Alterations within the central nervous system in painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Credit: Journal of Diabetes (2026).
Changes within the central nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord, can be a key reason for pain in people with diabetes, and future treatments could focus on restoring the brain’s pain-blocking systems, according to new research.
A long-term MRI study reveals that lower abdominal fat accumulation is linked to slower brain atrophy, preserved brain structures, and improved cognitive performance in late midlife, regardless of weight loss. This relationship appears to be mainly influenced by glucose control and insulin sensitivity. The study uniquely connects repeated MRI observations of visceral fat with brain aging and cognitive changes over time.
Researchers have shown that a single dose of psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms, causes likely anatomical brain changes that last for up to a month after the experience.
A study in Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology indicates that children with epilepsy are at a higher risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), often having intellectual disabilities (56.5% vs. 15.4%), being mostly female (38.2% vs. 25.8%), and receiving an autism diagnosis at a younger age (7.4 vs. 8.7 years) compared to those without autism.
Researchers at Loma Linda University Health found that consuming one egg per day, five days a week, is linked to a 27% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease in individuals aged 65 and older.
A recent study reveals that Parkinson’s disease can be categorised into distinct subtypes, highlighting the limitations of a one-size-fits-all treatment approach. The research identified two main groups and five subgroups through machine-learning analysis, paving the way for personalised therapies. The findings are published in Nature Communications.
A new study indicates that both extremely low and high resting heart rates are associated with a higher stroke risk, contradicting the idea that lower heart rates always signify good cardiovascular fitness.
A meta-analysis of 55 studies involving over 3 million people revealed that 31% of individuals with cannabis use disorder (CUD) also have major depressive disorder (MDD), and CUD is present in 10% of those with MDD, highlighting a mutual relationship between the two conditions.
Omega-3 supplements, commonly used by older adults for cardiovascular health and to reduce cognitive decline, may be associated with a quicker deterioration in cognitive function, according to recent research.
New research challenges the long-held belief that the brain makes decisions in a simple, top-down hierarchy. By discovering decision-making signals in the primary somatosensory cortex, researchers have revealed a system of bidirectional feedback loops that could be the key to building the next generation of energy-efficient, truly intelligent AI.
The soft bioelectrodes use a honeycomb-inspired design that allows researchers to stretch them onto the specific geometry of a patient’s brain, without sacrificing structural strength or sensitivity to electrical and physiological signals. Credit: Tao Zhou
Researchers have developed 3D-printed, honeycomb-structured hydrogel electrodes that perfectly match the unique folds of a patient’s brain for safer, high-quality neural monitoring.
We’ve long known that a run can clear your head, but a landmark one-year randomised clinical trial has finally mapped the long-term biological “why.” The study is the first to prove a cause-and-effect relationship between aerobic exercise and a sustained reduction in cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. By simply meeting the standard 150-minute weekly exercise goal, participants effectively lowered the biological “background noise” of stress.
A global research collaboration has discovered that social health is crucial for preserving cognitive function and enhancing the brain’s resilience to dementia.
In a creative shift for psychiatric research, a study suggests that songwriting and group music-making can help people with psychosis reconnect with reality. The research explores the concept of predictive coding, the brain’s ability to anticipate what happens next. By engaging in the rhythmic and melodic expectations of music, participants with schizophrenia and auditory hallucinations reported reduced paranoia and a significant shift away from social isolation.
Repeated menstrual cycles may not only cause endometriosis but also alter brain function. A new study indicates that ongoing inflammation associated with the condition can heighten nervous system sensitivity and lead to persistent pain.
Researchers from the University of California, San Diego discovered that teenagers who start using cannabis experience slower improvements in thinking and memory as they mature, based on a study of over 11,000 participants from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study published in Neuropsychopharmacology.
A 12-week study from the University of Toronto finds that daily fluctuations in mental sharpness account for an 80-minute difference in productivity between your best and worst days.
Researchers have uncovered evidence that some movement-related symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease may originate outside the brain, which could change how the disease is diagnosed and treated in the future. The study was published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Women taking antiseizure medication for epilepsy have around a 45% reduced risk of major congenital anomalies in their children—if they initiate high-dose folic acid before pregnancy.
In a recent publication appearingin Advanced Science, researchers at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience challenge the assumptions surrounding the design and materials used for brain implants. Softer, flexible implants are gentler than older ones, but they are not completely harmless. By carefully studying these effects, researchers can begin to design safer implants, and bring long-term, reliable implants closer to reality.
New research indicates that walking and balance issues in Alzheimer’s disease may stem from peripheral nervous system failures rather than brain decay, with a study using “human-on-a-chip” technology demonstrating that genetic mutations can directly harm nerve-muscle connections, independent of the brain or spinal cord.
A Phase II trial finds that walking and resistance exercise, along with low-dose ibuprofen, can protect cancer patients from “chemo brain” during treatment.
Researchers have found new insights into asymptomatic Alzheimer’s disease (AsymAD), wherein some older adults remain mentally sharp despite brain changes associated with the disease. Understanding this resilience may lead to earlier detection and strategies to prevent memory loss.
A landmark study has identified a significant association between prenatal prescription of commonly utilized medications and the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children.
Researchers found that fluctuations in a person’s heartbeat relate uniquely to brain activity, with chaos-based analysis indicating significant changes in heart-brain coupling during cognitive tasks. The study shows these complex rhythms are important indicators of the central nervous system when under cognitive load.
A longitudinal study of 1,400 children links early pretend play to improved mental health outcomes, suggesting play builds brain resilience. The research suggests that imaginative play is not just recreational but a foundational developmental tool that supports long-term mental wellbeing, even when accounting for socioeconomic status, mother’s mental health, and language ability.
In a paradigm-shifting discovery, researchers have found that Alzheimer’s disease shares a surprising biological driver with blood cancers like leukaemia. The study reveals that the brain’s immune cells (microglia) accumulate specific cancer-driving mutations as they age. Rather than forming tumours, these mutant cells create a “hostile” inflammatory environment that kills neurons. This suggests that Alzheimer’s may be treatable using existing cancer drugs and detectable through simple blood tests.
A noninvasive neurostimulation technique targeting deep brain regions has been utilised to explore pain mechanisms and shows potential for clinical use in neurology and psychiatry.
A web tool designed to spark reminiscence could help people with dementia and their caregivers feel more connected to each other and less impacted by feelings of pre-death grief, according to a clinical trial co-led by USC and Weill Cornell Medicine published in JAMA Network Open.
Researchers have identified a new DNA region and two genes associated with frailty, providing insights into why some older adults are more frail. This discovery highlights the role of genetic factors in resilience to age-related declines, aiming to lead to targeted interventions for the ageing population.
Neuroscientists have discovered a secret second network in the brain. AI-mapped astrocyte webs connect distant brain regions, challenging 100 years of neuron-centric theory.
A massive transdisciplinary study has shifted the focus of Alzheimer’s research from the brain to the gut. Using AI to analyse data from nearly 10,000 people, researchers identified that common life events, specifically appendix removal and long-term dietary patterns, are among the strongest predictors of the disease. The study suggests that the gut microbiome serves as a primary line of defence for the brain, and that its disruption over decades may ultimately trigger neurodegeneration.
Researchers propose a new model for how the brain encodes and recalls emotionally meaningful touch, highlighting its role in lifelong mental health.
New research shows that a diet high in heavily processed foods can negatively impact the brain’s ability to focus and increases the risk of developing dementia. The study publishedin Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring, examined the diets and cognitive health of more than 2,100 Australian dementia-free adults middle-aged and older.
A 30-year study of 42,000 adults shows that stroke severity is a primary driver of post-stroke dementia and accelerated brain aging.
Researchers have bridged the gap between biology and silicon by creating a 3D programmable device that merges living brain cells with advanced electronics. Unlike previous “brain-on-a-chip” attempts that grew cells on flat surfaces, this device uses a flexible, microscopic metal mesh as a scaffold, allowing tens of thousands of neurons to grow around and through the sensors.
For years, Alzheimer’s research has faced criticism for not being diverse, primarily focusing on participants of European ancestry. A groundbreaking study has challenged the “one-size-fits-all” approach. By examining brain markers across a diverse group, researchers found important differences in how early Alzheimer’s symptoms—such as tau protein tangles and amyloid plaques—manifest among racial and ethnic groups. These results indicate that the disease’s biological timeline varies across populations, suggesting that existing diagnostic tools and future treatments may need adjustments to be effective for everyone.
Scientists have found that a novel blood-based biomarker can predict a woman’s risk of developing dementia as many as 25 years before symptoms appear.
Blockbuster weight-loss drugs like semaglutide and liraglutide have significantly affected metabolic health, and a new study mapping GLP-1 expression in the brain reveals notable sex-specific differences. This research explains why females may experience greater appetite suppression and weight loss with these medications, and it suggests the potential for developing sex-specific treatments for addiction, depression, and Alzheimer’s.
Can you tell the difference between a real human voice and an AI-generated one? According to a new study, your conscious mind might struggle, but your brain is already picking up the clues.
Researchers have identified new genetic variants associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) through long-read whole genome sequencing (LR-WGS), which enhances the detection of genetic variants compared to short-read methods. These insights could result in more precise genetic testing and targeted therapies for ASD.
Increasing our level of physical fitness leads to a greater release of brain-boosting proteins following a single exercise session, a new studyhas found.
A new study has found a neural “fingerprint” that predicts our ability to understand others’ intentions, identifying a brain network that responds when our expectations of others are incorrect. This could significantly change the diagnosis and treatment of social cognition disorders such as autism and borderline personality disorder.
Scientists have successfully preserved brain tissue by deep-freezing it. When thawed, the neurons start sending signals again. This method can be used to preserve brain tissue removed during surgery for later study.
The VIVID Trial, a large study on Vitamin D, found that high doses of Vitamin D3 did not reduce the severity of COVID-19 or prevent hospitalisation, but suggested potential benefits for preventing Long COVID. Participants adhering to the Vitamin D regimen reported fewer ongoing symptoms after eight weeks, indicating that while Vitamin D isn’t a cure for COVID-19, it may aid long-term recovery.
A retinal image could help doctors quickly distinguish between similar neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS and Alzheimer’s disease, and with remarkable accuracy, according to new research.
A new study shows that immune cells called microglia can actively promote the formation of plaques in Alzheimer’s disease, challenging the long-standing view that these cells serve only as defenders against plaque buildup. The findings were recently publishedin the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Smoking cannabis can reshape memories. A new study found that those who consumed THC were more likely to recall nonexistent words and struggled with tasks like remembering to do something later.
Fatigue is a significant and challenging symptom of major depressive disorder. Recent research shows that cells in depressed individuals overwork at rest but struggle to produce energy under stress. This indicates that mitochondria are pushed to their limits early in the illness, contributing to low mood and cognitive slowness.
A new review explains that ketogenic diets help reduce seizures in epilepsy by strengthening the brain’s energy systems, reducing inflammation, and protecting neurons, offering benefits that many medications do not provide.
In former college athletes, having had three or more concussions was associated with slightly worse physical, mental, behavioural, and cognitive health five years after graduation, according to an article published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
New research suggests that exercise may help people with cancer stay mentally sharp and better able to handle daily tasks, work, and social activities through chemotherapy treatment delivered on an every two-week cycle.
Segmented and labelled images of a normal brain. Credit: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Researchers utilised AI to examine anatomical brain changes, achieving a 93% accuracy in predicting Alzheimer’s disease. Their findings indicate that these changes, including brain volume loss, vary by age and sex.
Lithium—a decades-old treatment for bipolar disorder—may hold potential neuroprotective benefits beyond mood stabilisation. An exploratory clinical trial suggests that low-dose oral lithium may help slow the decline of verbal memory, or ability to remember and recall words and sentences, in older adults with mild cognitive impairment, particularly among those with evidence of amyloid beta—one of the hallmark biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease.
A studypublishedin Nature Communications, has identified specific DNA-level changes in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Using advanced biological analysis, the team mapped alterations in the brain’s regulatory landscape that may help explain why Alzheimer’s presents and progresses differently from person to person. The findings could also open new avenues for understanding other neurodegenerative diseases.
Researchers have demonstrated through Magnetoencephalography (MEG) that memories can be reactivated in the brain without reaching conscious awareness, indicating these memories persist even when believed forgotten.
Could the deepest parts of the brain hold some of the secrets of sleep that still remain elusive to science? An in-depth study that penetrates into the brain, finding that during the deepest sleep, breathing patterns and brain activity become more independent of one another—unlike in lighter sleep or quiet wakefulness.
New research objectively quantifies multisensory losses in patients with COVID-19. The study, published in BMC Medicine, follows long COVID patients reporting issues in smell, taste, balance, hearing, and brain fog.
Researchers may have found a reason why young adults with autism are about six times more likely to get Parkinson’s disease as they age. Some young adults with autism have issues with dopamine transporters—small molecules in the brain that recycle dopamine—on brain scans usually used to diagnose older adults with Parkinson’s disease.
Why do people with compulsive traits—seen in OCD, addiction, and eating disorders—rely on repetitive habits? A recent study reveals it’s not due to an inability to plan for the future, but rather a paralysis by uncertainty.
A meta-analysis of over 900 scientific papers has mapped the “immune signatures” that determine if our brains recover or decline post-infection. The study reveals that the immune response creates a chemical environment in the brain that can either protect or harm our memory, attention, and processing speed.
Finally, this week, a team of researchers has developed a technology capable of enabling early diagnosis of major neurological disorders, including epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and schizophrenia, using only a small amount of saliva.
Training people to activate a part of the brain linked to reward and positive expectations may be associated with an increase in the body’s immune response to a vaccine. The findings from a study involving 85 participants, publishedin Nature Medicine, suggest that positive thinking might help the brain support the immune system in a noninvasive way.
A new study shows that even a short afternoon nap can help the brain recover and improve its ability to learn.
After receiving evidence-based early interventions, roughly two-thirds of non-speaking children with autism speak single words, and approximately half develop more complex language, according to a new study. The findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, offer vital insights into improving success rates for children who remain non-speaking or minimally speaking after therapy.
A newly developed AI computational models that predict the degeneration of neural networks in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Researchers have determined that a measure of brain complexity, derived from magnetic stimulation and EEG, can effectively evaluate the integrity of conscious processing in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The findings offer a new potential metric for tracking disease progression.
People with obesity and high blood pressure may face a higher risk of dementia, according to a new study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
A new doctoral dissertation shows that gambling disorder is linked to brain networks involved in self-control and brain reward functions. By combining several brain imaging methods, the research provides new biological insight into the disorder and may point to promising directions for treatment development.
Researchers have proposed a neuroscience framework explaining how different types of motivation fundamentally reshape what and how the brain remembers.
Scientists have examined episodic and semantic memory, combining task based and fMRI data and have shown that there is no difference in neural activity between successful semantic and episodic retrieval.
Research by an interdisciplinary team from McGill University and Université Laval provides new insights into the links between social factors and cognitive health among aging adults. While previous research had found positive correlations between specific measures of social connectedness and a variety of health outcomes, this study appears to have been the first to create profiles aggregating multiple social factors and to see how those correlated with cognitive health in older adults, the researchers said.
A new study finds that heart attacks involve not just the heart but also the brain and the immune system, revealing a more complex interplay between these critical bodily systems than previously understood.
UCLA Health researchers have created a comprehensive map showing how eight different genetic mutations associated with autism spectrum disorder affect early brain development, providing new insights into the ways diverse genetic causes may lead to shared features and symptoms of the disorder.
The effect of obesity on brain health may depend not only on how much fat is in the body, but also on the areas of the body where fat is stored, according to a study published in Radiology.
A new study publishedin the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity has found that people who have had a stroke have fewer of a specific type of immune cell called B cells, which normally produce antibodies to fight off infections. Researchers reviewed 21 clinical trials involving more than 2,100 adults, comparing cannabis-based medicines with placebo over periods of two to 26 weeks.
A research team of has succeeded in identifying biomarkers for Parkinson’s disease in its earliest stages, before extensive brain damage has occurred. The biological processes leave measurable traces in the blood, but only for a limited period.
New research suggests that a person’s overall physical and mental abilities, known as intrinsic capacity, may help predict future cognitive decline.
Menopause is linked to reductions in gray 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. The study, published in Psychological Medicine, found that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) does not appear to mitigate these effects, though it can slow the decline in reaction times.
People exposed to wildfire smoke have a higher risk of suffering a stroke, according to research published in the European Heart Journal.
Researchers have characterized how cellular senescence—where aging cells change their function—is linked to human brain structure in development and late life. This intriguing connection has significant implications, revealing that senescent cells may play a role in the neurodegenerative processes associated with aging, potentially influencing cognitive decline and various age-related diseases.
Finally this week, a new study has found that for people with moderate hearing loss, being prescribed hearing aids had little impact on cognitive test scores.
Autistic adults show reduced availability of a key glutamate receptor, mGlu5, across widespread brain regions. This difference supports the theory that an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory signaling may contribute to autism-related traits.
Using marijuana just once or twice a month was associated with worse school performance and emotional distress for teens, according to a large study of adolescents.
A possible new treatment for impaired brain blood flow and related dementias is on the horizon. Recent research provides novel insights into the mechanisms that regulate brain blood flow and highlights a potential therapeutic strategy to correct vascular dysfunction.
A major review of prior research has found no evidence that menopause hormone therapy either increases or decreases dementia risk in postmenopausal women.
New research has provided the first direct evidence that schizophrenia is associated with a greater release of serotonin in the frontal cortex, and demonstrates its link to a greater severity of some of the most disabling symptoms of the disorder.
A new study has uncovered how children’s play styles differ depending on whether they are playing alone or with someone else, and how these differences relate to their social skills and brain activity.
The secret to a healthier and “younger” heart lies in the vagus nerve. A recent study has shown that preserving bilateral cardiac vagal innervation is an anti-aging factor. In particular, the right cardiac vagus nerve emerges as a true guardian of cardiomyocyte health, helping to preserve the longevity of the heart independently of heart rate.
AI, using a simple blood test combined with standard brain images has, for the first time, been able to identify two biologically distinct types of multiple sclerosis (MS).
A new study comparing stroke survivors with healthy adults reveals that post-stroke language disorders stem not from slower hearing but from weaker integration of speech sounds. While patients detected sounds as quickly as controls, their brains processed speech features with far less strength, especially when words were unclear.
New research reveals that numbers in our visual field can subtly distort how we judge spatial positions, showing that perception is shaped by both numerical magnitude and object-based processing.
Researchers recently carried out a study investigating the possible connection between gut microbiota and the depressive episodes experienced by people diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Their findings, published in Molecular Psychiatry, suggest that the microorganisms in the digestive system can directly influence connections between specific brain regions known to be affected by BD depression.
New research has found that high risk of obstructive sleep apnea is linked to poorer mental health in adults over 45.
New research following children for more than a decade links high screen exposure before age two to accelerated brain maturation, slower decision-making, and increased anxiety by adolescence. Infants with more screen time showed premature specialization in brain networks involved in visual processing and cognitive control, which later reduced flexibility during thinking tasks.
A research group has uncovered a key mechanism in the development of Alzheimer’s. The mechanism in question identifies toxic proteins and disposes of them.
Researchers mapped the brain connectivity of 960 individuals to uncover how neural processes support complex behavior. They found that intrinsic neural timescales—each region’s processing window—are shaped by white-matter pathways that distribute signals. Individuals with a closer match between their wiring and regional timescale demands showed more efficient transitions between behavior-linked brain states.
Finally this week, a new study revealed that visual awareness acts as a “conductor” refining the speed and precision of attentional rhythmic sampling.
Persistent effects of air pollutants (main effects) from a multi-pollutant model. Credit: Environmental Research (2026)
Scientists warn that exposure to air pollution may have serious implications for a child’s developing brain.
A new study shows that merely imagining a positive encounter with someone can make you like them better by engaging brain regions involved with learning and preference. The findings could have implications for psychotherapy, sports performance and more.
For the first time, a team of researchers has reconstructed how the cerebellum establishes its connections with the rest of the brain during the earliest stages of life.
Social isolation directly causes cognitive function to decline more quickly in later life, independent of whether someone feels lonely. By analysing more than 137,000 cognitive tests from over 30,000 older adults, a new study found that reduced social contact consistently predicted faster cognitive decline across all demographic groups.
Researchers have developed an AI-driven brain model that can track fear as it unfolds in real-world situations, offering a major shift from traditional lab-based approaches.
A new study is challenging a popular theory about how dopamine drives movement, a discovery that could shift how scientists think about Parkinson’s disease treatments. Published in Nature Neuroscience, the research found dopamine does not set the speed or force of each movement, as had been thought. Instead, it appears to serve as the underlying support system that enables movement.
Depression and anxiety may heighten cardiovascular disease risk through chronic stress pathways in the brain and body. In a large analysis of more than 85,000 adults, those with depression or anxiety — especially both — were significantly more likely to experience a heart attack, stroke or heart failure.
A new study has found that people who microdose psychedelics feel better on the days they take them—but those boosts don’t seem to last.
A team of researchers has uncovered, for the first time, how genes linked to autism and intellectual disability may influence early brain development. Their work helps clarify how differences in early brain development contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders and could identify more targeted therapies for these conditions.
Credit: Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry (2025)
A new review highlights five major ways microplastics can harm the brain, raising concerns that they may worsen neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. These tiny particles can trigger inflammation, disrupt the blood–brain barrier, generate oxidative stress, impair mitochondria, and damage neurons.
Researchers have mapped how brain networks differ in individuals at Clinical High Risk (CHR) for psychosis, providing a new perspective on the mechanisms underlying the disease onset.
A new study found that variations in the brain’s insulin receptor network affect how women respond to early-life adversity. This effect has a lesser impact in men, suggesting there is a sex-specific process at play.
Dopamine neurons—the cells that drive reward and motivation while we’re awake—become surprisingly active during nonrapid eye movement sleep right after we learn something new.
The human brain processes spoken language in a step-by-step sequence that closely matches how large language models transform text. Using electrocorticography recordings from people listening to a podcast, researchers found that early brain responses aligned with early AI layers, while deeper layers corresponded to later neural activity in regions such as Broca’s area.
In a new leap for neurobiology and bioelectronics, scientists have developed a wireless device that uses light to send information directly to the brain—bypassing the body’s natural sensory pathways.
Young children exposed to unusually high temperatures are less likely to reach basic developmental milestones in literacy and numeracy. Analyzing data from over 19,000 children across multiple countries, the study found that average maximum temperatures above 86 °F were associated with measurable declines in early learning outcomes.
A new study shows that dance can be beneficial in halting the cognitive decline associated with Parkinson’s disease and, for some participants, they even showed signs of improvement.
A research team has developed a new AI foundation model that creatively solved the problem of the “label data shortage,” regarded as the biggest challenge in deep learning-based brain signal analysis. This technology is designed to self-learn brain signals and is gaining attention for its ability to deliver high accuracy with very small amounts of labels.
Semaglutide medications like Ozempic and Wegovy can help lower the risk of heart and metabolic diseases in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, according to a new study.
A newly discovered biological signal in the blood could help health care teams and researchers better understand how children respond to brain injuries at the cellular level, according to research in the Journal of Neurotrauma.
Neuroscientists have developed a first-of-its-kind method to rapidly produce synchronized, human brain wave-like activity in lab-grown neural networks that can communicate over long distances.
A new analysis shows that anti-inflammatory medications may help reduce symptoms for a subset of people with depression who also have chronic, low-grade inflammation. By reviewing randomized controlled trials that specifically enrolled individuals with elevated inflammatory markers, researchers found that anti-inflammatory treatments significantly reduced both overall depressive symptoms and anhedonia.
An international study has found that wearable technology could help detect Parkinson’s disease (PD) up to nine years before clinical diagnosis simply by monitoring how people turn when they walk.
Researchers have identified a distinct immuno-inflammatory biomarker across major psychiatric disorders that can be detected using noninvasive brain imaging. Patients exhibiting this brain signature showed systemic inflammation and poorer response to standard treatments.
A preliminary study of people with diabetes suggests that use of glucose-lowering GLP-1 drugs may be linked to a lower risk of developing epilepsy.
A new study proposes that autism arises when genetic vulnerability, an early environmental trigger, and prolonged activation of the cellular stress response align during critical developmental windows. This “three-hit” metabolic model reframes autism as a disorder of disrupted cellular communication and energy metabolism rather than an inevitable genetic outcome.
Finally this week, researchers have discovered how a neural circuit drives relapse after opioid use, a finding that could lead to more effective treatments for opioid use disorders.
Illustration depicting a model of how DA and serotonin cotransmission shapes behaviour through frequency-dependent filtering of D1-MSN axons. Credit: Science Advances (2025)
Scientists have uncovered a previously unknown mechanism by which dopamine, a key brain chemical vital for movement and motivation, can affect brain activity indirectly by boosting serotonin.
New brain imaging research shows that structural damage in schizophrenia spectrum disorders may begin in specific “epicenter” regions before spreading across connected brain networks. Individuals with the condition showed widespread reductions in structural similarity between key cognitive and emotional brain regions.
Researchers have uncovered new insights into how brain wiring differs in children and young adults with autism, offering more precise ways to understand the condition.
There is new hope for people who have lost their smell. Scientists have successfully tested a breakthrough device that lets people detect the presence of certain odors. This innovative system helps them “smell” again by translating odors into feelings (like touch) inside the nose.
Lockdown and social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with increased developmental concerns about young children in Scotland, research suggests.
Researchers have identified two receptors in the brain that control the breakdown of amyloid beta, a substance that accumulates in Alzheimer’s disease. The study could pave the way for future drugs that are both safer and cheaper than current antibody treatments.
Patients with major depressive disorder, including non-responders to first-line antidepressants, may benefit from short-term nitrous oxide treatment.
A new study has achieved a long-standing goal in neuroscience: showing how the brain’s smallest components build the systems that shape thought, emotion and behaviour. The research, published in the journal Nature Communications, could transform how scientists understand cognition and aging, as well as mental health disorders like depression and schizophrenia.
Neuroscientists 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.
New longitudinal research shows that Alzheimer’s disease blood biomarkers rise up to 95 percent faster in people with obesity than in those without. While baseline tests initially appeared lower due to blood dilution, long-term tracking revealed a significantly accelerated build-up of neurodegeneration and amyloid pathology.
Using in-vehicle driving data may be a new way to identify people who are at risk of cognitive decline, according to a study published on November 26, 2025, in Neurology.
Researchers have developed an AI system that can reconstruct fine hand muscle activity using only standard video footage. Traditionally, this type of measurement required intrusive electrodes attached to the skin, but the new method eliminates that need entirely.
A large population analysis found that older adults who received the shingles vaccine were significantly less likely to develop dementia over the following seven years.
A new review explores how episodic memories are formed, stored, and reshaped over time, revealing why our recollections of past events often change. Rather than functioning like fixed files, memories consist of multiple components that can lie dormant until triggered by environmental cues.
Finally this week, a multi-institutional team of researchers report that extensive musical training can steady the body in space, both with and without guiding sounds, during a blindfolded stepping test.
Mesoscale neural mechanisms of binocular rivalry in humans. Credit: Zhang Peng’s group
A research group has revealed how the human brain resolves perceptual conflicts and generates conscious perception through local inhibition in the sensory cortex and feedback integration from the parietal cortex.
A new clinical trial shows that deep brain stimulation (DBS) improved symptoms in half of adults with treatment-resistant depression, with one-third reaching remission.
A large-scale analysis of nearly 1,900 children found that those with a family history of substance use disorder show early differences in how their brains transition between activity states, long before any drug exposure. Girls with a family history showed increased transition energy in introspective networks, suggesting greater difficulty shifting out of internal, stress-linked states.
New research shows that spontaneous eye blinks naturally sync to the beat of music, revealing a hidden form of auditory-motor synchronisation that occurs even without conscious movement.
An extensive, two-year study of nearly 12,000 children found that higher screen time at ages 9–10 predicts an increase in ADHD symptoms, independent of a child’s starting symptom level. Brain imaging revealed that heavy screen use is associated with smaller cortical volume and disrupted development in regions critical for attention, cognition, and reward processing.
Researchers have identified five major phases of human brain wiring that unfold from birth to old age, marked by four major turning points at ages 9, 32, 66, and 83.
A new study shows that when two people work together toward a shared goal, their brains begin to process information in increasingly similar ways. Using EEG recordings, researchers found that while all participants showed similar early responses to visual patterns, only collaborating pairs developed sustained neural alignment linked to the rules they agreed upon.
A large analysis of more than 11 million medical records found that people with untreated obstructive sleep apnea face a substantially higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease over time.
New research has revealed that Parkinson’s disease causes significant and progressive changes to blood vessels in the brain, changing our understanding of the disease which may lead to new treatment methods.
Diesel exhaust particles disrupt the function of the brain’s immune cells, a new study shows.
Researchers have developed a “virtual clinical trial” exploring a unique pharmacological treatment in patients who do not fully regain consciousness after a coma. The proposed treatment involves employing psychedelic drugs, such as psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) that have intense, consciousness-altering effects in healthy volunteers.
A new meta-analysis shows that lithium supplementation does not significantly slow cognitive decline in people with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease.
New research shows that young adults with obesity already display biological patterns associated with liver stress, chronic inflammation, and early neural injury—changes typically seen in older adults with cognitive impairment. Participants with obesity also had unusually low blood choline levels, a nutrient critical for liver function, inflammation control, and long-term brain health.
A new study demonstrates that an AI assistant can conduct psychiatric assessment interviews with greater diagnostic accuracy than widely used mental health rating scales.
New brain imaging research shows that structural damage in schizophrenia spectrum disorders may begin in specific “epicenter” regions before spreading across connected brain networks. Individuals with the condition showed widespread reductions in structural similarity between key cognitive and emotional brain regions.
Finally, this week, researchers are exploring whether a person’s genetic risk for depression can help predict how multiple sclerosis (MS) progresses.
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