Brain

More than 80 billion neurons, trillions of synapses and almost 6 kilometres of neural pathways: The brain is an anatomical masterpiece; it is our control centre, memory store, coordinator of thoughts and movement – and still puzzles science. In medicine, the focus is on neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, but also on cerebrovascular disorders such as strokes and brain tumours, notably glioblastoma.

News • Temporal interference stimulation

Towards deep brain stimulation without surgery

A promising technology enables deep brain stimulation without the need to surgically implant electrodes. This could pave the way for its use in the treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders.

News • Key biological mechanisms identified

Finding the “tipping point” of Alzheimer's

At which point does Alzheimer’s disease pathology lead to dementia? Researchers identified distinct mechanisms in the brain, which could represent an important target for future therapies.

News • New MS monitoring approach

PET imaging reveals synaptic loss in multiple sclerosis

A new PET imaging approach that measures synaptic density in the spinal cord provides a quantitative way to assess the brain's functional wiring in patients with multiple sclerosis.

News • Imaging with minimal diffusion data

Simulations + AI = faster brain MRI scans

A new AI-based method can reduce the time required for certain MRI brain scans by up to 90% while maintaining a high level of accuracy, paving the way for more efficient and accessible neuroimaging.

News • TSPO PET study

Brain inflammation unlikely to explain long Covid symptoms

Persistent long Covid symptoms are often linked to brain inflammation. However, results from a new study point at a different explanantion for fatigue, cognitive impairment, anxiety, and depression.

News • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

ALS subtypes: why pathology spreads differently among patients

New research has found that a genetic factor best known for increasing the risk of Alzheimer's disease, may also influence how pathological changes spread in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

News • Importance of tumor location

Testosterone slows glioblastoma growth in men

New research reveals that testosterone slows glioblastoma growth—the opposite of the androgen’s effect on tumors outside the brain.

News • Neurology

When the ageing brain loses its molecular balance

Researchers at the Leibniz Institute on Aging have shown that oxidative stress impairs protein quality control in the brain – and that this process is reversible.

News • Oncology

Nanozymes take on brain tumours from the inside

Researchers are developing nanozymes to improve treatment of aggressive brain tumours. The tiny particles can be activated by near-infrared light and applied directly during surgery.

News • Insights into asymptomatic disease cases

Some brains stay sharp in spite of Alzheimer’s – here's why

Why do some older adults remain mentally sharp despite having Alzheimer's? Decoding this natural resilience could pave the way for earlier detection and new strategies to prevent memory loss.

News • Ventricle morphology

Hydrocephalus: 3D brain marker helps predict shunt surgery success

A 3D brain marker may help identify which patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) benefit from shunt surgery – improving outcomes and sparing others from ineffective treatment.

News • Women's health

How endometriosis puts the brain in 'pain mode'

Repeated menstrual cycles may do more than trigger endometriosis – they may rewire the brain, a new study finds. Recurring inflammation can sensitize the nervous system, driving lasting pain.

News • Lowering tissue reactivity

Towards more biocompatible brain implants

Neural implants show great potential, but the brain's reaction to foreign objects remains a challenge. New research insights could now pave the way for more biocompatible brain implants.

News • Focal cortical dysplasia

Lab-grown mini-brains shed light on childhood epilepsy

Why does the same genetic mutation cause FCDII in some patients but not in others? Researchers developed organoids to model a brain malformation responsible for drug-resistant epilepsy in children.

News • Biomechanical mapping of tumor growth

New biomarker helps assess glioblastoma aggressiveness

Researchers have developed a new MRI-based method that enables objective quantification of the growth of the most aggressive brain tumours, particularly glioblastoma.

News • Deep joint-learning proteomics model

New AI model detects multiple brain diseases from a single blood sample

Researchers have developed an AI model showing that it is possible to detect different neurodegenerative diseases - for example, Alzheimer’s and Lewy body disease - from a single blood sample.

News • Ependymoma and medulloblastoma tumoroids

New organoids offer deeper insights into pediatric brain cancer

Patient-derived organoids (PDOs), or tumoroids, for pediatric brain cancer show promise in helping researchers find new drugs and better understand the different responses of the tumor.

News • Microscopic medicines

Intrabodies unlock new treatments for MND and Alzheimer's

New treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and motor neurone disease (MND) could be unlocked thanks to microscopic medicines called intrabodies.

News • Accelerated cognitive decline

Study: severe infections may raise dementia risk

Severe infections could increase the risk of developing dementia years later, independently of other coexisting illnesses, a new study from Finland suggests.

News • pTau217 and BDTau

Siemens Healthineers expands brain health research portfolio with new biomarker assays

Siemens Healthineers has announced the availability of two blood-based biomarker tests for research use: the Atellica IM Phosphorylated tau 217 (pTau217) and the Atellica IM Brain Derived Tau (BDTau) assays. Both are run on the Atellica Solution IM and Atellica CI Analyzers.

News • Research onthe glymphatic system

Broken waste-clearance in the brain may lead to psychosis

Early dysfunction of the glymphatic system — the network responsible for removing waste from the brain — could be a key vulnerability factor for the onset of psychosis, according to new research.

News • Neuro-oncology

Simple blood test could detect glioblastoma in the future

Glioblastoma is notorious for late diagnosis, rapid progression, resistance to treatment and its biological complexity. A new experimental method could help detect this deadly type of brain cancer.

Article • Developments in brain imaging for psychiatry

Radiologists explore new frontiers of the mind

Psychiatrists and neuroimaging experts gathered to explore one of the last remaining frontiers in radiology – the human mind – at the annual meeting of the French Society of Radiology (JFR) last October in Paris. Their conversation oscillated between neurons and narratives, algorithms and emotions – a vivid reminder that psychiatry is not only about understanding the brain, but about…

News • Unexpected similarities

Different tumours, same origin: Surprising discovery in paediatric brain cancers

Researchers discovered that pineoblastoma, retinoblastoma and medulloblastoma – severe brain tumours in children that appear to be completely different – actually arise from the same type of cell.

Article • From ablation to neuromodulation

The new era of functional radiosurgery

Functional brain radiosurgery is an application of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), representing its newest clinical field. It is a precise, non-invasive medical technique using focused ionising radiation to precisely target specific brain structures to modulate brain function for neurological disorders, psychiatric conditions, or intractable pain. The technology offers “precision without…

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