Many of us believe that we are great drinkers and that alcohol does not affect us as much. People who are able to drink without showing any sign of inebriation are known as social drinkers. In short, they are not addicted to alcohol but will not turn down the opportunity to have a good time! While it may seem like it doesn’t affect you, new studies suggest that it is just an illusion, even if you have high tolerance, alcohol affects your cognitive and motor functions more than you think.

The study reveals the below implications and techniques:

• Researchers used a new MRI technique to precisely measure brain electrical activity.
• By comparing brain scans before and after drinking, scientists identified specific areas affected by alcohol and how much brain activity slowed down.
• Participants were chosen to be regular social drinkers without alcohol addiction, ensuring the study focused on the effects of alcohol alone.
• MRI technology provided reliable data on brain activity changes caused by alcohol consumption.

How does the brain react to alcohol?

Think of it as the foundation for your brain's performance. When brain conductivity is high, information flows smoothly, and that helps your brain in rapid processing and response. On the other hand, low conductivity can hinder cognitive function, leading to slower thinking, impaired memory, and difficulties with coordination.

A study conducted at the Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) and UNSW Science unveiled a startling connection between alcohol consumption and brain conductivity.

What is the connection between alcohol consumption and brain activity?

While many people brush off the effects of alcohol as temporary changes in behaviour, the reality is much more complex. Beyond the obvious impacts on coordination and judgment, alcohol significantly alters brain function. Alcohol dramatically slowed down brain activity, especially in areas responsible for decision-making, planning, and physical coordination. This decline was so significant that it resembled the brain changes seen in normal ageing. This means even one drink could temporarily accelerate the ageing process of your brain.

Alcohol and Brain activity: What does the study Imply?

The implications of this research are far-reaching. It provides compelling evidence that alcohol consumption has a direct and measurable impact on brain function. The discovery that alcohol can significantly reduce brain conductivity opens new avenues for understanding the neurocognitive effects of alcohol abuse and dependence. While you may not feel like alcohol is affecting you and you have a high tolerance, it most definitely changes and affects your decision-making abilities and impulse control.

Furthermore, the MRI technique employed in the study could be a valuable tool for assessing the impact of other substances on the brain and for developing interventions to mitigate alcohol-related brain damage.

An 18-year-old woman is in critical condition after an acidic substance was allegedly administered instead of an anaesthetic during nose surgery at a private hospital in Israel.

Police have launched an investigation into suspected negligence after the woman suffered severe burns to her face and respiratory system during the procedure on Friday.

What Happened During The Surgery?

The teenager had previously been injured in an accident on Highway 35 in southern Israel in 2024. She was admitted to the private hospital on Friday morning for a nose surgery.

According to allegations being investigated by police, the anaesthesiologist confused two substances and administered an acidic substance instead of the anaesthetic drug. The error reportedly caused severe burns to the woman's face and respiratory system.

The surgeon eventually noticed what was happening and stopped the procedure. A medical team was called into the operating room and the woman was intubated, with a breathing tube inserted into her windpipe. She was then sedated and placed on a ventilator.

She was subsequently transferred to Tel Aviv's Sourasky Medical Center, where she was admitted to the intensive care unit.

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Chemical Injuries In The Respiratory System

The respiratory system is particularly vulnerable to chemical injuries. Damage to the airway can cause severe inflammation and swelling, making it difficult for a person to breathe.

This is why doctors may need to secure the airway quickly through intubation and use a ventilator to support breathing while the injury is tended to.

In this case, the damage was serious enough to require another emergency operation. On Saturday evening, an expanded team of around 10 doctors at Sourasky Medical Center performed surgery to treat severe damage to her windpipe. The young woman remained sedated in the intensive care unit after the procedure.

More updates about her well-being are being awaited.

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Police Investigate Medical Negligence

The local police are now investigating the incident, particularly how the alleged mix-up of the acidic substance and anaesthetic drug occurred.

The most crucial factor to investigate in this case is whether it was an unavoidable error or gross medical negligence.

The incident has also raised concerns about careful identification and handling of medication and substance during critical surgeries surgery.

Anaesthesia involves the administration of multiple drugs and substances, making accurate identification and handling critical to patient safety.

The Israeli Health Ministry said it had not been notified about the incident. “According to an inquiry conducted by the ministry, the incident was not reported to the Health Ministry,” the ministry said in a statement.

The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not yet established who was responsible for the alleged error or whether any medico-criminal charges will follow.

For now, the 18-year-old remains in intensive care as doctors continue treating the severe injuries to her airway and respiratory system.

Back pain is often treated as a problem that comes with ageing, but new research suggests that some forms of spinal degeneration may have specific biological trigger, and an existing osteoporosis drug could help treat it.

A study published in Communications Biology found that a class of osteoporosis drugs called bisphosphonates reduced abnormal mineralisation in the spinal tissues of genetically modified zebrafish.

The findings show promise in treating intervertebral disc degeneration, a major cause of chronic back and neck pain.

What Did The Study Find?

Researchers from the University of Edinburgh and University of Bristol studied zebrafish lacking a functioning copy of the col9a1b gene. This gene is linked to collagen IX, an important structural component of spinal discs.

As the fish aged, they developed changes resembling human disc degeneration. Their vertebrae began to fuse and mineral deposits accumulated in the ligaments between the vertebrae, making the normally flexible spinal structures increasingly hard.

The researchers found that the mineralisation was preceded by deterioration of the structural tissue supporting that supported the developing spine.

They also identified changes in lipid metabolism, mTOR signalling, phosphate regulation and vitamin A-related pathways.

Most importantly, when researchers treated the animals with etidronate, a bisphosphonate, mineral accumulation was reduced. Other interventions targeting fat metabolism also reduced spinal fusion.

Also read: Olympian Lolo Jones Says She Was At Risk Of Paralysis After Team USA Allegedly Neglected Her Spine Injury

Why Is Disc Mineralisation A Problem?

Intervertebral discs act as cushions between the bones of the spine. They allow the back to bend and move while absorbing daily physiological stress.

With disc degeneration, the disc's structure can wear off. Abnormal mineralisation can make these tissues stiffer and contribute to vertebral fusion, making movement challenging and contributing to pain.

Currently, there are no medications that can reliably stop or reverse intervertebral disc degeneration. Treatment generally focuses on pain management, physiotherapy and lifestyle measures, while severe cases may eventually require surgery.

Also read: Yoga Poses That Can Fix Your Kid's 'Slouched' Posture

More About The Osteoporosis Drugs

Bisphosphonates are already widely used to protect bones in people with osteoporosis. They work by slowing the activity of cells that break down bone.

In this study, however, their potential benefit appeared to involve something different: preventing minerals from accumulating where they should not.

Study lead Dr Erika Kague said the research could help with alternatives to surgery. “For decades, surgery has been the only real answer for disc disease,” Kague said.

She added that the findings suggest several ways of slowing the process, including a drug already used in patients.

Dr Caroline Aylott of Arthritis UK said the findings offer “fresh hope” for the millions of people living with back pain and could help scientists move closer to new treatments.

Researchers caution that the findings are promising but still early and that larger trials will be needed to validate the study. Also, this was an animal study, not a clinical trial in people with back pain.

Researchers will need to establish whether the same biological process occurs in humans and whether bisphosphonates can safely and effectively prevent or slow disc degeneration in patients.

Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a soft, wearable device that targets a deep brain region involved in sleep regulation through focused ultrasound.

In a study published in Nature Communications, the patch, called NEUSLeeP, was found to boost REM sleep and help people reach that stage of restorative rest faster.

What Is NEUSLeeP?

NEUSLeeP is a bioelectronic patch that can be attacked on the skin. It combines focused ultrasound stimulation with electrodes that continuously monitor brain activity during sleep.

The device targets the subthalamic nucleus (STN), a deep structure within the brain that forms part of the basal ganglia network.

Researchers used a specialised ultrasound array to focus stimulation on the region while simultaneously recording electrical signals linked to sleep.

“This is the first time we’ve been able to noninvasively target deep brain regions involved in REM sleep, while simultaneously monitoring brain activity,” said Kai Wing “Kevin” Tang, who led the research.

The patch weighs about 103 grams and is designed to remain attached during overnight sleep. Its electrodes allow researchers to track EEG, eye movements and muscle activity, helping determine which stage of sleep a person is experiencing.

Also read: Practicing Yoga Everyday Does THIS To Your Sleep Cycle

What Did The Study Find?

The study involved 28 participants, including 16 healthy sleepers and 12 people with some degree of insomnia symptoms.

Participants underwent two consecutive nights of sleep testing, with the first night serving as the sham condition and ultrasound stimulation delivered on the second night.

Researchers found that NEUSLeeP increased the proportion of REM sleep by about 4.6 percentage points, equivalent to roughly 16 additional minutes of REM sleep. It also reduced the time taken to enter REM sleep by approximately 43 minutes, or 24%.

Additionally, researchers did not observe significant changes in other sleep stages or overall sleep efficiency.

The team also reported changes in heart-rate variability and brain activity associated with processing emotions, suggesting that manipulating REM sleep could eventually have implications beyond sleep itself.

Also read: Narcolepsy: US FDA Approves First-Ever Pill That Targets Root Cause of Rare Sleep Disorder

Why Is REM Sleep Important?

REM, or rapid eye movement sleep, is the stage associated with vivid dreaming, rapid eye movements and increased brain activity.

It usually becomes longer during the later part of the night and accounts for roughly 20% to 25% of sleep in adults.

REM sleep has been linked to memory processing and emotional regulation. Research has suggested that the brain uses this stage to process emotional experiences and integrate memories.

“REM sleep is not just about dreaming. It’s about emotional reset and stress adaptation,” said Gregory Fonzo, a co-principal investigator on the project.

Poor sleep is associated with several mental and neurological consequences. Researchers believe that selectively influencing REM sleep could eventually become part of treatments for sleep disorders and conditions like chronic insomnia, depression and PTSD. However, the patch is not yet a treatment available for patients.

Limitations Of The Study

Although the findings seem promising, they come from a small, early-stage human study involving 26 participants.

The researchers also deliberately used a fixed order, with sham stimulation on the first night and ultrasound on the second, because they were concerned about possible carryover effects.

That means larger, longer and independent trials will be needed to determine whether increasing REM sleep actually produces meaningful improvements in health, mood or daytime functioning.