Nervous System News and Research

Latest Nervous System News and Research

Highly potent opioid shows potential as therapy for pain and opioid use disorder

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have identified a novel, highly potent opioid that shows potential as a therapy for both pain and opioid use disorder.

1 Apr 2026

Molecular switch in neurons found to limit the regrowth of damaged axonal fibers

Researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have discovered a molecular switch in neurons that limits the regrowth of damaged axonal fibers.

1 Apr 2026

Gut microbiome changes improve memory in early cognitive decline

Research shows that modifying the gut microbiome can enhance cognitive performance and mitigate dementia risk, highlighting the gut-brain connection.

1 Apr 2026

Treating autonomic dysfunction can relieve symptoms of treatment-resistant depression

Consider a house with the water main half shut. The faucets sputter. The toilet runs all night. The garden wilts. You could call a plumber for the faucet, a landscaper for the garden, a different plumber for the toilet, and every one of them would fix something while fixing nothing.

31 Mar 2026

New stem cell therapy offers permanent cure for Hirschsprung disease

Scientists are developing a revolutionary new stem cell therapy to treat a rare and life-threatening disease that leaves newborn babies unable to function without invasive surgery, thanks to a collaboration between UCL, the University of Sheffield and Queen's University Belfast.

31 Mar 2026

Gut-derived metabolites regulate immune cells in complex ways

Published on March 23, 2026, in Volume 2, article number 18 of the journal Immunity & Inflammation, the review begins by systematically outlining the sources and synthetic pathways of immune-relevant microbial metabolites, including bile acids, short-chain fatty acids, amino acid derivatives, vitamins, trimethylamine/trimethylamine N-oxide, and odd-chain fatty acids.

31 Mar 2026

Scientists use living muscle to reanimate paralyzed organs

What if a technology could reanimate parts of the body that have lost their connection to the brain - like a bladder that can no longer empty due to a spinal cord injury, or intestines that can't push food forward due to Crohn's disease? What if this technology could also send sensations such as hunger or touch back to the brain?

31 Mar 2026

Alcohol impacts gene expression differently across brain regions

Erica Periandri and Gabor Egervari, from Washington University in St. Louis, led a study to explore how alcohol exposure in male mice influences gene expression and mechanisms that regulate gene function-or epigenetics.

30 Mar 2026

Study opens the door for future treatments for Sleeping Sickness

To survive in the human bloodstream, the African trypanosome parasite wears a "cloak" made of proteins known as a variant surface glycoprotein (VSG).

30 Mar 2026

Gut immune responses found to trigger brain inflammation in MS

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating neurological disorder caused by malfunctioning immune responses that target the brain and spinal cord of the central nervous system (CNS).

27 Mar 2026

Drugs targeting TIE2 protein could help prevent formation of cerebral cavernous malformations

Researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have identified a cell surface receptor protein called TIE2 as the missing link between two key signaling pathways that drive the growth of blood vessel abnormalities known as cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs).

27 Mar 2026

Early testosterone surge triggers rare muscle disease

Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy (SBMA) is a rare inherited disease that causes progressive muscle weakness and wasting in men.

27 Mar 2026

Hormonal contraception not associated with prevalence of idiopathic intracranial hypertension

Hormonal contraception, including birth control pills and intrauterine devices (IUDs), is not associated with an increased prevalence of a brain pressure disorder called idiopathic intracranial hypertension, according to a meta-analysis published on March 25, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

25 Mar 2026

Research explains why stomach bugs cause a lingering loss of appetite

Anyone who has weathered a bad stomach bug knows the feeling: a loss of appetite that sets in and lingers, even after the initial illness.

25 Mar 2026

Detailed cell atlas reveals earliest changes in prostate cancer

Prostate cancer affects one in five Australian men, making it the most common cancer in the country.

25 Mar 2026

Systematic review identifies stress-induced biological triggers in oncology

Stress is a constant companion in the oncologist's office. It appears at the time of diagnosis, increases with each stage of treatment, and often does not resolve even after therapy formally ends. It accompanies therapeutic decisions, waiting for test results, fear of recurrence, and changes in daily functioning. Studies show that chronic stress can trigger biological processes that promote disease progression and weaken the body's defenses.

25 Mar 2026

Gut microbes drive fat browning in response to diet

White adipose tissue stores energy, while brown and beige fat burn energy through thermogenesis. Under certain environmental conditions, white fat can transition into beige fat in a process known as browning.

24 Mar 2026

Aging and Parkinson’s impact brain and muscle activity during balance recovery

Lena Ting, from Emory University, and colleagues explored how brain and muscle activity during balance recovery change due to aging and Parkinson's.

23 Mar 2026

Mild hypoxia in preterm infants linked to lifelong memory issues

During intensive care after preterm births, babies can experience low oxygen in their tissue and cells-or hypoxia.

23 Mar 2026

Multiple sclerosis prevalence in England doubles due to better diagnosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) has more than doubled in recorded prevalence in England from 2000 to 2020, increasing by 6% per year, largely due to improved diagnosis and longer life expectancy, finds a new study by University College London (UCL) and Imperial College London researchers.

23 Mar 2026