Hope Center for Neurological Disorders | Washington University in St. Louis

In a new study, a team of scientists led by senior author Cyril P. Pottier, PhD, an assistant professor of neurology and of psychiatry at WashU Medicine, successfully identified three new genetic modifiers of Alzheimer’s disease development and progression in individuals who carry known autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease mutations. Their findings were published in Lancet Neurology.  Previous&…

Keith Hengen was a postdoc studying the intricacies of the brain when Alzheimer’s disease began dismantling his father’s mind. Each year, the illness took something new: a memory, a habit, a piece of recognition. Hengen could only watch.  “I felt so powerless and lost,” he said. “The irony was humbling and unavoidable. Here I was, […]

WashU Medicine radiologists recognized for contributions to imaging science, mentorship

Open lines of communication between the body’s organs are important to health and often falter with age. A new study in mice by researchers at WashU Medicine shows how signals that travel from skeletal muscle to the brain and then activate brown fat and control core body temperature are weakened in elderly mice. The research […]

First device to identify dangerous stroke complication developed at WashU Medicine

Founding members include WashU Medicine, pharmaceutical companies, philanthropic groups and others

WashU Medicine neurologist Timothy M. Miller, MD, PhD, has received the 2026 Potamkin Prize for Research in Pick’s, Alzheimer’s, and Related Diseases, one of the most prestigious international honors in dementia research.

A new study led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests that an intestinal disorder linked to malnutrition and stunted growth may be transmitted from one generation to the next via the small intestinal microbiome. Analyzing mouse models of the disorder using bacteria cultured from children who themselves suffer from […]

Guoyan Zhao, PhD, an associate professor of genetics and of neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, died Friday, May 15, 2026. She was 53. Zhao was highly regarded for harnessing the tools of computational biology, genomic sequencing and single-cell analysis to shed light on neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, […]

Over the past decade, researchers at WashU Medicine have established that a molecule called SARM1 is a central trigger in the loss of axons, the vital wiring of the nervous system. Axon loss is characteristic of many neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson’s disease, glaucoma and peripheral neuropathies, including those caused by common chemotherapies.  …

‘Father of microbiome’ honored for transformative research impacting childhood malnutrition

Head of Taylor Family Department of Neurosurgery is a national leader in the treatment and research of cerebrovascular disorders

Six individuals whose work has transformed patient care, advanced scientific discovery, strengthened medical education and expanded WashU Medicine’s impact around the world have been honored with the 2026 Dean’s Medals. The annual awards recognize extraordinary contributions to WashU Medicine and celebrate leaders whose achievements embody the institution’s interconnected missions of patient care…

Neurologist is internationally known for research into genetic underpinnings of neuromuscular disorders

Program supports outstanding WashU Medicine faculty committed to research and patient care

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National leader in Alzheimer’s research renowned for collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to understanding neurodegeneration

An irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, leads to inefficient pumping of blood by the heart, which then prevents blood and oxygen from getting to the body’s other organs. When blood and oxygen flow poorly to the brain, the risk of stroke and cognitive decline increases.  A team of researchers based at Washington University in St. Louis […]