Neuroscience

Researchers have developed microbots made of stem cells that can be delivered through the nose into the brain. These “Cellbots,” which bypass the blood-brain barrier, could one day be used to treat brain cancers and neurodegenerative diseases.

A University of Sussex study has demonstrated how a new type of quantum sensor could help doctors catch neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s earlier. The scanners precisely detect tiny changes in magnetic fields produced by firing neurons.

Spinal cord injuries are among the most debilitating. In a new breakthrough study, Northwestern University researchers have developed a gel containing “dancing molecules” that allowed paralyzed mice to walk again four weeks after a single injection.

A landmark study has demonstrated how a brain implant can deliver targeted bursts of electrical stimulation to improve cognitive functions. In real-time the implant senses biomarkers of cognitive deficits and responds by stimulating specific brain regions.

New research published in the journal Nature Neuroscience is the first to demonstrate how the SARS-CoV-2 virus can directly damage cells in the brain, showing vascular cells that comprise the blood-brain barrier can be destroyed by the virus.

Building on a growing body of evidence linking viral infections with neurodegenerative disease, a study has shown how molecules on the surfaces of viruses can promote the aggregation of toxic proteins seen with diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Two new studies are building on a hypothesis that multiple sclerosis (MS) can be triggered by viral infections in a person’s teenage years. The research raises concerns the current COVID-19 pandemic could lead to a surge in MS cases in the future.

An incredible proof-of-concept study has demonstrated how a brain implant can treat severe depression using electrical stimulation. The implant tracks neural activity for patterns of depression and zaps a key region in real-time to disrupt the cycle.

What exactly does sleep do to the brain, and how could its benefits be boosted? To investigate, the US Army has awarded researchers a grant to develop a portable skullcap that can monitor and adjust the flow of fluid through the brain during sleep.

New research is shedding light on how specifically targeted pulses of magnetic stimulation to the brain can improve episodic memory. The work found inhibiting activity in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex enhances memory formation.

An impressive new study is presenting robust evidence showing the toxic proteins thought to be the cause of Alzheimer’s disease may be produced in the liver and travel through the blood before landing in the brain causing neuron damage.

A new study is suggesting a novel causal link between neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and infection with the herpesvirus. The preclinical research indicates a deficiency in a key protein allows the virus to trigger neuronal damage.