NIH Science in Seconds – a weekly roundup of NIH’s research news. Read more about each of the featured news stories below. Week of February 27, 2023: 1. A recent study in mice found that those lacking the protein osteopontin had a substantial reduction in amyloid beta plaques that characterize Alzheimer’s disease. This research suggests that blocking osteopontin in the brain may be a potential strategy for treating Alzheimer’s disease. Before testing, more work is needed to identify potential drugs that could cross into the brain and target osteopontin. https://bit.ly/3J6uj4K 2. Eliminating animal milk alone from the diet of adults with eosinophilic esophagitis is as effective at treating the disease as eliminating animal milk plus five other common foods, according to an NIH-funded clinical trial. Eosinophilic esophagitis is a chronic disease that characterized by an overabundance of white blood cells in the esophagus, causing inflammation. https://bit.ly/3KOQPk0 3. Researchers successfully used an AI program to distinguish different patterns of behavior in mice after they were given one of three anti-epileptic drugs. This demonstrates that the tool could be used for rapid, automated anti-epileptic drug testing. https://bit.ly/3ZgAkBN 4. NIH’s RECOVER Covid Initiative is preparing to test interventions for Long COVID in clinical trials, based off knowledge gained through research on Long COVID, some collected from a large cohort of Long COVID patients. Study design will be guided by patient experiences and insights. https://bit.ly/3m8pr6b