Brain News and Research

RSS

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.

Championing innovation: Bedfont® Scientific CTO shortlisted for Technology Leader of the Year

Scott Deamer-Smith, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Bedfont® Scientific Limited, has been recognized for his outstanding contribution to innovation and technology.

From Bedfont® Scientific Ltd 26 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

Scientists discover how brain development programs fuel pediatric tumors

A team of researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Texas Children's Hospital, and collaborating institutions reveals in the journal Nature a novel mechanism that drives the development of pediatric supratentorial ependymoma (EPN), the third most common pediatric brain tumor. The findings suggest potential new approaches to treat these aggressive and chemo-resistant tumors.

26 Mar 2026

The molecular mechanism that turns cool temps into nerve signals

When you reach into a bucket of ice, open your front door on a snowy day, or feel the tingle of menthol toothpaste, a protein in your nerve cells called TRPM8 springs into action, opening like a tiny gate to send a "cold" signal to your brain.

26 Mar 2026

Study links androgens to aggressive childhood brain tumor growth

An international team led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, McGill University and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine has discovered what drives the growth of a lethal pediatric brain tumor called Posterior Fossa Type A (PFA) ependymoma.

25 Mar 2026

New brain atlas reveals how the human neocortex forms over time

In a bid to better understand, and potentially treat, a host of conditions that affect early cognition, neurodevelopment and the brain later in life, investigators at Johns Hopkins Medicine and colleagues throughout the world have been mapping the molecular construction of the human brain.

25 Mar 2026

Childhood ADHD medication shows protective effect against future psychosis

A major new study, led by scientists at University College Dublin and the University of Edinburgh and funded by the St John of God Research Foundation, has found that commonly prescribed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication in childhood may lower the long‑term risk of developing serious psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia.

25 Mar 2026

Stroke may trigger younger brain patterns in unaffected regions

In a new study published in The Lancet Digital Health, scientists at the USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute (Stevens INI) have discovered that the brains of people who experience severe physical impairment after a stroke may reorganize themselves in unexpected ways, showing signs of "younger" brain structure in undamaged regions as they adapt to injury.

25 Mar 2026

Hormonal contraception not associated with prevalence of idiopathic intracranial hypertension

Hormonal contraception, including birth control pills and intrauterine devices (IUDs), is not associated with an increased prevalence of a brain pressure disorder called idiopathic intracranial hypertension, according to a meta-analysis published on March 25, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

25 Mar 2026

Timing of acetylcholine release determines if dopamine promotes movement or learning

Scientists have long-studied the role of dopamine, a chemical in the brain that helps control learning and movement, in order to better understand Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, and depression-afflictions caused, in part, by a disruption or alteration of dopamine activity.

25 Mar 2026