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.

Amid the continuously worsening air pollution and air quality levels in Delhi, the government has implemented a work-from-home measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

As per the notice by the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi and Department of Environment & Forest, all government offices under the GNCTD and private offices operating within Delhi must now function at 50 percent staff strength, with remaining employees required to work from home.

Administrative Secretaries and Heads of Departments may only call essential staff when necessary. However, the overall attendance cannot exceed the 50 percent limit. Private offices have also been instructed to minimize vehicular movement, adopt staggered working hours, and ensure strict adherence to work-from-home protocols to reduce emissions tied to daily commuting.

Read: Living In Delhi's Toxic Air Is A 'Medical Emergency', According AIIMS Doctors

Which Offices Are Not Working From Home?

Essential services, however, are exempt from these restrictions. Hospitals, health facilities, fire services, public transport, water and sanitation departments, disaster management agencies, electricity services, and teams involved in pollution control and emergency duties will continue operating normally.

District Magistrates, Deputy Commissioners of Police and local bodies have been directed to ensure strict compliance across all private offices in Delhi. The restrictions take effect immediately and will remain in force for the full duration of GRAP Stage III, or longer if recommended by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).

Delhi AQI Today

On Tuesday morning, as of 7:30 am, Delhi woke up to 'Hazardous' air with the AQI as per the aqi.in, recorded at 426. The AQI in Delhi is showing 1.7 times higher than India's average AQI.

The particulate matters have long exceeded the safe limits stated by the World Health Organization (WHO). As of today, the PM10 level is 388 µg/m³, which is 8.6 times above the recommended WHO guidelines. Whereas PM2.5 is at 288 µg/m³, which is 19.2 times the WHO guidelines.

Also Read: Delhi Pollution Is A Major Health Hazard, Toxic Air Could Even Cause Organ Damage, According To Doctors

What Does The Doctor Say?

Dr Nikhil Modi, a senior consultant, Respiratory Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals in one of his previous video had said that the pollution is an "ever-growing menace". However, he suggests, one can take simple steps to protected against that.

Like all doctors he too suggested to not go out when the pollution levels are at its peak. "You may go out only if it is very necessary, but wear a mask." As per a 2023 study by an air filter brand, Delhi's air pollution peaked at 9AM and gradually improved as the day progressed. On an average, Delhi sees roughly as half as much PM2.5 by 5PM. The doctor also draws attention on the importance of maintaining a good and healthy diet, especially lots of fruits and vegetables, which are rich in antioxidants.

Health Impact Of Air Pollution Beyond The Lungs

A report by the University of Chicago revealed that air pollution is reducing the life expectancy of Delhi residents by 7.8 years. As per a US-based NGO report by the Health Effects Institute, there has been 30 to 50% increase in lung cancer rates associated with pollutants. A recent 2024 study also revealed that air pollution is not just linked to lung cancer but it can also cause head and neck cancer.

Tata Memorial Hospital published a study in July 2024 that revealed most people who had lung cancer in India never smoked.

"Head and neck cancer is a harder link to show, and it has a much lower occurrence than lung cancers, but since they also occur as a result of smoking, similar to lung cancers, we wanted to explore any connections," said John Cramer, the neck cancer study's lead researcher. "Presumably, the link to head and neck cancer comes from what we breathe to that material affecting the lining in the head and neck. We see a lot of occurrences of where carcinogens touch or pool in the body to where cancers can occur," he explained.

The flu season has started earlier than expected in some parts of the country. The cases may erupt as soon as people start to travel, meet more people during the Thanksgiving and other upcoming holidays. However, there have been warning signs of a virus that has already set off massive outbreaks in UK and Canada, called the H3N2 subclade K.

What Is The Flu Strain Subclade K?

It is a variant of the H3N2 virus that had been circulating in other countries over the summers. Experts say the new variant is driving a surge in flu cases across Canada, Japan, and the U.K. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that of nearly 150 test samples identified as part of the H3 lineage, more than half belonged to the subclade K group.

The influx of patients have been high too, as Dr Cameron Wolfe, a disease specialist at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina suggest, and is reported by the NBC. "At the moment, we’ve had two, three, four per day coming in," he said.

Alicia Budd, who leads the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s domestic influenza surveillance team, said flu activity in the United States is expected to rise steadily in the coming weeks.

How Dangerous Is The New H3N2 Flu Strain?

So far, most of the flu circulating this season is the H3N2 strain, which historically causes more hospitalizations and deaths among older adults. An early spike in cases, experts say, can heighten risks for this age group. Wolfe noted that when flu season begins unusually early, some nursing homes may still be rolling out vaccinations and some hospitals may not have fully vaccinated their staff. As a result, communities may be less protected than they typically would be if the virus peaked later in the winter.

Overall flu activity remains low, but the CDC’s latest report shows cases climbing. The agency estimates that at least 650,000 people have had the flu so far this season, with around 7,400 hospitalized and 300 deaths reported.

Budd said most of the rise in cases and emergency room visits is occurring in children. Last year, 280 children in the United States died from the flu, marking the deadliest pediatric flu season ever recorded outside the 2009 to 2010 H1N1 pandemic. No pediatric deaths have been reported yet this season, though doctors remain concerned after last winter’s rapid spread of the virus through schools, day care centers and hospitals.

“It feels like the calm before the storm,” said Dr. Buddy Creech, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “We may have a difficult influenza year.”

H3N2 is known for mutating easily, and a new version of the strain, known as subclade K, appeared over the summer with several mutations. It emerged after this season’s flu shot formula had already been finalized and has already driven significant outbreaks in Canada and the United Kingdom.

Budd said the CDC is studying how well the current vaccine matches this evolving strain, but she urged people to get vaccinated regardless. Even when the circulating strain is not a perfect match, she said, the shot still helps reduce the severity of illness.

Doctors across the country are watching the latest trends closely. “Does it turn on our antenna a little bit more? Yes,” said Dr. Daniel Varga, chief physician executive at Hackensack Meridian Health in New Jersey. “It makes us even more vigilant about the monitoring we do locally.”

Dr. Melanie Kitagawa, medical director of the pediatric intensive care unit at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, stressed that it is not too late to get vaccinated. She said the more people who receive the flu shot before flu activity accelerates, the better protected communities will be.

Alzheimer’s patients have received discouraging news after the release of results from a major study. Novo Nordisk confirmed that its Alzheimer’s treatment did not show a “statistically significant” slowdown in the progression of the illness. Two trials evaluating the company’s weight loss medicine semaglutide in Alzheimer’s disease did not meet their targets, the firm said on Monday, as the drug failed to slow decline compared with a placebo.

Testing semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, for Alzheimer’s had always been viewed as a high-risk attempt, even though research has suggested the drug may influence several processes beyond metabolism. Still, Novo had raised interest in recent weeks by advertising roles connected to Alzheimer’s consumer marketing and medical affairs.

Novo Nordisk Says Alzheimer's Drug Trial Fails

Novo Nordisk said on Monday that an older oral form of semaglutide did not achieve its main outcome in late-stage trials assessing whether the drug could reduce cognitive decline in people with Alzheimer’s disease, sending its shares down by 10 percent.

The development dims expectations that Alzheimer’s could become a major new area for GLP-1 medicines like semaglutide, at a time when Novo is facing stronger competition for its leading products in obesity and diabetes. Treatment choices for Alzheimer’s patients remain limited. The company’s study had been closely followed as a potential sign of whether GLP-1 drugs, widely used for diabetes and weight control, might slow the condition’s advance.

The pill tested was Rybelsus, approved only for type 2 diabetes and containing semaglutide, as reported by Reuters.

Novo Nordisk: Lottery Ticket Fails

The firm’s Executive Vice President for Product and Portfolio Strategy, Ludovic Helfgott, had earlier described the Alzheimer’s trials as a “lottery ticket,” reflecting both the uncertainty and the considerable promise involved. Alzheimer’s and related dementias affect more than 55 million people worldwide, and no cure exists. “While semaglutide did not demonstrate efficacy in slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, the extensive body of evidence supporting semaglutide continues to provide benefits for individuals with type 2 diabetes, obesity, and related comorbidities,” Chief Scientific Officer Martin Holst Lange said in a statement.

The findings from the two early-stage studies, EVOKE and EVOKE+, mark another setback for the Danish company and its new CEO Mike Doustdar. Novo had experienced remarkable success with Ozempic and Wegovy, but slower sales growth and a sharp drop in its stock value led to a leadership shift and significant job cuts.

The disappointment adds weight to analysts’ doubts about Novo’s Alzheimer’s plans, with UBS having earlier estimated only a 10 percent likelihood of success.

Novo Nordisk: Alzheimer’s Trial Stakes And Outcome

Alzheimer’s, marked by deep cognitive decline, fading memory and changes in behaviour, remains one of the hardest challenges in drug research. Novo had repeatedly acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding these studies. Even so, the possible payoff was significant. Analysts at Morgan Stanley had estimated that a breakthrough could have added up to $5 billion in yearly revenue.

“We believed it was important to assess whether semaglutide could offer any benefit,” Chief Scientific Officer Martin Holst Lange said, referring to the drug better known as Ozempic. The treatment did show improvement in certain biological markers connected to Alzheimer’s, but these gains did not lead to a slower progression of the condition.

Novo Nordisk Stock: Impact On Competition And Obesity Market

The company is also working to strengthen its footing in the obesity sector. Any sign that Wegovy could influence the most common form of dementia might have provided an edge over Eli Lilly’s Zepbound in the United States, where competition in this field is intensifying.