Nature Communications
COVID-19 Infection in Fathers May Alter Offspring Brain Development and Increase Anxiety, Mouse Study Reveals
Oct 14, 2025 07:42 pm CST
A groundbreaking study from Australia's Florey Institute reveals that SARS-CoV-2 infection in male mice alters sperm RNA, potentially affecting offspring brain development and increasing anxiety behaviors. These findings suggest COVID-19 may have transgenerational effects through epigenetic inheritance, raising important public health concerns if similar patterns occur in humans.
Genetic Study Reveals Why Women Face Double the Risk of Depression Compared to Men
Oct 08, 2025 06:07 pm CST
New research published in Nature Communications has identified 6,000 unique gene variants associated with depression in women, in addition to 7,000 variants shared with men. This groundbreaking study from QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute provides genetic evidence explaining why women experience twice the risk of depression and why the condition manifests differently across genders, with female-specific variants linked to metabolic symptoms.