Amir Lerman, M.D., a cardiovascular physician-scientist, mentor, research leader and active Mayo Clinic staff member, passed away Feb. 23 at age 69. During his nearly 40 years at Mayo Clinic, he became one of the world’s foremost authorities on microvascular function and cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Lerman earned his doctor of science degree and M.D. in Israel before joining Mayo Clinic in 1987 as a resident. His research reshaped the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of vascular injury and ischemic heart disease. Focusing on early detection, he and his teams developed novel diagnostic tests, imaging and regenerative therapies to treat and cure patients with these conditions around the world.

Distinguished career of innovation

Dr. Lerman established essential cardiovascular infrastructure at Mayo, including the Mayo Clinic Cardiovascular Research Center and coronary physiology and imaging, among many others. Under his direction, the Mayo Clinic Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory pioneered in vivo testing protocols for endothelial and microvascular function that became best practices worldwide.

A Barbara Woodward Lips Professor of Medicine, Dr. Lerman authored nearly 1,000 peer-reviewed publications that have been cited more than 69,000 times, making him among the most influential cardiovascular investigators in the world. He served as vice chair for research in the Mayo Clinic Department of Cardiovascular Medicine from 2012 to 2024, held several patents and maintained continuous National Institutes of Health funding along with support from the American Heart Association and many other sources.

In 2023, Dr. Lerman was part of the Mayo AI-ECG team, which applies artificial intelligence to electrocardiogram workflows, that received the Mayo Clinic Research shield's Team Science Award for pioneering the use of deep neural networks to detect cardiovascular disease from standard electrocardiograms. In 2024, he was named a Distinguished Mayo Clinic Investigator — Mayo Clinic's highest honor for researchers, recognizing sustained scholarship, creative achievement and excellence in leadership and mentorship.

Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees and Board of Governors member Charanjit Rihal, M.D., a cardiovascular medicine consultant, nominated Dr. Lerman for the award. "It is remarkable that people from numerous countries flock to his laboratory; it takes a special individual to bridge potential geopolitical divides in the interest of our patients, science, mentees and Mayo Clinic," Dr. Rihal wrote in his 2024 nomination letter.

Dr. Rihal says Dr. Lerman's loss will be felt not only among his colleagues, patients and the Mayo Clinic community, but by the field of cardiovascular research and treatment.

"Dr. Lerman touched so many lives in so many ways," Dr. Rihal says. "He fostered innovation through internal grants, AI initiatives, faculty development programs and novel models of philanthropic and corporate partnership. He led his mentees to leadership positions around the world, particularly in his native Israel, encouraging them to keep their focus always on the patients whose lives they could improve."

Values and an enduring legacy

Paul Friedman, M.D., chair of the Mayo Clinic Department of Cardiology, says Dr. Lerman embodied Mayo Clinic’s values in his daily work and in his relationships with patients, trainees and peers.

"Dr. Lerman was an exceptional physician, scientist, leader, builder, innovator and creative thinker. The programs he built, the science he advanced and the leaders he inspired stand as a durable legacy," says Dr. Friedman. "Through those he mentored and the patients who benefit from his discoveries, Dr. Lerman’s influence on cardiovascular medicine will endure for generations."

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ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a promising new way to deliver treatment directly to cholangiocarcinoma tumors, a rare and aggressive bile duct cancer with limited treatment options, using milk-derived nanoparticles that act like guided delivery vehicles. The findings, published in JHEP Reports, point to a potential targeted genetic therapy designed to attack cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.

"One significant issue is the lack of medications that treat the specific alterations in these cancers," says Rory Smoot, M.D., surgical oncologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester and senior author of the study. "Our approach is designed to turn off specific cancer-driving genes while leaving healthy tissue alone."

To do this, the multidisciplinary research team of researchers used a gene-therapy strategy involving small interfering RNA (siRNA), a molecule that can temporarily silence specific genes.

The team screened a vast library of 600 trillion random DNA molecules to find those that could selectively bind to the surface of cancer cells. Using a technique called Cell-SELEX, they discovered a short DNA strand, known as an aptamer, that works like a molecular homing device, enabling it to find and attach to cholangiocarcinoma cells.

That homing device was attached to tiny, fat-based particles made from milk, previously developed by Tushar Patel, M.B., Ch.B., a transplant hepatologist and researcher at Mayo Clinic in Florida, as a biocompatible way to carry treatments through the body. These milk-derived nanoparticles were loaded with siRNA and outfitted with the tumor-targeting aptamer, enabling direct delivery of genetic therapy into cancer cells.

"We showed that this system could deliver gene-silencing therapy straight to the cancer," says Brandon Wilbanks, Ph.D., postdoctoral research fellow at Mayo Clinic and first author of the study. "This led to decreases in cancer growth and an increase in cancer cell death, without harming nearby healthy tissues."

While the findings are preclinical, the technology has been patented by Mayo Clinic, and researchers are now working to optimize gene targets and test the approach across multiple forms of cholangiocarcinoma. The long-term goal is to develop patient-specific gene therapies delivered via this milk-derived platform to improve outcomes for patients.

"These advances bring real hope," says Dr. Smoot. "They show that it may be possible to develop safer, more personalized treatments for patients who currently have very limited options."

This research was funded by the Mayo Clinic RNA Discovery and Translation Program, the Mayo Clinic Department of Surgery, the Mayo Clinic Hepatobiliary SPORE NCI, the Mayo Clinic Center for Cell Signaling in Gastroenterology, JSPS KAKENHI Fostering Joint International Research, and the University of Wisconsin Biology of Aging and Age-Related Diseases.

The researchers report no conflicts of interest. Review the study for a complete list of authors, disclosures and funding.

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About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

Media contact:

• Chloe Corey, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

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On a global stage in Berlin, surrounded by leading scientists and engineers in quantum computing, a Mayo Clinic team earned first place at the Berlin Quantum Hackathon 2026.

The five-week hackathon challenged six finalist teams to prove that quantum computing — one of science's newest and most complex frontiers — can solve meaningful problems beyond theory. More than 180 teams applied to compete. The awards were presented on March 5.

The Mayo team built a novel quantum-powered model capable of detecting movement intention directly from brain activity. 

Code, circuits and possibility

Inside the competition hall, conversations unfolded in the language of quantum science — qubits, circuits and optimization algorithms. Teams presented performance metrics to an expert judging panel that challenged assumptions and tested claims on the spot. Technical execution, scalability and real-world impact all factored into the score.

Among them stood a Mayo Clinic team that had begun studying quantum computing only a year earlier.

They approached the challenge the way Mayo Clinic approaches medicine: with the patient at the center and the science pushed to its limits.

Decoding the intent to move

The team's work began with a clinical question: What happens when the brain intends to move, but the body cannot?

In people living with paralysis or other motor impairments, the brain still sends the signal, carrying intention across neural networks even when the body cannot respond.

The team set out to detect that signal by distinguishing the intent to move a left hand from a right — a subtle difference buried within the brain's constant electrical rhythm.

They drew on electroencephalogram, or EEG, recordings, which capture the brain's electrical activity as continuous waves layered with motion and background noise.

To isolate that distinction, they built a hybrid system that combined advanced AI with emerging quantum tools. That required learning the language of quantum science.

"One of our secrets to success was focusing on the complete solution, not just the computational challenge," says Dr. Rickey Carter, professor of biostatistics at Mayo Clinic and the team leader. "We built around patients' needs and paid close attention to the edge cases where the model struggled. That's where we concentrated our quantum efforts."

If validated in future research, such signals could one day help guide assistive technologies or prosthetics, potentially enabling more precise control of movement.

At the leading edge of discovery 

For Dr. Charles Bruce, chief innovation officer at Mayo Clinic in Florida, the hackathon reflected a broader commitment: building bridges across disciplines and borders in a field that advances through shared expertise.

"Standing alongside leaders in this field strengthened our work and reminded us that advancement happens together," Dr. Bruce says. "We entered this challenge as underdogs. None of us had prior quantum computing experience. But progress is built collectively. You learn from one another, blending biology with data science, and the work becomes stronger because of it."

The multidisciplinary team from Mayo Clinic in Florida — Dr. Carter, Miko Wieczorek, Dr. Michele Dougherty, Dr. Feifei Li and Dr. Bruce — built the model from the ground up. Mayo Clinic's Quantum Sensing and Computing program supported the effort, exploring how emerging quantum technologies may intersect with patient care.

Miko Wieczorek, a data scientist in the Mayo Clinic Digital Innovation Lab, led the team's work running the model on a quantum computer — a first for Mayo.

"When our model executed successfully on a quantum computer, it felt like stepping into the next chapter of science," Wieczorek says. "In that moment, we realized we weren't just observing this field — we were helping shape it."

Dr. Michele Dougherty, a medical physicist in Radiation Oncology, contributed expertise in complex optimization.

"Quantum computing could eventually help us design safer and more precise radiation treatments," she says. "If it accelerates how we find the best possible plan for a patient, that's meaningful."

Dr. Feifei Li, a former theoretical physicist who is now a medical physicist in Radiation Oncology at Mayo Clinic, says the project highlights how quantum computing could expand the boundaries of medical research.

"Some scientific questions remain unsolved not because we lack data, but because of how difficult they are to model," Dr. Li says. "Quantum computing gives us a different way to approach that complexity."

Quantum computing moves toward application

The event was hosted by Berlin-based quantum software company Kipu Quantum and supported by the State of Berlin's Quantum Initiative and the Charité-Berlin University Medicine.

"Quantum computing is proving this year that we can design hybrid quantum-classical solutions for tackling industrial problems," says Enrique Solano, CEO of Kipu Quantum. "Medical imaging and life science will occupy a key role in the list of applications. By winning the hackathon, Mayo Clinic is making an important step toward this visionary goal."

Shaping the frontier 

For the Mayo Clinic team, the Berlin hackathon reaffirmed that real progress begins with curiosity, collaboration and the courage to explore uncharted territory. Together, they showed how multidisciplinary teams can carry some of healthcare's most pressing challenges toward its next frontier.

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a drug-and-supplement combination therapy that is capable of reducing the harmful effects of senescent cells – also known as "zombie cells" – in diabetic kidney disease. In eBioMedicine, a publication of The Lancet, the team reported that the combination of the cancer drug dasatanib and a naturally occurring substance known as quercetin decreased inflammation and boosted protective factors in the kidney.

Diabetic kidney disease affects more than 12 million people in the U.S. and is the leading cause of kidney failure. While newer treatments can delay loss of kidney function, there is currently no cure.

"Our study found that the combination therapy, given over a short period of time, reduced the abundance of senescent cells in a preclinical model of diabetic kidney disease and also improved kidney function," says LaTonya Hickson, M.D., a nephrologist at Mayo Clinic in Florida and principal investigator of the study.

To extend the health of the kidney, researchers have been interested in addressing the presence of senescent cells, which fail to undergo the natural death process and linger in tissues, contributing to aging and disease. The treatment approach involves senolytics, natural and designed substances that together selectively target senescent cells.

In a previously conducted, pilot clinical trial, Dr. Hickson and Mayo Clinic researchers found that the combination of dasatanib and quercetin reduced senescent cells in skin and fat tissues in patients with diabetic kidney disease. However, the effect of the combination therapy on senescence and protective factors in the diabetic kidney had not yet been described.  

"It was important to prove that this one-time, short-course treatment has an effect on the kidneys, and we wanted to do so without invasive procedures in patients," says Xiaohui Bian, M.D., Ph.D., a nephrologist who conducted the work as a postdoctoral fellow at Mayo Clinic and is lead author on the study.

In a preclinical model of diabetic kidney disease, the team found that the combination therapy improved kidney function and protective factors while reducing injury, senescent cells, and inflammation. In cultured human kidney cells, the combination therapy also reduced the abundance of senescent cells and the inflammatory process they prompt.

"The results show this combination treatment holds potential to help reduce and halt kidney damage from diabetes," says Dr. Hickson. "Promising findings from these two investigations now suggest that larger scale studies using senolytics should be pursued in patients to improve kidney health."

Review the study for a complete list of authors, disclosures and funding.

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About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

Media contact:

• Kelley Luckstein, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

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Precision medicine is rapidly transforming modern healthcare. It's a personalized approach that tailors prevention and treatment to each individual — moving beyond the traditional one-size-fits-all model.

Colorectal cancer is one area where precision medicine is reshaping the standard of care for patients like Eric Minnesota. 

At 56, Eric was training for an Ironman triathlon when he got a devastating diagnosis — stage 3 colorectal cancer. 

Eric is sharing his inspiring story to raise awareness for National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

Watch: Transforming colon cancer care through precision medicine

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (3:10) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic" – Read the script.

Man on a mission

Eric has been an athlete his whole life. He's a soft-spoken man with a gentle demeanor and a never-give-up attitude that defines everything he does. "I've competitively raced mountain bikes for the last 20 years," says Eric. "I'm an outdoors person...hiking, fishing, camping, anything outdoors is what I really enjoy."

Eric's dream has long been to compete in an Ironman triathlon, one of the toughest endurance events in the world. Competitors must complete a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run. That's 140.6 miles in one day.

"From a health point of view, I thought I was nearly at the top of my game based on my age," says the Arizona man. "I've been healthy my whole life — no surgeries, no broken bones...I've never taken a sick day from work in my 25-year career."

Toughest challenge yet

Eric was in the midst of training for Ironman Arizona. All was going as planned. Then one day, Eric began having stomach pain. He went to his doctor who delivered a diagnosis Eric never expected.

"He discovered a significant mass. He relayed to me that I should see a colorectal surgeon as soon as possible to have it evaluated and find out what the next steps should be," recalls Eric. Soon after, Eric got his official diagnosis — stage 3 colorectal cancer.

"The plan was to remove my colon and replace it with an ostomy," says Eric. An ostomy is a surgically created opening in the abdomen that allows waste to exit the body into a bag. It may be needed after colon surgery so the body can eliminate waste.

In preparation for surgery, Eric and his wife, Paula, turned to Mayo Clinic in Arizona. "The doctor at Mayo said a team of specialists would convene as a group to review my case. Mayo was quicker than I ever imagined. The following week they called me to discuss my treatment plan," says Eric.

Hope through innovation

Mayo Clinic's treatment plan included more than surgery as an option. The team explained that by using precision medicine, they were able to determine Eric was a candidate for a nonsurgical approach to treatment called immunotherapy.

"By performing genomic sequencing on the patient's blood and the tumor, we were able to identify a precision treatment approach, including immune therapies, that can sometimes allow a patient to avoid the need for complex and life-altering surgeries," says Dr. Jewel Samadder, a gastroenterologist and cancer geneticist with Mayo Clinic's Early Onset and Hereditary Gastrointestinal Cancers Program.

Immunotherapy works by using the body's own immune system to fight the cancer. The nonsurgical treatment is delivered in a series of treatments by IV infusion. "The treatment is surprisingly easy. To be truthful I feel guilty based on the type of treatment that I had for my cancer versus what other individuals go through. It's just a simple infusion that takes less than an hour start to finish," explains Eric.

Crossing the finish line

Eric crossed the finish line of his immunotherapy treatment in six months. The results were a success. A colonoscopy following treatment showed the cancer was gone. "I won the lottery," says Eric. "The stars aligned with my markers and the care team had the expertise. It was incredible. It was all a perfect fit."

"This is a perfect example of why patients come to Mayo Clinic and see multiple physicians in our multidisciplinary cancer clinics and our early-onset program so that we can understand the cause of their cancer, determine the best treatment approaches, including clinical trials, and sometimes avoid complicated life-altering surgeries when possible, as in this patient's case," says Dr. Samadder.

"As soon as we heard about immunotherapy, we had to try it. This aligned with his goals. I'm just over the moon," says Paula.

Eric was able to keep working and training throughout his treatment. He says his only side effect was mild fatigue. "We spent a lot of time together as a family. Just being able to maintain that quality of life through the treatment was irreplaceable. You just can't put a price on that," says Eric.

"We are so grateful to everyone at Mayo Clinic, especially our oncologist Dr. Christina Wu," says Paula. "I would be lost without her. Thanks to Dr. Wu, I have my husband here with me today."

Celebrating life and love

Eric is back to working on his dream of one day becoming an Ironman triathlete. "Giving up is never an option," says Eric. "You have to turn on the switch, and keep going."

As Eric and Paula celebrate life, they are also celebrating their love. "We just had our 32nd wedding anniversary. These moments, these struggles together, it all has just made us stronger." says Eric. "I'm grateful for Mayo, for everything. I came out a better person."

Related stories:

• Eric and Paula Minnesota with a special message to Mayo Clinic
• Mayo Clinic Minute: Inside a colonoscopy
• Mayo Clinic Minute: Warning signs of colorectal cancer in younger adults

The post (VIDEO) Transforming colon cancer care through precision medicine appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Alzheimer's-related brain changes progressed up to 20 times faster in women who also had abnormal levels of a Parkinson's-related protein, according to a Mayo Clinic study published in JAMA Network Open. The same pattern was not observed in men.

The findings suggest that when alpha-synuclein — a protein linked to Parkinson's disease — accumulates alongside Alzheimer's pathology, it may drive faster disease progression in women. That interaction could help explain a long-standing disparity: women make up nearly two-thirds of people living with Alzheimer's disease in the U.S.

Kejal Kantarci, M.D., a Mayo Clinic neuroradiologist and senior author of the study, uses advanced brain imaging to track Alzheimer's progression.

"Recognizing these sex-specific differences could help us design more targeted clinical trials and ultimately more personalized treatment strategies," Dr. Kantarci says. "When we see disease-related changes unfolding at dramatically different rates, we cannot keep approaching Alzheimer's as though it behaves exactly the same way in everyone. Co-pathologies may impact the disease process."

Alzheimer's disease is marked by the buildup of tau protein in the brain. Many people along the Alzheimer's disease continuum also develop abnormal clumping of α-synuclein, a protein associated with Lewy body diseases such as Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies.

Tau and α-synuclein occur naturally in the brain. In neurodegenerative diseases, however, these proteins can misfold and clump together, forming abnormal deposits. This pathological buildup disrupts communication between brain cells and contributes to cognitive decline.

Researchers set out to determine whether having both abnormal protein buildups alters how the disease progresses and whether that effect differs between women and men.

To investigate, the team analyzed data from 415 participants in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, a national research consortium that tracks brain changes over time. Participants underwent cerebrospinal fluid testing to detect abnormal α-synuclein and repeated brain imaging to measure changes in tau accumulation. About 17% of participants showed evidence of abnormal α-synuclein.

Among participants with both Alzheimer's-related pathology and α-synuclein abnormalities, women accumulated tau dramatically faster than men with the same coexisting protein changes.

Elijah Mak, Ph.D., first author of the study and a Mayo Clinic neuroimaging researcher, studies how multiple brain pathologies interact and drive disease progression.

"This opens an entirely new direction for understanding why women bear a disproportionate burden of dementia," Dr. Mak says. "If we can unravel the mechanisms behind this vulnerability, we may uncover targets we haven't considered before."

The researchers are now examining whether these sex-specific effects also appear in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies, where α-synuclein is the primary disease driver rather than a coexisting pathology. The work will help determine whether the observed difference is unique to Alzheimer's disease or reflects a broader sex-specific vulnerability across neurodegenerative conditions.

For a complete list of authors, disclosures and funding, review the study.

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About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

 Media contact:

• Tia Ford, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

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This episode of "Tomorrow's Cure" explores how a type of blood cancer, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), is hard to detect early in its development and how monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis (MBL) may be a precursor to CLL. The discussion focuses on how genetics can help shape the understanding of how likely people are to develop CLL from MBL and the cell analysis that aids this discovery. 

Mayo Clinic experts Sameer Parikh, M.B.B.S, a hematologist, and Susan Slager, Ph.D., a lymphoma researcher, join Gerald Marti, M.D., a hematologist for the National Institutes of Health as they talk about Dr. Marti's discovery and naming of MBL. Dr. Marti recounts how MBL was first identified in the late 1990s when researchers studied blood samples from people linked to hazardous waste Superfund site investigations, using lab methods to classify immune cells by their "fingerprints." 

A routine blood test for complete blood count can reveal many things to healthcare professionals, but in this CLL and MBL research, the teams explain how flow cytometry, a more detailed way to "scan" individual blood cells to learn more, comes into play. 

As the group discusses the research, they discuss what early detection can mean beyond the identification of such scans. Using polygenic risk scores that combine what is known about blood cells and genetic histories can help identify how combinations of small, inherited genetic differences can become a single risk estimate: each genetic variant nudges risk only a little, but together they can help explain why some people are more likely to develop CLL.

The conversation highlights where the guests think things could go next, including AI tools that might speed up cell analysis or help detect subtle warning signs earlier, while Mayo Clinic programs like the Hematology Precursor Clinic— and the broader Precure initiative — work to identify risk earlier and, over time, develop better ways to counsel and support patients.

The researchers talk with host Cathy Wurzer about where genomic testing and treatments are headed and what it will take to achieve these insights at scale.

Listen to the latest episode of "Tomorrow's Cure" wherever you get your podcasts. You can explore the full library of episodes and guests on the show's page.

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ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a hidden "movement map" deep within the brain — a discovery that could help surgeons reduce side effects from epilepsy procedures and guide future treatments for speech and movement disorders.

In a study published Feb. 18 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team reports that a small, buried brain region called the insula contains its own organized map of the body. Distinct areas within the insula are linked to movement of the hands, feet, and tongue.

The finding has immediate relevance for epilepsy care. Surgeons sometimes operate in or near the insula to treat seizures, and up to 30% of patients can experience temporary problems with speech, swallowing or hand movement afterward. Until now, doctors did not have detailed maps showing exactly where those functions are located in this deep brain region.

"If we can identify where hand and speech functions live in each patient, we can better anticipate — and potentially avoid — those deficits," says Panos Kerezoudis, M.D., a Mayo Clinic neurosurgery resident and lead author of the study. "This gives us a practical roadmap."

The insula sits several centimeters beneath the brain's surface, hidden under other lobes, which has made it difficult to study with traditional techniques.

"For a long time, people thought this region was generally active during many tasks — more of an integrator than a structured map," says Dr. Kerezoudis. "We wanted to know whether it follows the same organized layout we see in the main motor cortex, or if it responds the same way no matter what you move."

To answer that question, researchers in the Cybernetics and Motor Physiology Lab at Mayo studied 18 patients with medically refractory epilepsy who had thin recording electrodes placed deep in their brains as part of their clinical care.

While hospitalized, patients performed simple movements such as opening and closing their hand, moving their tongue, or flexing their foot. The electrodes recorded electrical activity in both the insula and the primary motor cortex, the brain's main movement center, with millisecond precision.

The results showed clear organization: hand movements activated one area of the insula, tongue movements another and foot movements yet another, though less prominently.

"We found distinct body-part representation in this deep structure," says Dr. Kerezoudis. "It is not random. There is order."

The timing of activity was also revealing. The primary motor cortex became active first, followed by the insula, and then movement occurred.

"This shows that the insula is not simply reacting after we move," says Kai Miller, M.D., Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic neurosurgeon and senior author of the study. "This discovery expands our understanding of how movement is supported by a distributed brain network whose parts are more tightly integrated than we previously thought. By mapping it carefully, we can make brain surgery and neuromodulation safer, more precise, and beneficial for more people."

In a subset of patients, researchers delivered brief, safe electrical pulses to test how the regions communicate. Stimulating a hand-related area in the motor cortex triggered a response in the matching area of the insula, and the same pattern held for tongue regions.

"The connections respect the body map — hand connects to hand, tongue to tongue," says Dr. Kerezoudis. "That strengthens the case that this is an organized network."

Clinically, the findings could help neurologists better interpret seizure symptoms, such as hand contractions or facial movements, and refine electrode placement during epilepsy evaluations. Surgeons may also use individualized maps to plan procedures more precisely.

Beyond epilepsy, the work may inform future therapies for stroke survivors with speech or hand movement difficulties. If movement relies on a network that includes both the primary motor cortex and the insula, treatments such as targeted brain stimulation may need to address both areas.

The study supports Mayo Clinic's Bioelectronic Neuromodulation Innovation to Cure (BIONIC) initiative by using advanced brain-recording technology to translate scientific discoveries into practical care strategies. It also aligns with Pre-cure, which focuses on anticipating and preventing complications before they occur — such as identifying critical movement areas before surgery rather than reacting to deficits afterward.

For a complete list of authors, disclosures and funding, review the study.

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About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

Media contact:

• Tia Ford, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post Mayo Clinic researchers discover hidden brain map that may improve epilepsy care appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — In a study published in Nature Communications, Mayo Clinic researchers have identified specific DNA-level changes in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Using advanced biological analysis, the team mapped alterations in the brain’s regulatory landscape that may help explain why Alzheimer's presents and progresses differently from person to person. The findings could also open new avenues for understanding other neurodegenerative diseases.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. Biologically, the disease begins with the formation of protein deposits, known as amyloid plaques, and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. This causes brain cells to die over time and the brain to shrink. About 6.9 million people in the U.S. age 65 and older live with Alzheimer's disease. There is no cure, and in advanced stages, complications can result in a significant decline in quality of life and death.

The Mayo research team studied brain tissue from the Mayo Clinic Department of Neuroscience Brain Bank, examining brain tissue from 472 people with AD, and analyzed patterns of DNA methylation — a type of chemical "tag" on DNA — across the genome. These samples include detailed measurements of Alzheimer's-related changes — both the visible brain changes seen under a microscope and the levels of key AD proteins.

“While our study findings are impactful by themselves, we did not want to stop there and sought to make both our data and results available to the research community in a way that also protects donor identities," says Nilüfer Ertekin-Taner, M.D., Ph.D., chair of Neuroscience at Mayo Clinic, a physician-scientist and senior author of the study. "We wanted to do this because relatively few groups have the expertise to analyze such big data and derive biological insights."

Uncovering a myelin-related pathway in AD 

The findings suggest that in AD, part of what happens in the brain may involve changes in DNA tagging that affect the function of oligodendrocytes, particularly in relation to the buildup of the toxic protein tau.

Oligodendrocytes are the brain cells that make myelin, the insulation that helps nerve cells communicate. Scientists have theorized that disrupting neuron communication contributes to symptoms for people with AD. Researchers in this study found that nearly all significant methylation changes — small chemical tags added to DNA that help control when genes are turned on or off — were linked to the tau protein. This supports the idea that this protein plays a key role in brain cell changes tied to AD.

"Our team has previously shown that oligodendrocytes are affected in Alzheimer's and another tau-related disease, progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP)," says Dr. Ertekin-Taner. "These new results further highlight that problems in oligodendrocytes and myelin are central to AD. They also point to specific molecular pathways, particularly epigenetic changes, that could be targeted in future therapies."

Epigenetic changes are chemical tags on DNA that help control how genes are expressed, or turned on or off, without altering the genetic code itself. Because these changes influence how brain cells function and may be reversible. They offer promising targets for future Alzheimer’s treatments.

Opening the door for future research

The study results identified new genes that may play a role in AD, including one called LDB3, and confirmed many findings across multiple independent datasets, showing its reliability. The identification of specific genes provides potential targets for future research — for example, scientists might investigate whether interventions that reverse methylation or support oligodendrocyte health can slow or modify disease progression for patients with AD.

The Mayo research team also developed an interactive tool to help with digital searching of the dataset. Called the Multiomic Atlas of AD Brain Endophenotypes, this free application is a way to make information accessible and enable further research about AD and neurology. The dataset can be searched by gene name or chromosomal location, and results are presented in both table and interactive plot formats.

While this work will continue to shape research, its impact extends beyond Mayo Clinic and will provide a valuable resource for scientists worldwide. Stephanie Oatman, Ph.D., the study's lead author, conducted this work during her doctoral training in Dr. Ertekin-Taner's laboratory and is now a postdoctoral research fellow at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

"To build on our understanding of Alzheimer's disease and work toward helping people living with the disease, it's crucial that other researchers can easily access the comprehensive analyses we performed in this study," she says. "This shared access can amplify the impact of our research across different scientific fields and ultimately benefit patients."

For a complete list of authors, disclosures and funding, review the study.  

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About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

Media contact:

• Tia Ford, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

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ROCHESTER, Minn. — A single 25 mg dose of a combination of amphetamine-dextroamphetamine salts (Adderall) can have measurable cardiovascular effects in healthy young adults, a Mayo Clinic study found. Researchers, whose findings are published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, aimed to better understand how the stimulant affects those who use it without a medical prescription.

"The primary objective of our study was to investigate how a single dose of Adderall acutely affects cardiovascular hemodynamics — blood pressure and heart rate — and sympathetic activity in young adults who do not have a medical indication for the medication," says senior author Anna Svatikova, M.D., Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic cardiologist.

While Adderall is safe and effective when prescribed and monitored for ADHD, Dr. Svatikova says the risks of unsupervised use are often underestimated.

"We have seen an increase in nonmedical Adderall use, but many users are unaware that it can place acute stress on the cardiovascular system," Dr. Svatikova says.

"Adderall is sometimes used without a prescription outside of a medical setting, " she adds. "We found that even in individuals with no prior exposure, a 25 mg dose triggers significant increases in blood pressure, heart rate and activation of the body’s stress-response system."

Researchers also noted that even when people simply stood up after taking Adderall, their heart rates spiked much higher than usual.

"The average heart rate increase on standing was 19 beats per minute before Adderall. After taking Adderall, that response doubled to 38 beats per minute," says first author Kiran Somers, D.O., a resident family medicine physician at Mayo Clinic Health System in Northwest Wisconsin.

The findings highlight how stimulating effects can be in individuals who are not accustomed to the medication, the researchers say.

"These results demonstrate measurable, acute cardiovascular effects of Adderall used by those not regularly using Adderall prescribed for specific medical reasons," Dr. Somers says.

The researchers underscore that these findings apply to off-prescription use and do not reflect the long-term, supervised use of the medication for the treatment of ADHD. These findings should not be extrapolated to the long-term, supervised use of Adderall for the treatment of ADHD or other specific medical conditions, where the therapeutic benefits are well established and significant, Dr. Svatikova says.

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Media contact:

• Terri Malloy, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

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