Medical Bulletin 12/August/2023

One of the most common bacteria that can affect pregnancies is Group B streptococcus (GBS). If left untreated, GBS infections can potentially lead to adverse effects, including neonatal pneumonia or preterm birth. Though treatments are available, they primarily rely on antibiotics, which can give rise to resistant strains. However, many of the compounds already present in human breast milk, such as human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), naturally have antibacterial effects. The team wanted to investigate HMO activity in GBS infections in pregnant mice and human tissues.

Reference: The Utility of Human Milk Oligosaccharides Against Group B Streptococcus Infections of Reproductive Tissues and Cognate Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes, ACS Central Science; DOI 10.1021/acscentsci.3c00101

Typical brain mechanism that drives learning identified

Researchers have long thought that rewards like food or money encourage learning in the brain by causing the release of the “feel-good” hormone dopamine, known to reinforce storage of new information. Now, a new study in rodents describes how learning still occurs in the absence of an immediate incentive.

Led by researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, the study explored the relationship between dopamine and the brain chemical acetylcholine, also known to play a role in learning and memory.

Reference: Intrinsic dopamine and acetylcholine dynamics in the striatum of mice, Nature; DOI 10.1038/s41586-023-05995-9