Brain News and Research

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The human brain is the center of the human nervous system and is a highly complex organ. Enclosed in the cranium, it has the same general structure as the brains of other mammals, but is over three times as large as the brain of a typical mammal with an equivalent body size.

Can Cells Hear? Study Finds Sound Alters Gene Activity and Blocks Fat Cell Development

Acoustic stimulation affects cell development and gene activity, revealing potential applications in biotechnology and obesity control through sound waves.

24 Apr 2025

Study Reveals Shared Genetic Basis for Autism Spectrum Disorder and DM1

Researchers from the University of Las Vegas Nevada (UNLV) and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have discovered a genetic connection between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), a rare genetic disorder.

23 Apr 2025

New Blood Test Could Revolutionize Alzheimer’s Diagnosis

Research confirms the Lumipulse serum p-tau217 assay's effectiveness in diagnosing Alzheimer's, paving the way for accessible blood-based testing in healthcare.

18 Apr 2025

Study Reveals Direct Impact of Sound on Cellular Activity

The intense feeling one gets from powerful sounds, like a jet engine at takeoff or booming concert speakers, is not just in the head and ears – the cells might be sensing it too.

17 Apr 2025

Complete Reference Genomes Unlocked for Six Ape Species

Comprehensive reference genomes have now been assembled for six ape species: siamang (a Southeast Asian gibbon), Sumatran orangutan, Bornean orangutan, gorilla, bonobo and chimpanzee.

12 Apr 2025

Genetic Sequencing Leads to Major Discovery in Neurodevelopmental Disorders

A seminal study from researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and their collaborators in the United Kingdom, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, and Iceland has uncovered a new genetic cause of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs).

11 Apr 2025

Flies Get Drunk on Purpose—But Not for the Reasons You Think

Drosophila flies show a strong attraction to ethanol and methanol, driven by evolutionary benefits in mating success rather than psychological responses.

11 Apr 2025

New Protein Identified as Regulator of Mitochondrial Calcium Transport

Calcium transport into and out of mitochondria – the powerhouses of cells – is central to cellular energy production and cell death.

9 Apr 2025

Study Sheds Light on Development and Evolution of the Human Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus is a small but critical region at the base of the brain that controls the autonomic nervous system, regulates body temperature, signals hunger and thirst, exerts hormonal control over the pituitary gland, helps set circadian rhythms, influences sexual behavior and reproduction, and plays a role in instinctive behaviors like fear, aggression, and maternal bonding.

9 Apr 2025

Active and Passive Touch Trigger Different Responses in the Mouse Brain

Though the sense of touch underlies how we and most other animals interact with the world around us, much remains unknown about how this sense is processed in the brain.

9 Apr 2025

New Research Reveals Mitochondrial Guardians Linked to Parkinson’s and ALS

Scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine say they have discovered how a group of proteins linked to Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis act as "guardians" of mitochondria, small organelles, or subunits, within a cell that make and store energy and are found in almost all plants and animals.

8 Apr 2025

Study Sheds Light on Evolutionary Role of Microglia in the Peripheral Nervous System

In a study published in Cell on April 7, a research team led by Prof. Li Hanjie from the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has revealed the presence of microglia in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and identified their crucial role in regulating neuronal soma size throughout evolution.

8 Apr 2025