Brain Health

Common eye bug adds to growing links between infection and dementia

Bronwyn Thompson — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 19:03:00 GMT

Scientists have uncovered an intriguing link between infection and brain health, finding that a common bacterium in the eye appears to be linked to cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. It's the newest evidence suggesting bacteria and infections play a significant and poorly understood role in destroying the brain as we age.

Category: Alzheimer's & Dementia, Brain Health, Body and Mind

Tags: Cedars-Sinai, Brain, Inflammation, Cognitive functioning, Dementia, Alzheimer's disease

What if multiple sclerosis isn't just one disease?

Chelsea Haney — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 15:46:05 GMT

For decades, multiple sclerosis (MS) has been defined primarily by its symptoms, rather than its underlying biology. Now, a new study aims to challenge that approach, presenting evidence that MS may actually follow two distinct biological pathways. It’s a shift that could reshape how clinicians think about diagnoses, disease progression and treatment strategy.

Category: Brain Health, Body and Mind

Tags: Multiple Sclerosis, Brain, Neurodegenerative conditions, Health, Disease, Diagnose

Surprising way cancer cells clear problematic proteins in the brain

Bronwyn Thompson — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 08:41:57 GMT

For some time, we've known that it's rare to see people with both cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Now, scientists believe they may have found why, discovering a molecule in cancer cells that clears problem proteins from the brain.

Category: Alzheimer's & Dementia, Brain Health, Body and Mind

Tags: University of Toronto, Cognitive functioning, Cancer, Blood-brain barrier, Protein, Amyloid-beta protein, Tau protein, Alzheimer's disease

Super-agers aren’t just growing old well – they’re doing it differently

Bronwyn Thompson — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 00:03:00 GMT

Using the largest sample of super-agers to date, scientists have found convincing evidence that supports what many of us have suspected: Longevity isn’t just about healthy lifestyle choices, but also a good draw in the genetic lottery.

Category: Alzheimer's & Dementia, Brain Health, Body and Mind

FDA-approved ADHD brain device fails to outperform placebo

Bronwyn Thompson — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 08:50:14 GMT

The first-of-a-kind brain-stimulation device approved to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the US has had its efficacy questioned, with scientists believing that its Food and Drug Administration (US) approval was based on too small a study.

Category: ADHD & Autism, Brain Health, Body and Mind

Tags: King's College London, ADHD, Developmental conditions, Brain stimulation, Nerves, clinical trials, University of Southampton

What everyday sunlight does for your brain's focus, speed and alertness

Bronwyn Thompson — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 13:37:00 GMT

In the first study of its kind, neuroscientists have shown the real-world benefits that sunlight gives the brain, beyond laboratory experiments, linking brighter and more regular daytime light to better alertness and faster attention in everyday life.

Category: Learning & Memory, Brain Health, Body and Mind

Tags: University of Manchester, Cognitive functioning, Brain, Eye, Sunlight, Circadian Rhythms, Sleep

Laughing gas a promising treatment for depression

Jay Kakade — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 04:03:00 GMT

Nitrous oxide, informally known as laughing gas, has shown rapid antidepressant effects in people with depression in a series of small clinical trials, with symptoms easing within hours of inhaling it. The treatment involves breathing in a mix of nitrous oxide and oxygen for up to an hour.

Category: Mental Health, Brain Health, Body and Mind

Tags: Depression, mental health, Gas, University of Birmingham, Brain, Drug development, Neuroscience

Experimental molecule may be a potent weapon against Alzheimer’s

Malcolm Azania — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 17:06:41 GMT

You think you’re fine. Your family and friends think you’re fine. But, just maybe, you’re not. Maybe you already have Alzheimer’s disease, but you just don’t know it yet, because it can begin destroying your brain decades before anyone even suspects.

Category: Alzheimer's & Dementia, Brain Health, Body and Mind

Tags: Northwestern University, Alzheimer's disease, Dementia, Treatment, Brain

First US at-home depression headset wins FDA approval after trial shows benefits in weeks

Bronwyn Thompson — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 02:10:48 GMT

In a major shift for how mental health conditions might be treated, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first at-home brain-stimulation device to treat moderate to severe major depressive disorder (MDD).

Category: Mental Health, Brain Health, Body and Mind

Tags: Depression, Brain stimulation, Device, FDA, clinical trials, mental health

ADHD stimulants don’t work the way we thought they did

Bronwyn Thompson — Sat, 03 Jan 2026 16:00:00 GMT

For decades, ADHD stimulant medications have been thought to sharpen attention, but new research has uncovered something very different is at play. These drugs don't actually provide laser-sharp focus but may instead boost wakefulness and engagement, helping the brain stay with tasks rather than hold attention.

Category: ADHD & Autism, Brain Health, Body and Mind

Tags: Washington University in St Louis, ADHD, Stimulant medications, Cognitive functioning, Brain, Brain stimulation