High androgen levels during pregnancy increase the risk of PCOS for several generations

Daughters of women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are five times more likely to be diagnosed with PCOS as adults, and the generational transmission is driven by high androgen levels during pregnancy, researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden report. Their results, which are based on register-based and clinical studies as well as transgenerational animal studies, are published in Nature Medicine.PCOS affects more than ten percent of women of fertile age and is characterised by high levels of androgens (male sex hormones), ovulation disorders and difficulties conceiving. The

Pregnant women with eating disorders and their children run higher risk of complications

Pregnant women with eating disorders should undergo extended pregnancy screenings considering their increased risk of complications. That is the conclusion from a study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry. The researchers were, for example, able to show that children to mothers with eating disorders had an increased risk of premature birth and being born with a small head circumference.Eating disorders affect millions of people around the world, often women in childbearing age. Still, to date only a few smaller, limited studies have

Lithium can reverse radiation damage after brain tumour treatment

Children who have received radiotherapy for a brain tumour can develop cognitive problems later in life. In their studies on mice, researchers at Karolinska Institutet have now shown that the drug lithium can help to reverse the damage caused long after it has occurred. The study is published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry and the researchers are now planning to test the treatment in clinical trials.Nowadays, four out of five children with a brain tumour survive. In the adult Swedish population, 1 in 600 people have been treated for childhood cancer, about one third of which were brain

New genetic analysis improves diagnosis of intellectual disability

Whole-genome sequencing can be used to diagnose intellectual disability more accurately than other methods of genetic analysis, researchers at Karolinska Institutet report in the scientific journal Genome Medicine. Whole-genome sequencing using analytical tools developed by the researchers will now be introduced for first-line clinical diagnosis at Karolinska University Laboratory in Sweden.“Recent technical leaps in genetic diagnostics have revealed many new genetic aberrations that cause intellectual disability,” says Anna Lindstrand, associate professor at the Department of Molecular

Weight-loss surgery cuts risk of birth defects

Children born to women who underwent gastric bypass surgery before becoming pregnant had a lower risk of major birth defects than children born to women who had severe obesity at the start of their pregnancy. That’s according to a matched cohort study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Örebro University published in the scientific journal JAMA. The findings indicate that weight-loss and improved blood sugar control could reduce the risk of major birth defects and ought to lessen long-standing concerns that weight-loss surgery could increase this risk.Obesity and poor blood sugar

Improved mapping of Swedish genes

People – or more specifically just Swedes – are more like chimpanzees than previously known. This is indicated in a genetic mapping of one thousand Swedish individuals, where new DNA sequences that should be included in the reference genome have been identified. The study is published in the scientific journal Molecular Biology and Evolution.In so-called whole genome sequencing, surveys are made of the total genome of an individual. It is still relatively rare in healthcare today, but it occurs at an increasing rate, for example in order to make an accurate diagnosis in the case of a rare

Early maternal anemia tied to intellectual disability, ADHD and autism

The timing of anemia—a common condition in late pregnancy—can make a big difference for the developing fetus, according to research at Karolinska Institutet published in JAMA Psychiatry. The researchers found a link between early anemia and increased risk of autism, ADHD and intellectual disability in children. Anemia discovered toward the end of pregnancy did not have the same correlation. The findings underscore the importance of early screening for iron status and nutritional counselling.An estimated 15-20 percent of pregnant women worldwide suffer from iron deficiency anemia, a lowered

Increased risk of type 2 diabetes in some occupations

Drivers, factory workers, and cleaners are three times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than teachers and physiotherapists. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have studied how the occurrence of diabetes differs between occupations in Sweden. The results are being published in the scientific journal Diabetologia and are also presented at the European diabetes conference in Barcelona in September.“But the occupation itself is probably not the deciding factor. The high risk of diabetes appears to be explained by the presence of other factors such as obesity, physical

Karolinska Institutet’s vice president relieved from her assignment

Karolinska Institutet’s Vice President Karin Dahlman-Wright has today requested to be relieved from her assignment as vice president with immediate effect. Consequently, KI’s University Board (Konsistoriet) agreed to relieve her from the assignment at an extra meeting today.The decision follows reports of alleged scientific misconduct that were submitted to KI in the summer of 2018 and mainly directed toward Vice President Karin Dahlman-Wright. The University of Gothenburg was asked by KI to investigate the complaints to avoid a potential conflict of interest. The University of

New study shows why people gain weight as they get older

Many people struggle to keep their weight in check as they get older. Now new research at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden has uncovered why that is: Lipid turnover in the fat tissue decreases during ageing and makes it easier to gain weight, even if we don’t eat more or exercise less than before. The study is published in the journal Nature Medicine.The scientists studied the fat cells in 54 men and women over an average period of 13 years. In that time, all subjects, regardless of whether they gained or lost weight, showed decreases in lipid turnover in the fat tissue, that is the rate at

Self-monitoring solution in mobile app can help uncontrolled asthma

A study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet shows that a treatment adjustment algorithm based on lung function and symptoms in a mobile phone can be an efficient tool in managing uncontrolled asthma. For fuss-free measuring of lung function, the phone connects to a wireless spirometer and the app can register respiratory symptoms and provide visual feedback on treatment. The study is published in the highly respected European Respiratory Journal.Asthma is a widespread disease that affects around 10 per cent of Sweden’s population. Approximately half the affected people have so-called

Lennart Nilsson Award 2019 is awarded to Ed Boyden

Ed Boyden wins the 2019 Lennart Nilsson Award. He gets the prize for developing a new microscopy technique called expansion microscopy.Ed Boyden, Y Eva Tan Professor in Neurotechnology at the MIT Media Lab and McGovern Institute, and leader of the Synthetic Neurobiology Group, led the team that developed a new microscopy technique called expansion microscopy. With this technique his group, including then-graduate students Fei Chen and Paul Tillberg, made it possible to record images of biological preparations that were previously very difficult to study. The technique is based on

New biomarker may uncover uncontrolled asthma

Cytokines are a type of proteins that are important to the signaling between cells in the body's immune system, for example in the case of an infection or injury. A new study which is being published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology is now indicating that the cytokine interleukin(IL)-26 could be used as a biological marker (biomarker) for uncontrolled asthma in both adults and children – and could perhaps also be a future goal for new drugs against asthma. These results are presented by researchers at Sweden's Karolinska Institutet and Lund University.In Sweden, roughly 10

Statins can prevent liver cancer

Fat-soluble statins can prevent liver cancer and reduce mortality in patients with chronic viral hepatitis. These are findings from a study conducted by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, among others. The study is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.Chronic viral hepatitis (hepatitis B and C) are severe conditions with an increased risk of liver cancer. Currently, it is possible to treat hepatitis B and cure hepatitis C but there is no treatment that can prevent liver cancer in people whose liver has been damaged by hepatitis.   In recent years, researchers have begun

Increased risk of psychiatric disorders in children with IBD

Children with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) run a greater risk of psychiatric disorders, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden published in JAMA Pediatrics. The researchers claim that more psychological support and longer follow-up is needed for the children affected and their parents.It is already known that adults with IBD (Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s Disease) run an increased risk of psychiatric disorders. Now a new study shows that children with IBD also run a higher risk of mental health problems. More than 6,400 children with IBD, born between 1973 and

Novel findings explain indirect regulation of glucose homeostasis

The hormone secreting part of the pancreas, the islets of Langerhans, has a unique cyto-architecture that allows functional interrelationships between the different cell types. Somatostatin is secreted by the delta cell and is an effective inhibitor of the insulin secreting beta cell and the glucagon secreting alpha cell. According to a novel study from Sweden’s Karolinska Instiutet, published in the journal Nature Communications, the delta cell can thereby indirectly affect glucose homeostasis in health and disease.Our results provide important insight into the activity of the delta cell

New pain organ discovered in the skin

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have discovered a new sensory receptor organ that is able to detect painful mechanical damage, such as pricks and impacts. The discovery is being published in the scientific journal Science.Pain causes suffering and results in substantial costs for society. Almost one person in every five experiences constant pain and there is a considerable need to find new painkilling drugs. However, sensitivity to pain is also required for survival and it has a protective function. It prompts reflex reactions that prevent damage to tissue, such as pulling

Hormonal therapy has a long-term effect in breast cancer

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have investigated the long-term effect of hormonal therapy in women with the most common types of hormone-sensitive breast cancer. The results, presented in the journal JAMA Oncology, show that the treatment has a protective effect against distant metastatic cancer for both so-called Luminal A and Luminal B breast cancer subtypes, and a long-term effect for women diagnosed with Luminal A cancer.Estrogen receptor-positive (hormone sensitive) breast cancer is the most common form of breast cancer and means that the tumor grows in response to the

Psychiatric comorbidity contributes to increased mortality in ADHD

Psychiatric comorbidity may play an important role in the increased risk of premature death in people with ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), according to a new extensive registry study conducted at Karolinska Institutet and Örebro University in Sweden. The results, which are published in JAMA Psychiatry, suggest that improved awareness and care of psychiatric comorbidities such as substance use disorders may help reduce serious outcomes associated with ADHD.While previous research has shown that people with ADHD are at increased risk of premature death, the cause-specific

Unexpected effect of MS drug

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have studied the mechanism of action of a drug used to treat multiple sclerosis. The results, which are published in the journal Nature Communications, show that the drug affects cells in the innate immune system and that there is an unexpected link between therapeutic effect and an increase in the production of reactive oxygen species.Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. The tablet Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate, DMF) was approved a few years ago, but the exact mechanism of action of the drug

Extra parental support helps to improve childhood obesity

Extra support for parents led to better weight development in young children with obesity than current standard treatment, researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden report. The researchers hope that the results, which are published in the journal Pediatrics, can help to improve care for families with very young children with obesity.Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have studied whether a support programme focusing on parenting practices is an effective method for treating obesity in preschool children. The study included 174 children between the ages of four and six and their

Smaller operational margins just as safe in high-risk melanoma

The standard treatment for aggressive skin cancer is to surgically remove the tumour. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden now show that a 2 cm operational margin is sufficient, as opposed to the close to 4 cm margin previously applied by surgeons. For the study, which is published in The Lancet, the researchers monitored over 900 patients for an average span of 19 years after surgery.Malignant melanoma is one of the most aggressive forms of skin cancer and one of the most rapidly increasing cancers in Sweden. Early discovery of the disease is important and the standard treatment

New knowledge about life expectancy after aortic valve replacement

Patients who have undergone surgical replacement of the heart’s aortic valve have a shorter life expectancy than the normal population, the loss in life expectancy being particularly marked in the young. This according to a registry study published in The Journal of the American College of Cardiology by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden.Some 1,500 patients undergo the surgical replacement of an aortic valve every year in Sweden.  To obtain a better understanding of the patients’ prognosis after surgery, researchers at Karolinska Institutet have conducted a national study

New basic understanding of how lung cancer spreads

Lung cancer cells use antioxidants, endogenous or dietary, to spread in the body by activating a protein called BACH1 and increasing the uptake and use of sugar, Swedish and American researchers report in two independent studies. The studies, which are published in the eminent scientific journal Cell, pave the way for new therapeutic strategies for lung cancer.It is a known fact that cancer cells, owing to their special metabolism, are exposed to oxidative stress caused by free oxygen radicals. It is also well-known that cancer cells are characterised by the high uptake and use of glucose,