For centuries, blindness was an irreversible condition.  In cases of degenerative eye disease, patients would be set on a path of decline that could not be stopped.  But new research from Oxford University may be able to change this.

Doctors from Oxford were successfully able to restore vision in totally blind mice through injections of light-sensing cells into the eyes.  These cells were described as “precursor” cells, which will develop into the building blocks for the retina once inside the eyes.  Mice that had previously been blind were tested on whether their pupils restricted in light, if they fled being in a bright area, and had their brains scanned to see if visual information was being processed.

Despite the advancements in the field, some still have concerns, especially with regard to the quality of sight restored; one critic asked if the mice could tell the difference between an enemy and food.  Despite the concerns, the developments could prove promising, as the study was conducted to mimic what would be needed by humans with degenerative eye conditions.

Sourced from: BBC News, Totally Blind Mice Get Sight Back

It should not come as a surprise that walking can help prevent stroke in women, as was found by the Murcia Regional Health Authority in Spain.  However, what may seem surprising is that walking provided greater benefits than high-intensity cardio training and did not produce similar results in men.

The study was conducted over a four year period involving 33,000 people, aged 29 to 69.  Women who walked at least 210 minutes per week – three and a half hours total – were 43 percent less likely to develop a stroke compared to those who did not do any physical activity.

The results, though, were not reflected in men, as it was speculated that the men who entered the study were, on average, in better shape.  This is not to say men should not exercise for stroke prevention, as previous research indicates that men who do moderate exercise are less likely to develop a stroke.

Sourced from: Medical News Today, Walking Reduces Stroke Risk Among Women

New year’s resolution number one: burn more fat.  It’s all bad if I want to look good, right?  Not necessarily, as the body stores “good” brown fat in addition to the bad white fat that people are trying to shed through diet and exercise.  An imbalance between the brown and white fat is what makes people obese, a product of more than just overeating and lack of exercise, according to research published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

The study targeted a specific protein – p62 – may be to blame for creating the imbalance between fats, as the absence of p62 in fat tissue causes to body to burn more brown fat and favor white fat.  When p62 is missing, the body is making lots of fat but not burning energy, instead storing energy, which could lead to obesity.

This research could provide new insight into the fight against obesity, as targeting the p62 deficiency could lead to new therapies in the future.

Sourced from: Science Daily, Shifting the Balance Between Good Fat and Bad Fat