Health - Saturday, May 2, 2026

Some screenings and treatments no longer make sense for patients as they age. Researchers have just added a few more to the list.

Scientists have discovered a way to help the brain clean itself of harmful Alzheimer’s plaques by activating its own support cells. By increasing a protein called Sox9, researchers were able to boost the activity of astrocytes, star shaped cells that help maintain brain health. In mice that already showed memory problems, this approach reduced plaque buildup and preserved cognitive function over time.

Mifepristone, involved in most abortions in the U.S., can now be distributed only in person and at clinics.

Free-living amoebae are emerging as a global health concern, fueled by warming temperatures and outdated water systems. While many are harmless, some can cause deadly infections and even protect other dangerous microbes. Their ability to survive heat and disinfectants makes them especially hard to control. Scientists say improved surveillance and water treatment are urgently needed.

“Unfortunately, the resources don't exist to take every flat-earther to the International Space Station to change their mind,” a STAT reader writes.

“No one's pulling the pieces together”: a conversation with medical students about preventive care education.

Scientists have uncovered a surprising link between simple body movement and brain health: every time you tighten your abdominal muscles—even slightly—your brain may gently sway inside your skull. This subtle motion, triggered by pressure changes in connected blood vessels, appears to help circulate cerebrospinal fluid around the brain, potentially flushing out harmful waste.

The court order, in a lawsuit by the state of Louisiana, pauses a Food and Drug Administration regulation that greatly expanded access to the abortion pill mifepristone.