Brain News and Research

RSS

The human brain is the center of the human nervous system and is a highly complex organ. Enclosed in the cranium, it has the same general structure as the brains of other mammals, but is over three times as large as the brain of a typical mammal with an equivalent body size.

Methionine: A dietary key to surviving infection

As soon as you are wounded-whether from grabbing a hot pan or contracting the flu-you begin a unique journey through variable symptoms toward either recovery or death.

22 Jan 2026

Short naps refresh the brain for better learning

Even a short afternoon nap can help the brain recover and improve its ability to learn. In a study published on January 22, 2026, in the journal NeuroImage, researchers at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) and University of Geneva, show that even a nap is enough to reorganize connections between nerve cells so that new information can be stored more effectively.

22 Jan 2026

Unfolding the role of Hsp70 chaperones in neurodegeneration

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) affect millions of people worldwide, yet treatments remain largely limited to symptom management.

22 Jan 2026

Regular aerobic exercise slows a key marker of brain aging in midlife

Regular aerobic activity significantly reduces brain-PAD, indicating that exercise is crucial for maintaining brain health and reducing dementia risk.

22 Jan 2026

Smartwatches improve the detection of atrial fibrillation

Smartwatches with both PPG and ECG functionality improve the detection of atrial fibrillation in comparison with standard care.

22 Jan 2026

Large study identifies more than 100 genetic regions linked to schizophrenia

A team of researchers led by scientists from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, and the Department of Veterans Affairs has conducted the largest and most comprehensive genome-wide association study (GWAS) to date of schizophrenia in individuals of African ancestry.

21 Jan 2026

Study shows DHPS enzyme controls macrophage maturation across multiple organs

A new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, its Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that an enzyme involved in protein translation is essential for circulating immune cells, called monocytes, to mature into tissue-resident macrophages, a specialized population of immune cells that maintain organ health by clearing dead cells and debris.

21 Jan 2026

AI predicts health outcomes for premature newborns from blood samples

An artificial intelligence-based tool can predict the medical trajectories of individual premature newborns from blood samples collected soon after they are born, a Stanford Medicine-led study has shown.

21 Jan 2026

Pregnancy-related stroke linked to long-term risk of cardiovascular events

Having an ischemic stroke during pregnancy or three months after pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events like heart attack or second stroke, heart disease and depression later in life.

21 Jan 2026

Red light therapy may protect athletes' brains from repetitive impacts

Punch-drunk syndrome, boxer's madness, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The name has changed over the years, but the cause is clear: repeated impacts can affect long-term brain health, with symptoms ranging from confusion to memory loss and potentially dementia.

21 Jan 2026

GLP-1 weight-loss drugs show early promise for treating addiction

This systematic review evaluates preclinical and clinical evidence on glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists as potential treatments for substance use disorders. Findings show consistent reductions in drug- and alcohol-seeking behaviors in animal models, while human evidence remains limited, heterogeneous, and preliminary.

21 Jan 2026

Study clarifies role of steroids in treating HSV encephalitis

A major UK clinical trial has shown that adding the corticosteroid dexamethasone to standard antiviral treatment for encephalitis (brain inflammation), caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV) does not improve long-term outcomes overall, although early use may lead to better recovery, and the treatment is safe for patients in whom encephalitis is suspected.

21 Jan 2026

As US is poised to lose measles-free status, RFK’s new CDC deputy downplays its significance

After a year of ongoing measles outbreaks that have sickened more than 2,400 people, the United States is poised to lose its status as a measles-free country.

21 Jan 2026

New review explores how stress uniquely affects children

Most research on the health effects of stress focuses on adults, but a new review looks at how stress uniquely affects children.

21 Jan 2026

Wearable AI device turns silent throat signals into fluent speech for stroke patients

AI technology in a wearable choker helps stroke survivors overcome communication barriers by transforming throat vibrations into clear, context-aware speech.

21 Jan 2026

Gambling disorder alters the brain's control and reward systems

A new doctoral dissertation shows that gambling disorder is linked to brain networks involved in self-control and brain reward functions.

21 Jan 2026

Exercise-triggered mitochondrial transfer offers hope for stroke and dementia

Physical rehabilitation and symptom management still remain the mainstay of treatment for stroke, as clot removal or dissolution is effective only within a narrow time frame after the stroke.

21 Jan 2026

The neuroscience of motivation-driven memory retention

Researchers from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine), and Duke University have proposed a neuroscience framework explaining how different types of motivation fundamentally reshape what and how the brain remembers.

21 Jan 2026

Tracing the decline in American heart disease mortality

Following a five-year upward trend likely impacted by the COVID pandemic, the number of heart disease and stroke deaths has declined, yet, heart disease and stroke still kill more people in the U.S. each year than any other cause, according to data reported in the 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics: A Report of U.S. and Global Data From the American Heart Association.

21 Jan 2026

Mouse study reveals social hierarchy influences sleep quality during isolation

Researchers tested what factors improve or worsen the quality of sleep in mice. A team including researchers from the University of Tokyo placed mice in two environments, one where they could see and sense other mice without physical contact, and one in complete isolation.

21 Jan 2026