2019's top news from the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Welcome to the top ten most popular news stories on our website from the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health in 2019. A brilliant collection of interesting and important research, we think. Enjoy!

Researchers discover when it’s good to get the blues

Contrary to common belief, blue light may not be as disruptive to our sleep patterns as originally thought - according to University of Manchester scientists. According to the team, using dim, cooler, lights in the evening and bright warmer lights in the day may be more beneficial to our health.

Cheers! Scientists take big step towards making the perfect head of beer

Drinkers will soon be cheering all the way to the bar thanks to a team of scientists who have taken a big step forward in solving the puzzle of how to make the perfect head of beer.Lead researcher Dr Richard Campbell from The University of Manchester says his findings solve a long-standing mystery related to the lifetime of foams.

Working mothers up to 40% more stressed, study finds

Biomarkers for chronic stress are 40% higher in women bringing up two children while working full-time, new research has found. Working from home and flexitime have no effect on their level of chronic stress – only putting in fewer hours at work helps, says an article in the journal Sociology.

Cloudy with a Chance of Pain? Smartphone study shows pain more likely on humid, windy days

People with long-term health conditions are 20 per cent more likely to suffer from pain on days that are humid and windy with low atmospheric pressure according to new research from University of Manchester scientists. The study, funded by Versus Arthritis, was based on the experience of people with conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, migraine and neuropathic pain from across the UK.

Drugs commonly used to treat arthritis may help to prevent breast cancer spreading to the bone, where it is incurable, new research suggests.

In a major new study published in Nature Communications, scientists propose that NHS arthritis drugs anakinra, canakinumab and sulfasalazine could in future be repurposed to help treat breast cancer, following the discovery of the role of bone marrow in the spread of the disease to the bone.Arthritis drugs could be repurposed to help prevent breast cancer spreading to the bone, study suggests

Borderline Personality Disorder has strongest link to childhood trauma

People with Borderline Personality Disorder are 13 times more likely to report childhood trauma than people without any mental health problems, according to University of Manchester research. The analysis of data from 42 international studies of over 5,000 people showed that 71.1% of people who were diagnosed with the serious health condition reported at least one traumatic childhood experience.

Healthy diet can ease symptoms of depression

An analysis of data from almost 46,000 people has found that weight loss, nutrient boosting and fat reduction diets can all reduce the symptoms of depression. Dr Joseph Firth, an Honorary Research fellow at The University of Manchester and Research Fellow at NICM Health Research Institute at Western Sydney University, says existing research has been unable to definitively establish if dietary improvement could benefit mental health.

Biggest ever map of human Alzheimer’s brain published

A study of the differences between healthy brains and those with Alzheimer’s Disease has produced largest dataset of its type ever. And the data, developed by a team of researchers led by Dr Richard Unwin at The University of Manchester, is now freely available online for any scientist to use.

Recession saw rise in male patient suicide

Recession-related increases in suicide have previously been reported globally. New research has shown an equivalent rise in suicide by mental health patients, particularly men aged 45-54. The study, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, comes from the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health (NCISH) based at The University of Manchester.

One in four UK children have a mother with mental illness

One in four UK children between the ages of 0 and 16 have a mother with a mental illness, according to a team of University of Manchester researchers. Also according to the study published in the Lancet Public Health, just over a half of UK children will have had a mother who has experienced mental illness by the age of 16.