Neurology News and Research

Latest Neurology News and Research

Smoking status influences Parkinson's disease risk and mortality outcomes

A new study of smokers finds that currently smoking is associated with a lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease, but quitting smoking was associated with a lower risk of death.

25 Feb 2026

Study finds brain changes related to worse memory in football players with repetitive head impacts

In former college and professional football players, a new study has found higher levels of inflammation were associated with worse brain structure, which in turn was related to worse memory.

25 Feb 2026

No evidence connects tick bites to chronic health problems

When researchers studied Norwegians who thought tick bites caused their chronic health problems, they found no objective evidence linking the symptoms to ticks.

25 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

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

Single blood test predicts onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms years ahead

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have developed a method to predict when someone is likely to develop symptoms of Alzheimer's disease using a single blood test.

19 Feb 2026

Prenatal lead exposure linked to lower cognition six decades later

Exposure to lead before birth is associated with lower performance 60 years later on tests of thinking and memory skills in female participants, according to a study published on February 18, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

18 Feb 2026

Timing matters more than repetition in learning

More than a century ago, Pavlov trained his dog to associate the sound of a bell with food. Ever since, scientists assumed the dog learned this through repetition: The more times the dog heard the bell and then got fed, the better it learned that the sound meant food would soon follow.

17 Feb 2026

Open-source Epicurrents library brings clinical neurophysiology recordings to web browsers

Clinical neurophysiology examinations include electroencephalography, sleep and vigilance studies, as well as nerve conduction recordings.

17 Feb 2026

Parkinson's-related weight loss reflects a failure of the body's energy-producing pathways

Weight loss is a well-recognized but poorly understood non-motor feature of Parkinson's disease (PD). Many patients progressively lose weight as the disease advances, often alongside worsening motor symptoms and quality of life.

13 Feb 2026

Aligning overnight fasting with sleep improves heart health

A new Northwestern Medicine study has personalized overnight fasting by aligning it with individuals' circadian sleep-wake rhythm - an important regulator of cardiovascular and metabolic function - without changing their caloric intake.

12 Feb 2026

Prehospital emergency anesthesia with intubation saves lives of trauma patients

Trauma patients urgently requiring a breathing tube are more likely to survive if the tube is inserted before arriving at hospital compared to insertion afterwards, suggests a modeling study led by researchers at University College London (UCL) and the Severn Major Trauma Network.

12 Feb 2026

FDA-approved anti-seizure drug could help fight Alzheimer's disease

While physicians and scientists have long known Alzheimer's disease involves the buildup of toxic protein fragments in the brain, they have struggled to understand how these harmful fragments are produced.

12 Feb 2026

Lifelong learning associated with lower risk of Alzheimer's disease

Engaging in a variety of intellectually stimulating activities throughout life, such as reading, writing and learning a language, is associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease and slower cognitive decline, according to a new study published on February 11, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

11 Feb 2026

Traumatic brain injury linked to long-term work disability

Having a traumatic brain injury, no matter how serious, is associated with a greater likelihood of qualifying for work disability up to five years later, according to a study published February 11, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

11 Feb 2026