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Scientists traced a hidden immune route that may worsen tau-linked brain damage

In a mouse model of tauopathy, conventional type 1 dendritic cells (cDC1s) cross-presented brain-derived antigens in deep cervical lymph nodes, priming CD8+ T cells that accumulated in the brain and promoted neurodegeneration. Disrupting cDC1s or their cross-presentation activity reduced CD8+ T-cell infiltration and protected against neuronal loss, while human primary tauopathy samples also showed increased brain CD8+ T cells, although cDC1 involvement in humans remains unconfirmed.

6 Sep 2026

Psilocybin protects sensory nerves from chemotherapy damage in preclinical study

In mouse models, prophylactic psilocybin prevented or reduced multiple features of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, with cycle-matched dosing sustaining protection during repeated cisplatin exposure without measurably affecting tumor growth. Experiments in human-derived sensory neurons and ex vivo peripheral nerves linked the effect to 5-HT2A-dependent preservation of mitochondrial trafficking and local axonal energy supply, while a nonhallucinogenic 5-HT2A agonist reproduced protection against mechanical hypersensitivity.

6 Sep 2026

Some popular drinks were linked to depression and anxiety. Coffee was different

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6 Sep 2026

Crucial brain stem cells rely on metabolic pathways to make decisions

As the human brain takes shape before birth, a remarkable type of stem cell helps give it many of the features that make it distinctly human.

4 Sep 2026

What your genes can, and cannot, tell us about your personality

A meta-analysis of 46 cohorts involving 611,037 to 1.14 million participants identified 1,260 lead genetic variants associated with the Big Five personality traits, including 824 in previously unlinked genomic regions. The associations were broadly consistent across cohorts and measurement contexts, while polygenic analyses linked personality-related genetics to health, behavior, psychopathology, and life outcomes, although effects were modest and could not predict individual behavior.

3 Sep 2026

Neural networks reveal how training shapes learning in living brains

A new study has used a type of machine learning called a neural network to reveal how different kinds of training can change how learning happens-both in machines, and in living brains.

3 Sep 2026

Maternal illness may reshape fetal brain development through epigenetics

Neurodevelopmental conditions, which include autism spectrum disorders, ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), and more, impact around ten percent of the American population.

2 Sep 2026

Researchers discover dozens of genes tied to OCD and tic disorders

A Rutgers-led international collaboration has identified 36 genes that substantially raise the risk for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and chronic tic disorders – providing what two researchers said is the most detailed biological understanding of how these conditions develop – and how they might eventually be treated.

2 Sep 2026

New brain atlas reveals insights into Huntington's, addiction, and other disorders

A region of the brain called the striatum is critical for many cognitive and motor functions, including decision-making, control of movement, habit formation, and processing of reward.

1 Sep 2026

Study identifies 36 risk genes for OCD and tic disorders

1 Sep 2026

Study links human gut bacteria to levels of key chemicals in the brain

The neuroactive potential of bacteria living in the human gut is associated with levels of key chemicals in the brain, according to a new study from the University of Surrey and the University of Roehampton.

1 Sep 2026

Memory declines begin earlier in life than previously thought

Memory loss is usually thought of as something to address as a person ages. Slip-ups like forgetting someone's name or recognizing a familiar face but not remembering where you know them from are often viewed as issues that arise later in life.

31 Aug 2026

Does a psychedelic need an awake brain to have lasting effects? This mouse study offers a clue

A single dose of psilocybin produced a lasting increase in sociability for at least two weeks in Cntnap2-knockout mice with social deficits, while it did not enhance sociability overall in mice with normal social behavior. The effect required 5-HT2A receptor activation and persisted when psilocybin was administered under light anesthesia, suggesting that wakefulness during the drug’s acute effects was not necessary for this behavioral response.

30 Aug 2026

New mutant rat model replicates human chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major health burden affecting approximately one in ten adults globally. Even with improved treatments, many patients continue to have worsening loss of kidney function, resulting in the need for dialysis or transplantation.

27 Aug 2026

Brain shrinkage biomarker may predict early-onset Alzheimer’s progression

In people diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease, a biomarker tool that detects shrinkage of the brain's gray matter may predict how quickly someone may progress from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia, according to a new study published August 26, 2026, in Neurology, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

27 Aug 2026

Specific brain regions found more vulnerable to dementia with Lewy bodies

Dementia with Lewy bodies is one of the most common forms of dementia in older adults, after Alzheimer's disease.

26 Aug 2026

Stress gene switches on more easily in the brains of people with schizophrenia

Experts at the University of Sydney have found that a gene involved in regulating the body's response to stress switches on more easily in the brains of people who live with schizophrenia.

26 Aug 2026

Study reveals how the brain balances competing goals

How do we decide what to do when faced with choices? And how does the brain adapt those decisions as the world around us changes? A new study published in Nature by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital offers surprising insights by revealing how the human brain continuously balances competing goals in real time.

25 Aug 2026

Loneliness can reprogram the brain to increase alcohol use

Loneliness can reprogram the brain in ways that push alcohol consumption, reports a new preclinical study led by Northwestern University and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

25 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