News

Mental health disorders affect one out of four people during their lifetime, with more than three quarters affected before the age of 24. Researchers are now joining forces in the new project Youth-GEMs (Gene Environment Interactions in Mental Health TrajectorieS of Youth) to conduct research into the genetic and environmental factors of mental health in young European people. The project will be coordinated by Maastricht University.

Oxytocin may be able to support memory in people with Alzheimer’s disease. This is the conclusion of a study led by Maastricht University in which oxytocin was administered to mice with Alzheimer’s-related problems. The research is based on epigenetics, the external effects that turn parts of our DNA on or off during our lifetime.

The EU ban on menthol cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco introduced in May 2020 led menthol smokers to be more likely to try to quit smoking and to be successful in quitting compared to non-menthol smokers. At the same time, a third of menthol smokers say they still smoke menthol cigarettes despite the ban.

Chahinda Ghossein has been named Top Woman Limburg 2022. She conducts research on cardiovascular diseases in women, particularly in relation to their pregnancy. She is committed to this women-specific issue through her work as a cardiologist and scientist.

Prof. dr. Ron Heeren received the prestigious Thomson Medal for his work in the field of mass spectrometry.

How can the use of data support learning and improvement within care teams and across organisations? PhD students Merel van Lierop (Maastricht University) and Alies Depla talk about their action research in elderly care and in integrated birth care: 2 different sectors, working on similar processes.

Time-restricted Eating (TRE), also known as a form of intermittent fasting, is a new strategy that limits the period of food intake, and maintains a regular cycle of eating during the day followed by a prolonged period of fasting in the evening and at night. Recent research by Patrick Schrauwen and Charlotte Andriessen (both working at Maastricht University) shows that adults with type 2 diabetes do indeed benefit from a maximum food intake period of ten hours a day.

On 15 July, Maastricht University and GGD Zuid Limburg will say goodbye to Professor Maria Jansen. For many years she has worked to promote health policy with a closer alignment between research and practice. In her farewell speech, Jansen advocates a stronger role for government in improving public health and equal health opportunities.

Parkinson’s is a brain disease whose cause is still largely unknown. However, epidemiologists do see a relationship with toxins in the environment, such as pesticides, heavy metals or certain drugs, such as crystal meth. Scientists from the universities of Maastricht (UM) and Leuven have now developed a successful way to model Parkinson’s using stem cells. This makes it possible to study the effects of these environmental factors on the development of the disease.

Casper Webers, post-doctoral researcher at CAPHRI, has been awarded a Kootstra Talent Fellowship (KTF).