All articles tagged with #mice
A 30-year study bred mice for extraordinary activity and found no penalties in lifespan or offspring compared with controls, challenging the idea that high energy use must trade off with longevity or reproduction; results may reflect abundant energy in lab conditions or undiscovered metabolic adaptations, and should not be stretched to humans.
In mice, two pre-chemo doses of psilocybin prevented peripheral neuropathy across six chemotherapy rounds by activating receptors on sensory nerves to keep mitochondria moving, preserving nerve function without reducing tumor shrinkage; a non-hallucinogenic analog targeting the same pathway also provided protection, suggesting potential for preventing neuropathy in cancer patients.
In a mouse study, caffeinated coffee prevented stress-induced memory loss and mood decline, preserved hippocampal long-term potentiation and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the frontal cortex, while decaffeinated coffee offered no protection, suggesting caffeine as the key active ingredient.
A Berkeley study found the GLP-1 drug semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic/Wegovy/Rybelsus) increased lifespan in mice by about 12% (roughly 100 days), along with reductions in aging hallmarks and better muscle and cognition. In a calorie-restriction comparison, drug-treated mice showed some advantages beyond weight loss, suggesting GLP-1s may affect aging pathways beyond calories. However, results are in mice and may not translate to humans yet; further research is needed to assess potential human benefits for lifespan and healthspan.
Treating aging female mice of an inbred strain with the GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide late in life improves physiological function, slows several ageing hallmarks, and extends lifespan, suggesting anti-ageing benefits beyond calorie restriction.
A viral video shows two mice on a London Underground platform boxing each other, delivering a lighthearted moment that amused commuters and drew widespread online attention.
Older female mice given the GLP-1 obesity drug semaglutide lived longer and showed healthier ageing markers; while calorie intake dropped, matching-calorie controls did not fully explain the benefits, indicating potential anti-ageing effects that are not yet proven in humans.
A study found the weight‑loss drug Wegovy (semaglutide) extended lifespans by about 12% in healthy‑weight female mice starting at 20 months, with signs of reduced inflammation, DNA damage and cellular senescence, suggesting potential anti‑ageing effects beyond weight loss. Experts caution that results in mice may not translate to humans, noting sex and species differences, possible side effects, and cost; more research is needed before any anti‑ageing use.
In a mouse study, TOFA increased energy expenditure by about 18% and promoted weight loss by boosting metabolism without reducing lean muscle or appetite; it blocks liver fat production, lowers triglycerides, and improves insulin sensitivity and fatty liver markers. When used with GLP-1 drugs, TOFA showed greater improvements across weight, glucose control, and lipids, though human safety and efficacy remain untested.
UC Berkeley researchers report that the experimental compound TOFA (5-tetradecyloxy-2-furoic acid) increased whole-body energy expenditure by up to 18% and produced about 18% weight loss in obese male mice on a high-fat diet over four weeks, mainly from fat while preserving lean mass; food intake and activity were unchanged. TOFA appears to slow fat creation and boost fat burning, though exact cellular mechanisms are unclear. Lower-dose TOFA combined with GLP-1 drugs semaglutide or tirzepatide yielded greater weight loss than either alone, suggesting potential synergy. The work is in mice, TOFA has not been tested in humans, and safety/dosing are unknown; further toxicology and animal studies precede any human trials. Authors are co-founders of ReRx Therapeutics.
Scientists induced a hibernation-like state (QIH) in mice, slashing hippocampal activity by about 70% and erasing more than half of the synapses, yet the mice still recalled trained tasks. After arousal, most lost synapses reappeared, with engram synapses in tight clusters often preserved and returning to the same dendritic spots, suggesting memories can endure without specific synapses. A long-term anesthesia control impaired memory and destroyed clustered engram synapses, highlighting that the pattern of synapse loss matters. The work implies the brain may reset toward a default network state after hibernation and raises questions about how memories are stored at the circuit level.
A long-term study in New York’s Hudson Valley finds deer abundance does not predict Lyme disease risk; acorn-driven mouse populations and the broader small-mammal community shape tick abundance and infection, making acorn cycles a key predictor of future risk, with warmer years altering these dynamics.
Researchers in Japan identified oxytocin receptor–bearing neurons in the paraventricular thalamus that affect both social approach and fear extinction in male mice; suppressing these cells reduced social interest, while activating them altered early fear-extinction learning but didn’t sustain the effect. Human data were exploratory and limited. The work suggests oxytocin’s effects depend on brain region and context, offering clues for autism and anxiety, but further research is needed.
In mice, the medial prefrontal cortex—traditionally linked to flexible thinking—can impede problem-solving by enforcing a memory-based win-stay habit. Chemogenetic silencing of the mPFC speeds the shift to a superior sound-guided strategy from 4–8 days in controls to 2–3 days, with the auditory cortex also crucial for cue learning. These findings suggest suppressing executive control can help acquire new, sensory-driven habits and may guide human therapies (e.g., TMS) to modulate prefrontal activity in cognitive disorders.
Maternal inflammation during pregnancy induces lasting autism-like brain changes in mice; a single dose of rapamycin quickly normalized neuronal activity, reduced seizures, and improved sensory processing and repetitive behaviors within about two hours. The effects were temporary and rapamycin is not a practical human treatment, but the study highlights the brain's functional adaptability and points to new targets in mTOR signaling and circuit modulation.