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.

Brain transposons may influence aging and neurodegenerative disease progression

Transposable elements (TEs), also called transposons, are DNA sequences capable of moving or replicating from one location to another within a genome.

28 May 2026

Rice and Baylor join BrainGate to develop brain-computer interfaces for people with paralysis

When a person loses a limb, a prosthesis often can help restore a significant degree of mobility. But when movement or communication is impaired by a neurological condition such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), spinal cord injury or stroke, there are, as of yet, very few options for the affected individual.

28 May 2026

New nutrient-sensing mechanism offers hope for neurodegenerative diseases

Researchers from the University of Cambridge highlight new ways that neurons and many cell types use to sense nutrients - opening potential novel therapeutic avenues for disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

28 May 2026

Drug-filled nanofibers offer potential breakthrough treatment for brain cancer

Researchers with the University of Cincinnati and Johns Hopkins Medicine developed a potential treatment for brain cancer that uses nanofibers embedded with a combination of drugs that work in concert to target tumors.

28 May 2026

Virtual AI mouse tests nanomedicine without using living animals

When a tumor manages to nestle itself in the brain of a living being, it has - from the tumor's perspective - done something particularly clever.

28 May 2026

Scientists uncover unexpected thermal retention properties inside the cell

Living cells cool much slower than our current understanding of heat conduction can explain, according to new research from the University of Tokyo. Researchers used two techniques - high-speed temperature mapping and artificial heating - to observe how heat dissipated from living cells and similar-sized artificial, fluid-filled sacs (liposomes).

28 May 2026

How common spices may improve gut, brain, and metabolic health

The health effects of spices are explored, revealing their potential to influence blood sugar, inflammation, and brain function through various mechanisms.

28 May 2026

Research challenges long standing beliefs about cannabis and male hormones

The effects of cannabis on the hormonal system and male fertility remain controversial within the scientific community. A study conducted by the University of Geneva (UNIGE), in collaboration with the Swiss Center for Applied Human Toxicology (SCAHT), provides a new answer by showing that cannabis use does not reduce testosterone levels in young men and may even increase its testicular synthesis.

28 May 2026

Miniature lab grown circuits unlock hidden recovery paths for paralysis

Cambridge scientists have grown miniature circuits in the lab that mimic how the brain and spinal cord connect up, which underlies our movements. They used this model to show how damage to these connections previously considered 'irreversible' could, in fact, be reversible.

28 May 2026

Scientists rethink GLP-1 delivery to improve dosing, tolerability, and adherence

The review highlights nanocarriers, microspheres, hydrogels, microneedles, long-acting formulations, and co-formulations as promising but mostly early-stage strategies that still require stronger long-term clinical evidence.

27 May 2026

Study finds lower Alzheimer’s pathology in Black and Hispanic patients

A large multisite study of older people with cognitive impairment finds that Black and Hispanic people, while known to be far more apt to have dementia, are significantly less apt than other racial and ethnic groups to show Alzheimer's pathology on brain scans.

27 May 2026

Major trial compares surgical approaches for treating Chiari malformation and syringomyelia

A nationwide study has shed new light on how to most effectively and safely treat Chiari malformation and syringomyelia, rare neurological diseases that impact both children and young adults.

27 May 2026

Smartwatch seizure detection app may help reduce epilepsy-related deaths

In people with epilepsy, a new study has found a smartwatch application accurately detected tonic-clonic seizures, seizures with major convulsions, with a low rate of false alarms.

27 May 2026

Study reveals how cells regulate spindle formation during division

During animal cell division, a highly synchronized and tightly regulated dance of chromosomes takes place, ensuring the chromosomes split correctly into the two cells.

27 May 2026

Ghrelin rises in depression despite obesity’s usual appetite-hormone suppression

Researchers found that both acylated and deacylated ghrelin were elevated in unmedicated adults with major depressive disorder and obesity compared with non-depressed adults with obesity. The cross-sectional findings suggest ghrelin-system dysregulation may be linked to depression in obesity, but larger longitudinal studies are needed to test whether ghrelin is a reliable biomarker.

27 May 2026

Artificial intelligence reveals hidden fluid flow patterns in sleeping brains

When a person goes into deep sleep, waterlike fluid circulates around the brain, washing away metabolic waste that is linked to diseases such as Alzheimer's.

27 May 2026

Smaller nanoplastics trigger stronger changes in brain neuron activity

Smaller plastic particles have more effects on neurons, the key information processing cells of the brain, new research from the University of Eastern Finland shows.

27 May 2026

Mount Sinai opens integrated clinical center for womens health

The Mount Sinai Health System is opening the Carolyn Rowan Center for Women's Health and Wellness, a transformative new model for women's health that brings together multidisciplinary clinical expertise, structured care pathways, and leading-edge research innovation to deliver more personalized, comprehensive care for women across the entire lifespan.

27 May 2026

Study reveals how immune cells alter vascular plaque formation

A new LMU study shows how differently immune cells influence the formation of dangerous vascular deposits - and identifies miR-147 as a potential starting point for future therapies.

27 May 2026

Virtual reality navigation deficits predict future brain volume loss

Alzheimer's disease (AD) often begins long before it is clinically recognized, with subtle brain changes emerging years before noticeable memory loss or cognitive decline.

27 May 2026