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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.

Older brains' language processing network remains resilient to aging

As people age, many cognitive functions tend to decline. Brain scanning studies have revealed corresponding changes in the function of a brain network that is involved in many of these cognitive functions, including working memory and problem-solving.

24 Aug 2026

Review uncovers how tryptophan metabolism affects female reproductive health

In recent years, issues concerning female reproductive health have become a global challenge that cannot be ignored.

24 Aug 2026

Multi-target interventions may yield superior outcomes for chronic ankle instability

Ankle sprain is the most prevalent sports-related injury affecting the lower limbs, and up to 70% of individuals with ankle sprain experience persistent symptoms, such as sensorimotor impairment and balance deficits, which may ultimately progress to chronic ankle instability (CAI).

24 Aug 2026

Fruit fly brain inspires energy-efficient scent classification algorithm

In the animal kingdom, energy conservation is essential for survival. That's why our brains have evolved to be extremely energy and resource efficient at storing and processing information.

24 Aug 2026

Disrupted brain-immune signaling may help drive neurodegeneration

A Cell perspective argues that neurodegeneration can emerge from disrupted communication between neural and immune networks, with peripheral immunity, microglia, and gene-regulatory programs all shaping disease processes. The authors propose that restoring immune homeostasis and recalibrating neuroimmune circuits could create new therapeutic and diagnostic opportunities, while emphasizing that many mechanisms remain unresolved in humans.

24 Aug 2026

A childhood shaped by sugar rationing was linked to mental health more than 50 years later

UK Biobank researchers examined whether sugar rationing during pregnancy and the first two years of life was associated with adult sweet-food preferences, sugar intake, brain structure, anxiety, and depression.

23 Aug 2026

FDA clears innovative blood test for earlier Alzheimer's diagnosis

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared for marketing an innovative blood test with underlying technology invented at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

21 Aug 2026

Study provides a more nuanced picture of biological mechanisms linked to autism

How does autism manifest in the brain? Researchers from the University of Southern Denmark and Odense University Hospital have investigated this question in a new study involving 60 adults.

21 Aug 2026

Neurogenesis stalls in the brains of adults with major depressive disorder, study shows

Most of our brain's 100 billion neurons are created before we're born, but the trickle of neurons created in the adult brain hippocampus could be instrumental in preventing depression, suggest findings from a new study by researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

21 Aug 2026

Oxford study identifies brain mechanisms behind our sense of control

A study led by the University of Oxford has identified the brain mechanisms that help us work out whether the consequences we experience are caused by our own actions or by circumstances beyond our control.

21 Aug 2026

Comprehensive review outlines engineering-driven therapeutic pathways for spinal cord injuries

A comprehensive review published in Engineering outlines multi-disciplinary engineering approaches addressing spinal cord injury (SCI), a debilitating central nervous system disorder triggering permanent sensory, motor, and autonomic dysfunction, and imposing heavy burdens on individuals and societies worldwide.

21 Aug 2026

New review highlights spatial technologies in advanced brain mapping

Understanding how molecular changes shape brain function and disease requires more than measuring genes in bulk tissue.

21 Aug 2026

KAIST research opens new path toward releasing 'molecular lock' and reversing cell's fate

Once a cell has locked into an abnormal state — the way cancer cells do — can it ever be restored back to normal? A KAIST research team has identified the 'molecular lock' that keeps cells trapped in an altered state, opening a new path toward releasing that lock and reversing a cell's fate.

21 Aug 2026

Aging shifts memories from vivid details to bigger picture

Research from the University of East Anglia shows how our memories change with age and why specific details associated with past events can fade over time.

21 Aug 2026

Lancet review examines possible amyloid-beta transmission through blood transfusions

A review and opinion piece published in The Lancet and led by UCL (University College London) and UCLH researchers discusses the possibility that blood transfusions may inadvertently transmit harmful brain proteins, and whether additional safety measures are warranted as a precaution whilst further research is conducted to better understand these potential risks.

21 Aug 2026

Scientists create brain organoids with distinct cortical regional identity

The human brain is often described as one of the most complex structures in biology, and much of its power comes from how it's organized.

20 Aug 2026

Wake-activated brain circuits reveal what drives the urge to sleep

Researchers identified wake-activated neurons in the median raphe and anterior medial preoptic area that track sleep pressure and help regulate when and how deeply mice sleep. Manipulating these circuits altered NREM sleep, sleep-pressure accumulation, and rebound sleep, revealing key neural mechanisms underlying mammalian sleep homeostasis.

20 Aug 2026

Cross-generational friendships reshape brain synchrony in unexpected ways

The closer two people grow, the more alike their brains work– or so the assumption goes. Two ETH Zurich studies challenge this idea by examining the brain activity of younger and older adults who drew together over several weeks.

20 Aug 2026

Glioma microenvironment emerges as key target for future therapies

The prognosis for glioma patients remains extremely poor despite aggressive multimodal standard therapy: maximal safe resection, radiotherapy, and temozolomide chemotherapy, with median survival rarely exceeding 15 to 18 months.

20 Aug 2026

Psilocybin may make the brain more organized than scientists expected

In 62 adults, researchers combined fMRI, EEG and machine learning to examine how psilocybin reshapes brain activity during rest, meditation, music and movie viewing. They found that context-sensitive neural organization tracked the intensity and quality of psychedelic experiences and was associated with next-day mindset change.

20 Aug 2026