News

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.

The International Council on Alcohol, Drugs & Traffic Safety (ICADTS) has released new guidelines summarizing the most recent research on cannabis-impaired driving.

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

Researchers at the Maastricht MultiModal Molecular Imaging Institute (M4i) have collaborated on a study to improve small intestine organoids. The new organoids also contain Paneth cells and are therefore a complete representation of the human small intestine.

“The European professional football industry is highly vulnerable to money-laundering schemes and major tax fraud, but people both inside and outside the industry are collectively looking the other way.”

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.

The Dutch universities, universitties of applied sciences and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science signed an administrative agreement on 14 July 2022. In doing so, they focus on strengthening the foundations of research and higher education, provide space for diverse talent and increase their impact on society.

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.