The Origins of Pain + Other Stories
Every week, we corral the best wellness stories from around the internet—just in time for your weekend bookmarking. This week: why scientists are looking to the porcupine, how one man’s inability to feel pain is sparking new research on suffering, and a look at the rise of Candida auris.
How a Single Gene Could Become a Volume Knob for Human Suffering
Wired
A rare condition left a man unable to feel pain—and it’s giving scientists insight into the genetics of chronic pain and how it can be treated.
Porcupine Barbs for Better Wound Healing
NPR
An unexpected source for inspiration: Researchers are looking to the porcupine as they develop less-damaging alternatives to current surgical tools.
A Mysterious Infection, Spanning the Globe in a Climate of Secrecy
The New York Times
Health officials have warned that the overuse of antibiotic medications could lead to a global health threat. Now Candida auris, a fungus impervious to antifungal medications, is sweeping the globe, “adding a new and frightening dimension to a phenomenon that is undermining a pillar of modern medicine.”
Effects of Childhood Trauma May Persist in Brain Connectivity of Depressed Patients
PsychCentral
Researchers have unveiled how childhood trauma can have a direct link to major depressive disorder in adults, which opens up “the possibility of targeted diagnosis.”