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.

Weight-loss drugs may reduce heart damage after heart attack

Weight-loss (GLP-1 mimicking) drugs may help prevent further tissue damage following a heart attack, significantly reducing the risk of further life-threatening complications that affect up to half of all patients, according to a new study led by the University of Bristol and University College London.

2 Mar 2026

Chronic back pain linked to heightened sound sensitivity in the brain

People with chronic back pain process everyday sounds differently, and more intensely, than people without pain, according to new research from the University of Colorado Anschutz.

2 Mar 2026

Study finds association between groundwater age and Parkinson’s risk

People whose drinking water came from newer groundwater had a higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease than those whose drinking water came from older groundwater, according to a preliminary study released March 2, 2026, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 78th Annual Meeting taking place April 18-22, 2026, in Chicago and online.

2 Mar 2026

Study reveals hydration energetics as key to nanoparticle performance in medicine

Researchers at Arizona State University have uncovered a key scientific principle that governs how what's coated on the surfaces of engineered nanoparticles may ultimately control how they work in our bodies.

2 Mar 2026

Persistent taste dysfunction after COVID 19 linked to cellular abnormalities

Scientists have identified molecular and structural changes in taste buds that may explain why a small subset of people experience long-term taste loss after COVID-19 infection.

2 Mar 2026

Experts identify safest and most effective diets for IBS management

This review in Nutrients evaluates the scientific evidence, clinical effectiveness, and safety of major dietary strategies for irritable bowel syndrome, including traditional advice, low-FODMAP, gluten-free, Mediterranean, and starch- and sucrose-reduced diets. It concludes that while the low-FODMAP diet has the strongest short-term evidence, no single approach fits all patients, and dietitian-led personalization is essential.

2 Mar 2026

Can brain training prevent dementia? Long-term trial shows speed training with boosters makes a difference

A 20-year follow-up of older adults in the ACTIVE randomized trial linked to Medicare claims found that speed of processing cognitive training with booster sessions was associated with a significantly lower risk of diagnosed Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Memory and reasoning training did not show comparable long-term reductions in dementia risk.

2 Mar 2026

Scientists put forward a new theory of brain development

Your brain begins as a single cell. When all is said and done, it will house an incredibly complex and powerful network of some 170 billion cells.

2 Mar 2026

Low‑dose oral lithium may help slow the decline of verbal memory, trial suggests

Lithium-a decades-old treatment for bipolar disorder-may hold potential neuroprotective benefits beyond mood stabilization.

2 Mar 2026

MERLIN algorithm unlocks immune cell location memory in organs

A new AI-based method reconstructs spatial information about where immune cells were originally located in an organ, even after these cells have been removed from the tissue and analyzed individually.

2 Mar 2026

Study identifies a promising strategy to treat brain metastases

A new study from researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine has identified a promising strategy to treat brain metastases, one of the most challenging and deadly complications of lung cancer.

2 Mar 2026

Families defend disability services amid Medicaid cuts

Families of Idahoans with disabilities say their lives could be upended as lawmakers in the state's Republican-dominated legislature mull sweeping cuts.

2 Mar 2026

Living in deprived neighborhoods reshapes the gut microbiome

This study reveals links between socioeconomic deprivation and gut microbiome changes, highlighting potential pathways to mental and metabolic health issues.

2 Mar 2026

Ultraprocessed foods are engineered like cigarettes

The parallels between ultraprocessed foods and tobacco raise concerns about addiction and health risks, urging policymakers to implement effective regulations.

2 Mar 2026

The surprising neurological benefits of GLP-1s

For people with chronic migraine, taking glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, or GLP-1 drugs, for other conditions such as diabetes and weight loss, was associated with fewer emergency department visits and hospitalizations overall, and with less need for medications used to stop and prevent migraine attacks, according to a preliminary study released March 1, 2026, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 78th Annual Meeting taking place April 18-22, 2026, in Chicago and online.

2 Mar 2026

Investigating microglia’s role in Alzheimer’s pathology

Announcing a new article publication for BIO Integration journal. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder and the leading cause of dementia worldwide. Microglia, as central nervous system (CNS) resident macrophages, are key to AD pathology. Indeed, microglia aggregation around amyloid-β (Aβ) deposits is an AD hallmark.

1 Mar 2026

Decoding the brain’s love for tempting snacks

Research from the University of East Anglia (UEA) may finally explain why we still reach for the biscuit tin, even when we're full.

1 Mar 2026

Study aims to understand molecular origins of CTNNB1 neurodevelopmental syndrome

On the occasion of Rare Disease Day, the Biofisika Institute (CSIC, EHU) presents the progress of a project aimed at understanding the molecular origin of CTNNB1 neurodevelopmental syndrome, a rare disease caused by mutations in the beta-catenin protein.

27 Feb 2026

NIH’s continued investment fuels TMJ pain research

Chronic pain is one of the most common health conditions worldwide. Back pain is the most frequently reported type, followed closely by head and face pain linked to the jaw joint, in the form of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.

27 Feb 2026

Dopamine bursts drive faster movement during happy moments

New research by engineers at the University of Colorado Boulder aims to get to the bottom of why, as the saying goes, you get a "skip in your step" when you're happy.

27 Feb 2026