Brain Cell News and Research

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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

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

Blocking Cholesterol Metabolite May Prevent Parkinson's Disease Progression

Researchers led by Zhentao Zhang at Wuhan University, China have discovered a cholesterol metabolite that plays a critical role in the development of Parkinson's disease in mice.

19 Feb 2025

Generative AI Decodes the 3D Structure of DNA

Although the genetic sequence is the same in every cell in the body, only a subset of those genes is expressed by each cell.

3 Feb 2025

New Insights into the Biological Basis of Bipolar Disorder

According to research published in Nature on January 22nd, 2025, an international team of psychiatric genetics researchers has discovered 298 regions of the genome with DNA variations that increase the risk for bipolar disorder, more than four times the number previously found.

24 Jan 2025

Study Unveils Surprising Cause of Brain Cell Death in Huntington's Disease

Scientists at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Harvard Medical School, and McLean Hospital have discovered a surprising mechanism by which the inherited genetic mutation known to cause Huntington's disease leads to the death of brain cells.

17 Jan 2025

Mapping the Aging Brain: A Single-Cell View of Transcriptomic Changes

Research reveals how aging impacts gene expression across brain cell types, identifying critical changes in the hypothalamus linked to health and function.

9 Jan 2025

Uncovering the Cellular Mechanisms of Brain Aging

Not all brain cell types age in the same way, according to new brain mapping research supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

2 Jan 2025

Space Experiment Reveals Surprising Brain Cell Behavior

Microgravity exposure accelerates brain cell development in organoids, revealing potential implications for neurodegenerative disease research and space health.

18 Dec 2024

New Insights into the Mechanisms Driving Familial Alzheimer's Disease

Millions of people worldwide suffer from Alzheimer's disease, a crippling illness that gradually robs people of their memory and cognitive abilities.

4 Dec 2024

New Discovery Redefines the Shape of Axons in Mammalian Brain Cells

Biology textbooks may need a revision, say Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists, who present new evidence that an armlike structure of mammalian brain cells may be a different shape than scientists have assumed for more than a century.

3 Dec 2024

Magnetic Control of Brain Cells: A Step Forward in Neuromodulation

The introduction of magnetogenetics provides a noninvasive technique to modulate brain circuits, paving the way for innovative therapies in neuromodulation.

18 Oct 2024

Harnessing Bioluminescence for Noninvasive Brain Activation

Researchers at the University of Rochester have demonstrated a noninvasive technique called bioluminescent optogenetics, or BL-OG, that uses light to stimulate brain neurons.

4 Oct 2024

Gut Bacteria Influence Hormonal Balance and Hypopituitarism Symptoms in Mice

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have shown that the balance of bacteria in the gut can influence symptoms of hypopituitarism in mice.

27 Sep 2024

The Lasting Effects of COVID-19 on the Brain

In the UK’s largest study to date, novel steps have been taken to gain a better understanding of the immediate and long-term effects of COVID-19 on the brain.

25 Sep 2024

New Initiative Targets High-Risk Genes to Understand Neurodevelopmental and Psychiatric Disorders

Neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders (NPD) including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism, and depression are detrimental to individuals, their families and society as a whole, and in many cases still lack effective treatments.

13 Sep 2024

Stem Cell Research Sheds Light on Rare Pediatric Condition

Scientists have identified mutations in the DENND5A gene that cause severe neurodevelopmental issues in infants, leading to improper brain cell division during development.

28 Aug 2024

Mitochondrial DNA 'Jumps' to Chromosomes, Potentially Impacting Lifespan

As direct descendants of ancient bacteria, mitochondria have always been a little alien.

23 Aug 2024

Astrocytes Emerge as Key Players in Brain Health and Development

Researchers at the Mechanobiology Institute (MBI) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Duke-NUS Medical School have uncovered a novel mechanism for reawakening dormant neural stem cells, which may lead to the development of new treatments for neurodevelopmental disorders like autism, cerebral palsy, and learning disabilities.

14 Aug 2024

Rapid Parkinson's Model Opens Door to Personalized Treatments

Scientists at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a key member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, have created a model that swiftly transforms stem cells into brain cells exhibiting protein structures associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD).

30 Jul 2024