As toddlers age into the preschool years, their dependency on their parents usually begins to ebb. However, a new study led by Penn State researchers has revealed that physically or psychologically aggressive parenting, such as spanking or shouting, can disrupt this pattern to the detriment of both child and mother, with the child requiring more external regulation, rather than less, as they age.

Cancer patients who interact with an artificial intelligence (AI) avatar doctor before they meet their real-life consultant feel more knowledgeable and less stressed, according to research presented at the Congress of the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO 2026).

A study conducted by the University of Oulu found that partners of women with gestational diabetes more often had chronic diseases or injuries that complicate daily life compared with partners of women without gestational diabetes. In addition, mental health disorders were more common among them.

Deciding when to get routine mammograms is confusing. Some health groups recommend women begin at age 40 or 45 while another recently opted for age 50. They also differ on whether yearly or every other year is best.

A team led by Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University investigators has created a faster, cheaper way to determine the genes expressed in cancerous tumors. The AI-based tool, which they describe in the journal Cell, could make personalized cancer treatment available to more patients.