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In food allergies, the body’s defense system, called the immune system, reacts to harmless food as if it were a threat. To understand why this happens, scientists first need to know how the body develops a tolerance to a food. A new study showed that certain parts of dietary proteins normally act as signals that foods are safe. Researchers found seven different sensors in specialized immune cells…

Most of us have some decline in our memory and learning abilities as we age. But certain older adults can remember past events better than most people 25 to 30 years younger. Researchers recently found that exceptional recall and memory is linked to the ability to create new brain cells. An NIH-funded research team analyzed more than 350,000 individual brain cells from younger and older adults,…

We each have a unique “healthiest self.” We have different minds, bodies, living situations, and people helping to shape our health and well-being. This page offers science-based health tips in five different areas. Find ways to improve your relationships, emotional and physical well-being, disease defenses, and surroundings.

Huntington’s disease can be devastating. The illness reduces your ability to control your body’s movements. It can also give rise to problems with thinking and memory. It’s caused by changes in one gene, and those changes are passed down from generation to generation. Scientists are looking for ways to lessen the impact of the disease. Huntington’s disease is caused by a gene that makes a protein…

Find in-depth stories about NIH’s cutting-edge biomedical research. Learn about the current state of research for many fields and where they may be heading. Research in Context stories appear quarterly in, NIH Research Matters, . Read the latest story on treating addiction

Researchers found that bacteria likely plays a key role in most kidney stones. Previous studies only linked bacteria with kidney stones that formed after an infection. Kidney stones are hard, pebble-like pieces that form in your kidneys. They are made of minerals that build up in urine. Most are made of calcium oxalate. Others form after urinary tract infections (UTIs). This type is made of…

The NIH Health Information Portal provides access to reliable, science-based health resources. Find information from across NIH’s institutes and centers. You can browse or search for your health topic of interest. You can also sign up to receive the biweekly health information newsletter.  

Pain can affect people in different ways. It can feel sharp or dull or like a prick, tingle, sting, burn, or ache. You may feel it in one area of your body or all over. Pain can be short-lived or go on for months or years. Pain that lasts longer than three months is called chronic pain. Chronic pain can affect all aspects of daily life, including your mood, sleep, work, and relationships. And…, Developing Safer Medications, One class of drugs often used to treat pain is called opioids. Opioid drugs can lessen the feeling of pain in one part of the body or throughout the body. However, they can also cause serious side effects, including overdose and death. The risk is greater when opioids are misused or taken in ways other than prescribed. They can also lead to addiction for some people. Because these risks are…, Targeted Pain Relief, Scientists are also testing a different approach to pain relief: gene therapy. Gene therapy delivers healthy genes into cells or fixes damaged genes in cells. Dr. William Renthal is a neurology expert at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. His team is developing new strategies to deliver gene therapies to specific nerve cells involved in pain. Renthal’s team first created a…, Complementary Health Options, Scientists are also looking beyond medicines for managing pain. Research has shown that certain complementary health approaches reduce pain for some people. These include acupuncture, massage therapy, tai chi, and others. A recent study showed that nearly 1 out of every 2 people use complementary approaches for pain. Researchers are studying several complementary approaches for different types of…

What we eat has a big impact on our health. Knowing what people in different communities eat can help scientists identify where help is needed and guide nutrition programs. A new study showed that scientists can learn about a community’s eating habits by studying its wastewater. Usually, scientists study what people eat through food diaries and surveys. These are slow, costly, and depend on…

Find in-depth stories about NIH’s cutting-edge biomedical research. Learn about the current state of research for many fields and where they may be heading. Research in Context stories appear quarterly in, NIH Research Matters, . Read the latest story on the exposome and how environmental exposures in life may influence your health.