Weekly Neuroscience Update

*Schematic representation of the social perception and ventral face perception pathways in the brain.*
*Credit: Imaging Neuroscience (2026).*

Newborn babies are naturally drawn to faces, a trait that helps them bond with their mothers and other caregivers. New Yale research has now found that the functional brain network involved in processing dynamic faces in adults can be observed as early as the third trimester of pregnancy.

Researchers have developed an AI model that analyzes a person’s DNA to better identify genetic risk factors for stroke, paving the way for more personalized risk assessments.

A new study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry found that deep brain stimulation (DBS) for treatment-resistant depression led to sustained improvement by stimulating specific brain connections. It is the largest multicohort study on patients receiving subcallosal cingulate DBS. Additionally, findings reported in Imaging Neuroscience indicate that the brain pathway for perceiving socially engaging faces can be detected in the womb, highlighting early brain network development.

Therapy targeting the immune system’s B cells might offer better odds against relapses in the early stages of multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study reports. The findings were published in the journal Neurology Open Access.

Adults who averaged fewer than 5,000 steps a day were later diagnosed with dementia, Parkinson’s disease or stroke at almost twice the rate of those averaging more than 12,000 steps, according to a new study presented at the 151st Annual Meeting of the American Neurological Association (ANA).

Children consuming more ultraprocessed foods exhibit heightened brain responses to appealing food images, which are associated with increased body fat a year later.

Previous studies have suggested that body posture and movement can influence emotions. Now researchers have extended this line of research by showing that when people perform the same “depressed” body movements, their brain responses differ depending on the level of their depressive symptoms.

Clinician-scientists hope to expand the use of blood-based biomarker tests for traumatic brain injury (TBI) to improve identification and escalation of care for patients whose diagnosis otherwise might be missed.

In a recent study, researchers investigated the impact of maintaining physical activity and blood pressure on cognitive abilities over a 14-year period. They tracked participants’ daily step counts and blood pressure, followed by computerized tests assessing attention, focus, and self-control. Results indicated that increased daily steps correlated with improved performance in cognitive tests.

A major review of more than 2 million people has found current smokers face a higher risk of dementia.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and their collaborators have identified two previously unknown forms of the protein amyloid-beta that may contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s. The study, published in Nature Communications, also shows that a protein previously discovered by the researchers can counteract the formation of these harmful forms, suggesting a potential new treatment approach.

Scientists have discovered that serotonin, a brain chemical best known for its role in mood and mental health, also helps regulate attention.

Three distinct brain biotypes exist in children who have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anxiety disorder or both, a new Stanford Medicine–led study has shown. The discovery could help clarify a confusing picture of two of the most common mental health conditions of childhood, which often overlap. Each biotype is characterized by malfunctions in a specific set of brain circuits, according to the study, published in Nature Mental Health.

A naturally occurring molecule that helps the brain clear away damaged blood cells could open the door to new treatments for one of the deadliest forms of stroke, research led by University of Manchester scientists suggests.

A study of more than 1,800 older Australians found that people who had experienced lifetime trauma were more likely to have mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia and performed worse on working memory and executive function tests. However, stressful events experienced in the previous six months were not associated with poorer cognitive outcomes.

A recent review has revealed type 2 diabetes significantly raises the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

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*Cardiometabolic disease and cognition. Credit: *Science* (2026)*

Drugs such as semaglutide and tirzepatide are already used to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes, but they also influence biological processes important for brain function. In a new review published in Science, researchers at the University of Gothenburg and the University of Copenhagen assessed the available evidence.

Scientists may have discovered a new strategy for treating complex neurodegenerative diseases. A study, recently published in Science, describes a new approach that allows specialized enzymes to clear out several disease-causing proteins.

In a neuroimaging study a team of researchers recorded the brain activity of healthy adults during sentence comprehension after raising catecholamine levels with stimulant medication (methylphenidate). Higher catecholamine levels led to stronger recruitment of cognitive resources during processing of grammatically ambiguous sentences, showing how neurochemical systems may shape language processing.

The brain’s own clearance mechanisms are most active during sleep. Researchers have now shown that this natural clearance process can also be enhanced while people are awake.

Researchers have identified 10 blood proteins that, when analyzed together, can distinguish people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) from healthy individuals with nearly 98% balanced accuracy. The findings, published in Nature Communications, could pave the way for a blood test that helps doctors recognize ALS earlier.

A new study is shedding light on how changes associated with different neurodegenerative diseases can overlap in the brain—and how that overlap may differ between women and men.

Researchers have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) model that helps fill gaps in brain wiring maps made with diffusion MRI, a type of scan that traces the brain’s nerve fiber pathways. This could help researchers study how key brain connections change with aging and disease.

Firing patterns in the brains of some cognitively normal adults predicted Alzheimer’s years before symptoms or brain changes, while other patterns indicated resilience to cognitive decline and potential “super ager” status.

Exposure to petroleum-derived lubricants at work, including engine oil, hydraulic oil and cutting fluids used to cool or lubricate metal during metalworking, is associated with higher odds of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study published in Neurology. The study does not prove that exposure to these lubricants causes MS. It only shows an association.

Patients with early-onset Alzheimer’s have more extensive tau deposits that accumulate more than twice as quickly and spread more widely throughout the brain than in older-onset patients.

Researchers have helped accelerate the search for disease-causing genes by building new genetic ‘families.’ The team uncovered hundreds of previously unrecognized family connections by analyzing the DNA of people with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and motor neuron disease (MND).

People with type 2 diabetes, heart disease or stroke who sleep well have better cognitive function and greater brain volume than people with the same conditions who sleep poorly, according to a new study.

Recent findings published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, links specific brain abnormalities in pulmonary hypertension to the same inflammatory processes that drive the disease in the lungs and heart, suggesting that cognitive decline may be present in other vascular and inflammatory conditions beyond pulmonary hypertension. The findings also point to a biological marker that could be used to screen people for future cognitive issues.

Scientists have developed an artificial intelligence model to streamline and improve screening for Parkinson’s disease (PD) so doctors can refer patients for early-stage testing.

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Electrode locations from all patients aligned to a common brain atlas and color-coded by region. The “preSMA” and “dACC” together comprise the medial frontal cortex in our study. Credit: Courellis et al.

Scientists carried out a study aimed at better understanding how neurons preserve context over time as the goals of an ongoing task change. Their findings, published in Nature Human Behaviour, suggest that the brain can represent the same information through different patterns of neuronal activity that vary in stability and flexibility.

New research found that an unhealthy Western-style diet accelerates cognitive decline in individuals genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s disease.

A scientific team has shown that a new brain-computer interface (BCI) can allow people with vocal tract and bodily paralysis to convey both speech and upper-body gestures simultaneously. While BCIs have facilitated one or the other in the past, this new system is the first to enable both modes of communication at once, more closely replicating natural expression.

In a study analysing nearly 3,000 brain MRI exams, researchers found that living in highly disadvantaged neighbourhoods was associated with adverse brain health.

Neuroscientists have found that a centralized genetic switch in the neuron’s cell body, rather than just local cues at the axon tips, directs axon navigation. By analysing over 12,000 developing neurons, they created a genetic atlas that could lead to new therapies for repairing damaged neural pathways after strokes or spinal cord injuries.

New research suggests that losing muscle as we age may indicate a higher risk of dementia, with individuals suffering from sarcopenia—characterized by muscle loss and decreased strength—facing a 42% increased risk.

Researchers have discovered that spontaneous eye-blink rate serves as a simple, noninvasive marker for tracking the development of executive function in early childhood. The study revealed that children aged 3–6 with higher blink rates performed better on cognitive flexibility tasks, an association specifically linked to focused activation within the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

Scientists at the University of Galway have taken part in a first-in-human study of stroke patients using a thin wire fitted with sensors to assess and map their clots.

A new study reveals the human brain is composed of two independently evolved organs, enabling the first lab-grown human hindbrain neurons. Published in Nature Neuroscience, the research shows that what we call the human brain is actually two ancient, independent nervous systems assembled side by side over hundreds of millions of years of evolutionary history.

A clinical trial has found that exercise has a significant effect on mood and lab-based measures of new brain cell formation in healthy middle-aged participants.

A recent study reveals a connection between spinal deterioration and cognitive decline, indicating that individuals with lower bone density in thoracic vertebrae experience quicker cognitive decline and microstructural brain injury, as assessed through a deep learning model analysing clinical imaging data.

A new computational model shows how cortical feedback slashes neural chaos by 93%, explaining how our vision stays stable despite fluctuating brain activity.

A research team has created a vision transformer architecture named the 4D fMRI CrossFormer (4DfCF) to analyze four-dimensional fMRI data, aiming to enhance AI-assisted brain disorder diagnosis and promote a more transparent computer-aided diagnosis system for clinicians to review AI predictions.

Neurodivergent individuals, especially those with autism or ADHD, are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at younger ages, with a significant prevalence among those diagnosed before age 20.

Scientists using magnetoencephalography (MEG) discovered five neurophysiological subtypes of major depressive disorder based on brain connectivity, revealing that patients with the same diagnosis can have opposite brain activity patterns, which explains previous research discrepancies and promotes personalized psychiatric treatment.

A new study found that 85% of patients with aura-dominant migraine experienced a reduction in monthly aura days by at least half following treatment with the anti-epileptic drug lamotrigine.

Researchers from Alzheimer Center Amsterdam and the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience discovered that personally meaningful music elicits a stronger brain response than neutral music in individuals with dementia, with variations in response based on dementia type.

Finally, this week, chronic stress and perceived social support may play a role in how memory and thinking abilities change with age, according to a new study,

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Credit: *European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging* (2026).

Researchers studied how autism manifests in the brain by examining the dopamine system, energy use, and communication between brain regions in 60 adults, using three advanced brain-scanning techniques. They found a higher number of dopamine D2 receptors in autistic individuals compared to neurotypical individuals, indicating a significant role of the dopamine system in autism.

Deep brain stimulation, or DBS, may help improve speech and swallowing problems caused by traumatic brain injury (TBI), according to a new study published in Nature Communications.

As people age, cognitive functions generally decline, but language skills often remain intact or even improve unless affected by conditions like stroke or dementia. A recent study has found that older adults exhibit similar neural activity in the language-processing network as younger adults during language tasks, although activation patterns in the executive control tasks network differ significantly between the two age groups.

Research from the University of East Anglia shows how our memories change with age and why specific details associated with past events can fade over time.

Scientists have identified a previously unknown aspect of schizophrenia that offers a new way to understand how the disorder affects large-scale brain coordination. In a new study, published in the journal Translational Psychiatry, researchers introduced a method for measuring how brain networks maintain balanced activity and recover when that balance is disrupted.

Findings from a new study suggest that the trickle of neurons created in the adult hippocampus could be instrumental in preventing depression. Most of the brain’s 100 billion neurons are created before birth.

A short workout or a nap can help protect memory after a sleepless night, a recent study has found. Researchers found people who either completed 20 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise or took a 90-minute nap performed about 22% better on memory tests after 30 hours without sleep than those who did neither.

A study published in Neuron has identified the brain mechanisms that help us work out whether the consequences we experience are caused by our own actions or by circumstances beyond our control.

A new study suggests that gut bacteria may send different biological signals in Parkinson’s disease. The findings add to growing evidence that changes in the gut could be linked to Parkinson’s disease and may eventually help researchers identify new underlying mechanisms for the condition.

Scientists have found that a pattern of brain atrophy visible on MRI could help predict how quickly people with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease progress from mild cognitive impairment to dementia.

Some people with epilepsy experience delusions, hallucinations, paranoia and confusion after a seizure. While these episodes usually last only days, a new study led by researchers suggests they may place patients at significantly higher risk of developing psychiatric disorders later.

The brain may “tag” experiences during learning to better consolidate memories of them during sleep, according to a study published in the journal PLOS Biology by Dan Denis from the University of York, United Kingdom, and colleagues.

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Microwire locations, task, ripple characteristics and increased co-firing during co-ripples at all recording separations. Credit: *Nature Neuroscience* (2026).

Researchers have discovered that high-frequency brain waves, known as ripples, may facilitate synchronization between distant brain regions during working memory tasks, highlighting their potential role in coordinating neural activity across long distances during cognitive processes.

Having normal blood pressure, no diabetes, and not smoking from age 48 to 68, are associated with nearly 13 additional years on average of dementia-free life, a new study shows.

Childhood epilepsy is linked to significantly poorer exam grades and long-term educational attainment, with the lowest levels of academic achievement among those whose neurological disorder started when they were very young, finds a large, long-term Danish study published online in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.

In a paper appearing in Nature Communications, researchers show how music produces distinct patterns in the regions of the brain associated with imagination and meaning, similar to those prompted by spoken narratives.

A new study suggests that Alzheimer’s disease may be detected by brain imaging more than seven years earlier than previously assumed. The study suggests that the gold standard for imaging in Alzheimer’s disease (amyloid-PET) has not been sensitive enough to detect early brain processes associated with the disease, such as the accumulation of amyloid plaques in the brain. The researchers found signs of Alzheimer’s at least seven years before plaques became visible.

A person’s sleep patterns could be an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease, a new study says. A greater number of micro-awakenings during sleep is linked to a greater genetic risk for Alzheimer’s, researchers report in the journal Sleep.

People living with severe mental illness face a substantially higher risk of dementia throughout adulthood, as well as a significantly elevated risk of stroke in early and middle adulthood, according to a large new study based on health records from Catalonia, Spain. The findings, published in European Neuropsychopharmacology, suggest that physical health risks linked to severe psychiatric conditions emerge much earlier than many clinicians may expect, underscoring the need for general health care to be more integrated into mental health care.

A new study published in Brain Stimulation shows that the brain’s ongoing activity before stimulation can predict much of this variability, offering a path toward more reliable neuromodulation therapies.

A new AI model analyzes routine sleep study data to reveal patients’ long-term health risks, such as heart disease and cognitive decline. The study indicates that standard medical tests hold more physiologic information than typically recognized, with AI uncovering significant patterns in sleep data that traditional measures miss.

Published in the Journal of Cognitive Enhancement, a new study found six one-minute bouts of stair climbing improved people’s cognitive health.

Researchers have identified a possible biological marker linked to severe suicidal thoughts. The finding, published in The British Journal of Psychiatry, may also help explain why some people recover from these thoughts, opening a new path for research into resilience and suicide prevention.

A research team has demonstrated that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) significantly improves depression and apathy in patients with Parkinson’s disease.

A recent study suggests that a single 20-minute session of noninvasive deep brain stimulation, paired with mindful breathing, may strengthen the brain’s response to reward and reduce anxiety. Changes in reward-related brain activity remained detectable for approximately one week after the session.

Researchers have created an AI-based method to produce detailed maps revealing how different brain areas age and their correlation with cognitive function over a lifetime.

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Credit: *Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences* (2026)

Scientists have developed a computer model of the human cortex that links its microscopic chemistry to its brain-wide patterns of activity, providing new evidence that regional differences in receptor density help shape how activity and information move across the brain.

An international consortium has established the first consensus-based framework and standardized taxonomy for vocal biomarkers.

A novel AI model can use information collected during routine sleep studies to identify patients’ long-term health risks, according to a new study published in Nature Communications. Developed by a multidisciplinary research team, the model uncovered hidden sleep patterns linked to risks including heart disease, cognitive decline and death.

Experiencing severe stress during childhood can make a person more vulnerable to anxiety, depression and other mood disorders when faced with hardships as an adult.

A new study reveals that during deep REM sleep, the human brain shifts its sensory processing focus from external sounds to internal cardiac signals. As responsiveness to outside noise decreases, the processing of these internal signals increases. The researchers created an audio-cardio index to measure this neural shift, providing a new physiological marker for evaluating altered states of consciousness.

Researchers have created an energy-efficient AI model that mimics hippocampal brain mechanisms, enabling it to construct cognitive maps, perform stochastic computations, and solve complex planning tasks efficiently.

A new mathematical model that reproduces the relapsing-remitting pattern of multiple sclerosis (MS) offers scientists a tool to better understand how the disease progresses. The model, developed by QUT researchers from the School of Mathematical Sciences, is published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface.

The first U.S. clinical trial evaluating psilocybin-assisted therapy in military veterans with treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has demonstrated significant safety and clinical efficacy.

A new study in Nature Genetics reveals a detailed map of brain immune cells involved in Alzheimer’s disease, highlighting a protective subtype that grows as the disease advances and identifying the molecular pathway that helps these cells defend the brain, with potential implications for future therapies.

A clinical trial, has found that oral semaglutide significantly reduces heavy drinking days, daily cravings, and alcohol-related problems in adults with moderate-to-severe Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD).

Scientists have found that the human brain processes low-frequency infrasound through a unique mechanism where acoustic waves bypass auditory hair cells and activate inner ear support cells, generating electric fields that stimulate different nerve pathways, causing infrasound to be felt more as a physical sensation than an audible sound.

Scientists have uncovered how a major Parkinson’s disease gene disrupts the brain’s most vulnerable dopamine-producing neurons before detectable neuronal loss. The study findings are published in Nature Communications.

A compound produced by bacteria in many people’s digestive tracts increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and speeds cognitive decline in dementia patients, making it a potential target for a treatment that could reduce Alzheimer’s risk, according to a new study published in Nature Communications.

Researchers have found that depression is associated with smaller volume in a specific part of the hippocampus, a brain region essential for learning and memory.

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*Credit: Jeffrey Parr/University of Southern Mississippi*

New research indicates that athletes with ADHD need even more scrutiny when head injuries are involved.

Scientists have made progress in finding better pain treatments with a new study aimed at reducing the addictive effects of morphine. They found that activating a dopamine receptor called D4 boosts morphine’s pain-relieving effects and helps prevent tolerance.

Prefrontal transcranial pulse stimulation is associated with antidepressant effects, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open

Cerebrovascular disease can cause serious problems if not treated quickly, but it’s hard to spot before symptoms show up. Researchers have developed an AI technology that analyses daily activities and environmental data from older adults to identify signs of cerebrovascular disease risk based on small changes in their home lives.

Researchers have developed a small graphene-based sensor to noninvasively measure dopamine in artificial tears, enabling rapid neurodegenerative screening.

The Consortium for Biomedical Research and Artificial Intelligence in Neurodegeneration (C-BRAIN) has launched three open-source AI tools. These tools act as team members in biomedical research, analysing global neuroscience literature, identifying patterns in hidden data, and providing objective peer reviews to accelerate the development of life-saving treatments.

A retrospective cohort study of 19,824 NFL players confirms that professional football veterans face a fourfold increase in neurodegenerative mortality, including a 3.8-fold surge in all-cause dementia and Parkinson’s disease.

A study in Neurology found that people with early-onset dementia had lower work productivity up to 15 years before they were diagnosed, with variations by type of dementia. Early-onset dementia refers to anyone under 65 diagnosed with dementia. The study only shows a link between early-onset dementia and reduced productivity, not that one causes the other.

A research team created a brain implant that can modulate neural activity with temperature, offering new opportunities for brain-computer interfaces and neurological treatments.

New research has used advanced EEG-fMRI tracking to show that the brain doesn’t operate as a single process. Instead, the human connectome manages multiple separate, asynchronous streams of information processing that happen simultaneously, providing new insights into clinical neuro-diagnostics and cognitive complexity.

A new study has introduced a novel machine learning method for analysing how the brain organises complex behaviours, offering fresh evidence that neural activity is built from reusable “building blocks.” The study is published in Neuron.

Scientists have conducted a study that enhances the understanding of the brain’s neuromodulators—acetylcholine, dopamine, and serotonin. The research integrates advanced experimental measurements with detailed computational models of the brain, demonstrating how these chemical messengers influence the electrical activity of numerous neurons in the developing brain.

Exposure to high temperatures during pregnancy and early infancy is linked to slower thalamic growth in childhood, as indicated by research from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health.

A new study has found that older adults who participated in a structured, 2-year healthy lifestyle program saw a significant improvement in memory and thinking skills, approximately 55% greater per year, compared with those who received only general health advice.

Research has shed new light on the biological basis of schizophrenia by directly measuring synaptic connections in the human brain using specialised positron emission tomography (PET) imaging.

A major study involving over 214,000 older adults from 14 countries shows that common risk factors for dementia—like low education, high blood pressure, and smoking—differ greatly between countries. This indicates that a single approach to prevention won’t be effective everywhere.

Natural plant compounds called polyphenols, found in foods such as berries, tea, cocoa, coffee, and extra-virgin olive oil, may positively influence biological processes associated with Alzheimer’s disease and nerve cell loss, claims a recent review.

A recent study found that poor sleep affects brain communication in adults, particularly highlighting that older women with poor sleep exhibited abnormal connectivity between the Default Mode Network and the Frontal Parietal Network. This over-communication correlated with worse memory performance and resembled brain patterns observed in early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

Rare DNA changes are most strongly linked to cognition in early childhood, but the link fades as children age, while common DNA changes show stronger links later in childhood, a new study finds.

Researchers have demonstrated a novel AI model that can predict which DNA molecules bind with which other DNA molecules. Providing a more thorough understanding of these hypercomplex binding relationships has utility in applications ranging from biomedical diagnostic tools to DNA computing.

A study revealed that heightened amygdala activity in adolescents viewing emotional faces can forecast their social health two years later, showing that for girls it indicated greater peer engagement, while for boys it indicated less.

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Researchers have conducted a psychophysical study using virtual reality (VR) to investigate how humans flexibly use exploratory behaviours—such as changing their viewpoint by moving their head and manipulating objects with their hands—when discriminating the material properties of objects. The study was published in the Journal of Vision.

A new study establishes a robust link between long-term exposure to air pollution and the risk of Parkinson’s disease.

An international team of scientists and clinicians have developed a generative artificial intelligence framework that unmasks these previously hidden cortical lesions by analysing existing legacy MRI scans. By synthesising minor, sub-visual discrepancies across multiple image contrasts, the AI acts as a computational lens, extracting vital diagnostic data from ordinary scans and revealing an entirely invisible layer of MS pathology.

New research in General Psychiatry has uncovered a link between higher levels of daytime light exposure and a lower risk of dementia.

A recent study discovered that randomly played sounds during sleep can actively impair memory consolidation. By utilising real-time electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring, the researchers proved that ambient sound clicks disrupt deep slow-wave sleep, arresting the physical propagation of slow brain waves across the cortex and fracturing the crucial transfer of information required to form long-term memories.

A research team has uncovered new insight into how the brain senses movement. Their findings could potentially help improve sensation and movement for prosthetic limbs.

A new study has demonstrated that introducing inflammatory signalling molecules directly into human hippocampal stem cells halts new neuron production. Instead of simply dying or becoming damaged, the brain’s neural stem cells abandon their regenerative responsibilities, entering an “immune alert” state that fuels localised neuroinflammation.

People who speak more than one language seem to have younger brains, according to research presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2026.

A new research framework that combines large language models (LLMs) with choice mathematics to evaluate human decision-making. By deploying LLMs to automatically interpret and code thousands of free-text participant thought justifications, the framework provides a scalable, validated methodology demonstrating that human reasoning strategies shift dynamically with a problem’s structure.

Scientists have found that human cortical neurons function like advanced microchips, demonstrating computational abilities comparable to those of deep artificial neural networks, rather than merely acting as simple switches.

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Position of regions of interest for DTI-ALPS index calculations on a color-coded fractional anisotropy map. Spherical ROIs (3 mm diameter) were positioned in the projection and association *tracts. Dxx: left to right direction, Dyy: anterior to posterior direction, and Dzz: craniocaudal direction. PVS -perivascular space. Credit: Frontiers in Neuroscience (2026).*

The brain’s waste clearance system is impaired in people living with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), which can lead to various symptoms, including brain fog, researchers have discovered.

Women with Parkinson’s disease may be more vulnerable to Alzheimer’s-related changes in the brain than men, according to new research presented at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2026. Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease frequently co-occur in older adults, yet sex differences in Alzheimer’s-related pathology among people with Parkinson’s disease remain underexplored.

Researchers have shown that using paracetamol (acetaminophen) during pregnancy does not increase a child’s risk of developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention‑deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

By evaluating data from over 2,000 adults across 23 randomised controlled trials, scientists have proved that melatonin targets the bidirectional relationship between physical agony and sleep fragmentation, offering a highly accessible, non-addictive adjunct for integrated pain management plans.

Adults with both epilepsy and hearing loss who use hearing aids may have a 23% lower risk of developing dementia than those who do not, according to new research presented at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2026.

A new study reveals that the motor skill difference between hands is not innate but rather a result of cultural practices. Using 3D motion capture, researchers found that both hands have similar baseline capabilities, with handedness arising from asymmetrical tool use.

A research team has identified a critical molecular cause of age-related cognitive decline, potentially paving the way for new treatments to protect brain health as people age.

Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a detailed map of the pulvinar, a brain region that may enhance the targeting of brain stimulation therapies for drug-resistant epilepsy. The findings, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, show that closely located brain regions connect to distinct networks, thereby offering a blueprint for more accurate electrode placement in deep brain stimulation treatments.

A simple bedside eye test may help predict recovery of consciousness in patients with severe brain injuries, according to new research presented at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2026.

A research team cautions that reliance on unregulated AI may hinder emotional development and real-world relationship skills. While AI can provide support for marginalised youth, it poses risks such as relational displacement and maladaptive relational learning, potentially increasing long-term vulnerabilities to depression, anxiety, and social isolation.

Better identification and management of sleep apnea and associated vascular risk factors in midlife may provide an important opportunity to support long-term brain health, according to new research from Monash University.

A new study presents an automated cognitive mapping framework that combines Large Language Models (LLMs) with behavioural choice mathematics, demonstrating that human self-insights are a reliable data source, influenced by the specifics of a problem, in high-stakes gambling tasks.

Finally, this week, researchers have revealed how our brain reacts differently to predictable situations and surprises, showing that it is designed to gather more sensory information during unexpected events.

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Regions-of-interest representing delay discounting neural processes. Nucleus accumbens activation represents reward valuation (orange). Hippocampal activation is involved in imagining the future or prospection (yellow). The middle frontal gyrus is involved in cognitive control (red). Regions were defined from the Desikan-Killiany atlas. Credit: *Alcohol, Clinical and Experimental Research* (2026). DOI: 10.1111/acer.70300

Brain activity in young adults regarding reward valuation is connected to long-term drinking habits, as shown in a study of college students with family histories of alcohol use disorder (AUD). The research suggests the potential for precision medicine to create tailored interventions for those at risk of addiction, highlighting that a family history of AUD triples or quadruples the likelihood of alcohol-related issues.

A research team has developed technology that uses artificial intelligence to analyse electroencephalogram signals triggered by thermal stimuli and objectively classify pain intensity.

A recent study analysed 73 research articles on dietary patterns and their effect on cognitive performance in youth aged 8 to 19, highlighting that nutritional deficiencies in early life can lead to lower intelligence scores in adolescence, and indicating a need for more high-quality research on potential nutritional interventions during this period.

An 8-month-old infant with severe genetic epilepsy has become the first patient in the world to receive an experimental gene replacement therapy designed to restore the function of the WWOX gene directly in the brain.

Researchers employed machine learning to detect neurological warning signs in the brain’s electrical rhythms, enabling epilepsy diagnosis without capturing active seizures. An advanced algorithm identified EEG abnormalities associated with genetic epilepsy accurately.

A recent study has found a dynamic relationship between brief physical activity and improved mood, utilising data from over 8,000 global participants with wearable sensors.

A new AI platform has been developed to decode and measure human pain, surpassing reliance on subjective self-reporting. It employs a self-correcting algorithm to analyse EEG signals in response to thermal stimuli, mapping brainwave activity to produce an objective measure of physical suffering.

Researchers found postoperative delirium was strongly associated with long-term cognitive decline, and the effect was not explained by rehospitalisations, highlighting the long-term impact of delirium on brain health.

A new study reveals that menopause is a significant neurological phase rather than just a reproductive milestone, tracking brain activity during premenopause, perimenopause, and postmenopause. It finds that “resting-state” neural networks experience substantial changes linked to estrogen fluctuations, shedding light on the biological factors affecting midlife cognitive changes and long-term brain ageing in women.

The largest genome-wide association study on anxiety has identified the polygenic basis of worry and fear responses by analysing data from 693,869 individuals, shifting the focus from binary diagnoses to the spectrum of symptom severity.

Analysing 12 years of deidentified patient electronic records using AI, researchers discovered that glucosamine use among individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is associated with a 25% higher likelihood of progressing to full dementia, alongside a 25% spike in mortality for established Alzheimer’s patients.

Finally this week, a recent study has found that the relationship between a person’s progesterone and estradiol levels at a given moment, measured in saliva, could help predict participants’ performance in a learning and memory task.