Neuroscience

A specific cellular stress response involving heat shock proteins has been found to reverse the build-up of the toxic proteins linked to dementia. Future research will now look for a way to therapeutically trigger this mechanism.

Researchers have homed in on strains of gut bacteria associated with the severity of a common form of stroke. The findings build on research suggesting future therapies targeting the microbiome could reduce a person’s risk, and aid in recovery.

A study has presented the most rigorous investigation to date into the long-term cognitive impacts of severe COVID-19. It found persistent cognitive deficits in hospitalized patients equivalent to declines consistent with 20 years of brain aging.

The results of a clinical trial offer promising signs that daily doses of an insulin nasal spray could be used to slow age-related cognitive decline. The trial found the treatment to be effective in elderly subjects with and without type 2 diabetes.

A study has found a link between increased generosity in old age and levels of a neurochemical called oxytocin. The research found older people with high levels of oxytocin were more likely to donate money to charity and be satisfied with their lives.

Compelling research has homed in on a degenerative mechanism that could explain why symptoms such as apathy are the first signs of Alzheimer’s disease. It is possible disrupting this process could slow the progression of Alzheimer’s-related dementia.

A new article has proposed a novel hypothesis for the cause of Alzheimer’s, arguing the disease is caused by a damaged blood-brain barrier allowing fatty molecules to invade the brain and trigger a cascade of events resulting in cognitive decline.

Hundreds of scientists around the globe have shared data to create the world's first brain growth chart. The project incorporated MRI scans from subjects of all ages to offer a unique portrait of how our brains change over the course of a lifetime.

Researchers have reported successful preclinical tests for a nasal spray developed to prevent degeneration associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The treatment was effective at reversing the signs of Alzheimer’s in mice, with human tests two years away.

A study has identified 75 genomic regions associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The findings add to a growing hypothesis immune dysfunction drives the disease and also raise the possibility of developing a predictive Alzheimer’s genetic risk test

Researchers have uncovered how a certain enzyme triggers the breakdown of nerve fibers in neurodegenerative diseases – and how to potentially switch it off. The find could lead to a new class of drugs that slows the progression of these disorders.

BIG's new neuroscience center in Denmark will bring together psychiatry and neuroscience research under one roof. The building's light-filled interior will feature a clever layout that it likens to the folds of the cerebral cortex.