Brain Cell News and Research

RSS

Contact sports tied to hidden brain damage independent of CTE

This fall, tens of millions of people will be at risk for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated head impacts from contact sports like football, soccer, and ice hockey, or military service.

17 Sep 2025

Boosting PI31 to restore synaptic function and prevent neurodegeneration

One fundamental feature of neurodegenerative diseases is a breakdown in communication. Even before brain cells die, the delicate machinery that keeps neurons in touch-by clearing away protein waste at the synapses-starts to fail.

16 Sep 2025

Stress in early life alters brain cell structure and behavior in mice

Canadian researchers show that stress modifies the morphology of brain cells in mice, directly influencing the rodents' level of physical activity.

4 Sep 2025

Glutamate receptors found to drive pediatric brain tumor development

The most common type of brain tumor in children, pilocytic astrocytoma (PA), accounts for about 15% of all pediatric brain tumors.

1 Sep 2025

Can honey protect your brain? Study reviews its potential against Alzheimer's

This review examined 27 preclinical studies on honey and Alzheimer’s disease, showing honey’s bioactive compounds counter oxidative stress, inflammation, and amyloid buildup. Despite promising lab results, no human trials exist, underscoring the need for clinical research.

1 Sep 2025

Research sheds new light on depression’s biological roots

Researchers at McGill University and the Douglas Institute have identified two specific types of brain cells that are altered in people with depression.

28 Aug 2025

Scientists discover molecular brake that halts brain cell repair in multiple sclerosis

A team of scientists led by the Institute for Glial Sciences (IGS) at Case Western Reserve University's School of Medicine has discovered a built-in "brake" that controls when key brain cells mature.

25 Aug 2025

Lithium deficiency emerges as a hidden driver of Alzheimer’s

What is the earliest spark that ignites the memory-robbing march of Alzheimer’s disease? Why do some people with Alzheimer’s-like changes in the brain never go on to develop dementia? These questions have bedeviled neuroscientists for decades.

8 Aug 2025

Scientists link brain lithium loss to early Alzheimer’s changes

Researchers have discovered that naturally occurring lithium in the brain is depleted early in Alzheimer’s disease, especially in the prefrontal cortex, and that restoring physiological levels with lithium orotate in mice can prevent brain damage and memory loss. The findings suggest lithium deficiency may be a modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer’s.

7 Aug 2025

Prime editing reverses symptoms of severe childhood neurological disease

Scientists use a precise form of gene editing called prime editing to correct the most common genetic mutations that cause alternating hemiplegia of childhood, a rare and severe neurological disorder that begins in infancy.

From The Jackson Labs 6 Aug 2025

Natural brain rhythms control stress hormone levels and alertness

Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka-led research has found stress-controlling brain cells switch on and off in a steady rhythm about once every hour – even when nothing stressful is happening.

4 Aug 2025

New research unveils vast influence of B vitamins on health and disease

Eight essential nutrients make up the suite of B vitamins also known as the B complex. Researchers from Tufts University and elsewhere have revealed that these B vitamins influence a vast spectrum of human health and disease, including cognitive function, cardiovascular health, gastric bypass recovery, neural tube defects, and even cancer.

4 Aug 2025

Johns Hopkins uncovers protein's unexpected role in brain signaling

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine say they unexpectedly found new information about a protein's special role in getting brain cells to communicate at the right time and place in experiments with genetically engineered mice.

4 Aug 2025

Brain’s blood vessels and immune cells play key role in Alzheimer’s and stroke

The brain's health depends on more than just its neurons. A complex network of blood vessels and immune cells acts as the brain's dedicated guardians-controlling what enters, cleaning up waste, and protecting it from threats by forming the blood-brain barrier.

28 Jul 2025

Probiotic bacteria found to reshape cell behavior in vitro

This study reveals how probiotic bacteria directly influence brain cell function, highlighting gut-brain communication and potential therapeutic applications.

23 Jul 2025

Dual cancer drugs restore memory and rewire brain cells in Alzheimer’s mouse models

Researchers identified a combination of two existing cancer drugs, letrozole and irinotecan, that reversed Alzheimer’s disease-related changes in brain cell networks and improved memory in mouse models. The study supports a multi-cell-type, network-correcting strategy as a promising path for future Alzheimer’s treatments.

22 Jul 2025