As health officials report a surge of winter viruses, health experts are warning that heart disease symptoms can sometimes mimic respiratory illnesses.

Four viruses are circulating in the U.S., sparking concerns of a possible "quademic."

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza, COVID-19 and norovirus are all at "very high levels" around the country, experts warn. 

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The American Heart Association (AHA) confirmed that certain viruses have been linked to increased risk of heart attack and stroke. 

"The highest risk is within three days of infection, but remains heightened for up to 90 days," the AHA stated on its website.

Johanna Contreras, M.D., a cardiologist at Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital in New York City, said she has seen people mistaking virus symptoms for serious heart complications.

Some patients who experience shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, swelling and palpitations may assume their symptoms are linked to a cold when these could be signs of heart failure, she said in a release sent to Fox News Digital.

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Weakness, fever, dizziness and chest pain could also mask potentially life-threatening conditions.

Those may include pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lungs), heart attack, pericarditis (inflammation around the lining of the heart), heart failure or viral myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle), according to Mount Sinai cardiologists.

Viruses can provoke an inflammatory condition, which can lead to or worsen cardiac conditions, according to Dr. Icilma Fergus, director of cardiovascular disparities for the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City.

"Typically, those [viruses] that make one sicker and promote a hypercoaguable state (an increased tendency to form blood clots) are more dangerous," she told Fox News Digital. 

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"The focus has now been increasingly placed on RSV and norovirus on top of the known influenza and COVID viruses."

Anuradha Lala, M.D., another cardiologist at Mount Sinai in New York City, noted that the body’s immune system creates an inflammatory response to fight and eliminate the virus — but this inflammation could inadvertently harm cardiac tissue. 

"If you have a known heart condition, viral infections can bring on exacerbations — or a worsening of the underlying tissue — whether it is atrial fibrillation, coronary heart disease or heart failure," she noted in the release.

A recent patient at the hospital recently experienced severe shortness of breath, weakness, palpitations and fatigue, fearing they had heart failure, she noted. 

"After they had bloodwork taken, there was a frantic moment when we could not reach the patient to share results that revealed a significantly elevated troponin level, which can be linked to a heart attack," she shared in the release. 

"Although we suspected the worst, we eventually reached the patient and they were hospitalized with influenza A and severe viral myocarditis. They were treated appropriately and luckily there was a good outcome."

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Older adults — as well as those who are immunocompromised or have a history of heart issues or other underlying conditions — are particularly at risk for cardiac complications, according to the Mount Sinai cardiologists. 

"Anyone is susceptible, even healthcare providers — and anyone who is not paying attention to their symptoms may get sick with potentially life-threatening complications," Fergus said in the report.

Patients who notice persistent chest pain and palpitations after a viral illness should consider ruling out myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart muscle, according to Contreras.

It is important to discuss any post-virus symptoms with a healthcare professional, especially for those in high-risk groups, health experts told Fox News Digital.

Specific symptoms that warrant emergency attention include chest pain, difficulty breathing or staying awake, feelings of passing out, or extremes of blood pressure.

Swelling of the legs may also be linked to cardiac events — especially if there is also an underlying heart condition or risk factors such as obesity, diabetes or a family history of heart disease, Lala stated in the Mount Sinai release.

During the cold, damp winter months, certain viruses may thrive and become more virulent, Fergus told Fox News Digital. 

"People should stay vigilant and observe for symptoms of an impending cold," she advised. "Get tested to know what virus you have, as the antiviral treatments are different."

People should take measures to avoid exposure to winter illnesses and seek treatment if they become ill, especially if they have an underlying condition, Fergus advised.

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It is recommended that those who are in vulnerable groups get vaccines when available, the cardiologist added.

The American Heart Association recommends following the below precautions to reduce the chances of contracting a virus: 

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Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the American Heart Association.

The Mediterranean diet has continuously shown benefits for overall health.

Researchers at the Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans recently discovered that the diet is linked to improved memory through balanced bacteria in the gut.

In the study, which was published in the journal Gut Microbe Reports, rats were fed a Mediterranean-style diet over a 14-week period. This included foods rich in olive oil, fish and fiber.

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Compared to those who ate a Western diet high in saturated fat, the rats that consumed the Mediterranean diet showed increases in four types of beneficial gut bacteria and decreases in five other types.

The rats were then tasked with maneuvering a series of mazes that tested their memory.

Those that were on the Mediterranean diet exhibited improved performance in the maze challenges.

The researchers deduced that individuals who follow the Mediterranean diet develop different gut bacteria patterns compared to those following a "typical Western diet," and that those gut changes were associated with learning and memory.

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"Our results suggest that there may be a relationship between diet-modulated microbiota, peripheral immune function and cognitive function," the research concluded. 

"Additional studies are needed to determine the causality between diet-modulated gut microbiota, immune function and cognitive function, and to explore additional brain mechanisms."

The Mediterranean diet group also demonstrated improved cognitive flexibility and working memory – and maintained lower levels of "bad" cholesterol.

Cory Mygrant, a California-based registered dietitian nutritionist at WellTheory, was not involved in the study but shared her reactions.

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"As a dietitian, I’m thrilled to see more evidence highlighting the Mediterranean diet's incredible power, not just for heart health but also for brain health," she told Fox News Digital.

"This study reinforces how the foods we choose can profoundly impact our gut microbiome and, in turn, our cognitive performance."

Gut health is considered "foundational to overall well-being," Mygrant noted, as it influences "everything from immunity to mental health."

"The Mediterranean diet is a fantastic option for supporting this vital system," she continued. "Rich in vibrant, flavorful foods, it can easily be woven into daily life with simple adjustments."

In an interview with Fox News Digital, study co-author Demetrius Maraganore, MD, a neurology professor at Tulane University, emphasized the difference in cognitive function and gut microbial compositions between the Mediterranean and Western diets.

The Western diet's reduced gut bacterial diversity and over-growth of bacterial species is similar to what is observed in Alzheimer's patients, he told Fox News Digital.

The expert noted that adhering to the Mediterranean diet may improve scholastic and work performance.

"The Mediterranean diet has been associated with a 50% lower risk of cognitive decline and dementia, and promotes higher global intelligence, memory function and executive function across the lifespan," he stated.

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To begin adopting a more Mediterranean-style diet, Mygrant suggested the following simple steps:

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"It’s about celebrating real, whole foods while keeping things flexible and enjoyable," she said.

Mygrant acknowledged that accessing fresh produce and Mediterranean staples can be challenging for some, but noted that the diet does not have to be "all or nothing."

"You can start by making small, affordable swaps — like using canned fish, frozen vegetables and whole grains — and gradually increase the focus on more plant-based foods," he suggested.

"The goal is to make nourishing choices more accessible, no matter your circumstances, while prioritizing the connection between food and well-being."

In future research, the Tulane team aims to develop novel therapies to prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease by harnessing nutrition and gut microbiome changes, according to Maraganore.

As the "Make America Healthy Again" movement takes shape with President Donald Trump in the White House again, many Americans are already looking for ways to improve their well-being through the foods they eat.

Fox News Digital spoke with two nutritionists and a doctor to discuss how incorporating certain foods into a person's diet can promote a healthy lifestyle and offer some medicinal benefits as well.

Here are five foods and one beverage that experts recommend you eat and drink. 

Numerous studies have found that the nutrients in berries can prevent disease.

A new study led by Washington State University researchers found that elderberry juice could be a tool for weight management and improving metabolic health.

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Carrie Lupoli, a Connecticut-based nutritionist and behavior specialist, told Fox News Digital that the elderberry is one of her favorites.

"I think it's one that there's not enough options out there for us with the unbelievable benefits," said Lupoli. "There are elderberry supplements out there, but they're often filled with a lot of garbage. But the elderberry itself is an incredible immunity buster."

Dr. Blake Livingood, a chiropractor and doctor of natural medicine in North Carolina, told Fox News Digital that berries are great antioxidants that can help lower sugars, especially fructose, in the liver.

"Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries that most people can get their hands on — those antioxidants can help actually cleanse the filters like the liver," Livingood said, and help control blood sugar levels.

"That helps the liver, helps the heart — which ultimately makes an impact on blood pressure and cholesterol."

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Keri Glassman, a registered dietitian and nutritionist based in New York City and founder of Nutritious Life, said berries are also a powerful tool to fight inflammation.

"We know that we need to eat anti-inflammatory foods, so we have less inflammation in the body," Glassman told Fox News Digital. "Inflammation, we know, is linked to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, even just [the] wrinkling of our skin."

Vegetables are recommended as part of a balanced diet, but some are better for us than others.

Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts are "very underrated," Livingood said.

"They contain sulfur compounds and really help to support balancing hormones," Livingood said. 

Cruciferous vegetables "can make a really big impact" on those with cancer concerns, Livingood said, citing research showing that women who ate greater amounts had a lower risk of breast cancer and men who ate more had a reduced risk of prostate cancer.

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"If you can go with any leafy green vegetable, you are going to get more calcium than you will in milk," Lupoli added. "And that's not how we should be getting them. So much of our calcium bone density, bone health, especially for women, is really important."

Cruciferous vegetables also have sulforaphane, which helps with detoxification, Glassman said.

Fish like salmon and sardines are rich in necessary Omega-3 fatty acids, which can't be produced by the body.

"I want everyone to have salmon," Lupoli told Fox News Digital.

Salmon has "healthy fats" that help the heart, she said.

Glassman agreed, saying Omega-3 fatty acids are "super important" for supporting overall heart health.

Livingood said the standard American diet has lots of Omega-6s and not enough Omega-3s — so fish oils help to bridge that gap.

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The smaller the fish the better, Livingood said, because it tends to have "less concentration of toxins compared to the larger fish." 

He also suggested eating fish caught in the wild because "it means they're fed cleaner diets, which means you're fed a cleaner diet."

Mushrooms "bring a lot of medicinal benefits," Livingood told Fox News Digital. "There's a wide range of different ones that can be used."

Reishi is one he recommends to his patients for reducing stress or for those who struggle with sleep. He said this type of mushroom is a supplement typically found in powder form and can support the immune system.

One benefit of eating mushrooms is that they have vitamin D, "which no other produce has," Glassman said.

"Now, obviously, mushrooms aren't really produce," she said. "They're not a fruit or vegetable, but we still sort of put them in that category."

Vitamin D, Glassman said, is critical for immune health, mood and weight.

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"They also have vitamin B2, which is an antioxidant that also fights free radicals," Glassman said.

Lupoli suggested looking beyond the regular shiitake or portobello mushrooms found in stores.

"I always say get a variety of them and stir-fry them," she said. "You can't go wrong."

Spices and herbs have health benefits that include lowering blood sugar and reducing inflammation.

Cinnamon is a spice that helps mitigate blood sugar spikes, Lupoli told Fox News Digital.

She said blood sugar is "the key foundation for every single metabolic disorder," from arthritis, diabetes and dementia to autoimmune issues and fertility.

Tumeric is beneficial in helping to battle the body's inflammation, while saffron is a spice that a study showed had a "very similar effect" as Prozac on anxiety, Livingood said. 

"By no means do we say to replace any type of medical advice," Livingood said. 

"But it's a very interesting spice with a strong study behind it showing that it can really help with mood. And it's one that most people don't know about."

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Peppermint is a natural herb that can be used to combat headaches, Lupoli said.

"Peppermint extract is better than any Advil or Tylenol for a headache," she said. "You just breathe it in, put a little on your temples and your headache will be gone in a minute."

Adaptogenic herbs are "adrenal supporters" that can help with stress, Livingood said.

"Tea is just really great for you in general," Glassman told Fox News Digital.

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Green tea protects and reduces cell damage, she said.

"It's rich in polyphenols, the compounds that have benefits like reducing inflammation," Glassman said.

Not only that, but green tea is a good alternative to coffee because it doesn't have the same levels of caffeine and is less acidic, Lupoli said.

It's also full of antioxidants and is "very thermogenic, meaning it can stimulate the body to burn more fat," Livingood added.

Millions of new cases of diabetes and heart disease every year are caused by sugary drinks, according to newly published research.

Tufts University in Boston led the study, which found that about 2.2 million new diagnoses of type 2 diabetes and 1.2 million new cases of cardiovascular disease were attributed to sugar-sweetened sodas and juices each year, according to a press release.

The findings were published in the journal Nature Medicine this week. 

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The highest rates were found in Colombia, where 48% of new diabetes cases were linked to sugary drinks, and in Mexico, where nearly a third of cases were attributed to them.

Meanwhile, in Latin America, more than 24% of new diabetes cases were linked to sugary beverages, and 21% in sub-Saharan Africa, the study found.

In South Africa, 27.6% of new diabetes cases and 14.6% of cardiovascular disease cases were attributed to sugary drinks.

Sugary drinks cause blood sugar to spike because they are "rapidly digested," the research team said. 

When consumed on a long-term basis, these types of beverages, in addition to increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, can also lead to weight gain and insulin resistance, the researchers added.

Professor Dariush Mozaffarian, the study's senior author, said in a university press release, "Sugar-sweetened beverages are heavily marketed and sold in low- and middle-income nations." 

He added, "Not only are these communities consuming harmful products, but they are also often less well-equipped to deal with the long-term health consequences." 

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Certain groups are more likely to experience negative health effects from sugary drinks, including men and younger adults, the researchers noted, as news agency SWNS also noted.

New Jersey-based registered dietitian Erin Palinski-Wade, who was not involved in the research, said the findings were to be expected, as diets rich in added sugars are more likely to increase the risk of chronic health conditions, including type 2 diabetes.

"Sugar-sweetened beverages are a major cause of added sugar in the diet and easy to overconsume, as they provide little fullness," she told Fox News Digital.

"The high calorie content and lack of satisfaction due to little protein, fat or fiber in these drinks can lead to excess calorie consumption, which can lead to weight gain — especially gains in visceral fat (belly fat), which has been found to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes," she went on.

Palinski-Wade pointed out that there were some limitations to the new research.

"This was an observational study, not a causation study, and shows only an association between diets containing sugar-sweetened beverages and diabetes," she noted. 

"It does not prove that those drinks alone trigger an onset of type 2 diabetes."

To remedy the issue, the study authors called for a "multi-pronged approach," including public health campaigns, regulations on advertising and taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, the release stated.  

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"We need urgent, evidence-based interventions to curb consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages globally, before even more lives are shortened by their effects on diabetes and heart disease," first author Laura Lara-Castor, now at the University of Washington, said in the release.

Mexico implemented a sugary drinks tax in 2014, which has shown to be effective in reducing consumption, the researchers stated.

"Much more needs to be done, especially in countries in Latin America and Africa, where consumption is high and the health consequences severe," wrote Mozaffarian. 

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"As a species, we need to address sugar-sweetened beverage consumption."

Many different factors are involved in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, Palinski-Wade noted.

"However, reducing your intake of sugar-sweetened beverages can go a long way toward improving overall blood sugar regulation and future health."

The new research was supported by the Gates Foundation, the American Heart Association and Mexico’s National Council for Science and Technology. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for further comment.

Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day for a few reasons – and feeding your brain is one of them.

In a video posted to X on Sunday, Fox News medical contributor Dr. Nicole Saphier asked her neurosurgeon husband, Dr. Paul Saphier, M.D., what he was having for breakfast.

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Saphier, founder of Coaxial Neurosurgical Specialists in New Jersey, responded that he was having a "heart- and brain-healthy breakfast."

This included a variety of ingredients that could make up a yogurt parfait.

The meal started out with some 0% fat Greek yogurt, which provides "great lean proteins," as well as probiotic health benefits, the doctor said.

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Saphier added some high-antioxidant blueberries – great for both cardiovascular health and brain health – as well as some honey.

"Immunologically, [honey] is good for you," he said. "A lot of antioxidants there as well. Helps decrease a lot of other issues related to the brain."

The neurosurgeon also included granola in his breakfast, which mixed in chia seeds, flax seeds and nuts for "lean, healthy oils" like omega-3 fatty acids.

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"A lot of Mediterranean diet-type nuts in there," he said, tapping the granola bag.

Saphier topped off the meal with an immune-boosting supplement to help ward off sickness in the cold and flu months.

The doctor ended the video by encouraging others to "try to eat healthy, stay healthy and ring in 2025 with a great start."

New research is emphasizing that socializing with friends and family may help protect people against heart attack, stroke, type 2 diabetes and other conditions and illnesses.

The study suggests that social interactions may keep people healthy because these interactions boost the immune system and reduce the risk of disease.

Cambridge University researchers, along with colleagues in China, came to these conclusions after studying protein in blood samples taken from over 42,000 adults recruited to the U.K. Biobank, news agency SWNS reported. 

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The study team said social relationships play a key role in well-being. 

Professor Barbara Sahakian of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge said, "These findings drive home the importance of social contact in keeping us well. More and more people of all ages are reporting feeling lonely," as SWNS noted.

"That’s why the World Health Organization has described social isolation and loneliness as a global public health concern … We need to find ways to tackle this growing problem and keep people connected to help them stay healthy."

Evidence increasingly shows that both social isolation and loneliness are linked to poorer health and an early death, the same source reported. But the underlying mechanisms through which social relationships impact health apparently have remained elusive until now, the news agency also said.

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy previously warned against the health risks of loneliness, as Fox News Digital reported earlier. 

"Loneliness is a common feeling that many people experience," he said when issuing an advisory nearly two years ago on the topic, per The Associated Press. "It's like hunger or thirst. It's a feeling the body sends us when something we need for survival is missing."

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"Millions of people in America are struggling in the shadows, and that's not right," he also said at the time. "That's why I issued this advisory to pull back the curtain on a struggle that too many people are experiencing."

The researchers connected to the new study said that one way to explore biological mechanisms is to look at proteins circulating in the blood, SWNS noted. Proteins, which are molecules produced by genes, are essential for helping the human body function properly.

They can also serve as useful drug targets, allowing scientists to develop new treatments to tackle diseases. 

The Cambridge team and scientists at Fudan University, China, examined the "proteomes," or the suite of proteins, in blood samples donated by more than 42,000 British adults aged 40 to 69. 

That allowed them to see which proteins were present at higher levels among people who were socially isolated or lonely — and how these proteins were connected to poorer health, SWNS said.

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The team calculated social isolation and loneliness scores for individuals in the study, which was published in Nature Human Behaviour, a monthly peer-reviewed journal. 

Social isolation is an objective measure based on, for example, whether people live alone, how frequently they have contact with others and whether they take part in social activities, the team said. 

Loneliness, by contrast, is a subjective measure based on whether an individual feels lonely.

When the researchers analyzed the proteomes and adjusted for factors including age, sex and socio-economic background, they found 175 proteins associated with social isolation and 26 proteins associated with loneliness. 

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Many of the proteins are produced in response to inflammation, viral infection and as part of immune responses, the team said — and they also showed links to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and early death.

The researchers then used a statistical technique to explore the causal relationship between social isolation and loneliness, on the one hand, and proteins on the other.

With that approach, they identified five proteins that were found in abundance during periods of loneliness.

"We know that social isolation and loneliness are linked to poorer health, but we’ve never understood why," said Dr. Chun Shen of the department of clinical neurosciences at the University of Cambridge and the Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University.

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"Our work has highlighted a number of proteins that appear to play a key role in this relationship, with levels of some proteins in particular increasing as a direct consequence of loneliness," he said, as SWNS reported.

Professor Jianfeng Feng of the University of Warwick said, "There are more than 100,000 proteins and many of their variants in the human body … AI and high-throughput proteomics can help us pinpoint some key proteins in prevention, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis for many human diseases and revolutionize the traditional view of human health."

He also said, "The proteins we’ve identified give us clues to the biology underpinning poor health among people who are socially isolated or lonely, highlighting why social relationships play such an important part in keeping us healthy."

One of the proteins produced at higher levels as a result of loneliness was ADM.

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Previous studies have shown that ADM plays a role in responding to stress and in regulating stress hormones and social hormones, such as oxytocin — known as the "love hormone" — which can reduce stress and improve mood.

The team found a "strong" association between ADM and the volume of the insula, a brain hub for interoception, the ability to sense what's happening inside the body.

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The greater the ADM levels, the smaller the volume of the region. 

Higher ADM levels were also linked to lower volume of the left caudate — a region involved in emotional, reward and social processes. Higher levels of ADM were also linked to an increased risk of dying young.

The researchers said another of the proteins, ASGR1, is associated with higher cholesterol and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease — while other identified proteins play roles in the development of insulin resistance, "furring" of the arteries and cancer progression.

Melissa Rudy of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.

2024 was packed with health care innovations, from a new blood test detecting Alzheimer’s disease to deep brain stimulation reversing paralysis.

Heading into the New Year, medical experts are predicting even more medical advances for 2025.

Researchers from Mass General Brigham, a health care system in Boston, Massachusetts, shared with Fox News Digital some of the scientific developments and breakthroughs they expect to see, which are also published on the hospital’s website.

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1. "I anticipate we are going to see continued breakthroughs and growth in immunotherapy for cancer, particularly with FDA approvals and commercialization of cell therapies for solid tumors. The field is also poised to make great strides in using these technologies for other conditions, like autoimmune diseases."

Bryan Choi, MD, PhD
Investigator, Department of Neurosurgery
Massachusetts General Hospital

2. "I predict novel discoveries and innovative strategies for early cancer detection and prevention will dramatically impact patient care in the coming year. With the proven success of immunotherapy for cancer treatment, there is an emerging interest in utilizing the patient’s own immune system for cancer prevention, especially in high-risk populations. This area of research is expanding rapidly and will likely generate actionable targets for investigations in patients."

Shawn Demehri, MD, PhD
Investigator, Mass General Cancer Center
Massachusetts General Hospital

3. "The current standard for treating patients with clinical stage 2 or 3 triple-negative breast cancer is to administer chemotherapy in addition to immunotherapy prior to surgery. This combination therapy leads to a better response than chemotherapy alone. However, immunotherapy comes with added toxicities that can lead to lifelong complications."

"In 2025, I anticipate significant progress will be made in identifying biomarkers in a patient’s peripheral immune system that will help determine which patients require the addition of immunotherapy and those who will do well with chemotherapy alone. This would be an important step in further personalizing breast cancer care and reducing long-term side effects."

Elizabeth Mittendorf, MD, PhD, MHCM
Investigator, Department of Surgery
Brigham and Women’s Hospital

4. "In basic research, single-cell technologies have been advancing at an accelerated pace. In 2025, I believe we will likely see major breakthroughs in spatial transcriptomics and sub-cellular high-resolution imaging, particularly in the context of embryo development and understanding of cancer progression and resistance."

Raul Mostoslavsky, PhD
Investigator, Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research
Massachusetts General Hospital

5. "I believe we will see a greater focus on the long-term impact of multiple environmental factors on disease states, such as cancer development processes. There is a misconception that many non-hereditary diseases, such as non-hereditary cancer, are the result of short-term risk factor exposure. I think that research in the coming year will shift focus on the long-term impacts of multiple disease-causing factors."

Shuji Ogino, MD, PhD, MS
Chief of Molecular Pathological Epidemiology Program, Department of Pathology
Brigham and Women’s Hospital

1. "I anticipate we’ll see an uptick in usage of artificial intelligence (AI) to support physicians while they care for patients, streamline workflows, and improve diagnostics and treatments in 2025. We’re also likely to see expanded use of robotics and AI in complex surgeries, particularly for brain and spine procedures."

E. Antonio Chiocca, MD, PhD, FAANS
Executive Director, Center for Tumors of the Nervous System
Mass General Brigham

2. "I predict that advances in non-invasive brain stimulation will change how we care for patients with brain disease, including accelerated protocols that improve symptoms in days rather than weeks, personalized protocols that target the most bothersome symptom in each patient, and at-home devices that make brain stimulation accessible to more patients."

Michael Fox, MD, PhD
Director, Center for Brain Circuit Therapeutics
Brigham and Women’s Hospital

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3. "Advances in focused ultrasound technology offer the potential for non-invasive, targeted, and temporary opening of the blood-brain barrier. This could allow therapies that were previously ineffective — due to their inability to cross the blood-brain barrier to reach their target in the central nervous system — to directly target tissues. I think we will see a breakthrough in this area of research in the next year, enabling treatments for a wide range of brain disorders, including neurological, psychiatric and neurosurgical conditions."

Alexandra Golby, MD
Investigator, Neurosciences Center
Brigham and Women’s Hospital  

4. "Starting in 2025, it will become possible to administer transcranial magnetic stimulation to treat depression over the course of just days instead of weeks, which, aided by pharmacological co-agents, will still lead to a very high remission rate in treatment-resistant patients."

Andreas Horn, MD, PhD
Director, Center for Brain Circuit Therapeutics
Brigham and Women’s Hospital

5. "I predict that the prevention of dementia, stroke and depression will become a cornerstone of patient-directed primary care. In 2024, we saw the publication of several high-impact validation studies of the Brain Care Score (BCS), a tool designed to help people everywhere use the most robust science to guide their daily lifestyle choices and reduce their risk of dementia, stroke and depression by up to 50%. In parallel, we have laid the groundwork to empower people everywhere to use the BCS routinely, and to bring it with them to their next primary care visit with a health care provider."

Jonathan Rosand, MD, MSc
JP Kistler Endowed Chair in Neurology
Co-Founder, McCance Center for Brain Health
Massachusetts General Hospital

6. "I foresee advances on several fronts of dementia care as a major theme for health care in 2025. This includes AI-assisted approaches to improve early diagnosis, novel ways of delivering personalized treatments, and advances in care delivery as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services-developed GUIDE (Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience) Model of Care is implemented nationwide. I also predict that caregiving for persons with dementia will gain further recognition as a major element of health care, requiring more resources and attention."

Ipsit V. Vahia, MD
Investigator, Division of Geriatric Psychiatry
McLean Hospital 

1. "I believe in 2025 we can expect to see the completion of the first large outcomes-focused clinical trial from a group of new medications that target lipoprotein(a), a unique type of 'bad cholesterol' that increases a patient’s risk for cardiovascular disease. Up to this point, the treatment paradigm for patients with elevated lipoprotein(a) has been to aggressively modify other risk factors, but we may soon have more targeted treatment options."

Michael Honigberg, MD, MPP
Investigator, Cardiology Division
Massachusetts General Hospital

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2. "Cardiac critical care has transformed into its own discipline, but remains largely reactive to treating patients as they become sicker. I envision that in 2025, the discovery of molecular biomarkers will shift the care paradigm to a more proactive approach. Molecular biomarkers may help us identify patients most at risk of disease and start interventions earlier, maybe even preventively."

Edy Kim, MD, PhD
Investigator, Pulmonary Division
Brigham and Women’s Hospital

3. "I predict that in 2025, we will see significant advancements in women's health research. In particular, I hope to see major breakthroughs that improve quality of life and cardiovascular health in mid-life/menopausal women, a group that has been historically underappreciated."

Emily S. Lau, MD, MPH
Investigator, Cardiometabolic Health and Hormones Clinic
Massachusetts General Hospital

4. "In 2025, I anticipate we will see the introduction of two intertwined advances. First, the integration of artificial intelligence-facilitated algorithms for the early detection of cardiovascular illness, which will move us closer toward early prevention. We also envision a focus on using genetically informed treatments to reduce the risk of atherosclerotic heart disease, valvular heart disease and heart failure. Together, these important advances will usher in an era of personalized health care in cardiovascular disease."

Mandeep R. Mehra, MBBS, MSc
Executive Director, Center for Advanced Heart Disease
Brigham and Women’s Hospital

5. "In the coming year, I anticipate a marked increase in focus on cardio-kidney-metabolic health, necessitating new patient-centered models of interdisciplinary care."

Pradeep Natarajan, MD, MMSc
Director, Preventive Cardiology
Massachusetts General Hospital

1. "In 2025, I believe we will uncover the answers to remaining questions about nutrient metabolism and why a calorie is not a calorie, thereby improving our understanding of why some people gain weight."

Caroline Apovian, MD
Co-Director, Center for Weight Management and Wellness
Brigham and Women’s Hospital

2. "In the coming year, I see artificial intelligence being integrated more into health care as a supplement to physician knowledge and intuition. With the amount of biomedical data we are generating, I predict AI tools will improve our ability to interpret and apply the most salient information to individual patients, resulting in a personalized approach to patient care. I also predict that AI will continue to greatly reduce the administrative burden on providers and enable them to spend more time with their patients."

William Hwang, MD, PhD
Investigator, Center for Systems Biology, Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Department of Radiation Oncology
Massachusetts General Hospital

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3. "I think in 2025, we will see the implementation of generative artificial intelligence language models (i.e., chatbots) for some aspects of routine clinical care, such as the preparation of patient communications, generation of preliminary diagnostic test reports, or summarization of patient medical records."

Shaan Khurshid, MD, MPH
Investigator, Telemachus and Irene Demoulas Family Foundation Center for Cardiac Arrhythmias
Massachusetts General Hospital

4. "In 2025, I think we will recognize the power of drones and begin to use them to transform the way we deliver health care by making the home the center of care. Drone-facilitated care will impact primary care, urgent and emergency care, and even enable public health leaps by bringing care directly to patients in ways we never thought possible (or maybe thought were possible only for the Jetsons)."

David Levine, MD, MPH, MA
Clinical Director of Research and Development
Mass General Brigham

5. "Increased access to emerging technologies and personalized data, combined with information specifically tailored for the individual, will drive self-care in health and wellness in more patients, initially in preventative medicine, in the next year. This phenomenon will begin to impact chronic disease management and progressively more complex conditions and will accelerate devolution of care and responsibility for many conditions to the patient — who is often best placed to understand their own health."

Calum A. MacRae, MD, PhD
Vice Chair for Scientific Innovation
Brigham and Women’s Hospital

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6. "Treatments for rare genetic diseases are rapidly being translated to clinics. With close to 40 gene and cell therapies approved and hundreds expected to come down the pipeline, I believe that in 2025, we will see many more patients benefiting from genetic therapies."

Susan A. Slaugenhaupt, PhD
Scientific Director, Mass General Research Institute
Massachusetts General Hospital