Conservation of structures and functions between single-celled fungi and human cells allow researchers to probe the brain.

Pharmaceutical companies ramp up efforts to get the brain’s immune cells to help treat Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions, but not everyone agrees the approach will be effective.

Meet some of the people featured in the October 2021 issue of The Scientist.

The single-celled fungus allows researchers to study Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS and other brain diseases with unparalleled speed and scale.

Genetic, transcriptomic, and epigenetic data reveal molecular mechanisms tying these disorders to each other and to immune disfunction.

The US Food and Drug Administration has called for a federal investigation of its own regulatory review process after widespread criticism of its decision on Aduhelm.

A study has sparked controversy by suggesting that cells made using a popular lab protocol have been misidentified, with potentially serious repercussions for brain research. Critics say the significance of the findings has been overstated.

The test will be a cheaper and more accessible alternative to currently available diagnostic tools, researchers say.

After six months, patients with fast-progressing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis who had received the experimental treatment had less loss of function than those who received a placebo.

The authors propose that the shots might keep the immune system primed to battle diseases that would otherwise contribute to cognitive decline.

The cell conversion strategy restores neurons and motor functions lost as a result of an induced Parkinson’s-like illness in the animals.

The gene, aquaporin-4, is critical in rodents for the cerebrospinal fluid bath the brain gets during sleep. It’s now also tied to slow wave electrical activity during deep sleep in people.

This year’s most beautiful illustrations covered topics including the molecular underpinnings of Parkinson’s disease and strategies for tracking marine organisms around the world’s oceans.