Anxiety and insomnia have been shown to weaken the immune system and make us more prone to disease. Now, researchers found that this may be because experiencing symptoms of either can reduce the number of natural killer cells, our bodies’ machinery for defense. Their findings showed that in young women who experience insomnia symptoms, the number of total NK cells was lower. If they experienced anxiety symptoms, the number of NK cells that circulate through the body was lower. These findings could inform the development of novel strategies to raise awareness about the physiological consequences of anxiety and insomnia and help in the prevention of immune-related disorders and cancers, the team said.

A test using genetics to predict who is at the highest risk of developing type 1 diabetes could one day be applied to largescale health studies, to identify adults who could benefit from new drugs, new research shows. Known as a genetic risk score, the test uses all genetic information to predict risk of going on to develop type 1 diabetes.