Researchers found that the human brain consists of two ancient nervous systems, one regulating vital functions and the other enabling human distinctiveness. This discovery opens new avenues for studying devastating brain diseases and could help grow brain cells in the laboratory.
Researchers analyzed 2,826 brain MRI exams and found that individuals living in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods exhibited a higher brain age gap and lower total brain volume. This association was linked to increased risk of memory loss, cognitive problems, and dementia.
A new UCLA study has found a connection between brain aging and gut biology, suggesting that people's brains may be aging decades before symptoms appear. The study, published in eBioMedicine, analyzed brain scans and stool samples to identify a link between brain communication patterns, gut bacteria, and brain aging.
Emerging evidence suggests that the aging brain microenvironment may shape brain tumor progression, treatment resistance, and cognitive outcomes. The review highlights interconnected processes associated with brain aging, including cellular senescence, neuroinflammation, and altered neural signaling.
Researchers have discovered a critical signalling pathway that controls the timing of brain development, shedding new light on how neurodevelopmental disorders may develop. The study reveals the genetic processes that shape brain development and what happens when they become disrupted.
Researchers from the University of Warwick report that building a digital twin brain is shaped by the resolution, completeness, and updatability of biological measurements. The review charts a path toward dynamic models that update with new data and interact with the biological system. Digital twin brains have potential applications in...
Researchers found associations between gut microbiome and brain chemistry in specific brain regions, including GABA and glutamate levels. The study suggests a regionally specific picture of the gut-brain axis, with different microbial pathways linked to different brain regions and psychological wellbeing.
Research reveals individual breaths at rest create unique brain wave patterns, affecting mental processes such as thinking, attention, and emotional regulation. The study suggests that brain-body interactions are crucial for assessing and treating neuropsychiatric patient populations.
A study combining three brain scans found a higher number of dopamine D2 receptors in autistic brains, suggesting a link between the dopamine system and autism. The researchers also found that the dopamine system affects communication between brain regions differently in autistic participants.
Researchers have maintained brain organoids for over 5 years, mirroring human brain development. The tissue exhibits complex cellular interactions, neuronal activity, and epigenetic changes, providing insights into neurodevelopment and potential therapeutic targets.
Researchers from Hebei Medical University review current evidence on prolonged disorders of consciousness (pDOC) management. They propose a brain communication network model to explain how brain injury leads to long-term unconsciousness, identifying key brain electrical signaling activity measures for diagnosis and treatment.
High-frequency brain waves called ripples facilitate long-range neural communication during working memory tasks, suggesting a mechanism for integrating information. The study's findings may also help differentiate healthy cognitive signals from abnormal activity associated with neurological diseases like Alzheimer's or ADHD.
Researchers used real human brain tissue samples to test the underlying mechanisms of deep brain stimulation. They found that brain cells became more synchronized in communicating, similar to memory formation, while altering gene expression across different types of brain cells.
A new USC study uses AI to generate detailed maps of brain aging, revealing distinct patterns of neurodegeneration in specific regions. The approach sheds light on how local brain age correlates with changes in cognitive function across the lifespan.
Neuroimaging studies reveal that systemic diseases profoundly affect brain structure and function, while brain disorders can influence peripheral organ systems. Cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, autoimmune diseases, and infectious diseases are all associated with characteristic patterns of brain changes.
A study published in PLOS Medicine found that people with dementia, mild cognitive impairment, alcohol addiction, or psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia show increased brain aging patterns. The researchers analyzed MRI data from over 45,900 controls and compared them to 2,698 patients with different brain conditions.
New analysis supports the brain lag hypothesis, suggesting that some primate lineages' brain sizes overshot expectations after catching up with body size. This finding implies that large-brained primates may have evolved to form complex social groups for protection.
A new commission, launched at the Texas Brain Economy Summit, aims to define, measure, and operationalize brain capital, a concept encompassing both brain health and critical cognitive skills. The initiative seeks to address the gap in economic planning and promote brain health as a driver of economic resilience.
Scientists have discovered a new type of brain wave that rotates over space and time, relying on a circular anatomical circuit in the sensory cortex. This rotation is coordinated between different brain regions, including sensory and motor parts, and may play a role in sharing information across these areas.
Researchers identified distinct brain activity patterns in people with depression, which may contribute to the experience of feeling stuck. The study suggests depression involves a form of brain-state entrapment, where the brain becomes more likely to enter certain patterns of activity and less likely to transition out of them.
A study published in Neuroepidemiology found that individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) are at a higher risk of dying from brain cancer compared to the general population. The research, which analyzed data from over 20,000 TBI patients, revealed that those with severe TBI were nearly 14 times more likely to die from brain cancer.
The global Brain Health accelerator aims to identify specific brain cells and circuits affected in neurodegenerative diseases. By prioritizing research using healthy and diseased human brain tissue, researchers will generate findings relevant to human disease and develop precision genetic therapies.
Researchers found coordinated brain activity linked to social behavior begins seconds before movement starts in zebrafish. The pallium plays a key role in generating social drive, with stronger neural signatures predicting more socially engaged individuals.
Andrew Yang's research has reshaped scientific understanding of the blood-brain barrier and its role in brain health and disease. His latest study reveals new potential treatment targets for neurological diseases, normal aging, and sleep.
A new study by the University of Turku found that long COVID patients experience increased brain activity in mood and emotion regions, rather than widespread brain inflammation. The study suggests that treatments targeting stress and emotional regulation may be more effective for patients with prolonged symptoms.
Researchers develop machine learning analysis method SPERRFY that combines datasets on brain region connections and gene activity. The study finds a 'GPS' system of genes that predict which brain regions are connected, supporting the chemoaffinity theory and offering new avenues for research into brain development and disease.
A study using mice and simulations found that abdominal contractions compress blood vessels connected to the spinal cord and brain, enabling gentle brain movement that facilitates cerebrospinal fluid flow and potentially removes neural waste. This mechanism may explain why exercise is thought to benefit brain health.
Researchers created an atlas detailing the development of brain blood vessels from birth to adulthood, revealing three distinct stages. The Lambada atlas provides a high-resolution map of vascular development, enabling researchers to explore the developing brain in 3D.
A study of over 1500 patients with brain bleeds found that brain swelling in the first 24 hours and within 72 hours increased the risk of death or disability. Early intervention could potentially limit brain damage and improve recovery after stroke.
Scientists have developed a method to track increased movement of brain fluids during sleep without invasive procedures. This allows for the study of how sleep enhances brain cleaning processes.
A recent study has revealed that brain tumors use a protein called MIF to reprogram immune cells, such as macrophages and microglia, to drive tumor growth. The researchers have identified a drug, ibudilast, which can block this process, slowing metastasis in animal models and fresh patient samples.
Researchers found shared aging patterns in brain networks between humans and mice, highlighting a framework for studying cognitive aging and improving brain health. The study uses awake mice to examine how complex brain networks change with age, providing a platform for cross-species investigation.
Research reveals altered brain networks in newborns with congenital heart disease, which may be linked to sensory perception, movement, and social behavior. After corrective surgery, these brain networks are improved, suggesting that cardiac surgery can improve brain health.
Researchers developed CAR macrophages that crossed the blood-brain barrier, recognizing and destroying cancer cells and releasing signals to harm nearby tumors. The treatment showed significant reductions in brain tumor progression and increased survival in preclinical models.
Researchers have discovered a way to enhance awake brain mapping, allowing neurosurgeons to remove more cancerous tissue while minimizing disruptions to patients' quality of life. The new technique uses subtle changes in patient behavior to inform surgical decisions.
Researchers at Amsterdam UMC found that a second pregnancy changes the female brain in unique ways, altering brain networks involved in attention and sensory cues. The study also linked structural brain changes to maternal mental health, providing new insights into postpartum depression.
The Brain Gym program combines brain science and practical tools to strengthen cognitive flexibility, emotional regulation, and stress management. Early adopters include the Dallas Police Department, recognizing the importance of accessible brain health support.
A new Yale study found that children with disruptive behavior may have trouble transitioning between different brain states, leading to difficulties in executive functioning and emotion regulation. The research uses advanced computational methods to track moment-to-moment changes in brain connectivity.
Scientists have identified a previously unknown cellular barrier in the brain called base barrier cells, which provides compartmentalization of the choroid plexus, brain, and cerebrospinal fluid. These cells become vulnerable during systemic inflammation, allowing harmful substances to enter the central nervous system.
Researchers have identified a specific brain network that is mainly active in the fast beta frequency range and modulates motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease through deep brain stimulation. Stimulating this network, which communicates at 20-35 Hz, can improve motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease.
Researchers have developed a long, needle-thin brain electrode with channels that enables neural signal recording and precisely targeted medication delivery across different brain regions. The technology has primarily been developed for basic research but may be important for future treatments in epilepsy and other neurological diseases.
Researchers analyzed data from nearly 800 prenatal and postnatal brain scans to identify sex differences in brain growth. The study found that males showed greater increases in brain volumes compared to females, with early brain development carefully timed to meet ongoing demands.
Researchers are developing brain-based interventions to treat co-occurring disorders, including rTMS and deep brain stimulation for addiction. The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation awards grants to fund research on mental illness treatments.
Researchers found that early communication between three pairs of brain regions is associated with favorable six-month functional outcomes. The study identified signature patterns in resting-state functional MRI data that can strengthen standard prognostic methods for assessing outcomes after moderate-to-severe brain injury.
Researchers found that higher muscle mass combined with a lower visceral fat to muscle ratio tracks with a younger brain age. Building muscle and reducing visceral fat are actionable goals for improving brain health. The study used whole-body MRI and AI algorithms to quantify muscle volume, fat tissue, and brain age.
Researchers found that early brain firings occur in structured patterns without external experiences, suggesting a genetically encoded blueprint. This discovery can help better understand neurodevelopmental disorders and the impact of toxins on the developing brain.
Researchers have uncovered how the motor cortex and striatum work together like an hourglass to flexibly control movement timing. By tracking neural activity patterns and manipulating specific brain regions using optogenetics, they identified the critical role of each region in the brain's internal timer.
Researchers are developing precision brain imaging to create individualized maps of brain structure and function, which could lead to new insights into treating psychiatric disorders. The findings show that precision mapping can reveal highly interdigitated network patches with conserved motifs in the lateral prefrontal cortex.
Researchers created a multidimensional molecular map of brain development after birth and its response to inflammation, finding that some developmental programmes can be reactivated during neuroinflammation. This study provides new clues for understanding how myelin is broken down in diseases like MS.
A new brain atlas developed by UCL researchers enables analysis of brain scans at an unprecedented level of detail, opening up possibilities for studying neurodegenerative diseases and ageing. The atlas uses AI to identify hundreds of brain regions in living patients quickly and consistently.
A new study found that heavy alcohol use is associated with more severe brain bleeds and long-term brain vessel damage at a younger age. Patients who drank three or more drinks a day had larger, deeper bleeds and were twice as likely to have damage in the tiny blood vessels in the brain.
Researchers at MIT developed microscopic, wireless bioelectronics that can identify and travel to specific brain regions without human guidance. These implants provide focused treatment for brain diseases like Alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis by wirelessly powering electrical stimulation in precise areas.
A high-resolution growth chart of the mouse brain has been created to study key brain cell types and their changes during development. The atlas reveals a dynamic sequence of brain growth and maturation in response to genetics and external stimuli, with implications for understanding neurodevelopmental disorders.
Scientists at the German Primate Center discovered that the brain reorganizes itself to control motor prostheses in a virtual environment. The findings suggest that different regions of the brain jointly reflect corrected movement commands, rather than separate components for expected results and error signals.
A new computer model called CogLinks simulates brain circuit decisions and adaptability, helping researchers understand how the brain misfires in psychiatric disorders. The model's results suggest that a specific pathway is essential for adaptability, and its predictions are confirmed by an fMRI study
New research papers from Mount Sinai present unprecedented evidence that brain tissue from living individuals has a unique molecular character, differing significantly from postmortem samples. These findings challenge the conventional practice of using postmortem brain tissue for studying the human brain and its diseases.
Researchers have developed an AI model that creates a detailed map of the mouse brain featuring 1,300 regions/subregions. The CellTransformer model uses spatial transcriptomics data to identify previously uncharted subregions of the brain, opening new avenues for neuroscience exploration.
A large-scale international study found that creative experiences slow brain aging and promote healthier brain function. Creative activities such as music, dance, and video games were linked to 'younger' brain profiles, particularly in regions vulnerable to neurodegeneration.
A new study found that participants following the green-Mediterranean diet showed decreased levels of Galectin-9 and Decorin, two proteins linked to accelerated brain aging. The study suggests a potential beneficial impact on biological processes related to brain aging through blood protein modulation.
Scientists have discovered key circuit changes that lead to the maturation of reliable brain activity patterns in response to visual experience. The findings suggest that the brain develops a modular organization, with patches of neurons activating together in response to specific features, allowing for efficient learning and adaptation.