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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.

New report highlights top ten brain health breakthroughs for clinicians

"Understanding Breakthroughs in Brain Health: Top 10 Articles of 2025" - the latest "Top 10" report in the Gerontological Society of America's Insights & Implications in Gerontology series - presents a curated collection of the year's most impactful research on cognitive decline, dementia detection, and brain health across the lifespan, with a focus on actionable insights for primary care providers.

14 Jul 2026

Poor sleep alters brain communication networks differently across adult lifespan

Have trouble sleeping? The reason may depend in part on your age. A recent study including psychology researchers from Binghamton University, State University of New York investigates how poor sleep alters brain communication across the adult lifespan, specifically examining how these changes vary by age and biological sex.

14 Jul 2026

Study tracks school readiness and academic performance in preterm children

More than half of children (57 per cent) born before 32 weeks were not ready for school at five years of age, including in areas such as communication and language, and physical and emotional development.

14 Jul 2026

New study quantifies how future climate change threatens mental health

A new study has, for the first time in the world, quantitatively projected how climate change will affect mental health at a multi-country level.

14 Jul 2026

Newborn breathing collapse risk highest in first 24 hours

Sudden unexpected postnatal collapse (SUPC) occurs when an apparently healthy newborn suddenly stops breathing and collapses during the first week of life.

14 Jul 2026

Directed enzyme evolution and the Nobel Prize: Making enzymes evolve in the lab

Frances Arnold on directed enzyme evolution: random mutation plus smart screening, and why it changed enzyme engineering and industry.

From Pittcon 14 Jul 2026

EpilepsyGTx partners with ClearPoint Neuro to support targeted delivery of lead gene therapy in epilepsy

EpilepsyGTx, a biotechnology company developing cutting-edge gene therapies to treat refractory epilepsy, and ClearPoint Neuro ("ClearPoint"), a global therapy-enabling company offering precise navigation and delivery to the brain, today announced a partnership to support the targeted delivery of EpilepsyGTx's lead gene therapy candidate, EPY201, for focal refractory epilepsy (FRE).

From EpilepsyGTx 14 Jul 2026

Wild carnivores reveal wider West Nile and Usutu virus exposure in the Netherlands

Researchers detected Usutu virus RNA in nine of 818 wild carnivores sampled across the Netherlands, while no animals tested positive for West Nile virus RNA. Neutralizing antibodies to one or both viruses in red foxes and stone martens indicate broader spillover exposure and suggest these species may support arbovirus surveillance.

14 Jul 2026

New study reveals why autistic teens struggle with sounds of unfamiliar voices

Just like other teenagers, many teens on the autism spectrum are itching to exercise their social muscles. They hope for new friends, fun with people who share their interests, maybe even a romantic relationship.

13 Jul 2026

Imaging technique uncovers how copper imbalance may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases

Using a groundbreaking imaging technique, a University of Houston chemist is uncovering how copper imbalances in the body may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and ALS.

13 Jul 2026

New consensus provides updated guidance for managing prolactinoma tumors

Prolactinomas are the most common functional pituitary neuroendocrine tumors, accounting for nearly half of all hormone-secreting pituitary adenomas.

13 Jul 2026

Infants use spatial cues to hear voices in noise

In noisy environments, organisms differentiate sounds they want to detect from interfering noise to improve their perception of target sounds.

13 Jul 2026

Blocking ZFP384 protein extends brain repair window after stroke

Blocking the activity of ZFP384 can prolong the brain’s endogenous repair functions after stroke, report researchers in a collaborative study.

13 Jul 2026

Robot-guided surgery successfully drains multiple deep brain abscesses

Brain abscesses located deep within the brain can rapidly become life-threatening and are often difficult to treat through conventional surgery. Brain abscesses located deep within the brain can rapidly become life-threatening and are often difficult to treat through conventional surgery.

13 Jul 2026

Smelling dark chocolate before training may improve workout performance

Chocolate odors influence resistance exercise performance in fasted men, highlighting the potential of sensory cues to enhance training and appetite control.

13 Jul 2026

Global consortium releases AI toolbox to unlock new Alzheimer's treatments

The Consortium for Biomedical Research and Artificial Intelligence in Neurodegeneration (C-BRAIN), a global collaboration of academic researchers, pharmaceutical companies, and philanthropic organizations of which Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis is a founding member, today launched three open-source AI tools to accelerate research aimed at developing new treatments for Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.

13 Jul 2026

Gut microbiota may shape eating behavior and guide new obesity treatments

The review shows how gut microbiota may influence appetite, food reward, inflammation, and energy balance through the gut-brain axis. Microbiota-targeted approaches could support future treatments for obesity and eating disorders, but clinical evidence remains limited.

12 Jul 2026

EGFR inhibitors may overcome chemotherapy resistance in glioblastoma treatment

Treating glioblastoma with a class of drugs known as EGFR inhibitors made this cancer more sensitive to chemotherapy, suggests a study in preclinical models co-led by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

12 Jul 2026

New study explains how brain tumors evolve to resist treatment

A form of glioma, a type of brain cancer, tends to progress towards greater malignancy due to an increasing tendency of the glioma cells to transform into immature, stem-cell-like states, according to a study led by investigators at Weill Cornell Medicine, the New York Genome Center, Harvard Medical School and Mass General Brigham.

11 Jul 2026

Scientists trace severe irritability to the brain’s response to frustration

This review identifies maladaptive responses to frustrative non-reward as a potential mechanism underlying clinically significant irritability, particularly in youth. Animal studies reveal conserved behavioral responses, while human research links frustration to altered neural activity and highlights opportunities for cross-species treatment research.

10 Jul 2026