medicine and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. ...
Mar 10, 2026
0
8
Long-read genome sequencing uncovers new autism gene variants
Researchers at the University of California San Diego have identified new genetic variants associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by using long-read whole genome sequencing (LR-WGS), an emerging approach that reads ...
Mar 9, 2026
0
18
'Asian flush' mutation may trigger ferroptosis during heart attacks, study reveals
About 40% of East Asians suffer from alcohol intolerance, known as "Asian Flush Syndrome," caused by an ALDH2 genetic mutation. Beyond facial flushing, this mutation carries serious cardiovascular risks. Carriers experience ...
Mar 9, 2026
0
11
