Neurons News and Research

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Can psychedelics break compulsive eating habits in obesity?

A review by Oxford researchers explores how psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD may help disrupt compulsive eating behaviors in subsets of obese individuals. The paper outlines proposed neurobiological, epigenetic, and gut-brain mechanisms while emphasizing the need for human trials.

10 Apr 2025

Epigenetic discovery offers hope for reducing addiction relapse

New research on the biological basis of addiction has found that the critical epigenetic enzyme histone deacetylase 5 (HDAC5) limits the expression of the gene Scn4b, regulating neuronal activity and thereby the formation of strong drug-related memories, which can trigger relapse in individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs).

10 Apr 2025

AI-powered digital twin of mouse visual cortex

Much as a pilot might practice maneuvers in a flight simulator, scientists might soon be able to perform experiments on a realistic simulation of the mouse brain. In a new study, Stanford Medicine researchers and collaborators used an artificial intelligence model to build a "digital twin" of the part of the mouse brain that processes visual information.

10 Apr 2025

Protein linked to Parkinson's also found to drive melanoma growth

A small protein involved in neurodegeneration leading to Parkinson's disease also drives a type of skin cancer known as melanoma, new research led by Oregon Health & Science University finds.

9 Apr 2025

Cell-by-cell analysis reveals brain changes in Tourette syndrome

In the first comprehensive, cell-by-cell analysis of brain tissue from individuals with Tourette syndrome, researchers have pinpointed exactly which cells are perturbed and how they malfunction, revealing how different types of brain cells are affected by the condition.

9 Apr 2025

Neural organoids offer insight into mechanisms of dementia

Researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine have discovered a new way that neurons act in neurodegeneration by using human neural organoids – also known as "mini-brain" models – from patients with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD).

9 Apr 2025

Study uncovers conserved development and evolutionary innovations in the human hypothalamus

In a new study published in Developmental Cell on April 8, a research team led by Prof. WU Qingfeng at the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has demonstrated the conserved cellular development and evolutionary innovations in the developing human hypothalamus.

9 Apr 2025

Experimental drug NU-9 shows promise for Alzheimer's and ALS treatment

Experimental drug NU-9 - a small molecule compound approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clinical trials for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) - improves neuron health in animal models of Alzheimer's disease, according to a new Northwestern University study.

8 Apr 2025

Marathon running alters brain myelin for energy use

According to a study published by Nature Metabolism, marathon runners experience reversible changes in their brain myelin.

8 Apr 2025

New drug compound offers pain relief without opioid side effects

University of Florida scientists have helped identify a novel drug compound that selectively activates pain-altering receptors in the body, offering a potentially safer alternative to conventional pain medications.

8 Apr 2025

Proteins linked to Parkinson's and ALS found to protect mitochondria

Scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine say they have discovered how a group of proteins linked to Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis act as "guardians" of mitochondria, small organelles, or subunits, within a cell that make and store energy and are found in almost all plants and animals.

8 Apr 2025

New studies reveal how cytokines affect mood and behavior

Physicians have long observed a mystifying phenomenon: After a bout of infection or an autoimmune disease flare-up, some people experience prolonged mood swings, emotional dysregulation, and changes in behavior.

7 Apr 2025

Human dental stem cells can be transformed into excitable neuronal cells, study shows

The cells with electrophysiological activity obtained at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) are opening up new avenues for the study of neurodegenerative diseases and the development of future autologous transplants.

7 Apr 2025

The thalamus could be a strategic target for treating cognitive dysfunction

Years ago, as a neurology resident, Chinfei Chen, MD, PhD, cared for a 20-year-old woman who had experienced a very small stroke, affecting only the thalamus.

7 Apr 2025

New neurons rebuild damaged circuits in Huntington’s disease

New research shows that the adult brain can generate new neurons that integrate into key motor circuits. The findings demonstrate that stimulating natural brain processes may help repair damaged neural networks in Huntington's and other diseases.

7 Apr 2025

Scientists cast new light on how fasting impacts the immune system

New research from The University of Manchester may reshape our understanding of what happens to the immune system when we fast.

7 Apr 2025

Cornell researchers discover brain mechanisms behind psilocybin's effects

Psilocybin is the active ingredient that gives so-called "magic mushrooms" their hallucinogenic kick. It also has a therapeutic potential for treating depression.

4 Apr 2025