Medical Bulletin 03/September/2026 - Video

Here are the top medical news for today:

New Injection Approach May Keep Osteoarthritis Drugs Effective for Weeks: Study

What if one injection could lubricate an arthritic joint—and keep treatment working for weeks?

Scientists at the University at Buffalo have developed an injectable hydrogel designed to extend the delivery of osteoarthritis treatments inside damaged joints.

The material starts as a liquid, allowing minimally invasive injection. Once it reaches body temperature, it transforms into a smooth, lubricating semisolid depot that can remain inside the joint for several weeks while gradually releasing drug-loaded nanocarriers.

Osteoarthritis is a major cause of chronic pain and disability worldwide. Treatments injected directly into joints, including corticosteroids, analgesics and viscosupplements, can provide relief, but their effects may be temporary. Drugs can also be rapidly cleared from synovial fluid, limiting how long they remain active.

The new hydrogel aims to overcome this problem by acting as a local drug reservoir. It combines a biocompatible polymer matrix with nanocarriers capable of transporting poorly soluble, or hydrophobic, therapeutic compounds that are otherwise difficult to deliver.

Researchers tested the platform using a SIRT6 activator, a compound being investigated for its potential disease-modifying effects. The hydrogel gradually releases its therapeutic cargo through diffusion and relaxation of the material, potentially maintaining treatment inside the joint for multiple weeks.

Importantly, the technology is designed to do more than simply deliver medication. Because the hydrogel is lubricious, it could also help improve joint lubrication while releasing treatments targeting processes involved in osteoarthritis, including inflammation and cellular senescence.

If successful, such an approach could reduce the frequency of joint injections and potentially limit systemic exposure to certain drugs.

Although knee osteoarthritis is the main target, researchers say the platform could eventually be adapted for post-traumatic osteoarthritis, intervertebral disc degeneration and other localized musculoskeletal conditions.

However, the technology remains under development, and further studies are needed to establish its safety, effectiveness and long-term benefits in humans.

REFERENCE: Research Foundation for the State University of New York. "One injection could keep osteoarthritis drugs working for weeks." https://suny.technologypublisher.com/tech/Injectable_Hydrogel_System_Designed_to_Prolong_Joint_Retention_in_Osteoarthritis

New Migraine Prevention Guideline Updates Recommended Medications for Adults

What if preventing migraine could become more personalized, with multiple medication options tailored to each patient’s needs?

The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and American Headache Society (AHS) have issued an updated joint guideline to help clinicians choose effective preventive medications for adults with migraine. Published August 31, 2026, in Neurology® and Headache, the update replaces the organisations’ 2012 recommendations and is endorsed by the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Migraine is a chronic neurological disease that can cause headache, nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, dizziness, visual disturbances and difficulty thinking. Attacks may last several hours to days and can significantly interfere with work and daily activities.

The updated guideline reviews evidence for preventive treatments in both episodic and chronic migraine, including newer therapies developed since the previous recommendations. Chronic migraine involves headache on at least 15 days per month, with migraine features on at least eight days.

According to the guideline, preventive treatment should be offered to people experiencing four or more migraine days per month, four or more moderate-to-severe headache days, or migraine that substantially affects their ability to function.

The recommendations emphasise shared decision-making. Clinicians should consider the impact of migraine on quality of life alongside the strength of evidence, potential side effects, cost and dosing preferences. Options include oral medications taken daily or every other day, as well as injectable treatments administered monthly or every three months.

Some established medicines, including certain antidepressants and blood-pressure medications, may provide additional benefits for people with other health conditions, while newer treatments are specifically designed for migraine prevention.

The guideline also recommends reassessing treatment effectiveness after starting a preventive medication. If one therapy is ineffective or poorly tolerated, clinicians can consider alternatives, reflecting the expanding range of evidence-based options available for migraine prevention.

REFERENCE: Potrebic, S., et al. (2026). Pharmacologic Treatment for Migraine Prevention in Adults Practice Guideline Recommendations. Neurology. DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000214881.

Flavorings, Colors and Sweeteners in UPFs Linked to Higher Depression Risk: Study

Could the ingredients that make ultra-processed foods more colourful, flavourful and sweet also be linked to depression risk?

A new study published in the European Journal of Nutrition has found that higher estimated dietary exposure to foods likely containing flavouring agents, colouring agents and sweeteners was associated with a dose-dependent increase in the risk of developing depression.

Researchers from Justus-Liebig University of Giessen, Germany, analysed dietary data from 171,818 UK Biobank participants who completed at least one 24-hour dietary recall. Over an average follow-up of 10.7 years, 5,424 participants developed depression.

Rather than relying solely on the NOVA classification of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), researchers assessed 10 categories and 39 specific markers used to identify foods likely containing UPF-related ingredients.

Among the categories studied, flavouring agents showed the strongest associations. Compared with a modeled intake level representing 5% of total food intake, having 40% of intake represented by foods likely containing flavouring agents was associated with a 46% higher risk of incident depression.

Similarly, foods likely containing colouring agents at 20% of intake, compared with 3%, were associated with a 49% higher risk. For sweeteners, 20% versus 0% was associated with a 45% higher risk.

The associations remained significant in sensitivity analyses. Fructose was also identified as a specific UPF marker showing a dose-dependent association with depression risk.

Researchers suggest several possible explanations, including effects on brain function and neurotransmitter signalling, as well as indirect pathways involving obesity, metabolic dysfunction and gut microbiota changes.

However, the findings do not prove that these additives cause depression. Dietary intake was self-reported, ingredient lists were not directly captured, and exposure was estimated based on the likelihood that foods contained specific markers. Reverse causation and residual confounding also remain possible.

The authors say future human and animal studies are needed to establish whether these associations reflect causal relationships.

REFERENCE: Blumenthal, A.K., Eichner, G., Fasshauer, M. et al. Relationship between 39 dietary markers of ultra-processed food and incident depression: evidence from the prospective UK Biobank cohort study. Eur J Nutr 65, 238 (2026). DOI: 10.1007/s00394-026-04084-7,