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Scientists complete largest wiring diagram and functional map of the brain to date

A global team of neuroscientists has created the most detailed wiring diagram of a mammalian brain, revealing new cell types, characteristics, and organizational principles. The MICrONS Project's findings have transformative potential for neuroscience and medicine, offering a blueprint for understanding intelligence and disorders like ...

SourceAllen Institute·JournalNature·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateApr 9, 2025

Does cancer treatment affect connections in the brain?

New research reveals changes in brain connectivity during chemotherapy in breast cancer patients, particularly in the frontal-limbic system and cerebellar cortex. These changes worsen as treatment continues, suggesting that chemotherapy can quickly disrupt brain function in breast cancer patients.

SourceWiley·JournalJournal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging·DateApr 9, 2025

Positron emission tomography in psychiatry: Dr. Romina Mizrahi maps the molecular future

Dr. Romina Mizrahi's PET-based neuroimaging sheds light on brain workings, integrating genetics, environment and imaging to understand psychiatric illness as a complex biological puzzle. She advocates for precision psychiatry paradigm with customized treatments based on molecular profiles, and calls for diversity in academic leadership.

SourceGenomic Press·JournalBrain Medicine·TypeNews article·DateApr 8, 2025

Groundbreaking study reveals changes in brain cell composition and gene activity in Tourette syndrome

Researchers analyzed brain tissue from individuals with severe Tourette syndrome and identified three key changes: altered gene activity, regulatory element modifications, and interneuron loss. These findings provide unprecedented insights into the disorder's biology and may explain why individuals experience involuntary movements and ...

SourceElsevier·JournalBiological Psychiatry·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 8, 2025

Childhood experiences shape the brain’s white matter with cognitive effects seen years later

A study of over 9,000 participants found that early life adversities correlate with diminished white matter connections, increasing the risk for cognitive difficulties. However, supportive relationships such as neighborhood cohesion and positive parenting may offer protection against these effects.

SourceMass General Brigham·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeObservational study·DateApr 7, 2025

First insights into how excitatory and inhibitory brain signals change as people age using wearable scanner

Researchers have developed a novel wearable brain scanner that measures high frequency brain waves, revealing changes in E-I balance with age. This new technology allows for unprecedented precision in studying brain function in young children, potentially leading to better understanding of neurodevelopmental disorders like autism.

SourceUniversity of Nottingham·JournalImaging Neuroscience·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 7, 2025

Tired jackdaws sleep more deeply

A study of European jackdaws reveals that sleep-deprived birds prioritize deep sleep over vigilant wakefulness. The findings suggest that even flexible sleep strategies have limits, highlighting the importance of understanding animal sleep patterns to better comprehend human sleep loss.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalCurrent Biology·DateApr 3, 2025

Thirst and hunger neurons

New research identifies specific populations of neurons in the amygdala that play a key role in regulating nutritional needs and turning them into action. The study reveals distinct groups of neurons responding to thirst and hunger, guided by molecular cues.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalNature Communications·DateApr 3, 2025

Pink skies

Scientists at ISTA create a new brain organoid model that incorporates microglia to study viral infections, such as Rubella, and test the effectiveness of ibuprofen. The results show that microglia play a crucial role in inflammatory reactions and that ibuprofen exerts its protective effects by inhibiting two inflammatory enzymes.

SourceInstitute of Science and Technology Austria·JournalJournal of Neuroinflammation·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 2, 2025

Researchers reveal key brain differences to explain why Ritalin helps improve focus in some more than others

Research suggests that individual differences in brain chemistry, particularly the balance of dopamine receptors, play a crucial role in determining who benefits from Ritalin. Study participants with higher D1-to-D2 receptor ratios performed better on memory tasks and showed improved cognitive performance when taking Ritalin.

SourceUniversity of Maryland School of Medicine·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateApr 2, 2025

A neural compass for fear: Mapping how the brain distinguishes between direct and vicarious fear

A research team has uncovered a fundamental brain circuit that distinguishes between direct and vicarious fear, with the locus coeruleus playing a crucial role in processing fear. The study reveals a lateralized LC-NAergic system that separates personal from socially learned fear, shedding light on empathy and social learning.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 31, 2025

How nostalgic music helps minds remember

A new study from USC Dornsife's Brain and Creativity Institute found that nostalgic music engages the brain's default mode network linked to memory and self-reflection, as well as its reward circuitry. This discovery could support emotional well-being and cognitive function in individuals with memory impairments.

SourceUniversity of Southern California·JournalHuman Brain Mapping·TypeImaging analysis·DateMar 31, 2025

Gene therapy reverses symptoms of rare neurological disease in animal models

A recent study demonstrates gene therapy's potential to restore motor capacity in an ultra-rare disease, Megalencephalic Leukoencephalopathy with Subcortical Cysts (MLC), even after symptom onset. The treatment restored normal protein activity, normalizing physiological brain alterations and reversing motor impairments in treated mice.

SourceUniversitat Autonoma de Barcelona·JournalMolecular Therapy·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 31, 2025

Study shows women can hear better than men

Researchers found that women have significantly more sensitive hearing than men, with an average difference of two decibels across all populations studied. Environmental factors such as living in forests or high altitudes also affect hearing sensitivity, with forest-dwellers having the highest and altitude residents having the lowest.

SourceUniversity of Bath·JournalScientific Reports·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateMar 27, 2025

Study identifies Shisa7 gene as key driver in heroin addiction

A study published in Biological Psychiatry identified the Shisa7 gene as a key driver of heroin addiction. The research team used machine learning to analyze brain tissue from human opioid users and found that modulating this gene's expression influenced heroin-seeking behavior and cognitive flexibility.

SourceElsevier·JournalBiological Psychiatry·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 26, 2025

Calorie-free sweeteners can disrupt the brain’s appetite signals

A study found that consuming sucralose alters brain activity related to hunger and increases appetite, especially in people with obesity. The sugar substitute changes how the hypothalamus communicates with other brain regions, including those involved in motivation, potentially leading to cravings and eating behavior changes.

SourceKeck School of Medicine of USC·JournalNature Metabolism·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 26, 2025

Research spotlight: A generalized epilepsy network derived from brain abnormalities and deep brain stimulation

A team of researchers has identified a common brain network that generalized seizures hijack, which is located in the region where deep brain stimulation (DBS) electrodes are placed. This finding could help explain why DBS is effective in alleviating generalized seizures and potentially improve treatment outcomes.

SourceBrigham and Women's Hospital·JournalNature Communications·TypeObservational study·DateMar 24, 2025