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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.

Depression and anxiety together raise long COVID risk in older women

Older women who have a history of both depression and anxiety had a 78% higher risk of developing long COVID after a SARS-CoV-2 infection, report University of California San Diego researchers in the Jan. 27, 2026 online edition of the journal Menopause.

27 Jan 2026

MRI measures of glymphatic activity may improve noninvasive intracranial hypertension diagnosis

A new study led by investigators from Mass General Brigham shows that a brain waste- "clean-up" system is influenced by intracranial pressure.

27 Jan 2026

Study reveals heart, brain, neuroimmune connections driving damage after heart attacks

Arteries become clogged. Blood flow is restricted and oxygen is cut off. The result is a heart attack, the world's leading cause of death.

27 Jan 2026

Brain-specific enzyme drives branching and extension of O-mannose glycans

Gifu University scientists have uncovered how a brain-specific enzyme reshapes protein-linked sugar chains to facilitate the formation of complex glycans essential for normal brain function.

27 Jan 2026

Gut problems may shape Parkinson’s disease progression through the gut-brain axis

This narrative review examines how gastrointestinal dysfunction, gut dysbiosis, and altered gut-brain axis signaling are closely associated with the onset and progression of Parkinson’s disease. It synthesizes evidence supporting a possible bottom-up disease model while highlighting integrative, gut-targeted strategies as adjuncts to symptom management rather than proven disease-modifying therapies.

27 Jan 2026

New research initiative aims to develop retinal screening tool for Alzheimer's

The human eye may literally become a window revealing the earliest signals of Alzheimer's disease, thanks to a new federally funded research initiative at Oregon Health & Science University.

27 Jan 2026

Pancreatic and 'skinny fat' linked to brain health risks

The effect of obesity on brain health may depend not only on how much fat is in the body, but also on the areas of the body where fat is stored, according to a study published today in Radiology, the flagship journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

27 Jan 2026

Scientists offer new insight into how common parasite T. gondii causes disease

A University of California, Riverside team of scientists has found that Toxoplasma gondii, a common parasite affecting up to one-third of the global population, is far more complex than previously believed.

27 Jan 2026

Brain organoids reveal glioblastoma's secrets and therapy resistance

UCLA scientists have developed advanced miniature 3D tumor organoid models that make it possible to study glioblastoma tumors in a setting that closely mirrors the human brain, shedding light on how the aggressive cancer interacts with surrounding brain cells and the immune system to become more invasive and resistant to therapy.

27 Jan 2026

HHCM awards $566K to advance psychedelic end-of-life care research

Healing Hearts, Changing Minds (HHCM) today announced the seven awardees of Walking Each Other Home: A Fund to Promote Psychedelic Compassion for End-of-Life Care, a $566,260 philanthropic initiative supporting innovation, compassion, and dignity for people at life's end.

27 Jan 2026

BU receives $2M grant to study MedRhythms' MOVIVE device for Parkinson's gait

Boston University (BU) today announced it has been awarded a $2 million research grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF).

27 Jan 2026

CTE should be recognized as new cause of dementia, study suggests

The largest study of its kind from the Boston University CTE Center reveals that chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) should be recognized as a new cause of dementia.

27 Jan 2026

Prenatal exposure to pollution impacts infant cognitive development

The prenatal period is a critical window for brain development, yet few studies have examined the impact of air pollution exposure during pregnancy on child cognition.

27 Jan 2026

New insights into how the brain accesses information

A new study into how different parts of memory work in the brain has shown that the same brain areas are involved in retrieving different types of information, the findings could redefine how memory is understood and studied.

27 Jan 2026

KAIST proposes novel strategy for multifactorial Alzheimer's treatment

Conventional treatments of Alzheimer's disease, one of the most common forms of dementia, have been largely focused on targeting individual pathological features.

27 Jan 2026

NIH grant advances Indigenous-driven genomic research in Alaska and Oklahoma

A transdisciplinary team led by Southcentral Foundation, a Tribal healthcare organization in Anchorage, Alaska, has been awarded a competitive grant from the National Institutes of Health. Jessica Blanchard, Ph.D., senior research scientist at the University of Oklahoma's Center for Applied Social Research, is a key collaborator on the project, representing the continuation of a longstanding partnership between OU and Southcentral Foundation.

27 Jan 2026

Trump policies at odds with emerging understanding of covid’s long-term harm

27 Jan 2026

New atlas of brain lysosomes sheds light on neurodegenerative disorders

Functioning brain cells need a functioning system for picking up the trash and sorting the recycling. But when the cellular sanitation machines responsible for those tasks, called lysosomes, break down or get overwhelmed, it can increase the risk of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other neurological disorders.

27 Jan 2026

Missed stroke warning signs common among pregnant and postpartum women

More than 25% of pregnant or postpartum women who suffered an acute stroke had encounters with health care providers for stroke-related symptoms within the prior month but did not receive a timely diagnosis, finds University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine analysis published today in Stroke.

27 Jan 2026

Menopause associated with reduced brain volume and increased anxiety symptoms

Menopause is linked to reductions in grey matter volume in key brain regions as well as increased levels of anxiety and depression and difficulties with sleep, according to new research from the University of Cambridge.

27 Jan 2026