Medicine & Health

Studying brain scans and cerebrospinal fluid of healthy adults, scientists have shown that changes in key markers of Alzheimer’s disease during midlife may help identify those who will develop dementia years later, according to new research.

David H. Perlmutter, MD, has been named executive vice chancellor for medical affairs and dean of the School of Medicine. His tenure begins Dec. 1. A former Washington University faculty member, Perlmutter succeeds Larry J. Shapiro, MD, who is stepping down after leading the School of Medicine for 12 years.

Premature babies are at an increased risk for developing autism spectrum disorder. But a small study indicates that preemies who avoid eye contact are less likely to demonstrate symptoms of autism at age 2 than preemies who maintain eye contact during early interactions, according to new research at the School of Medicine.

Benjamin D. Humphreys, MD, PhD, a highly regarded physician and  scientist at Harvard Medical School, has been named the director of the Renal Division in the Department of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine.

The acidity of urine — as well as the presence of small molecules related to diet — may influence how well bacteria can grow in the urinary tract, a new study shows. The research, led by Jeffrey Henderson, MD, PhD, at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, may have implications for treating urinary tract infections, which are among the most common bacterial infections worldwide.

​President Barack Obama has named internationally recognized cancer expert Timothy Ley, MD, of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, to the National Cancer Advisory Board.

Scientists working to find treatments for a severe form of diabetes called Wolfram syndrome have identified a gatekeeper in cells that prevents harmful molecules from spilling into places where they don’t belong and triggering cell death. The researchers, at Washington University School of Medicine, also found that the gatekeeper may be a good treatment target for other disorders caused by cellular stress.

Obesity and excess weight, and their negative impact on health, have become a significant focus for health-care experts in recent years. But new research at Washington University School of Medicine shows that an escalation in the number of those considered obese or overweight in the U.S. continues, signaling an ongoing upward swing in chronic health conditions as well.

As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to announce its decision in a lawsuit that threatens federal health insurance subsidies for more than 6 million Americans, health care economist Timothy D. McBride, PhD, professor in the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, is confident the high court will side with the Obama administration. If the court decides otherwise, low-income residents in many states will have little access to affordable healthcare, he warns.

Studying mice, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a neural circuit in the retina that carries signals enabling the eye to detect movement. The finding could help in efforts to build artificial retinas for people who have suffered vision loss.