Medical Bulletin 30/December/2025 - Video

Here are the top medical news for today:

New Guidelines for Non-Medical Individuals to Use Epinephrine in Allergic Emergencies

A new set of international recommendations on epinephrine use during acute allergic reactions (AARs) aims to help not just doctors, but also caregivers, teachers, and bystanders quickly recognize and respond to anaphylaxis. Developed by a 34-member global panel of allergy experts, the guidelines standardize how allergic emergencies are assessed and treated, with the ultimate goal of reducing preventable deaths and complications.

Allergic reactions can be triggered by foods, insect stings, medications, or even unknown factors, and can escalate within minutes. The most severe form — anaphylaxis — causes breathing difficulty, low blood pressure, and shock. Despite being the first-line treatment, epinephrine is underused, with only 7% of adults and 21% of children receiving it before reaching hospital care. Experts say confusion about when to inject the life-saving medication and fear of misuse often delay action. The new recommendations hope to change that.

Led by Dr. Timothy Dribin from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital (USA), the panel first defined clear severity levels across key body systems — cardiovascular and neurologic, respiratory, skin and mucosa, and gastrointestinal. They then tested 24 clinical scenarios, ranging from mild hives to multisystem reactions, to determine precisely when epinephrine should be administered. Importantly, the criteria were designed so nonmedical individuals could easily identify symptoms and act without hesitation.

The team also highlighted the need for real-world accessibility. To ensure these recommendations reach as many people as possible, the full guideline is being adapted into an open-access smartphone app. Users will be able to enter symptoms and receive instant, evidencebased guidance on whether epinephrine is indicated — helping parents, teachers, and flight attendants manage allergic emergencies confidently.

Dr. Dribin emphasized that these tools were developed through collaboration with patients, caregivers, and clinicians, ensuring they’re practical and easy to use.

The initiative marks a turning point in allergy management — one where technology, education, and medical science combine to empower everyday people to save lives faster and more effectively than ever before.

REFERENCE: Dribin TE et al. Epinephrine and emergency medical services activation recommendations during acute allergic reactions in community settings: international consensus report. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2025:S0091-6749(25)01180-7

Losing weight is often seen as the key to better health—but new research suggests that how the body reacts to weight loss may depend on when it happens in life. A groundbreaking study from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) has uncovered that while midlife weight loss can successfully restore metabolic balance, it may also trigger temporary inflammation in the brain, raising new questions about how weight loss interacts with brain health as we age.

Obesity is a major global challenge, closely linked to diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Weight reduction through diet is known to reverse many of these risk factors. However, most studies focus on younger individuals, leaving an important question unanswered: how does the ageing body—and brain—adapt when weight loss happens later in life? To explore this, BGU scientists compared how young adult and mid-aged mice responded to diet-induced obesity followed by weight reduction.

Both age groups showed strong metabolic recovery, including improved blood glucose control, once their weight was reduced. But a striking difference emerged. Only the mid-aged mice developed increased inflammation in the hypothalamus—the brain region that regulates hunger, energy balance, and body temperature. Using advanced molecular assays and high-resolution imaging, the researchers detected activation of microglia, the immune cells of the brain, signaling a stress response that persisted for several weeks before fading.

While short-lived, this inflammation could have long-term implications. The hypothalamus plays a central role in maintaining metabolic and cognitive health, and prolonged inflammation has been associated with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

According to Dr. Alexandra Tsitrina, the study provides a rare, multi-dimensional look at how structural and molecular mechanisms interact during weight loss. The team emphasizes that further research is needed to identify protective strategies that retain the metabolic advantages without taxing the brain.

This study reshapes how we view midlife health journeys—showing that while weight loss remains vital, its effects on the ageing brain deserve equal attention in the pursuit of lifelong wellbeing.

REFERENCE: Alon Zemer, Yulia Haim, Alexandra Tsitrina, Vered Chalifa-Caspi, Habib Muallem, Yair Pincu, G. William Wong, Uri Yoel, Alon Monsonego, Assaf Rudich. Weight loss aggravates obesity-induced hypothalamic inflammation in mid-aged mice. GeroScience, 2025; DOI: 10.1007/s11357-025-01933-x

Scientists Identify Tiny Protein That Regulates Human Hunger and Appetite

Our bodies are wired with a delicate communication network that tells us when to eat, when to stop, and how to use energy. But new research reveals this system doesn’t work alone. Scientists at the University of Birmingham and their international collaborators have discovered that the protein responsible for controlling appetite and metabolism depends on a “helper” molecule to function properly. Published in Science Signaling, the study deepens our understanding of how genetic factors influence obesity risk and could pave the way for new treatments that strengthen the body’s natural appetite control.

At the center of the discovery is MRAP2, a small but powerful protein that works alongside the appetite-regulating receptor MC3R. Together, these two proteins help decide whether the body stores or burns energy. While previous studies had linked MRAP2 to another hunger-related receptor, MC4R, this study explored whether the same supportive relationship existed between MRAP2 and MC3R—two close molecular relatives that play complementary roles in keeping metabolism balanced.

Using cell-based models and advanced signaling assays, researchers watched how the two proteins interacted. When MRAP2 and MC3R were present in equal amounts, cellular signaling activity surged, showing that MRAP2 amplifies the strength of MC3R’s communication. Without MRAP2, that signal weakened, suggesting the appetite control system starts to “lose its voice.” Further analysis revealed which regions of MRAP2 are critical for supporting these signals through both MC3R and MC4R pathways.

The team then examined genetic mutations in MRAP2 found in some people with severe obesity. These altered forms of the helper protein failed to boost MC3R activity, disrupting normal energy balance. Essentially, MRAP2’s “supportive handshake” was broken—leaving the body less able to fine-tune hunger cues and fat storage.

By revealing how MRAP2 guides this hormonal network, scientists now see new possibilities for targeted therapies that enhance fullness signals and correct appetite dysregulation—offering hope for people struggling with weight control where diet and exercise alone fall short.

REFERENCE: Aqfan Jamaluddin, Rachael A. Wyatt, Joon Lee, Georgina K. C. Dowsett, John A. Tadross, Johannes Broichhagen, Giles S. H. Yeo, Joshua Levitz, Caroline M. Gorvin. The accessory protein MRAP2 directly interacts with melanocortin-3 receptor to enhance signaling. Science Signaling, 2025; 18 (917) DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.adu4315