Scientists have developed a new therapy designed to repair cardiac damage after a heart attack.

The study, led by researchers at Columbia University and published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering, explored a two-step strategy that uses skeletal muscle to produce a healing molecule that activates when it reaches an injured heart.

Unlike many organs, the adult human heart has a limited ability to repair itself after a heart attack, the researchers noted.

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“The heart is one of the organs with the least ability to regenerate,” said Ke Cheng, a professor of biomedical engineering at Columbia and the study’s lead author, in a press release.

Dead muscle is typically replaced by stiff scar tissue, often leading to heart failure. However, newborns’ hearts can spontaneously regenerate during a brief window of time.

“The neonatal heart spontaneously produces more of this molecule after a heart attack,” Cheng said. “The adult can’t produce a sufficient amount, so we found a way to supplement this to the heart.”

“The whole idea is that we learn from nature.”

The secret to this treatment is a protein called ANP, which acts as a repair mechanism for the heart, according to the researchers. Normally, this protein is impossible to use as a drug because it dissolves in the blood within minutes, long before it can reach the heart.

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To solve this, researchers turned the body’s own skeletal muscles into a sort of factory to produce ANP, using a specialized RNA injection to give the arm or leg muscles a set of instructions.

These instructions tell the muscle to produce a “sleeping” version of the repair protein. This inactive version safely travels through the bloodstream until it hits the heart, according to the release.

Once there, it meets a specific enzyme that acts like a key, “waking up” the protein so it can begin repairing exactly where it’s needed.

In preclinical trials involving both small and large animals, a single injection into the limb reduced scarring and significantly improved heart function.

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Because the researchers used self-amplifying RNA, which replicates once it’s inside the body, the treatment continued to produce the healing protein for at least four weeks.

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The therapy remained effective even when administered a week after the initial injury, providing hope for patients who do not receive immediate treatment, the researchers also found.

“The patient doesn’t have to go to the hospital today and tomorrow,” Cheng said, noting that the method avoids the risks associated with injecting treatments directly into the heart muscle.

So far, the treatment has only been tested in animals, which poses a significant limitation to the study. Human hearts are much more complex, and clinical trials are needed to determine whether they react in the same way.

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Additionally, because the RNA remains active for several weeks, scientists need to ensure that producing this repair protein for an extended time doesn’t cause any unintended side effects in other parts of the body.

Actress and singer Selena Gomez continues to be outspoken about mental health following her diagnosis with bipolar disorder.

The former Disney star announced her diagnosis in 2020 during an Instagram Live video call with fellow Disney Channel standout Miley Cyrus. Gomez has since described this discovery as a relief, although not an easy path.

In a recent episode of the “Friends Keep Secrets” podcast, Gomez – the co-founder of mental health publication Wondermind – shared details about her journey to diagnosis.

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Fellow musician and husband Benny Blanco asked his wife if she knew she was bipolar before being officially diagnosed.

“I knew something was wrong, but I think I was misdiagnosed,” she responded. “I think people were just assuming – and I would try multiple therapists.”

“It’s actually really hard when we’re talking about these things, and for me to go, ‘Go get a therapist.’ All of it is so … complicated.”

Gomez detailed how her diagnosis required talking to “multiple different people,” stressing the importance of not giving up.

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“I’m so grateful I went to four different rehabs because it all helped me understand it,” she said.

Blanco revealed that Gomez sometimes experiences a manic episode without recognizing it.

“She’ll start to realize she’s having it after it’s happening, and sometimes she doesn’t even remember when it’s happening,” he said.

“It’s such a delicate thing because … you’re not supposed to, technically, talk to the person about it while they’re deep in it.”

Blanco added that Gomez is “so hyper aware” of when she’s experiencing mania.

“I’m equally proud to say that I do have moments of mania,” she said. “I’m not ashamed at all, because I can catch them a bit quicker.”

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“It is helpful to have a partner who will understand … and meet you where you are,” the singer added.

Since her diagnosis, Gomez said she lives life more “freely.”

“The whole hypocrisy of shaming people for therapy, or people not understanding it, is that it’s just not for you,” she said. “But for me, it finally allowed me to go, ‘Oh, that’s why I handled things the way I [did]. That’s why all the other people were able to get over things quickly, and I wasn’t.’”

Gomez added, “I’d act out of fear, I’d act out of love, I’d act out of passion, it was all inconsistent. It was crazy.”

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The actress encouraged others that no matter the diagnosis, “you are not defined by a term.”

“It’s just informative to seek and talk and listen to podcasts or listen to certain things that will help you get information,” she said. “I do believe there is a lot of hope.”

Signs of bipolar disorder

About 2.8% of adults in the U.S. have experienced bipolar in the last year, while 4.4% experience it during their lifetime, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Formerly called manic depression or “manic-depressive disorder,” bipolar disorder is characterized by dramatic shifts in mood, energy and activity levels, affecting the ability to carry out daily tasks.

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This can include emotional highs, referred to as mania or hypomania, and lows, known as depression, per Mayo Clinic.

Symptoms can differ depending on bipolar type.

“You are not defined by a term.”

Manic and hypomanic episodes typically include three or more of the following symptoms:

• Increased activity, energy or agitation
• Feeling too self-confident, or having a distorted sense of well-being
• Needing less sleep than usual
• Speaking quickly or being unusually talkative
• Having racing thoughts or jumping from one topic to the next
• Being easily distracted
• Making poor decisions

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Major depressive episodes typically include five or more of the following symptoms.

• Feeling depressed, sad, empty, hopeless or tearful
• Having a loss of interest or feeling no pleasure in most activities
• Losing weight when not dieting, or overeating and gaining weight
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Feeling restless or acting slower than usual
• Feeling very tired or losing energy
• Feeling worthless or guilty when unnecessary
• Struggling with thinking or concentrating, leading to an inability to make decisions
• Thinking about, planning or attempting suicide

Seeking diagnosis

Mayo Clinic encourages anyone experiencing these symptoms to seek help from a professional.

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Diagnosis can be made through a physical exam and lab testing, as well as mental health assessments and tracking of moods, sleep patterns and other factors.

After diagnosis, Mayo Clinic recommends paying attention to warning signs to prevent episodes. Getting enough sleep, taking medications as directed, and abstaining from drugs and alcohol can also help.

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Fox News Digital reached out to Gomez’s representation and Wondermind for comment.

The goal for most people is to live a long and happy life.

There are several habits that happy and healthy people observe as they age, according to behavioral scientist and happiness expert Arthur Brooks, professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School in Boston.

In a recent appearance on Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s FoundMyFitness podcast, Brooks referenced data from the Harvard Study of Adult Development – an 85-year longitudinal study of adult life – which identified six typical habits of people who are happier and healthier.

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While the first three habits are “obvious,” Brooks said, the other three are often overlooked.

No. 1: Follow a healthy diet

Research shows that a nutritious, balanced diet supports both physical health and mental well-being over time.

No. 2: Exercise frequently

For exercise, Brooks noted that doing too much can backfire. Those who are “exercise maniacs” could run the risk of doing “mechanical ill” to the body, he warned.

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No. 3: Abstain from smoking and drinking

“They’re very moderate on substances, none of them were addicts,” Brooks said. “Or if they had trouble with it, they quit.”

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“Lifelong smokers have a seven in 10 chance of dying of a smoking-related illness – and that’s an unhappy way to go.”

“And actually, you’re probably not happy and there’s a lot of compensation that’s going on,” he continued. “That’s how a lot of former alcoholics re-sample: They become addicted.”

No. 4: Never stop learning

People who are lifelong learners tend to be healthier and happier, according to the expert.

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“That’s usually a lot of reading, but it’s just curiosity is how that comes about, which is really, really important,” he said on the podcast.

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No. 5: Become a skilled problem-solver

Brooks described this concept as “your technique for dealing with life’s problems.”

“You’ve got to get good at it,” he said. “You need skill at dealing with life’s problems. If you don’t get good at it, you’re going to be bad when things actually crop up.”

“All the happy and well people have their way [of dealing] with it, and they’re highly skilled in doing it.”

Some healthy ways to cope include therapy, meditation, prayer and journaling, according to Brooks.

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No. 6: Love

“People who have the best lives, who are happy and well when they’re older, have a strong marriage and/or close friendships,” Brooks said.

“That’s it. There’s no substitute for love. Happiness is love – full stop.”