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.

Study captures real-time protein clumping linked to Alzheimer’s

An Oregon State University scientist and a team of undergraduate students have uncovered real-time insights into a chemical process linked with Alzheimer's disease, paving the way toward better drug designs.

23 Feb 2026

Five sessions a day TMS approach may reduce depression symptoms in one week

For the many patients with depression who haven't found relief through medication, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) - a noninvasive therapy that uses magnetic pulses to stimulate specific areas of the brain - has become an increasingly important treatment option.

23 Feb 2026

Study connects vascular health to early Alzheimer’s brain changes

Subtle changes in how blood flows through the brain and how brain tissue uses oxygen may be closely linked to Alzheimer's disease risk, according to new research from the Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute (Stevens INI) at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

23 Feb 2026

Growing up bilingual does not disrupt parent–child brain bonding

New findings reveal bilingual mother-child interactions enhance neural synchrony, highlighting the role of play over language in early cognitive development.

23 Feb 2026

As more Americans embrace anxiety treatment, MAHA derides medications

After a grueling year of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation to treat breast cancer, Sadia Zapp was anxious — not the manageable hum that had long been part of her life, but something deeper, more distracting.

23 Feb 2026

Researchers show red blood cells drive better glucose tolerance at high altitude

Chronic hypoxia improves glucose tolerance in mice through insulin-independent mechanisms, with red blood cells acting as a major systemic glucose sink. Increased erythrocyte production and altered glycolytic flux help reduce circulating glucose while supporting oxygen delivery to tissues.

22 Feb 2026

New review explores whether berries can slow cognitive decline linked to obesity

This systematic review in Nutrients evaluates human studies investigating whether polyphenol-rich berry consumption can modulate obesity-related metabolic dysfunction and support cognitive performance, particularly in individuals at risk of mild cognitive impairment. Evidence suggests modest memory benefits and possible metabolic improvements, although biomarker findings and long-term clinical relevance remain uncertain.

22 Feb 2026

Study identifies PPP2R5C blood marker that may detect Alzheimer’s disease earlier

Emerging evidence suggests reduced plasma PPP2R5C levels may serve as an early indicator of Alzheimer’s disease before overt clinical symptoms appear. The protein appears linked to tau regulation, autophagy pathways, and cognitive decline, supporting its potential diagnostic relevance.

22 Feb 2026

Ion channel TRPV4 found to regulate relief after scratching an itch

When you scratch an itch, something tells your brain when to stop. That moment of relief, when scratching feels "enough," is not accidental.

22 Feb 2026

Scientists reveal how the body senses cold and menthol

When you step outside on a winter morning or pop a mint into your mouth, a tiny molecular sensor in your body springs into action, alerting your brain to the sensation of cold.

22 Feb 2026

Blood test models predict when Alzheimer’s symptoms may start years in advance

Researchers developed plasma p-tau217–based clock models that estimate when cognitively unimpaired individuals with Alzheimer’s pathology may develop symptomatic disease. The models predicted symptom onset within about three to four years and may help improve clinical trial selection while remaining unsuitable for individual clinical decisions at present.

22 Feb 2026

Multicolor electron microscopy reveals proteins and cell architecture at nanoscale resolution

Scientists have developed a new imaging technique that uses a novel contrast mechanism in bioimaging to merge the strengths of two powerful microscopy methods, allowing researchers to see both the intricate architecture of cells and the specific locations of proteins-all in vivid color and at nanometer resolution.

22 Feb 2026

Study reveals unexpected role of TMC proteins in deafness

Proteins long known to be essential for hearing have been hiding a talent: they also act as gatekeepers that shuffle fatty molecules across cell membranes.

22 Feb 2026

Certain brain regions found to be more active in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder

A new study revealed that certain brain regions are more active in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) during cognitively demanding tasks.

22 Feb 2026

Genetic differences may shape emotional reactions to art

Why do some people feel chills when listening to music, reading poetry, or viewing a powerful work of art, while others do not? New research by Giacomo Bignardi and his colleagues from Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics (MPI) published in PLOS Genetics reveals that part of the answer lies in our genes.

22 Feb 2026

New maps of mouse brains reveal patterns of myelin formation

Johns Hopkins scientists say they have used 3D imaging, special microscopes and artificial intelligence (AI) programs to construct new maps of mouse brains showing a precise location of more than 10 million cells called oligodendrocytes.

22 Feb 2026

Grant supports research into how microglia may spread toxic tau in Alzheimer’s

A researcher with the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio has received a two-year, $402,500 grant award from the Cure Alzheimer's Fund to study how microglia, the brain's resident immune cells, paradoxically might contribute to the spread of toxic forms of tau protein in the disease.

20 Feb 2026

Brain injury protein in the blood could help estimate biological age in animals

The protein "neurofilament light chain" (NfL) – studied in humans in the context of neurodegenerative diseases and aging – is also detectable in the blood of numerous animals, and NfL levels increase with age in mice, cats, dogs, and horses.

20 Feb 2026

Mounjaro ingredient shows promise in lowering alcohol consumption

For the first time, researchers show that tirzepatide - the active ingredient in the diabetes and weight-loss drug Mounjaro - reduces alcohol intake as well as relapse-like behaviors in rats and mice.

20 Feb 2026

New AI-based analysis method can accurately classify and monitor brain tumors

An international research team, with significant involvement from the Medical University of Vienna, has developed a new AI-based analysis method that can accurately classify brain tumors using genetic material from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and monitor the progression of the disease.

20 Feb 2026