- 2024
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Press releases - 19.02.2024
New cell senescence discoveries open up therapeutic avenues in fighting age-related diseases
Cell senescence is a physiological process that has been associated in many studies with age-related diseases. Yet the biological mechanisms of senescence and how it could constitute a relevant therapeutic target in fighting these diseases remain poorly understood. In a new study, scientists from Inserm, Université Paris Cité and CNRS at the Necker Enfants Malades Institute have identified metabolic modifications, i.e. changes in how energy is used by the cells, associated with senescence.
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Press releases - 13.02.2024
The consumption of certain food additive emulsifiers may increase the risk of cancer
Emulsifiers are among the additives most widely used by the food industry, helping to improve the texture of food and extend its shelf life. Researchers from Inserm, INRAE, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Université Paris Cité and Cnam, as part of the Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (CRESS-EREN), have undertaken to study the possible links between the dietary intake of food additive emulsifiers and the development of cancer. They analysed the health data of 92 000 adults participating in the French NutriNet-Santé cohort study, specifically evaluating their consumption of this type of food additive.
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Press releases - 31.01.2024
Type 2 diabetes: discovery of a new biological cardiovascular risk marker
Scientists from Inserm, Université Paris Cité and CNRS at the Necker Enfants Malades Institute in Paris have identified a new prognostic marker for cardiovascular risk in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Led by Inserm researcher Nicolas Venteclef, the team has shown that the number of white blood cells circulating in the blood, as well as certain subtypes, is associated with stroke or myocardial infarction risk over the next ten years.
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Press releases - 30.01.2024
Prefer natural light to avoid age-related sleep disorders
One in three French adults is thought to have a sleep disorder. While the prevalence of these disorders increases with age, the biological mechanisms at play are relatively unknown, leaving scientists in doubt as to their origin. In a new study, Inserm researcher Claude Gronfier and his team at the Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (Inserm/CNRS/Université Claude-Bernard Lyon 1) hypothesised that their onset during ageing was linked to a desynchronisation of the biological clock caused by decreased light perception. In the course of their research, they identified a new adaptive mechanism of the retina during ageing that enables older individuals to remain sensitive to light.
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Press releases - 16.01.2024
HIV: early treatment, one key to remission
People living with HIV need to take antiretroviral treatment for life to prevent the virus from multiplying in their body. But some people, known as “post-treatment controllers,” have been able to discontinue their treatment while maintaining an undetectable viral load for several years. Starting treatment early could promote long-term control of the virus if treatment is discontinued. Scientists from the Institut Pasteur, the CEA, Inserm, Université Paris Cité and Université Paris-Saclay, in collaboration with Institut Cochin and with the support of MSD Avenir and ANRS Emerging Infectious Diseases, used an animal model to identify a window of opportunity for the introduction of treatment that promotes remission of HIV infection: it appears that starting treatment four weeks after infection promotes long-term control of the virus following the interruption of treatment after two years of antiretroviral therapy. These results highlight how important it is for people with HIV to be diagnosed and begin treatment as early as possible.
- 2023
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Press releases - 14.12.2023
Eating meals early could reduce cardiovascular risk
A study led by scientists from INRAE, the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Inserm, and the Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, has revealed that the time at which we eat could influence our risk of developing cardiovascular disease. This study, carried out on a sample of over 100,000 people from the NutriNet-Santé cohort, followed between 2009 and 2022, suggests that eating a late first or last meal is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. It also appears that a longer night-time fasting duration is associated with a reduced risk of cerebrovascular disease such as stroke.
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Press releases - 13.12.2023
A new study sheds light on the link between childhood ADHD symptoms and physical health conditions
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects many children and is often accompanied by other conditions, such as metabolic disorders, asthma and dental caries. However, uncertainties remain as to the chronology of onset of such conditions, particularly when it comes to knowing which are linked with ADHD over time or, on the other hand, which increase the risk of developing ADHD symptoms. Scientists from Inserm and Université de Bordeaux at the Bordeaux Population Health Center in collaboration with teams in the UK, Sweden and Canada have conducted the most comprehensive analysis to date by evaluating temporal links between ADHD symptoms and a wide range of medical conditions.
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Press releases - 11.12.2023
Discovery of the role of a brain regulator involved in psychiatric illnesses
Contrary to all expectations, GluD1 – a receptor considered to be excitatory – has been shown in the brain to play a major role in controlling neuron inhibition. Given that alterations in the GluD1 gene are encountered in a certain number of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, such as autism (ASD) and schizophrenia, this discovery opens up new therapeutic avenues to combat the imbalances between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmissions associated with these disorders.
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Press releases - 08.12.2023
The very first 3D map of the embryonic human head enables new insights into its development
Improving our knowledge of the development of the complex structures of the human head to shed new light on the congenital abnormalities that cause malformations: this is the challenge that a team of researchers from Inserm, CNRS and Sorbonne Université at the Vision Institute, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 and Hospices civils de Lyon is well on its way to fulfilling. Thanks to an innovative technique in which the skull structures are made transparent and 3D photos are taken of their component cells, this team has been able to establish the very first 3D atlas of the embryonic human head.
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Press releases - 05.12.2023
2023 Inserm Prizes: Innovative research at the service of patients
Throughout 2023, and as Inserm prepares to celebrate its 60th anniversary next year, its staff has continued to promote the health of all citizens thanks to major advances across all areas of biomedical research. The work of the five scientists selected to receive this year’s prizes reflects the rich and innovative nature of Inserm research. The Inserm Grand Prize is awarded to Nadine Cerf-Bensussan, a pioneer in the exploration of the microbiota, who has been studying intestinal immunity for more than forty years in order to improve patient care.