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.

Researchers uncover shared olfactory mechanisms across mice and humans

Picture a mouse taking rapid, staccato sniffs of a crumb it's found while foraging for food. Now compare that with a human, leaning in for a single, deep inhale to gauge if a cantaloupe is ripe.

3 Jul 2026

New AI model improves prediction of cancer immunotherapy success

Cancer immunotherapy drugs known as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) can be miracle drugs for cancer patients, curing some and turning deadly disease into a manageable chronic condition in others.

3 Jul 2026

Experimental drug shields nerve cells from damage caused by ALS

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS, received widespread awareness in the summer of 2014 thanks to an Ice Bucket Challenge. Millions of people participated in the challenge, drenching themselves in ice cold water to bring visibility to this devastating neurodegenerative disease and generate charitable donations for research.

3 Jul 2026

Sniffing chocolate could make your leg day workout easier, even on an empty stomach

When was the last time you went to the gym and found working out a bit harder than expected? Leg day in particular can be tough, but a new Frontiers in Physiology study found a promising trick that might make it easier: sniffing chocolate.

3 Jul 2026

Japan aligns human embryo model research with updated ethical oversight

Human embryo models can help researchers study early human development and infertility without relying solely on human embryos.

2 Jul 2026

Blood circRNAs may predict Alzheimer’s before symptoms emerge

Blood-based circular RNAs showed strong potential for identifying biomarker-confirmed Alzheimer’s disease and predicting progression to symptomatic disease. When combined with pTau217, the circRNA model produced the strongest predictive performance, but larger prospective validation is still needed.

2 Jul 2026

First-in-class experimental CAR T-cell therapy shows promise against solid tumors

Researchers with the Charbonneau Cancer Institute at the University of Calgary and McMaster University have identified a unique target present on a specific group of solid cancerous tumors.

2 Jul 2026

Psychological stress accelerates immune aging through the gut microbiota

Psychological stress is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for certain health conditions including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, especially when paired with an impaired immune response.

2 Jul 2026

Prenatal high fructose exposure impairs brain development and memory

Nutritional imbalance during pregnancy can have long-lasting effects on the health status and disease susceptibility of the offspring.

2 Jul 2026

Blocking nerve signaling may reduce cancer-associated cachexia

Researchers have uncovered a previously unrecognized pathway linking lung tumor genetics, diet, and the nervous system that drives cancer-associated cachexia, according to a new study in mice.

2 Jul 2026

Lung tumors hijack nervous system to drive cancer-related cachexia

According to the Cleveland Clinic, a quarter of cancer deaths can be attributed to one source: cachexia. Cachexia is a syndrome that accompanies underlying chronic illness and causes unwanted muscle and fat loss, reducing quality of life and sometimes even limiting treatment options.

2 Jul 2026

Study reveals impaired glymphatic function in people living with ME/CFS

The brain's waste clearance system is impaired in people living with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) which can lead to various symptoms including brain fog, Griffith University researchers have discovered.

2 Jul 2026

Umbilical cord proteins may explain lifelong health effects of low birth weight

Researchers have long sought to discover why babies who weigh less than expected at birth, a condition known as small for gestational age, or SGA, are at higher risk for heart, lung and metabolic diseases as adults.

2 Jul 2026

Study tracks long-term recovery patterns of COVID-19 patients

Six years after the world first learned of COVID-19, the pandemic has faded into an unpleasant memory for many. For others, however, it never fully ended.

2 Jul 2026

USC scientists target brain inflammation to prevent Alzheimer's disease

An interdisciplinary team at the USC Center for Personalized Brain Health (CPBH) is targeting a family of enzymes that can increase the risk of inflammation in the brains of people with the APOE4 gene variation-the most significant genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's-as a way to prevent the disease.

2 Jul 2026

Study reveals hidden brain circuit behind flexible visual thinking

Nuttida Rungratsameetaweemana is challenging a story neuroscience has told for decades. According to the conventional account, our eyes collect raw information and relay it through a series of nerves and waystations that lead deep into the brain, eventually reaching the cortex.

2 Jul 2026

Community-based programs show greater promise for dementia prevention efforts

Nearly half of dementia cases could be prevented by tackling modifiable risk factors such as physical inactivity, smoking, low education or social isolation, but new Curtin University research suggests current public health approaches are falling short of driving real behaviour change.

2 Jul 2026

Study potential new therapeutic strategy for patients with ATRX-mutant gliomas

A new study from researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has uncovered how one of the most common genetic alterations in glioma rewires the cancer cell genome to fuel tumor progression, suggesting a potential new therapeutic strategy for patients with ATRX-mutant gliomas.

1 Jul 2026

Smart prodrug targets Alzheimer's disease using hydrogen peroxide signals

A substance that worsens dementia has become a "switch" that initiates treatment. KAIST researchers have developed a new therapeutic approach that uses hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), a reactive oxygen species that damages cells and increases in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease, to activate a drug selectively in diseased brain tissue.

1 Jul 2026

Depression-like behavior may accelerate endocrine aging in primates

A new review was published in Volume 18 of Aging on June 11, 2026, titled "Age-related dysfunctions of the neuroendocrine axes in nonhuman primates with depression-like and anxious behavior."

1 Jul 2026