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.

Texas Tech research team earns $3 million renewal to advance stroke therapy

Stroke research aims to understand the brain's self-protective and repair mechanisms. Gaining detailed insight into these mechanisms is crucial as such knowledge could lead to newly developed medications and interventions which mimic or engage the brain's self-protective/repair mechanisms, leading to innovative stroke therapies.

13 Sep 2025

Novel vitamin K analogs show promise for reversing neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's disease are characterized by the progressive loss of neurons.

13 Sep 2025

Study reveals how the brain interprets certain aromas as taste

Flavored drinks without sugar can be perceived as sweet - and now researchers know why. A new study from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, published in the journal Nature Communications, reveals that the brain interprets certain aromas as taste.

13 Sep 2025

AI tool SeeMe detects hidden signs of consciousness in brain injury patients

A new study published in Nature Communications Medicine led by neurosurgery researchers Sima Mofakham, PhD, and Chuck Mikell, MD, of the Renaissance School of Medicine (RSOM) at Stony Brook University, provides clinicians with data about the path to consciousness after traumatic brain injury (TBI) that may help pave the way for more personalized and effective patient care strategies in critical care and rehabilitation settings.

12 Sep 2025

A surgical team was about to harvest this man’s organs — until his doctor intervened

Lying on top of an operating room table with his chest exposed, Larry Black Jr. was moments away from having his organs harvested when a doctor ran breathlessly into the room.

12 Sep 2025

Female-specific mechanism enhances heat production in brown fat

Higher activity of PGC-1α enables brown fat cells in females to thermogenic activity and energy expenditure compared to males, reveals a study conducted in Japan.

12 Sep 2025

Abnormal protein activity found to promote cell migration and spread of glioblastoma

Ever wondered how the different cells in our body communicate with each other to fulfill their different roles-be it cells repairing a tissue injury or immune cells moving towards an invading pathogen (microorganisms that causes disease) to engulf it?

11 Sep 2025

UCL launches landmark trial of Alzheimer’s blood test

A major UCL-led clinical trial, aiming to transform the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease through a simple blood test, is now welcoming its first participants who will be recruited via memory clinics across the UK.

11 Sep 2025

Personalized form of electric brain stimulation shows promise for treating depression

A more precise and personalized form of electric brain stimulation may be a more effective and faster treatment for people with moderate to major depression compared to other similar treatments, according to a UCLA Health study.

11 Sep 2025

New diagnostic code brings recognition and support for Gulf War Illness

Gulf War illness (GWI), the chronic, debilitating condition linked to military service in the 1990-1991 Gulf War, will receive a dedicated diagnostic code in the October 2025 release of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10-CM).

11 Sep 2025

Object recognition shapes spatial awareness in the brain

We take our understanding of where we are for granted, until we lose it. When we get lost in nature or a new city, our eyes and brains kick into gear, seeking familiar objects that tell us where we are.

11 Sep 2025

Scientists uncover brain circuit that turns cravings into eating behavior

Researchers found that the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis integrates pleasure signals from central amygdala prodynorphin neurons and hunger signals from agouti-related peptide neurons to drive consumption. Manipulating this bed nucleus of the stria terminalis circuit bidirectionally altered food intake and body weight in mice.

11 Sep 2025

BU professor wins RF1 $3.2M grant for age-related neuropathology research

Tara Moore, PhD, professor of anatomy & neurobiology at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, has been awarded a five-year, RF1 $3.2M grant from the NIH's National Institute of Aging for her project "Extracellular vesicle treatment and age-related neuropathology in non-human primates."

11 Sep 2025

Compact bNIRS technology could become a diagnostic toolkit for dementia

Early and accurate diagnosis of dementia remains a major challenge. Standard approaches such as MRI and PET scans can provide valuable information about brain structure and function, but they are expensive, not always accessible, and often too expensive for repeated use.

11 Sep 2025

Mapping the evolutionary trajectory of meningiomas at single-cell resolution

Meningiomas are the most common primary brain tumors, accounting for nearly one-third of all central nervous system (CNS) tumors.

11 Sep 2025

CRISPR-based therapeutic approach designed to treat fatal pediatric disease

Multisystemic smooth muscle dysfunction syndrome (MSMDS) is a rare condition associated with stroke, aortic dissection (tearing) and death in childhood.

11 Sep 2025

Toddlers exposed to the COVID pandemic show fewer behavioral problems

A study finds that toddlers exposed to the COVID-19 pandemic showed fewer behavioral issues, suggesting hidden resilience factors in diverse family backgrounds.

11 Sep 2025

Infection or stressful events during pregnancy may increase anxiety risk in offspring

Increased risk for anxiety may begin before birth, shaped by infection or stressful events during pregnancy, according to a new preclinical study from researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine.

11 Sep 2025

New funding opportunities aim to advance bipolar disorder research

Today, Breakthrough Discoveries for thriving with Bipolar Disorder (BD²) announced the opening of a fourth round of funding opportunities for the Discovery Research program. BD² invites scientists across all disciplines to apply for up to $4.5 million per grant.

11 Sep 2025

Experts warn tiny plastics in arteries may raise heart attack risk

Experts caution that nanoplastics and microplastics may constitute an emerging cardiovascular risk factor, with particles identified in arterial plaques associated with a 4.5-fold increase in major adverse cardiovascular events. Experimental evidence points to inflammation, oxidative stress, and vascular injury as key mechanisms.

10 Sep 2025