Why Women Feel More Pain
Nearly 50 million Americans experience chronic pain, with women impacted for a longer duration than men. Researchers at Michigan State University have discovered that this links back to sex hormones, specifically testosterone. A study led by MSU associate professor of physiology Geoffrey Laumet found that monocytes, a type of hormone-regulated immune cell, release molecules that stop pain, and they are more active in those with higher levels of testosterone (the primary sex hormone in men).
Mobility Help for Patients
Researchers from Wayne State University have determined that backward walking exercises can help with movement for those with multiple sclerosis. In the study, MS patients participated in an eight-week backward walking program. WSU’s research team, led by Dr. Nora Fritz, found that the training improved patients’ overall mobility and balance, which helps reduce the risk of falling.
“The results of this pilot trial indicated that backward walking training led to measurable improvements in postural stability and gait speed in a majority of those participating in the study,” says Fritz. “This suggests that backward walking may trigger positive physical adaptations.”
Creating a Playbook for Bird Flu
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded a University of Michigan project a $2 million grant to help determine a plan to fight the spread of bird flu among livestock. Bird flu outbreaks have led to major disruptions in food supply chains, resulting in major financial losses in the poultry farming industry and a limited supply of eggs, thus increasing prices.
Project lead Herek Clack, U-M associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, says the USDA and the agricultural industry “want a playbook — science-based guidelines — for how to operate under the threat of bird flu.”
This story originally appeared in the August 2026 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Click here to get our digital edition.
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