neurobiology

Researchers have identified shared biological changes across different genetic forms of autism, despite the disorder’s extensive genetic diversity. Hundreds of genes have been associated with autism, but scientists still do not fully understand the molecular and cellular processes that drive the condition. A new study published in Nature, led by Gaia Novarino at the Institute [...]

BackgroundCannabidiol (CBD) has attracted renewed scientific attention for its therapeutic potential in human metabolism. However, the metabolic effects of CBD treatment remain incompletely understood.MethodsThis study investigated tissue-specific metabolic alterations in the brain, liver, and kidneys of Kramnik mice after 2 weeks of daily CBD treatment using an untargeted proton magnetic resonan…

[Stem Cell Reports] To better model human disease, researchers generated Methyltransferase-like 5 ( METTL5 )-KO hiPSC-derived cortical organoids, which exhibit impaired neural progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation.

[Bone Research] Investigators review focus on elucidating the potential relationship between interoception and organoids.They highlight three types of organoids that demonstrate interoceptive connections with the central nervous system and emphasize their potential relevance to the gut-brain axis, bone-brain axis, and neurological disorders.

Scientists have identified sertraline — the active ingredient in Zoloft and dozens of other antidepressants — in the brain tissue of hammerhead sharks caught off the coast of Rio de Janeiro.

Insects such as ants and beetles use ingenious processes in their brains to work out how far they’ve travelled and in what direction - we’ve now discovered how they remember their way home.

The bond between dogs and their humans triggers the same neurochemical cascade that cements a mother's attachment to her newborn—a connection that evolution somehow engineered across species lines.

The nervous system deliberately orchestrates your finger wrinkles as an active biological response, not a passive side effect—a distinction that has turned pruney digits into an unexpected diagnostic tool.

Adolescent depression constitutes an escalating global health issue, defined by complex interactions among biological, psychological, and social determinants. This narrative review synthesizes contemporary evidence on the effects of physical exercise as a non-pharmacological intervention for depressive symptoms in adolescents. Emerging empirical findings from randomized controlled trials suggest …

Deep at the base of the brain, a tiny cluster of nerve cells serves as the body's natural pain reliever, dialing down pain signals traveling up the spinal cord. But nerve damage can flip this system into a hyperactive engine for chronic pain.

Nature Communications, Published online: 15 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-76688-w Gene expression profiling of diverse cell types from postmortem human brains is challenging. Here, the authors present a versatile spatial transcriptomic approach to uncover the molecular signatures of appetite-regulating AgRP and POMC neurons.

Scientific Reports, Published online: 14 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s41598-026-66736-2 The first steps after paralysis: Immediate locomotor responses following electrically induced loss and recovery of neuromuscular function

BackgroundMigraine is a debilitating neurological disorder with marked sex differences, as women experience a prevalence two to three times higher than men. Although the gut–brain axis has been implicated in migraine biology, the intersection of sex hormones, microbial signaling, and microbial metabolites remains underexplored. This review evaluates migraine-specific and mechanistically relevant …

Some of the symptoms of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy may result from dysfunction of certain neurons in the brain and their ability to change their properties in response to experiences-a process called experience-dependent plasticity.

Enteric glial cells (EGCs) are increasingly recognized as key regulators of the gut-brain axis, extending far beyond their traditional role as structural support cells within the enteric nervous system. Growing evidence demonstrates that EGCs integrate neuronal, immune, epithelial, and microbial signals to maintain intestinal homeostasis and coordinate adaptive responses to physiological and path…