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.

Last week, biohacker and longevity entrepreneur Bryan Johnson shared a shocking health update with his followers. He said that he has been diagnosed with Autoimmune Gastritis (AIG), a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the stomach lining. In an X post, he said, “My stomach is eating itself.”

After his post received millions of reactions, he shared his ambitious plan to treat his autoimmune gastritis.

How Is Bryan Johnson Planning To ‘Cure’ His Autoimmune Gastritis?

One of the most unusual aspects of Bryan’s AIG treatment plan is creating a miniature version of his immune system called ‘Bryan In A Dish'. He said that scientists will collect and cryopreserve (freeze) a large sample of his immune cells for two purposes.

First, researchers plan to recreate a miniature version of Johnson's immune system in a laboratory dish. This living model would allow scientists to test experimental drugs and personalized therapies directly on his own immune cells before administering them to him, potentially reducing risks while helping identify the most promising treatment.

Second, the frozen cells could preserve cellular material that may support future targeted rejuvenation or precision medicine therapies.

While scientists have long used “disease-in-a-dish" models to study diseases and drugs, Bryan’s “Bryan in a dish” goes a step further by creating a personalized immune system model using his own preserved cells to test experimental autoimmune treatments before they are used in his body.

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Other steps in his plan includes:

• Mapping the immune system:

Johnson plans to sequence one million of his immune cells to identify the specific T-cells that are mistakenly attacking his stomach lining.

• Capturing the rogue immune cells:

He will undergo another stomach biopsy to collect live tissue, allowing researchers to match the harmful T-cells with the immune cell mapping data.

• Building an early warning system

Johnson intends to have blood tests every two weeks and combine the results with wearable health data to detect disease flare-ups before symptoms appear. He said that this is essential as the condition presents without any symptoms.

• Develop precision therapies

After identifying the rogue immune cells, researchers will test personalized treatments designed to stop only those harmful cells while preserving the healthy immune system.

Bryan Johnson's Autoimmune Gastritis Diagnosis

Despite years of optimizing his body, Bryan’s Johnson’s autoimmune gastritis diagnosis shocked the internet. While his strict routines, meticulous diet, and million-dollar anti-ageing protocol continue to inspire millions, they also receive equal amounts of skepticism and criticism.

Johnson recently revealed that he had struggled with persistently low iron for nearly 11 years, despite taking supplements.

He said that a detailed evaluation confirmed autoimmune gastritis, an illness that damages the acid-producing cells of the stomach. The condition can impair absorption of iron and vitamin B12 and may increase the long-term risk of gastric cancer.

He also disclosed that he has autoimmune thyroid disease, suggesting that multiple autoimmune conditions may be interconnected in his case.

Health officials in the United States are urging residents to protect themselves from mosquito bites after West Nile virus (WNV) was detected in mosquitoes in Grant Park, Fulton County, Georgia, marking the region’s first confirmed detection of the season.

The discovery has prompted local health authorities to increase mosquito surveillance and control measures while reminding the public that preventing mosquito bites remains the best defense against infection.

Early Warning For West Nile Virus

The latest detection comes amid an early arrival of West Nile virus season in the U.S. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 56 human cases of West Nile virus disease had been reported nationwide as of July 7, 2026, with broader virus activity detected in mosquitoes, birds or animals across multiple states.

Although no human cases have been linked to the Fulton County detection so far, finding the virus in mosquitoes serves as an important early warning. Mosquito surveillance allows public health officials to identify where the virus is circulating before people become ill.

Once infected mosquitoes are detected, authorities can increase larviciding and spraying operations, monitor mosquito populations more closely, and alert residents to reduce their risk of exposure.

Similar detections have also been reported in other parts of the country in recent days. Connecticut recently confirmed its first West Nile virus-positive mosquitoes of the year, while Texas reported its first human case of neuroinvasive West Nile virus after weeks of detecting infected mosquito samples.

Also read: Walked Through Floodwater Recently? 5 Things To Do After Reaching Home To Minimise Risk Of Infections

About West Nile Virus

West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne virus that belongs to the flavivirus family, the same group that includes the viruses causing Dengue fever, Zika virus disease, Yellow fever, and Japanese encephalitis.

It is primarily spread through the bite of an infected Culex mosquito. Mosquitoes become infected after feeding on infected birds, which are the virus's first host. About 80% infected with West Nile virus have no symptoms. About 20% develop West Nile fever.

Its common symptoms include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Body and muscle aches
• Fatigue or weakness
• Joint pain
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Skin rash on the trunk or back
• Swollen lymph nodes

Also read: Shingles Vaccine May Help Fight Dementia, Suggest Studies

The disease could become serious in a few infected people who may develop its neuroinvasive disease. The symptoms of severe West Nile virus include most of the commons ones as well as:

• Neck stiffness
• Confusion or disorientation
• Tremors
• Loss of coordination
• Vision problems
• Seizures
• Paralysis
• Coma (rare case)

Why Health Officials Are Asking People To Stay Vigilant?

Authorities stress that there is currently no human vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for West Nile virus. Prevention, therefore, depends largely on avoiding mosquito bites and reducing mosquito breeding sites.

Officials recommend that residents:

• Use repellents containing ingredients like DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors, particularly during dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
• Remove standing water from containers, flowerpots, buckets, bird baths and clogged gutters where mosquitoes can breed.
• Ensure doors and windows have intact screens to keep mosquitoes out of homes.

India's flagship health insurance scheme, Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), which covers more than 62 crore people, could soon offer higher financial protection if a key parliamentary recommendation is accepted.

A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare has recommended increasing the insurance cover under PM-JAY from the current Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, according to a report by The Times of India.

The committee said the existing coverage is inadequate to meet the cost of several life-saving treatments, including liver transplants, complex cardiac surgeries, and immunotherapy.

Key recommendations

The panel has proposed:

• Increasing PM-JAY health insurance coverage from ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh.
• Introducing special high-cost treatment packages for expensive procedures.
• Adopting a differential pricing model for complex and advanced medical interventions.
Supporting higher coverage through:

• Pooled financing
• Negotiated pricing with hospitals and medical device manufacturers
• Co-funding mechanisms with states.

Recommendations To Improve Cashless Treatment

To improve the efficiency of the scheme, the committee also recommended:

• Strict enforcement of the six-hour turnaround time for pre-authorization of cashless treatment.
• Imposing penalties on hospitals or agencies responsible for unnecessary delays.
• Conducting regular audits of pre-authorization workflows.
• Expanding auto-approval for more low-risk procedures.
• Deploying AI-enabled case tracking to speed up approvals and improve transparency.

What is Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY?

Launched in September 2018, Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) is the world's largest government-funded health assurance program.

The scheme currently provides Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization, covering around 12 crore families, representing the bottom 40 per cent of India's population.

It was later expanded to include around 6 crore senior citizens aged 70 years and above from 4.5 crore families, irrespective of their socio-economic status. The scheme also covers poor and vulnerable families, as well as gig and platform workers.

Recent milestones

Last month, West Bengal became the 36th state to implement the Centre's flagship health insurance scheme.

Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda recently said one of the government's biggest achievements has been reducing out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure, which has fallen from 64.6 per cent before 2018 to 43.4 per cent. He added that AB PM-JAY has enabled timely access to quality healthcare through a cashless, paperless, and fully digital platform.

According to the government, the scheme has achieved the following milestones:

• More than 44 crore Ayushman Cards have been created.
• Over 12 crore hospital admissions have been authorized under the scheme.
• Women account for nearly half of all beneficiaries.
• More than 104 crore health records have been linked to over 93 crore ABHA accounts.

Universal health coverage by 2033

In March, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told Parliament that the government aims to achieve universal health coverage by 2033.

Addressing the Rajya Sabha, she said health insurance has become a priority area for the government, with the sector covering 58 crore lives during 2024-25, according to news agency PTI.

"Health insurance is a priority for this government. In fact, we are hoping that by 2033 we will have insurance cover for all," Sitharaman said.