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Cells share universal on switches but evolve unique strategy to silence genes

The signals that cells use to switch genes on have remained almost unchanged across two billion years of evolution, but the ones used to switch genes off vary dramatically from one branch of life to another, according to a new study from the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona.

3 Aug 2026

Study uncovers brain mechanism that drives sustained motivation

What enables us to sustain effort toward goals, even when the task becomes increasingly difficult? A recent study by researchers at Nagoya University in Japan revealed the underlying brain mechanism, showing that orexin neurons play a crucial role in driving and regulating motivated behavior.

3 Aug 2026

Slow-maturing microglia may enable powerful human cognitive abilities

Microglia are the most common immune cells in the brain, where they defend against intruders and engulf damaged neurons.

27 Jul 2026

New blood protein biomarkers estimate timing of ALS symptoms

Months to several years before amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) symptoms arise, levels of certain blood proteins may dramatically shift.

27 Jul 2026

Two heart nerve cell types sustain cardiac stability in mice

Researchers identified two major intrinsic cardiac neuron populations in mice: Npy-positive neurons regulate parasympathetic heart rate control and support coronary perfusion, while Ddah1-positive neurons help maintain electrical stability during extreme stress. Removing Npy-positive neurons caused fatal cardiac failure, whereas loss of Ddah1-positive neurons increased susceptibility to malignant arrhythmias and sudden cardiac arrest under stress.

23 Jul 2026

Compact genetic switch enables targeted gene therapy for epilepsy

Epilepsy affects over 50 million people worldwide, making it one of the most common neurological disorders.

23 Jul 2026

New imaging platform tracks hundreds of neurons at unprecedented depths

The brain is a vast, densely interconnected network of neurons computing in parallel. Watching these computations unfold in real time could reveal how the brain processes sensation and guides behavior.

23 Jul 2026

Bee venom boosts the effects of standard Parkinson's therapy

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by the loss of dopamine-producing neurons, leading to motor symptoms such as tremors, rigidity, slowed movement, and impaired balance, as well as cognitive decline.

22 Jul 2026

Salk neuroscientists identify traveling brain waves as a computational engine

Your brain has something surprising in common with the ocean: waves! Electrical activity washes over the brain's surface, creating what are called traveling brain waves or neural traveling waves.

21 Jul 2026

Researchers uncover brain target to counter fentanyl-induced slow breathing

Fentanyl causes symptoms that can lead to death from overdose. One of these symptoms is slow breathing, which deprives drug users of oxygen.

20 Jul 2026

Tau buildup in progressive supranuclear palsy alters brain networks linked to thinking and behavior

Researchers at Japan's National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST) have found that tau buildup in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) may affect brain networks involved in thinking and behavior.

17 Jul 2026

New review highlights astrocytes' role in chronic traumatic encephalopathy

Researchers from Kansas City University School of Medicine have published a scoping review examining the role of astrocytes in chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

14 Jul 2026

New stem cell therapy offers hope for chronic spinal injury

New research presented today at the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 2026 Annual Meeting highlights a significant step toward developing a stem cell-based treatment for chronic spinal cord injury (SCI), a condition for which no effective restorative therapy currently exists.

11 Jul 2026

New study links overactive C1 neurons to prolonged anxiety responses

Anxiety disorders affect more than 300 million people globally. Several brain regions have been linked to anxiety, but how these regions connect has been poorly understood.

9 Jul 2026

Scientists discover molecular mechanism behind anesthesia-induced unconsciousness

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and Birkbeck, University of London, have identified a site where a commonly used anesthetic binds to sodium ion channels, revealing a molecular mechanism that may explain how these drugs dampen communication between neurons.

9 Jul 2026

Clinical trial finds stem cell brain transplants feasible for Parkinson's disease

A landmark study led from Lund, Sweden, has shown that transplanting stem-cell derived dopamine progenitor cells into the brain is feasible.

9 Jul 2026

Lung tumors hack the nervous system to cause severe cachexia

Cachexia is a condition in which patients affected by cancer or other chronic diseases become sick and lose weight.

9 Jul 2026

Hypoxia therapy shows promise for treating mitochondrial brain disorders

Oxygen isn't always a good thing. Of course, people-and most organisms-cannot live without it. But oxygen can also be quite toxic and lead to profound health consequences.

8 Jul 2026

Study offers insight into how long-term inflammation may contribute to cognitive decline

The King's College London study, published in Nature Communications, offers insight into how long-term inflammation may contribute to cognitive decline in disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, aging, depression, and the lingering neurological effects of viral infections.

7 Jul 2026