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Brain organoids reveal new clues for childhood epilepsy treatments

Tiny, year-old human brain organoids that mimic the brain of a newborn are providing new clues to potential treatments for a leading genetic cause of childhood epilepsy that typically manifests as the brain matures shortly after birth.

23 Sep 2026

Genetic system converts scar-forming cells into neurons to restore movement after spinal cord injury

What if cells that form scars after a spinal cord injury could become part of the repair process? Researchers have developed a genetic system that converts certain scar-forming cells into neurons, improving movement in mice and rats with spinal cord injuries.

23 Sep 2026

MLC1 auto-antibodies identified as possible trigger for NMOSD-like diseases

NMOSD is an inflammatory autoimmune disorder that damages support and supply cells in the central nervous system, known as astrocytes.

22 Sep 2026

Astrocyte changes may explain how stress affects mental health

A new study led by UCLA Health researchers has identified a specific type of brain cell and a tiny structure on its surface that changes when the body is under stress, which may help explain why stress can lead to anxiety and depression.

8 Sep 2026

Scientists traced a hidden immune route that may worsen tau-linked brain damage

In a mouse model of tauopathy, conventional type 1 dendritic cells (cDC1s) cross-presented brain-derived antigens in deep cervical lymph nodes, priming CD8+ T cells that accumulated in the brain and promoted neurodegeneration. Disrupting cDC1s or their cross-presentation activity reduced CD8+ T-cell infiltration and protected against neuronal loss, while human primary tauopathy samples also showed increased brain CD8+ T cells, although cDC1 involvement in humans remains unconfirmed.

6 Sep 2026

Adolescent binge drinking causes lasting changes in brain function

New research from the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine provides insight into how binge alcohol exposure during adolescence may cause lasting changes in brain function that persist into adulthood, potentially identifying a new target for future treatment approaches.

1 Sep 2026

Nanoparticles regenerate neurons and improve cognition in Alzheimer’s mice

The adult human brain has limited capacity to repair or regenerate neurons lost to Alzheimer's disease, the most common type of dementia.

26 Aug 2026

A single blood test could offer a glimpse of disease risk years in advance

Machine learning-derived cellular aging clocks mapped more than 7,000 plasma proteins to over 40 cell types, revealing marked differences in how individual cell populations age. These blood-based signatures were associated with future risks of Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, lung cancer, type 2 diabetes, and mortality across follow-up extending to 15 years.

19 Aug 2026

Astrocytes found to directly regulate memory consolidation during sleep

Research has shown that a good night's sleep has many benefits, including memory consolidation. How sleep enables the brain to strengthen memories is still not completely understood, but a new study published in Neuron reveals how astrocytes, brain cells known for supporting neurons and their functions, can directly regulate brain circuits involved in memory consolidation.

13 Aug 2026

Study reveals a previously unknown ability of the brain to repair itself

The brain evidently can regenerate itself better than previously assumed after injuries or certain autoimmune diseases.

10 Aug 2026

Review outlines effective approaches to reduce recurrent hepatic encephalopathy

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a neurologic complication of advanced liver disease, causing impaired functioning, reduced quality of life (QOL), and increased hospitalisation and mortality.

31 Jul 2026

New review highlights astrocytes' role in chronic traumatic encephalopathy

Researchers from Kansas City University School of Medicine have published a scoping review examining the role of astrocytes in chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

14 Jul 2026

Study compares different light therapies for treating Alzheimer's disease

The researchers treated 5‑month‑old 5xFAD mice – a model with aggressive amyloid deposition – with 810‑nm light (25 mW/cm² at the scalp, ~6.25 mW/cm² brain dose for CW, and half that for 40‑Hz due to 50% duty cycle) for 10 minutes daily over 37 days.

6 Jul 2026

Blood proteins reveal which aging cells may raise disease risk

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16 Jun 2026

Blood-based indicator assesses organ age to predict disease risk

The candles on your birthday cake don't tell the whole story. As anyone who ever attended a high-school reunion can tell you, some people age faster than others.

15 Jun 2026

Glucosamine may worsen Alzheimer’s by fueling abnormal brain glycosylation

A Nature Metabolism study identifies brain hyperglycosylation as a metabolic driver of Alzheimer’s disease, with increased N-glycan biosynthesis seen in human AD tissue and mouse models. Reducing glycosylation improved memory in AD mice, while glucosamine worsened memory deficits in 5xFAD mice and was associated with poorer outcomes in dementia patients.

14 Jun 2026

Scientists reveal how cGAS-STING fuels brain inflammation and neurodegeneration

The cGAS-STING pathway is emerging as a key driver of chronic neuroinflammation through its effects on glial activation, neuronal stress, blood-brain barrier integrity, and type I interferon signaling. The review highlights why selective, context-dependent modulation of cGAS-STING could help treat neurodegenerative diseases, while preserving its essential roles in antiviral defense and tumor surveillance.

10 Jun 2026

Astrocytes form complex networks across the mouse brain

Cells long thought to play a secondary role in brain function build their own far-reaching connections, a new study in mice showed. These pathways appear to connect distant regions in ways that have not been mapped before.

23 Apr 2026

Brain organoids reveal mutation-specific insights for Rett syndrome

Though many studies approach the developmental disorder Rett syndrome as a single condition arising from general loss of function in the gene MECP2, a new study by neuroscientists in The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT shows that two different mutations of the gene caused many distinct abnormalities in lab cultures.

15 Apr 2026

Study outlines principles for using CAR immunotherapies to treat neurodegenerative diseases

A UAB research team defines the criteria that CAR immunotherapies for neurodegenerative diseases must meet to advance both conceptually and in trials, which are still at a very preliminary stage, in a review study published in the journal Trends in Pharmacological Sciences.

8 Apr 2026