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.

Eating more flavonoids may slow aging and boost brain health, study finds

A high intake of flavonoid-rich foods, such as tea, apples, blueberries, and red wine, is linked to reduced risks of frailty, poor mental health, and physical impairment in older adults, particularly women.

20 Feb 2025

Can chili peppers improve ADHD symptoms? Scientists explore their gut-brain connection

Chili peppers may influence ADHD symptoms by modulating the gut microbiome, with capsaicin, vitamin C, and omega-3 fatty acids showing potential effects on neurotransmitters and inflammation. However, clinical trials are needed to confirm their efficacy.

20 Feb 2025

New approach shows promise for treating fragile X syndrome

Building on more than two decades of research, a study by MIT neuroscientists at The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory reports a new way to treat pathology and symptoms of fragile X syndrome, the most common genetically-caused autism spectrum disorder.

20 Feb 2025

Study shows how exercise counteracts stress-induced high blood pressure

Chronic stress raises blood pressure. New research from Juntendo University, Japan, reveals that voluntary exercise prevents hypertension (high blood pressure) by restoring STAT3 levels in the amygdala.

20 Feb 2025

Small amounts of exercise linked to lower dementia risk in older adults

A little movement could help prevent dementia, even for frail older adults, suggests a new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

20 Feb 2025

Unfolded protein response disruptions contribute to colorectal cancer and gut-related disorders

The intestinal epithelium is a highly dynamic barrier that regulates digestion, absorption, immune responses, and communication between the gut microbiota and the nervous system.

20 Feb 2025

CPRIT awards nearly $23 million to MD Anderson for cancer research projects

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center today was awarded nearly $23 million from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) in support of 20 cancer research projects to advance new breakthroughs in discovery, translational, clinical and prevention science.

20 Feb 2025

Smoking linked to unexplained strokes in younger adults

Smoking, particularly heavy smoking, is linked to some unexplained strokes in younger adults, mainly in male individuals and in people ages 45 to 49, according to a study published in the February 19, 2025, online issue of Neurology Open Access, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

20 Feb 2025

Blood pressure medication amlodipine shows promise in treating ADHD symptoms

Repurposing amlodipine, a commonly used blood pressure medicine, could help manage attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, according to an international study involving the University of Surrey.

20 Feb 2025

Younger people more susceptible to nicotine addiction than middle-aged adults

People in their late teens and early 20s may be more sensitive to nicotine and more susceptible to nicotine addiction than middle aged adults, according to a new study in mice from researchers in the Penn State Department of Biobehavioral Health.

20 Feb 2025

International panel recommends avoiding spine injections for chronic pain

Spine injections should not be given to adults with chronic back pain because they provide little or no pain relief compared with sham injections, say a panel of international experts in The BMJ today.

20 Feb 2025

Study links screen time to increased risk of manic symptoms in preteens

Preteens who spend more time on screens are more likely to develop manic symptoms years two-years later, according to a new study published in Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology.

20 Feb 2025

Mice study offers insight into how the brain balances risk and reward

Every day, our brain makes thousands of decisions, big and small. Any of these decisions - from the least consequential such as picking a restaurant to the more important such as pursuing a different career or moving to a new city - may result in better or worse outcomes.

19 Feb 2025

New therapeutic cocktails show promise for long-lasting asthma relief

Current asthma treatments don't work in all patients, and they don't provide long-term relief from potentially deadly asthma attacks.

19 Feb 2025

Newly discovered antigens could speed the development of potent cancer immunotherapies

Immune therapy has transformed how cancer is treated, but many tumors continue to evade these treatments, thanks to their resemblance to healthy tissue.

19 Feb 2025

Genetic mutation linked to schizophrenia in both humans and mice

A genetic mutation found in two human patients with schizophrenia also increased schizophrenia-related behaviors in mice with the same mutation, a rare finding of a direct genetic link to psychosis, report researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and colleagues in Massachusetts and Germany.

19 Feb 2025

Infant exposure to herpes virus may cause memory problems later in life

Very early exposure to even a very small dose of herpes simplex virus (HSV) in infant mice can lead to cognitive decline later in life, according to findings from a new Dartmouth-led study, in collaboration with Harvard Medical School and published in the journal PLoS Pathogens.

19 Feb 2025

Hydrodissection may offer hope for post-amputation pain relief

A reliable method to treat post-amputation pain remains elusive, but a new Northwestern Medicine study conducted in collaboration with Ukrainian physicians suggests that hydrodissection - a simple procedure that injects fluid around nerves - may reduce residual limb pain and opioid dependence.

19 Feb 2025

Lifestyle and environmental factors play bigger role in health and premature death than genetics

A new study led by researchers from Oxford Population Health has shown that a range of environmental factors, including lifestyle (smoking and physical activity), and living conditions, have a greater impact on health and premature death than our genes.

19 Feb 2025

Study shows rapid transformation in multiple sclerosis treatment in Finland

A registry study led by the University of Oulu examined the early-stage treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) in Finland between 2013 and 2022.

19 Feb 2025