Neurodegenerative Diseases News and Research

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Study reveals pearling mechanism behind mitochondrial DNA spacing

Mitochondria are often described as the cell's power plants, because they generate energy. To help them achieve this, mitochondria carry their own small genome called mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA).

2 Apr 2026

High-dose flu vaccine linked to lower Alzheimer’s disease risk

A UTHealth Houston physician's visit to a local public health building sparked community awareness and inspired a new research idea.

1 Apr 2026

Novel compound clears harmful protein, protects neurons in frontotemporal dementia models

New research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis adds to growing evidence that helping brain cells break down and eliminate their own cellular waste is a promising treatment strategy for a variety of neurodegenerative diseases.

31 Mar 2026

Early testosterone surge triggers rare muscle disease

Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy (SBMA) is a rare inherited disease that causes progressive muscle weakness and wasting in men.

27 Mar 2026

Dandelion leaves boost brain-protective compounds after digestion

Dandelion leaves are rich in polyphenols with neuroprotective effects, offering insights into natural strategies for Alzheimer's disease management.

27 Mar 2026

Spear Bio introduces new ultra-sensitive neurodegenerative assays and expands direct access at AD/PD 2026

Spear Bio, an innovator in ultrasensitive protein biomarker detection, showcased three new SPEAR UltraDetect™ immunoassays—brain-derived p-Tau 217 (BD-pTau 217), α-synuclein (α-syn) and phospho-Ser129-α-synuclein (pS129-α-syn)—at the International Conference on Alzheimer’s & Parkinson’s Diseases (AD/PD 2026) last week.

From Spear Bio 26 Mar 2026

NAC complex initiates early protein folding in human cells

In the earliest phase of creating human proteins, the protein complex NAC performs an essential task by starting the first steps towards folding proteins into their correct three-dimensional structures.

23 Mar 2026

New protein atlas identifies distinct subtypes of neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases form a tangled biological web with overlapping molecular signatures and symptoms. To decode this complexity, a multi-institute collaboration led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists developed the pan-neurodegeneration atlas (PanNDA).

23 Mar 2026

Oral semaglutide fails to slow early Alzheimer’s decline in two phase 3 trials

Two large phase 3 trials found that oral semaglutide 14 mg did not slow cognitive or functional decline over 104 weeks in people with early symptomatic, amyloid-positive Alzheimer’s disease. Semaglutide was generally consistent with its known safety profile and showed some biomarker changes, but these did not translate into clinical benefit.

22 Mar 2026

New compound targets the neuronal epigenome to treat Alzheimer's disease

A team from the University of Barcelona has designed and validated in animal models an innovative compound with a pioneering mechanism of action for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

19 Mar 2026

Study identifies brain pathway crucial for proper functioning of working memory

Working memory is a cognitive function that is essential for carrying out everyday activities and temporarily retaining information.

17 Mar 2026

Researchers identify CD99L2 gene as a cause of spastic ataxia

Despite modern high-throughput sequencing, the genetic cause of most rare movement disorders remains unclear.

17 Mar 2026

Vitamin B2 metabolism helps cancer cells resist ferroptosis

A lack of vitamin B2 makes tumour cells more susceptible to a unique form of cell death. This was discovered by researchers at the Rudolf Virchow Centre at the University of Würzburg.

13 Mar 2026

ISSCR launches education program on stem cell treatments for Parkinson's

The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) today announced the launch of Stem Cell Medicine: Parkinson's Disease, a new continuing education course designed to equip clinicians with an evidence-based understanding of emerging stem cell therapies for Parkinson's disease (PD).

12 Mar 2026

New study identifies specific brain cells most vulnerable to ALS and dementia

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) belong to a spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases with overlapping symptoms, characterized by muscle wasting, paralysis, dementia, and other serious impairments.

12 Mar 2026

Scientists map epigenetic changes across aging brain cells

Neurodegenerative diseases affect more than 57 million people globally. The incidence of these diseases, from Alzheimer's to Parkinson's to ALS and beyond, is expected to double every 20 years.

11 Mar 2026

Blood marker linked to Alzheimer’s also found in systemic amyloidosis

A certain blood protein regarded as an early indicator of Alzheimer's disease also appears to play a role in other disorders.

11 Mar 2026

Air pollution may be lowering global IQ and widening inequality, researchers warn

Researchers argue that exposure to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) may affect cognitive function and intelligence, potentially causing large population-level losses in global IQ. Using modelling based on published exposure–response data, the authors estimate that pollution could be associated with tens of billions of IQ points lost worldwide, with the largest impacts in lower-income regions.

10 Mar 2026

Researchers develop DNA aptamer to detect Alzheimer's biomarkers

With aging populations on the rise, the need for better tools to diagnose and monitor Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia, has never been more urgent.

10 Mar 2026