Neurodegenerative Disease News and Research

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Study links eye movements to real-time memory retrieval

The eyes may reveal how experiences are recalled according to new Baycrest research that suggests that shifts in eye movements play a critical role in memory retrieval.

9 Feb 2026

Engineered CAR-T cells reduce Alzheimer’s plaques in mice

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, a type of immunotherapy that leverages the immune system to combat diseases, is a powerful treatment option for certain cancers.

9 Feb 2026

Does motherhood influence brain aging? New research suggests a positive cognitive association

Longitudinal data from postmenopausal women suggest that cumulative pregnancy duration and breastfeeding history are associated with modestly better cognitive performance later in life. These associations reflect higher cognitive trajectory levels rather than proven slowing of decline, and causality remains uncertain.

5 Feb 2026

Aging brains struggle to recycle synaptic proteins

As we age, we begin to lose the connections that wire up our brains-and neuroscientists aren't sure why.

2 Feb 2026

Biomarker discovery may pave the way for early diagnosis of Parkinson's

A team led by researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, has succeeded in identifying biomarkers for Parkinson's disease in its earliest stages, before extensive brain damage has occurred.

29 Jan 2026

Overactive protein cleanup disrupts nuclear pores in neurodegenerative disease

When it comes to neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and certain forms of dementia, researchers have known that protein quality control and damage to the nuclear pore are key players.

27 Jan 2026

New atlas of brain lysosomes sheds light on neurodegenerative disorders

Functioning brain cells need a functioning system for picking up the trash and sorting the recycling. But when the cellular sanitation machines responsible for those tasks, called lysosomes, break down or get overwhelmed, it can increase the risk of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other neurological disorders.

27 Jan 2026

Minimally invasive biopsy enables real-time tracking of amyloid disease progression

Transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) is a rare, progressive and highly aggressive degenerative disease. It is caused by the misfolding of a specific protein, leading to its toxic accumulation in the form of filamentous deposits in various organs.

26 Jan 2026

Tiny plastic particles may interfere with brain processes implicated in Parkinson’s disease

Micro- and nanoplastics are increasingly detected in human tissues, including the brain, and experimental evidence suggests they can interact with biological pathways central to Parkinson’s disease pathology. This review synthesises mechanistic data indicating that plastic particles may influence protein aggregation, neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and the gut–brain axis, while emphasising the need for prospective human studies.

26 Jan 2026

Ageing slows brain protein clearance and shifts synaptic waste to microglia

Ageing slows neuronal protein degradation in mice, leading to widespread accumulation and aggregation of long-lived proteins, particularly at synapses. As neuronal clearance declines, microglia selectively accumulate synaptic proteins, suggesting a compensatory but potentially strained proteostasis pathway in the ageing brain.

22 Jan 2026

Long-term air pollution exposure raises motor neuron disease risk

Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution was associated with a higher risk of developing motor neuron disease and poorer prognosis after diagnosis in a large nationwide Swedish study. Higher particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide exposure were also linked to faster functional decline and increased likelihood of invasive ventilation.

21 Jan 2026

Air bubbles on plastics release microplastics into water

Microbubble-induced erosion on plastics releases microplastics into aquatic systems, emphasizing the need to understand this low-energy pollution mechanism.

21 Jan 2026

Researchers discover a biochemical route that plays role in Parkinson's disease

About 1 million Americans suffer from Parkinson's disease, with around 90,000 new cases diagnosed each year, according to the Parkinson's Foundation.

20 Jan 2026

Elevated tau in Long COVID patients raises risk for neurodegenerative diseases

A study of 227 individuals who experienced neuro cognitive difficulties post COVID-19 infection – such as headaches, vertigo, balance dysregulation, changes in taste/smell, and brain fog – displayed a significant increase in their blood plasma of a crucial protein called tau, which is found in nerves and especially in the brain.

19 Jan 2026

Axol Bioscience raises $2.8 M to advance US expansion and product development

Axol Bioscience Ltd. (Axol), a leading provider of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies for drug discovery and disease research, today announced that it has secured $2.8 million (£2.1 million) in funding.

13 Jan 2026

ALS breakthrough: Restoring protein production in motor neuron axons

Researchers at VIB and KU Leuven have identified a molecular process that allows motor neurons to maintain protein production, a process that fails in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

12 Jan 2026

SPINECRAFT: Engineering a 4D human spinal cord for disease research

Zaida Álvarez Pinto, Principal Investigator at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), has been awarded an ERC Consolidator Grant, one of the most prestigious and competitive sources of funding in the European Union.

9 Jan 2026

Sex-based differences and role of BMP signaling in neurogenesis in Alzheimer's mice models

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a serious neurodegenerative disease largely affecting older adults. Apart from age, it also shows sex-based differences, with women being more at risk. However, the origin of these differences remains unknown.

9 Jan 2026

CIRM awards $7.4 million to advance stem cell-based gene therapy for Friedreich's ataxia

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has awarded $7.4 million to support a University of California San Diego team developing a first-of-its-kind stem cell-based gene therapy for Friedreich's ataxia, a rare inherited neurodegenerative disease that causes progressive loss of coordination, muscle strength, heart function and overall mobility.

8 Jan 2026

The gut is not just digestive and new evidence shows it actively controls brain function

This comprehensive review synthesizes a decade of human and animal research to explain how the gut and brain communicate through hormonal, neural, immune, and microbial pathways. It highlights how disruptions in these pathways contribute to gastrointestinal, metabolic, and neurological disorders, and how modern therapies are beginning to exploit gut–brain signaling for clinical benefit.

6 Jan 2026