Central Nervous System News and Research

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Shared genetic architecture links schizophrenia with hemispheric white matter microstructure

Schizophrenia is a highly heterogeneous psychiatric disorder affecting ~1% of the global population, typically emerging in adolescence or early adulthood and characterized by hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking, and cognitive impairments; while its etiology remains elusive, genetic factors are widely recognized as fundamental, and GWAS have identified over 200 genome-wide significant loci.

24 Jan 2026

AI-designed NLRP3 inhibitor receives FDA clearance for Parkinson disease trials

Insilico Medicine (3696.HK), a clinical-stage drug discovery and development company driven by generative artificial intelligence (AI), today announced that ISM8969, an orally available NLRP3 inhibitor targeting inflammation and neurodegenerative disorders, has recently received investigational new drug (IND) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), intended for the treatment of Parkinson's Disease.

23 Jan 2026

Brain cell precursors show constant myelin-making drive

In experiments with mice, Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists report new evidence that precursors of myelin-producing cells - one of the few brain cell types that continue to be produced in the adult brain - undergo differentiation widely and at a constant pace, rather than "as needed" in response to injury or advancing age.

22 Jan 2026

GLP-1 weight-loss drugs show early promise for treating addiction

This systematic review evaluates preclinical and clinical evidence on glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists as potential treatments for substance use disorders. Findings show consistent reductions in drug- and alcohol-seeking behaviors in animal models, while human evidence remains limited, heterogeneous, and preliminary.

21 Jan 2026

Suppressing brain immune cells enhances memory recall in young mice

Babies of every species from mouse to human rapidly forget things that happen to them-an effect called infantile amnesia.

20 Jan 2026

Blocking microglia can prevent infantile amnesia

Scientists have found that blocking microglia (specialist immune cells in the brain) prevents infant forgetting ("infantile amnesia") and improves memory in mice, suggesting that microglia may actively manage memory formation and dictate what, and when, we forget.

20 Jan 2026

Understanding the trends of various neurological disorders in the Chinese population

Neurological disorders represent a mounting public health crisis in China, exacerbated by rapid population aging.

19 Jan 2026

New blood biomarker tracks brain injury progression after ischemic stroke

A new blood marker reflects the extent of brain injury after an ischemic stroke and can predict patient outcomes months to years later.

15 Jan 2026

Study reveals genetic signatures linked to HIV-related cognitive impairment

Using participant skin cells reprogrammed into neurons, Weill Cornell Medicine researchers have identified genetic signatures associated with HIV infection that may contribute to the cognitive impairment that often occurs in people living with HIV, even when the virus is controlled.

14 Jan 2026

Research finds persistent prescribing of risky medications to older adults with dementia

Despite years of clinical guidelines warning against the practice, one in four Medicare beneficiaries with dementia is prescribed brain-altering medications linked to falls, confusion, and hospitalization, according to new research to be published January 12 in the peer-reviewed journal JAMA.

12 Jan 2026

Rare sugars activate metabolic signaling to reduce alcohol consumption in mice

While investigating the FGF21-oxytocin-dopamine system, a mechanism that regulates sugar appetite, a team of researchers at Kyoto University noticed reports suggesting that the protein FGF21 may regulate alcohol ingestion.

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

$Neural pain pathways found to play crucial role in bone fracture healing$

Neural pain pathways found to play crucial role in bone fracture healing

When a house catches on fire, we assume that a smoke alarm inside will serve one purpose and one purpose only: warn the occupants of danger.

8 Jan 2026

Two isoforms of a cellular energy sensor play distinct, opposing roles in Alzheimer's disease

A comprehensive mini-review published today after peer review in Brain Medicine by Dr. Tao Ma and colleagues at Wake Forest University School of Medicine synthesizes emerging evidence that two isoforms of a critical cellular energy sensor play distinct, and sometimes opposing, roles in Alzheimer's disease.

6 Jan 2026

Acupuncture may help ICU patients recover faster

Acupuncture's multi-pathway effects in ICU patients may reduce complications, support rehabilitation, and improve recovery while minimizing medication use.

6 Jan 2026

Study uncovers a possible biomarker linked to MS disease progression

A new University of Toronto-led study has discovered a possible biomarker linked to multiple sclerosis (MS) disease progression that could help identify patients most likely to benefit from new drugs.

2 Jan 2026

Periodontal bacterial load associated with disease severity in multiple sclerosis

Increasing evidence suggests that the severe gum disease, periodontitis, may contribute to central nervous system disorders through chronic inflammation.

30 Dec 2025

First Europe-wide analysis reveals widespread raccoon roundworm infection

The raccoon roundworm Baylisascaris procyonis can cause severe diseases in humans, including fatal brain damage.

19 Dec 2025

Researchers decipher anti-MOG antibody construction, paving way for therapies

MOG Antibody-associated Disease (MOGAD) is a rare autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. The blood of patients contains antibodies against myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), a protein in the myelin layer that surrounds the neurons in the brain. It is believed that these antibodies contribute to the destruction of this protective layer in the brain.

18 Dec 2025