Grey Matter News and Research

RSS

Grey matter is a major component of the central nervous system, consisting of neuronal cell bodies, neuropil (dendrites and both unmyelinated axons and myelinated axons), glial cells (astroglia and oligodendrocytes) and capillaries.

Subtle brain differences detected in children at risk for schizophrenia

A study examined the brains of children at increased risk of developing schizophrenia to determine whether signs of vulnerability can be detected during childhood.

13 Aug 2026

New study links overactive C1 neurons to prolonged anxiety responses

Anxiety disorders affect more than 300 million people globally. Several brain regions have been linked to anxiety, but how these regions connect has been poorly understood.

9 Jul 2026

Lithium MRI scans offer personalized treatments for bipolar disorder

A revolutionary scanning technique has revealed that lithium MRI is a powerful tool for studying how the drug interacts with the brain and could offer more personalized treatment for bipolar disorder.

29 Jun 2026

Study links genes and sleep habits to Alzheimer's risk

New research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) has discovered an important link between our genes and sleep habits, suggesting they work together to influence early brain and cognitive changes associated with Alzheimer's Disease, long before symptoms appear.

22 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

Acupuncture improves muscle function recovery in stroke patients

Paralysis on one side of the body is common after stroke. A new study in CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics demonstrates that acupuncture can significantly improve muscle function recovery in patients who experienced a stroke, with this recovery correlating to increases in grey matter volume in certain regions of the brain related to cognitive-motor integration.

3 Jun 2026

New PET imaging approach may enable early CTE diagnosis

A first-in-class PET imaging approach can accurately detect a biomarker for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a devastating neurodegenerative disease associated with repeated head impact.

31 May 2026

Uneven grey matter loss serves as a powerful new biomarker for early neurodegeneration

Universitat Oberta de Catalunya Alzheimer's disease begins to weave a web in the brain and remodel neuronal tissue 15 to 20 years before the first symptoms appear. From the time this happens, however, until the disease is diagnosed and, later, enters an advanced phase, it progresses along a continuum of changes to the brain.

21 May 2026

Swapping passive screen time with mental activity may cut dementia risk

Research shows that mentally active sedentary behavior can reduce dementia risk, emphasizing the importance of daily cognitive engagement for brain health.

9 Apr 2026

Smoking shrinks key brain regions while cannabis shows weaker effects

The study highlights brain changes from tobacco use and calls for more research on cannabis, as its effects on brain structure remain inadequately understood.

7 Apr 2026

DNA damage in gray matter neurons linked to MS progression

For decades, multiple sclerosis research has focused on myelin, the insulation around the brain's wiring. Scientists paid less attention to another loss that was happening in parallel: neurons in the cortex, the seat of higher thinking and cognition, were quietly dying.

1 Apr 2026

MIND diet may protect against structural brain deterioration

The combined Mediterranean and blood pressure lowering diet (MIND) may slow the structural changes related to brain aging, finds research published online in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.

17 Mar 2026

Brain imaging study reveals distinct subtypes of ADHD in children

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often talked about as if it were a single condition. But anyone who works with children with ADHD-or raises one-knows that symptoms can look very different from one child to another.

4 Mar 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

Evidence links gut microbiome changes to Alzheimer’s progression

Human studies consistently report gut microbiome differences in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease, but findings vary widely by cohort, methods, and taxa. Heterogeneity and limited longitudinal data prevent causal inference, highlighting the need for functional profiling and well-designed intervention trials.

25 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

Missing piece of myelin results in slower, less consistent signal transmission to the brain

Our nerve cells are surrounded by a protective layer (myelin). This protective layer allows signals to pass between cells incredibly quickly.

11 Dec 2025

Neuroscientists detect five broad phases of brain structure in the average human life

Neuroscientists at the University of Cambridge have identified five "major epochs" of brain structure over the course of a human life, as our brains rewire to support different ways of thinking while we grow, mature, and ultimately decline.

25 Nov 2025

Does coffee truly boost memory and focus or is it all hype?

Coffee’s bioactive compounds, especially caffeine, show potential cognitive, neuroprotective, and neuroplasticity benefits across animal and human studies. However, most findings are observational, mechanisms remain uncertain, and optimal intake is still unclear.

23 Nov 2025

Heart damage during middle age linked to greater dementia risk in later life

People with signs of damage to their heart during middle age are more likely to develop dementia in later life, according to a new study led by UCL (University College London) researchers.

5 Nov 2025