Alleviating paralysis with new brain-reading technologies

EU-backed scientists are making progress in efforts to give people with impaired motor functions more independence.  By  MICHAEL ALLEN  In 2009, a former US policeman named Richard Marsh suffered a severe stroke that left him completely paralysed but conscious – a condition known as locked-in syndrome.   Little more than four months later, in a miracle of … Read more

Long Covid: the pandemic’s testing aftermath

By tracking Covid-19 patients, doctors in Europe are in search of treatments for a lingering sickness that is both debilitating and puzzling. By  ANTHONY KING Evelina Tacconelli, an Italian infectious diseases specialist, is seeking cures for a coronavirus-induced illness that’s playing havoc with the lives of millions of people in Europe and elsewhere. Though Covid-19 itself … Read more

Autism cures may be closer as focus turns to early treatment

Fresh insights into the genes that cause the neurological disorder could open new routes for the prevention and perhaps even reversal of symptoms. By  VITTORIA D’ALESSIO Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that has been intensely investigated since the mid-20th century. It’s estimated that ASD affects around 1 in 100 children and mainly boys. Studies suggest … Read more

Europeans make love but not babies

As Europe’s population ages, understanding the causes of declining birth rates becomes more important. By  ANDREW DUNNE When demography expert Daniele Vignoli asked young couples for their thoughts about having children, a theme emerged: uncertainty about the future. In an experiment that Vignoli conducted in Italy and Norway in 2019, he showed a total of 800 … Read more