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.

Study provides a more nuanced picture of biological mechanisms linked to autism

How does autism manifest in the brain? Researchers from the University of Southern Denmark and Odense University Hospital have investigated this question in a new study involving 60 adults.

21 Aug 2026

Neurogenesis stalls in the brains of adults with major depressive disorder, study shows

Most of our brain's 100 billion neurons are created before we're born, but the trickle of neurons created in the adult brain hippocampus could be instrumental in preventing depression, suggest findings from a new study by researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

21 Aug 2026

Oxford study identifies brain mechanisms behind our sense of control

A study led by the University of Oxford has identified the brain mechanisms that help us work out whether the consequences we experience are caused by our own actions or by circumstances beyond our control.

21 Aug 2026

Comprehensive review outlines engineering-driven therapeutic pathways for spinal cord injuries

A comprehensive review published in Engineering outlines multi-disciplinary engineering approaches addressing spinal cord injury (SCI), a debilitating central nervous system disorder triggering permanent sensory, motor, and autonomic dysfunction, and imposing heavy burdens on individuals and societies worldwide.

21 Aug 2026

New review highlights spatial technologies in advanced brain mapping

Understanding how molecular changes shape brain function and disease requires more than measuring genes in bulk tissue.

21 Aug 2026

KAIST research opens new path toward releasing 'molecular lock' and reversing cell's fate

Once a cell has locked into an abnormal state — the way cancer cells do — can it ever be restored back to normal? A KAIST research team has identified the 'molecular lock' that keeps cells trapped in an altered state, opening a new path toward releasing that lock and reversing a cell's fate.

21 Aug 2026

Aging shifts memories from vivid details to bigger picture

Research from the University of East Anglia shows how our memories change with age and why specific details associated with past events can fade over time.

21 Aug 2026

Lancet review examines possible amyloid-beta transmission through blood transfusions

A review and opinion piece published in The Lancet and led by UCL (University College London) and UCLH researchers discusses the possibility that blood transfusions may inadvertently transmit harmful brain proteins, and whether additional safety measures are warranted as a precaution whilst further research is conducted to better understand these potential risks.

21 Aug 2026

Scientists create brain organoids with distinct cortical regional identity

The human brain is often described as one of the most complex structures in biology, and much of its power comes from how it's organized.

20 Aug 2026

Wake-activated brain circuits reveal what drives the urge to sleep

Researchers identified wake-activated neurons in the median raphe and anterior medial preoptic area that track sleep pressure and help regulate when and how deeply mice sleep. Manipulating these circuits altered NREM sleep, sleep-pressure accumulation, and rebound sleep, revealing key neural mechanisms underlying mammalian sleep homeostasis.

20 Aug 2026

Cross-generational friendships reshape brain synchrony in unexpected ways

The closer two people grow, the more alike their brains work– or so the assumption goes. Two ETH Zurich studies challenge this idea by examining the brain activity of younger and older adults who drew together over several weeks.

20 Aug 2026

Glioma microenvironment emerges as key target for future therapies

The prognosis for glioma patients remains extremely poor despite aggressive multimodal standard therapy: maximal safe resection, radiotherapy, and temozolomide chemotherapy, with median survival rarely exceeding 15 to 18 months.

20 Aug 2026

Psilocybin may make the brain more organized than scientists expected

In 62 adults, researchers combined fMRI, EEG and machine learning to examine how psilocybin reshapes brain activity during rest, meditation, music and movie viewing. They found that context-sensitive neural organization tracked the intensity and quality of psychedelic experiences and was associated with next-day mindset change.

20 Aug 2026

Researchers maintain brain organoids for longer than ever before

An international team of researchers has maintained brain organoids, three-dimensional models of human brain tissue, for longer than ever before.

20 Aug 2026

New brain wave theory explains cognition and consciousness

A new theory, published in The Journal of Neuroscience by three scientists in The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT, offers an explanation of how the brain produces cognition and consciousness: It uses traveling waves of rhythmic neural activity to coordinate nimble neural networks with analog computations.

20 Aug 2026

New AI framework improves reliability of cancer pathology diagnosis

Cancer diagnoses directly affect treatment decisions and prognosis and can even have life-altering consequences.

20 Aug 2026

Study: Nearly 8 out of 10 young adults have cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome

A new scientific study found that nearly 8 out of 10 young adult participants, average age 23 years, had cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome (CKM syndrome), according to new independent research published today in Circulation: Population Health and Outcomes, a peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Heart Association.

20 Aug 2026

Brain organoid studies on the ISS move closer to new treatments

Research using human brain organoids onboard the International Space Station International Space Station (ISS) helped lead to the clinical trial of a potential therapy for Rett syndrome, a debilitating neurological disorder in children.

20 Aug 2026

Microglial differences found in genetic and sporadic frontotemporal dementia patients

A study by the University of Eastern Finland revealed for the first time clear differences in the function and gene expression of microglial cells from patients with genetic and sporadic types of frontotemporal dementia.

20 Aug 2026

Two distinct types of brain tissue work together to support cognition in older adults

Researchers from the Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute (Stevens INI) at the Keck School of Medicine of USC have found that two distinct types of brain tissue work together to support cognition in older adults, and that the health of the brain's short-range wiring may help soften the cognitive effects of gray matter loss.

20 Aug 2026