Compound 10 slowed dementia-like decline in mice.

A naturally occurring anti-inflammatory protein fragment is showing promise in early Parkinson’s disease research. Parkinson’s disease affects millions of people worldwide, yet current treatments mainly address symptoms rather than the underlying damage occurring in the brain. Now, researchers in Brazil have identified a promising new approach that targets a different aspect of the disease:…

A small-town doctor’s abuse of power shocked his community and family. Then he was diagnosed with a rare neurological condition, leaving his culpability in doubt.

Researchers have uncovered a previously underappreciated mechanism involved in Alzheimer’s disease and developed a compound that interrupts it. For decades, Alzheimer’s research has largely focused on amyloid plaques and tau tangles, the protein abnormalities that accumulate in the brain as the disease progresses. Yet despite billions of dollars in research and numerous drug development efforts,…

A contraceptive drug helps human nerve cells regenerate by unlocking their forgotten embryonic healing abilities.

A new study suggests that subtle changes in the brain’s immune cells could help explain why some people remain mentally sharp despite Alzheimer’s pathology. For decades, Alzheimer’s research has focused on the buildup of amyloid plaques and tau tangles, the two hallmark features of the disease. Yet a puzzling reality has continued to challenge scientists: [...]

Scientists have uncovered an early brain mechanism that may help explain why people carrying the APOE4 gene face a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease. For millions of people who carry the APOE4 gene, the strongest known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, changes in brain activity may start years before memory problems become noticeable. Researchers [...]

Psilocybin eased nerve pain and primed the brain for gabapentin.

A major international trial suggests an experimental anti-clotting drug may lower the risk of repeat strokes without the dangerous bleeding complications tied to many current treatments. For decades, stroke specialists have faced a frustrating tradeoff: stronger anti-clotting drugs can reduce the risk of another stroke, but they also raise the danger of serious bleeding. Now, [...]

Body weight may play a larger role in brain aging than previously understood. A number on the scale may say more about future brain health than previously recognized. New research from the University of Georgia suggests that higher body mass index, or BMI, may be linked to faster cognitive decline in older adults. The finding [...]

An experimental gene-silencing therapy safely lowered LRRK2 protein levels in an early Parkinson’s trial, but its effect on symptoms remains untested. An experimental medicine built to silence a gene closely associated with Parkinson’s disease has produced encouraging results in its first clinical test in people, according to a study published in Nature Medicine. The treatment, [...]

A newly identified protective brain pathway may help preserve vulnerable neurons in Parkinson’s disease. Scientists have identified a brain pathway that could help slow Parkinson’s disease by protecting the brain’s dopamine-producing neurons. However, the benefit was seen only in females. In a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers found that increasing the activity [...]

A newly identified immune-related protein may help drive the spread of Parkinson’s disease in the brain. A protein tied to the brain’s immune system may be helping Parkinson’s disease spread from cell to cell, and scientists believe stopping it could open a new path toward slowing the disease itself. In a new study published in [...]

Dementia is more than memory loss, and rare types can affect vision, movement, and behavior. Recognizing these symptoms early can improve diagnosis and support. When most people hear the word “dementia,” they think of memory loss and forgetfulness. But dementia can affect far more than memory, causing changes in speech, behavior, sleep, movement, and other [...]

Lacunar stroke may arise from damage in the brain’s small blood vessels rather than fatty plaque in larger arteries, pointing researchers toward new treatment strategies. Scientists have found new evidence that calls into question a long-standing explanation for a common form of stroke, and it may help clarify why standard prevention treatments often fall short. [...]

Researchers found that men with genetically higher tyrosine levels appeared to live slightly shorter lives, raising new questions about amino acids often promoted for mental performance. Could a common supplement ingredient tied to focus and energy actually have a hidden downside for longevity? A large new study suggests that higher levels of the amino acid [...]

Two experimental drug molecules promoted myelin repair in MS disease models, pointing toward a possible future route for treating nerve damage rather than only suppressing inflammation. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the leading causes of neurological disability in young adults, affecting nearly three million people worldwide. Despite decades of research and major advances in [...]

A widely available amino acid may offer a new way to target Alzheimer’s disease before major damage occurs. Scientists in Japan say a common amino acid already sold as a dietary supplement may help slow key processes linked to Alzheimer’s disease. In a study published in Neurochemistry International, researchers found that arginine reduced the buildup [...]

A single 25-milligram dose of psilocybin briefly pushed the brains of psychedelic novices into a more chaotic, flexible state—and some traces of the experience were still visible a month later.

Researchers have identified two proteins on the surface of neurons that may help drive the spread of Parkinson’s disease in the brain. New Yale School of Medicine (YSM) research suggests that two proteins on the surface of brain neurons involved in movement may play a key role in the progression of Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease [...]

Scientists trained mice to experience placebo pain relief, then traced the effect to a brain circuit that releases the body’s own opioid-like painkillers. The findings could point toward drug-free ways to prepare the brain for pain after surgery or injury.

Omega-3 supplements are widely regarded as a simple way to support brain health, especially with age. For millions of adults, omega-3 supplements are part of a daily routine built around heart, joint, eye, and brain health. Fish oil, krill oil, and flaxseed oil capsules are among the most widely used nonvitamin supplements in the United [...]

This may sound crazy, but scientists use blood to build soft neural interfaces in the brain, and then control them with light.

For decades, doctors have tried to treat depression with electricity. Now, a Houston startup wants to make that idea smaller, less invasive, and potentially usable from home. Motif Neurotech has received FDA approval for an Investigational Device Exemption, allowing it to begin an early feasibility study of an experimental brain-stimulation device for people with treatment-resistant […]

Alzheimer’s disease may begin its biological progression far earlier than symptoms suggest, with subtle shifts in brain and blood markers emerging decades in advance. Scientists are uncovering a hidden phase of Alzheimer’s disease that may begin far earlier than most people realize. Long before memory loss becomes noticeable, subtle biological changes could already be underway [...]

A widely used neurotransmitter for treating mental health conditions may have unintended consequences for auditory perception. New research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that a neurotransmitter widely used to treat depression and anxiety may also worsen a frustrating condition known as tinnitus. Tinnitus causes a persistent ringing or buzzing [...]

Mass General Brigham researchers used long-term data and a blood test for the biomarker pTau217 to identify the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s disease in cognitively healthy adults. A team of investigators at Mass General Brigham reports that a blood test measuring plasma phosphorylated tau 217 (pTau217), a biomarker linked to Alzheimer’s disease, can forecast changes [...]

Researchers report that certain movement-related symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease may originate in the peripheral nervous system rather than the brain. Researchers at the University of Central Florida say some early movement problems linked to Alzheimer’s may begin outside the brain, raising new questions about where the disease starts and how soon it might be detected. [...]

Researchers have identified patterns of neuropsychiatric symptoms that may reveal when Alzheimer’s disease occurs alongside another lesser-understood brain disorder. Many people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease are not dealing with a single condition. A growing body of research shows that multiple brain diseases often develop at the same time, quietly shaping symptoms in ways that are [...]

A common cleaning chemical has quietly permeated groundwater, air, and everyday products, raising concerns about its long-term impact on human health. A widely used industrial chemical may be contributing to the rapid rise of the world’s fastest-growing brain condition: Parkinson’s disease. Trichloroethylene (TCE) has been widely used for more than a century in products and [...]