Brain News and Research

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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.

Harvard researchers map 70,000 synaptic connections in rat brain

Harvard researchers have mapped and catalogued more than 70,000 synaptic connections from about 2,000 rat neurons, using a silicon chip capable of recording small yet telltale synaptic signals from a large number of neurons.

14 Feb 2025

New biomarker can accurately predict outcomes in meningiomas and breast cancers

Using a new technology and computational method, researchers from Fred Hutch Cancer Center and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have uncovered a biomarker capable of accurately predicting outcomes in meningioma brain tumors and breast cancers.

13 Feb 2025

Study reveals brain circuit linked to human creativity

A new study led by researchers at Mass General Brigham suggests that different brain regions activated by creative tasks are part of one common brain circuit.

13 Feb 2025

Rethinking red meat: Are dietary guidelines missing the bigger picture?

Research highlights the critical role of red meat in providing essential nutrients like iron, zinc, and B12, particularly for vulnerable populations, while questioning the low-certainty evidence linking it to chronic diseases. It urges policymakers to balance health, environmental, and economic factors when considering dietary guidelines.

13 Feb 2025

How immune cells and neurons secretly shape brain health, behavior, and disease

Scientists explore how the immune and nervous systems constantly communicate, influencing brain diseases, behavior, and repair while shaping responses to environmental factors like sleep, diet, and pollution.

13 Feb 2025

Researchers discover genetic mutation linked to toxic protein buildup in Alzheimer's

The root causes of most forms of Alzheimer's disease largely remain a mystery. Now, researchers have revealed a new piece of the puzzle.

13 Feb 2025

Breakthrough discovery reveals key role of ovoid cells in object recognition memory

Take a look around your home and you'll find yourself surrounded by familiar comforts-photos of family and friends on the wall, well-worn sneakers by the door, a shelf adorned with travel mementos.

13 Feb 2025

Identifying key brain circuit opens doors for new psychosis treatments

Our study investigated the brain circuits involved in psychosis-a condition characterized by delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking and detachment from reality.

13 Feb 2025

Study breaks down Alzheimer's treatment effects in clear terms

In the past two years, the Food and Drug Administration has approved two novel Alzheimer's therapies, based on data from clinical trials showing that both drugs slowed the progression of the disease.

13 Feb 2025

Study identifies brain regions for speech production in aphasia patients

Imagine seeing a furry, four-legged animal that meows. Mentally, you know what it is, but the word "cat" is stuck on the tip of your tongue.

13 Feb 2025

Guardian molecule found to prevent cancer cells from changing identity

A guardian molecule ensures that liver cells do not lose their identity. This has been discovered by researchers from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), the Hector Institute für Translational Brain Research (HITBR), and from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL).

13 Feb 2025

Study identifies novel enhancers linked to neuropsychiatric disorders

Neuropsychiatric disorders are becoming increasingly prevalent. Given their complex and multifactorial pathogenesis, there is an urgent need for effective and targeted therapies that can improve patients' quality of life.

13 Feb 2025

UCLA team identifies brain rhythms linked to seizures in Alzheimer's

A UCLA Health research team has identified changes in brain rhythms that indicate seizure activity in Alzheimer's patients.

13 Feb 2025

Study suggests sun exposure during first year of life may reduce MS relapses

Getting at least 30 minutes of daily summer sun in the first year of life may mean a lower relapse risk for children who are diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) later, according to a study published on February 12, 2025, online in Neurology® Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

13 Feb 2025

Epidural steroid injections may offer modest short-term pain relief for some back pain

The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) has developed a new systematic review to summarize for neurologists and other clinicians the evidence for epidural steroid injections and whether they reduce pain and disability for people with certain kinds of chronic back pain.

13 Feb 2025

Brain aging linked to neuronal hyperactivation, not decline, study finds

A study of nematodes by researchers at Nagoya University in Japan has found that aging-related decline in brain function is caused by the excessive activation of certain neurons over time, rather than a decline in neuronal activity.

13 Feb 2025

Systemic racism may play a role in genetic testing disparities, study suggests

For children with signs of neurological conditions such as autism, epilepsy and global developmental delay, genetic testing can help make the diagnosis, identify possible treatments and determine whether family members could be affected, among other benefits.

13 Feb 2025

FAIR Health launches resource to support Alzheimer's care planning and costs

Today, as part of a national initiative funded by The John A. Hartford Foundation (JAHF), the national, independent nonprofit FAIR Health launched a new shared decision-making tool for Alzheimer's disease that features clinical information for self-care and drug therapy options, as well as related cost information.

12 Feb 2025

New research advances understanding of Parkinson's disease stages

From a study that analyzed brain images of more than 2,500 people with Parkinson's disease in 20 different countries, scientists were able to identify patterns of neurodegeneration and create metrics for each of the five clinical stages of the disease.

12 Feb 2025

Electrical activity drives aggression in small cell lung cancer

Researchers from the Francis Crick Institute have found that some particularly aggressive lung cancer cells can develop their own electric network, like that seen in the body's nervous system.

12 Feb 2025