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.

UCSF studies point the way toward continuous care for people with Parkinson's disease

Two new studies from UC San Francisco are pointing the way toward round-the-clock personalized care for people with Parkinson's disease through an implanted device that can treat movement problems during the day and insomnia at night.

19 Aug 2024

Uncovering new antibiotics from the human gut microbiome

The average human gut contains roughly 100 trillion microbes, many of which are constantly competing for limited resources.

19 Aug 2024

USC researchers develop new sleep analysis tool based on heart data

We know that quality sleep is as essential to survival as food and water. Yet, despite spending a third of our lives in slumber, it largely remains a scientific mystery.

19 Aug 2024

Study reveals time-of-day impact on cerebral malaria severity

A discovery by McGill-affiliated researchers could lead to more effective treatment of malaria and other parasitic diseases.

19 Aug 2024

Long COVID symptoms may stem from low cortisol and altered brain immune response

Proteins left behind by COVID-19 long after initial infection can cause cortisol levels in the brain to plummet, inflame the nervous system and prime its immune cells to hyper-react when another stressor arises, according to new animal research by University of Colorado Boulder scientists.

19 Aug 2024

Lecanemab effectively targets amyloid plaques in people with Down syndrome, study finds

People with Down syndrome are likely to develop Alzheimer's disease at a young age, with autopsy studies showing that by age 40 years, the brains of individuals with Down syndrome have amyloid plaques.

19 Aug 2024

New statement highlights nurses' role in managing psychosocial health after stroke

Nurses play a key role in helping patients manage emotional and social health challenges, or psychosocial health, after a stroke, and improved screening and assessment for psychosocial needs are essential to provide optimal patient care.

19 Aug 2024

New implantable device could revolutionize opioid overdose response

A swine model to demonstrate the potential of an implantable system for opioid safety (iSOS).

19 Aug 2024

Researchers use XAI to unlock secrets of drug discovery

Artificial intelligence (AI) has exploded in popularity. It powers models that help us drive vehicles, proofread emails and even design new molecules for medications.

18 Aug 2024

PINNACLE AI model advances protein analysis in real-world contexts

A fish on land still waves its fins, but the results are markedly different when that fish is in water. Attributed to renowned computer scientist Alan Kay, the analogy is used to illustrate the power of context in illuminating questions under investigation.

16 Aug 2024

ASTN2 gene knockout in mice reveals key autism-related behaviors

More than 70 genes have been linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a developmental condition in which differences in the brain lead to a host of altered behaviors, including issues with language, social communication, hyperactivity, and repetitive movements.

16 Aug 2024

Advancements in MRI brain tumor segmentation with improved U-net model

The brain is responsible for the "general command" of human thinking and coordination of the body.

16 Aug 2024

Researchers develop four new regimens to treat people with multidrug-resistant TB meningitis

In a preliminary study with a small number of humans, rabbits and mice, researchers at Johns Hopkins Children's Center say they have developed four new regimens that have the potential to treat and save the lives of people with multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculous (TB) meningitis.

16 Aug 2024

Study links dementia diagnosis rates to geographic location

With new medications on the market or in the works for Alzheimer's disease and other kinds of dementia, a new study suggests that getting the diagnosis needed to access these new treatments may depend on where you live.

16 Aug 2024

Study: Early brain wiring driven by spontaneous cellular activity

In humans, the process of learning is driven by different groups of cells in the brain firing together. For instance, when the neurons associated with the process of recognizing a dog begin to fire in a coordinated manner in response to the cells that encode the features of a dog - four legs, fur, a tail, etc. - a young child will eventually be able to identify dogs going forward.

16 Aug 2024

Amid Medicaid ‘unwinding,’ many states wind up expansions

Trisha Byers left behind one crucial item when she moved to North Carolina last year to be closer to her family after suffering a brain injury: health insurance.

16 Aug 2024

Scientists discover brain's 'future map'

Researchers from the RIKEN Center for Brain Science (CBS) in Japan have discovered a region of the brain that encodes where an animal is planning to be in the near future. Linked to internal maps of spatial locations and past movements, activity in the newly discovered grid cells accurately predicts future locations as an animal travels around its environment. Published in Science on August 15th, 2024, the study helps explain how planned spatial navigation is possible.

16 Aug 2024

Scientists find way to restore brain's self-cleaning function

Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other neurological disorders can be seen as "dirty brain" diseases, where the brain struggles to clear out harmful waste. Aging is a key risk factor because, as we grow older, our brain's ability to remove toxic buildup slows down. However, new research in mice demonstrates that it's possible to reverse age-related effects and restore the brain's waste-clearing process.

16 Aug 2024

NIH initiative empowers Native American communities in public health research

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has launched a program that will support Native American communities to lead public health research to address overdose, substance use, and pain, including related factors such as mental health and wellness.

15 Aug 2024

Infections drive brain volume loss and dementia risk by altering key immune proteins, study reveals

Severe infections are linked to increased brain atrophy, particularly in the temporal lobe, which may elevate dementia risk through immune-related proteins.

15 Aug 2024