neurodegeneration

A review finds increasing evidence that obesity and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are biologically linked. The researchers highlight shared early metabolic disruptions involving mitochondrial dysfunction, chronic inflammation and abnormal signaling from fat tissue, which can affect brain health long before symptoms appear. The research also points to the gut-brain axis as a contributor to neurodegener…

Finding may lead to new treatments and preventive measures for cognitive disease

The hippocampus plays a central role in converting short-term into long-term memory and is particularly vulnerable to inflammatory injury. Cognitive impairment is a recognized sequela of bacterial meningitis. Isolated loss of memory formation due to bilateral hippocampal destruction is rare.

As people grow older, keeping memory and thinking skills strong becomes very important. Many families worry about memory loss and conditions like dementia. While age is one factor, researchers now understand that emotional and social experiences also play a major role in how the brain changes over time. A new study from Rutgers Health has […] The post Hidden stress may quietly cause memory loss i…

BackgroundFrontotemporal dementia is an umbrella term that encompasses several clinical syndromes with impaired behavioral, language, and motor functions. These syndromes show considerable overlap in clinical features and imaging patterns. Therefore, there is a need to investigate the syndromic heterogeneity in FTD using unbiased data-driven approaches.MethodsWe used data-driven clustering analys…

In a Perspective published today in the inaugural issue of Brain Health (https://doi.org/10.61373/bh026p.0006), an international team of investigators argues that the human microplastic burden has crossed the threshold from environmental concern to brain health emergency. The article appears alongside the launch of Brain Health, a new peer-reviewed journal from Genomic Press dedicated to the scie…

Scientists have identified a protective brain pathway that may help slow the progression of Parkinson's disease by strengthening the brain's own dopamine‑producing neurons, but the positive effect was only observed in females.

BackgroundMutations in the PLA2G6 gene cause a spectrum of neurodegenerative disorders, with autosomal recessive early-onset Parkinson’s disease (AREP) and dystonia-parkinsonism (DP) representing the two primary subtypes of adult-onset PLA2G6-associated neurodegeneration (PLAN).Case presentationWe report a Chinese female patient with parkinsonism caused by compound heterozygous mutations in the P…

Nature Communications, Published online: 04 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-72397-6 CNS injury disrupts neural circuits, with poor regeneration due to HDAC retention and hostile environments. Here, the authors show a nanosystem with LMK-235 that forms electroactive scaffolds and promotes regeneration and enhances synaptic reconnection

Pain is something everyone experiences at some point. Usually, pain is helpful. It warns us when something is wrong, like when we touch something hot or twist an ankle. This type of pain is called short-term or acute pain. It normally goes away once the body heals. However, for many people, pain does not disappear. […] The post A hidden brain switch may decide if pain becomes chronic appeared fir…

Scientists have uncovered a surprising overlap between cancer genetics and Alzheimer’s disease, involving mutations in the brain’s immune cells. As we age, our cells quietly collect genetic mutations—most of them harmless, some potentially dangerous. But what if the same kinds of mutations that fuel cancer are also shaping diseases of the brain? A new study [...]

New research suggests the brain may already possess underutilized mechanisms to combat Alzheimer’s disease. What if the brain already has the tools to fight Alzheimer’s, but just needs a boost to use them? Scientists at Baylor College of Medicine have uncovered a way to switch on a natural cleanup system in the brain that removes [...]

Scientists have discovered a way to help the brain clean itself of harmful Alzheimer’s plaques by activating its own support cells. By increasing a protein called Sox9, researchers were able to boost the activity of astrocytes, star shaped cells that help maintain brain health. In mice that already showed memory problems, this approach reduced plaque buildup and preserved cognitive function over …

Alzheimer’s disease causes a slow loss of memory and thinking skills. Over time, it can affect a person’s ability to live independently. For many years, scientists have focused on a protein called amyloid-beta, which builds up in the brain and forms plaques. These plaques are believed to damage brain cells. fileciteturn1file0 But scientists are now […] The post Why the brain fails to clean its…

Alzheimer’s disease is a condition that slowly affects memory and thinking. It is one of the most common brain diseases in older adults, and many families are affected by it. Scientists have spent many years trying to understand why it happens, but the full picture is still not clear. Now, a new study has uncovered […] The post Unexpected cancer mutations in brain’s immune cells may fuel Alzheime…

Aging is a complex biological process characterized by progressive functional decline and increased vulnerability to age-related diseases, particularly neurodegenerative disorders. At the biological level, aging is characterized by a range of molecular and cellular mechanisms, including genomic instability, telomere attrition, loss of proteostasis, mitochondrial dysfunction, and chronic inflammat…

New research identifies critical ages for Alzheimer's biomarkers, enhancing screening strategies and understanding neurodegeneration across the aging spectrum.

Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most serious brain conditions in the world today. It slowly damages memory, thinking ability, and daily functioning. Many people know that Alzheimer’s is linked to a buildup of a sticky protein called amyloid-beta in the brain. This protein forms clumps, often called plaques, that interfere with how brain cells […] The post A hidden brain cleaning system may hold…

Wynnie Nguyen was awarded a grant from the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund for studies aiming to stimulate growth of new brain cells and, ultimately, reverse the course of dementia. The post USC Stem Cell doctoral student aims to shift paradigms in Alzheimer’s research appeared first on USC .

For nearly 25 years, scientists believed they knew what caused the most severe form of narcolepsy. A new UCLA Health study now suggests they were only half correct. In a study published in Nature Communications, UCLA Health researchers discovered that narcolepsy with sudden loss of muscle strength, known as cataplexy, involves degeneration of neurons in not one, but two regions of the brain.