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Several hands are fitting puzzle pieces over a cartoon profile of a human head
Study Reveals a Link Between Herpes Virus, Head Injuries, and Alzheimer’s Disease 
Lab-grown mini-brains help scientists explore how concussions reactivate latent viral infections, triggering molecular phenotypes of dementia.
Study Reveals a Link Between Herpes Virus, Head Injuries, and Alzheimer’s Disease 
Study Reveals a Link Between Herpes Virus, Head Injuries, and Alzheimer’s Disease 

Lab-grown mini-brains help scientists explore how concussions reactivate latent viral infections, triggering molecular phenotypes of dementia.

Lab-grown mini-brains help scientists explore how concussions reactivate latent viral infections, triggering molecular phenotypes of dementia.

Neuroscience

A close-up of the face of a woman in front of a chalkboard with resolutions written on it.
Struggling to Stick to Your New Year’s Resolutions? Brain Activity Reveals Why
Hannah Thomasy, PhD | Jan 13, 2025 | 3 min read
Cognitive neuroscientists explore the dynamics of mental fatigue and self-control.
Image of people clinking glasses with various alcoholic beverages at a table.
Why Do Some People Get Drunk Faster Than Others?
Laura Tran, PhD | Jan 13, 2025 | 2 min read
Genetics and tolerance shake up how alcohol affects each person, creating a unique cocktail of experiences.
A three-dimensional cross-section of a head showing brain activity with blue highlights and yellow neural connections.
Neuroscientists Dive into the Biology of Pain
Sneha Khedkar | Jan 13, 2025 | 4 min read
Studies shed light on pain perception, placebo effect pathways, and how human stem cells can be used to model pain. 
An illustration of an orange tau fibril in front of a blue background.
Uncovering the Unexpected: Developing a Novel Anti-Tau Therapy
Charlene Lancaster, PhD | Dec 31, 2024 | 4 min read
Ke Hou generated a compound that prevents tau aggregation in the murine brain, but the potential Alzheimer’s disease therapy also had a surprising property.
Sex Differences in Neurological Research
Sex Differences in Neurological Research
The Scientist Staff | Dec 18, 2024 | 1 min read
Experts from the Women’s Brain Foundation and bit.bio will explore the importance of sex-specific in vitro models for neurological research and drug discovery.
A depiction of a human brain in blue lines and yellow and red dots.
Could Remnants of Ancient Viral Infections Affect Human Health Today?
Hannah Thomasy, PhD | Dec 18, 2024 | 4 min read
Patterns of human endogenous retrovirus expression linked to decreased neurodegenerative disease risk.
Multicolored brain against a blue background.
Trippy Science Unravels the Mystery of Psychedelics’ Antianxiety Effects
Iris Kulbatski, PhD | Dec 12, 2024 | 4 min read
Researchers mimic the antianxiety effects of psychedelics by identifying and activating specific brain regions in an important step towards developing therapeutics that do not cause hallucinations.
Middle aged woman sitting on a sofa, holding her knee in pain.
Bone-Building Hormone Identified in Lactating Mice 
Claudia Lopez-Lloreda, PhD | Dec 3, 2024 | 4 min read
A brain-derived hormone that improves bone health could guide new treatments for age-related bone conditions. 
Three-dimensional rendering of violet-colored astrocytes touching a red blood vessel.
Modeling the Blood-Brain Barrier in a Dish
Sneha Khedkar | Dec 3, 2024 | 4 min read
Human brain and blood vessel organoids merged to form blood-brain barrier assembloids could provide clues into neurological diseases.
Image of an axon, with a callout box highlighting a portion of the cell membrane. It depicts three different electrodes and ion channels along the membrane.
What’s the Difference Between a Voltage Clamp and a Current Clamp?
Laura Tran, PhD | Dec 2, 2024 | 2 min read
Depending on the “clamped” parameter, patch clamp configurations probe different aspects of a cell's electrical activity.
A woman in a blue and white striped shirt crosses her fingers behind her back.
How Does the Placebo Effect Work?
Hannah Thomasy, PhD | Dec 2, 2024 | 2 min read
Placebo analgesia might be all in the head, but that doesn’t mean it’s not real.
A small furry shrew pokes its head out from a pile of vegetation.
Gene Expression Shifts as Shrews Shrink and Regrow Their Brains
Hannah Thomasy, PhD | Nov 20, 2024 | 5 min read
Transcriptomic studies of the shrew’s remarkably plastic brain could provide new insights into neurodegenerative diseases.
iStock
Advances in Cell Therapy for Restoring Vision
The Scientist Staff | Nov 19, 2024 | 1 min read
Scientists use innovative stem cell culture models to progress retinal cell therapy research.
An illustration showing reduction in muscle mass and weight from cachexia.
The Neural Circuitry Driving Cancer-Related Wasting Disease
Sahana Sitaraman, PhD | Nov 18, 2024 | 4 min read
In mice, dampening the activity of area postrema neurons diminished cancer-induced muscle and fat loss and increased lifespan.
A golden retriever shakes off water on a sunny lawn.
What Drives the "Wet Dog Shakes" Reflex in Furry Animals?
Hannah Thomasy, PhD | Nov 7, 2024 | 3 min read
Scientists identified the mechanoreceptor that triggers the distinctive shake-off behavior observed in mice when they become wet.
Image of Caenorhabditis elegans against a black background.
Worms’ Nose for Danger Helps Ward Off Pathogens 
Laura Tran, PhD | Nov 7, 2024 | 3 min read
Nematodes can sniff out trouble, kicking off a mitochondrial defense in the gut to fend off bacterial invaders.
Illustration of a pink brain in a silhouette on a background with brainwaves. 
Sleep Disruptions and Impaired Muscle Control in Ataxia May Share a Culprit
Shelby Bradford, PhD | Nov 5, 2024 | 4 min read
Dysfunctional neurons in the cerebellum, a brain region that controls motor functions, reduced REM sleep in mice.
Image of two marmosets perched on a branch.
From Marmosets to Menopause: A Primate Perspective
Laura Tran, PhD | Nov 1, 2024 | 2 min read
Agnès Lacreuse investigates cognitive aging and women’s health in nonhuman primates.
A computer-rendered graphic representation of an astrocyte.
Unlocking the Metabolic Drivers of Alzheimer’s Disease
The Scientist Staff | Nov 1, 2024 | 2 min read
Cellular oxygen consumption in the brain may shed new light on Alzheimer’s disease onset, progression, and treatment.
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