Welcome back to Health(y) Discourse.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019m Jess Craig, Straight Arrow\u2019s health reporter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Last week, we looked at whether coffee really helps you live longer, what the evidence says about lifestyle coaching to reduce dementia risk and the early return of West Nile virus.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This week, we\u2019re digging into the surge in measles cases, the growing concern over e-bike injuries and what new research is revealing about the surprising connection between oral health and the rest of the body.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Other stories that caught my eye this week:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Geroscientists are exploring<\/a> whether GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy are also \u201canti-aging\u201d drugs.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Office of National Drug Control Policy reported<\/a> on the largest wastewater drug-monitoring effort ever conducted in the U.S.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced<\/a> it would again import cattle from Mexico, the epicenter of a New World screwworm outbreak.\u00a0<\/p>\n If you haven\u2019t already, be sure to check out Straight Arrow\u2019s ongoing autism series<\/a>, where we\u2019re taking a deeper look at the latest research<\/a>, emerging treatments and some of the biggest questions \u2014 and misconceptions \u2014 surrounding autism spectrum disorder.\u00a0<\/p>\n Peer Review<\/p>\n Rehashing the week\u2019s health headlines<\/p>\n \ud83d\udd2c Under the Microscope<\/p>\n Did scientists really \u201creverse\u201d autism?\u00a0<\/p>\n Researchers at UCLA reported<\/a> last week that a single dose of the drug rapamycin temporarily improved autism-like behaviors in adult mice.\u00a0<\/p>\n As expected, the headlines<\/a> that followed were overblown.\u00a0<\/p>\n Neuroscientist Neil Harris<\/a>, one of the study\u2019s senior authors, said the real breakthrough wasn\u2019t the drug itself, but what it revealed about the brain. For decades, scientists thought brain circuits disrupted early in development become largely fixed and untreatable by adulthood. But the new evidence suggests that may not always be the case, opening the door to future therapies \u2014 such as magnetic stimulation or focused ultrasound \u2014 that target these brain circuits safely and precisely.<\/p>\n Bottom line: It\u2019s exciting science, but this study won\u2019t change anyone\u2019s medical care today. Instead, it could reshape how scientists think about treating autism<\/a> in the future.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \ud83d\udea9 Reality Check<\/p>\n Are e-bikes becoming too dangerous for kids?<\/p>\n Pediatric surgeon Todd Lawrence and researcher Madison Kesler argued in an opinion piece for STAT that e-bikes and e-scooters have become a \u201cburgeoning pediatric public health emergency.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n They\u2019re not alone.\u00a0<\/p>\n Doctors across the country have reported a growing number of children and teens arriving in the ER after crashes involving these electric rides.\u00a0<\/p>\n Between January 2023 and May 2026, health data company Truveta identified more than 12,000 ER visits related to e-bikes and e-scooters; the rate of visits among children younger than 18 increased 671% during that period. Late last year, a national study found that children injured on e-bikes were more likely than those injured on traditional bicycles to suffer head, neck, facial and internal organ injuries and to require hospitalization. Researchers said the higher speeds \u2014 many e-bikes can travel more than 20 mph \u2014 likely contribute to the greater severity of these crashes.<\/p>\n Bottom line: E-bikes aren\u2019t just bicycles with a battery. If your child rides one, doctors recommend treating it more like a motorized vehicle. Make sure kids wear a helmet every ride, understand how fast the bike can go and have the experience to handle it safely.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udca8 Public Health Watch<\/p>\n Measles is surging. Should you be worried?<\/p>\n The U.S. has now recorded 2,318 measles cases<\/a> this year, officially surpassing last year\u2019s total of 2,289 cases, which was the highest annual count since 1991.\u00a0<\/p>\n Cases have been reported in more than 40 states, with the largest outbreaks occurring in Utah (more than 500 cases), followed by Texas (188 cases), Pennsylvania (139 cases), Virginia (177 cases) and Arizona (119 cases).\u00a0<\/p>\n Nearly 70% of cases have occurred in children and teens, and 93% of patients were either unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status. The CDC has not recorded any measles-related deaths, but 151 people have been hospitalized.\u00a0<\/p>\n Health officials warn the U.S. could lose its measles elimination status<\/a> later this year if sustained transmission continues.<\/p>\n Bottom line: If your family is up to date on the MMR vaccine, your risk remains low. Two doses are 97% effective at preventing measles. If you\u2019re unsure of your vaccination status \u2014 or have young children who haven\u2019t completed their vaccine series \u2014 public health experts recommend discussing vaccine options with your healthcare provider<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc40 Worth Watching<\/p>\n Could healthier gums protect more than your smile?<\/p>\n