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 develop low-cost scalable sensors to study genetic brain disorders

Researchers have demonstrated a new class of low-cost, scalable sensors that can be used to monitor electrical activity in human cerebral organoids.

2 Apr 2026

Researchers settle 60-year debate on the fundamental mechanisms of visual perception

A scientific dispute spanning six decades about fundamental mechanisms of visual perception in mammals has now been settled. Researchers at TUM have succeeded in observing the visual information flow from neuron to neuron.

2 Apr 2026

International researchers set new standards for studying tumor microbiota

Recent research shows that tumors in different organs host microbial communities capable of influencing cancer biology, immune responses, and the effectiveness of therapies, highlighting the need to standardize methods for studying intratumoral microbes.

2 Apr 2026

Internal embodiment could be the key to safer AI systems

When a person reaches across a table to pass the salt, their brain is doing something far more complex than recognizing a request and executing a movement.

1 Apr 2026

New wearable detects fatigue accurately using AI and advanced sensors

Burnout and chronic fatigue carry a substantial economic cost and pose serious risks in professions where alertness is critical.

1 Apr 2026

NIH funds AI project to advance Alzheimer’s research and treatment

The National Institutes of Health has renewed support for Artificial Intelligence for Alzheimer's Disease, or AI4AD. The new $12.6 million award to advance the project's next phase, AI4AD2, brings its total investment in AI4AD to $30.7 million.

1 Apr 2026

New brain circuit discovery offers hope for chronic pain treatment

A new map of a brain circuit specific to chronic pain suggests a promising route to treatment for the roughly 60 million Americans living with persistent pain, according to a study published in Nature.

1 Apr 2026

Trial tests fast-acting brain stimulation for postpartum depression treatment

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai today announced the enrollment of its first patient in a U.S. Department of Defense-funded pivotal clinical trial to evaluate whether a fast-acting, drug-free brain stimulation therapy can safely and quickly relieve symptoms of postpartum depression.

1 Apr 2026

Vitamin D levels in midlife tied to lower dementia risk marker

Having higher levels of vitamin D in the blood in middle age is associated with lower levels of tau protein in the brain, which is a sign of dementia, years later, according to a study published April 1, 2026, in Neurology Open Access, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

1 Apr 2026

Mono infection associated with threefold higher multiple sclerosis risk

Having the disease infectious mononucleosis, often called mono, caused by the Epstein-Barr virus is associated with an increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study published on April 1, 2026, in Neurology® Open Access, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

1 Apr 2026

Targeted therapy pralsetinib improves outcomes in RET fusion-positive NSCLCs

In some non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs), changes to the RET gene (known as RET fusions) can drive tumor growth.

1 Apr 2026

Small molecule may block protein buildup in neurodegenerative diseases

A team of researchers from NYU Abu Dhabi and the University of Denver have identified a promising small molecule that could help slow or halt the progression of serious brain diseases such as Parkinson's disease, offering new hope for treatments that go beyond managing symptoms.

1 Apr 2026

NIH funds major study on brain aging in Hispanic-Latino communities

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded UC Davis Health a $15.85 million grant to support the next phase of one of the nation's most extensive studies on brain aging in Hispanic-Latino communities.

1 Apr 2026

Popular vitamin B3 supplements could weaken cancer therapy effectiveness

Millions of Americans take daily supplements-nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), nicotinamide riboside (NR) and nicotinamide (NAM)-to boost energy, slow aging and protect the heart and brain.

1 Apr 2026

Most Americans unaware of brain donation’s role in autism research

Autism BrainNet today released new survey findings revealing a significant disconnect between Americans' strong support of autism research and their limited understanding of the role postmortem brain donation plays in advancing it.

1 Apr 2026

Highly potent opioid shows potential as therapy for pain and opioid use disorder

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have identified a novel, highly potent opioid that shows potential as a therapy for both pain and opioid use disorder.

1 Apr 2026

DNA damage in gray matter neurons linked to MS progression

For decades, multiple sclerosis research has focused on myelin, the insulation around the brain's wiring. Scientists paid less attention to another loss that was happening in parallel: neurons in the cortex, the seat of higher thinking and cognition, were quietly dying.

1 Apr 2026