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Genetics

·May 13, 2026·9 min read

A New Genetic Entry Point for Autism Traits

Can autism's core traits be separated from cognitive ability? Researchers have identified PTCHD1-AS, a long non-coding RNA gene that regulates social interaction and repetitive behaviors without affecting learning or memory. By tracing this gene's influence to synaptic plasticity in the striatum, the study provides a "molecular pattern" for future precision treatments aimed specifically at the hallmark features of the autism spectrum.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·May 13, 2026·5 min read

Genetic Pathways Link Cannabis Use to Psychosis Risk

Researchers have identified three distinct genetic pathways that explain how Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) leads to psychosis. By analyzing over 500 genetic markers and the role of the glutamate system, which is heavily impacted by THC, the team has laid the groundwork for precision models to identify high-risk users and develop targeted treatments for cannabis-related mental health disorders.

This shows the outline of a head and DNA.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·May 13, 2026·9 min read

Genetic Risk for Schizophrenia Diverges Brain Growth in Teens

A longitudinal study of over 6,000 children has found that those with high genetic risk for schizophrenia experience a decrease in frontal brain surface area during early adolescence, while their peers experience growth. This unique, dynamic divergence provides a new neuroimaging marker for schizophrenia that appears years before clinical symptoms, offering a vital clue for early intervention.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·May 13, 2026·8 min read

APOE2 Protects Neurons from DNA Damage and Aging

Researchers discovered that the APOE2 gene variant shields the brain by helping neurons repair DNA damage and resist cellular senescence. By shifting focus from lipid transport to genomic integrity, this study identifies a new biological mechanism for longevity and suggests that mimicking APOE2's effects could lead to breakthrough treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·May 12, 2026·7 min read

Slowing Parkinson’s by Blocking a Key Protein

A new study found that GPNMB, released by the brain's immune cells, accelerates the spread of toxic alpha-synuclein. By using monoclonal antibodies to block GPNMB, the team successfully interrupted the cycle of neurodegeneration in preclinical models. This discovery provides a new therapeutic target that could finally slow the progression of Parkinson’s at its earliest stages.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·May 12, 2026·8 min read

“Jumping Genes” Shaped the Evolution of the Brain

Researchers discovered that transposable elements (TEs) provided more than 20,000 regulatory binding sites that drive neural development. By acting as genomic couriers for transcription factors like Sox2 and Brn2, these "jumping genes" expanded the complexity of the mammalian brain, offering a new two-phase model of how our neural networks evolved.

Neuroscience

·May 12, 2026·10 min read

Mapping Millions of Aging Brain Cells Simultaneously

By developing IRISeq and EnrichSci, researchers can now map the spatial neighborhoods of millions of aging brain cells and zoom in on rare, vulnerable populations. Their discovery that inflammatory cells cluster in white matter and that exonic changes drive oligodendrocyte aging provides precise new targets for anti-aging interventions and neurodegenerative disease treatment.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·May 10, 2026·5 min read

Progesterone Exposure Linked to Gene Alterations in Male Brains

A new study in sheep models shows that male fetuses exposed to high levels of progesterone experience an accumulation of the SRD5A1 gene in the frontal cortex. These findings emphasize the importance of understanding how prenatal hormone exposure shapes neural pathways and predisposes offspring to various health outcomes later in life.

This shows an ancient anthropoid with a brain.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·May 9, 2026·7 min read

Brain-First Hypothesis: Rethinking the Cambrian Explosion

The evolution of the brain may have been the primary engine behind the Cambrian Explosion. The "Brain-First Hypothesis" suggests that increasing ecological pressure for sensory processing led to neural regionalization. This neural complexity provided the genetic blueprints that were eventually co-opted to build the diverse and complex body plans seen in arthropods and chordates today.

This is a generated image of a neural progenitor cell.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·May 8, 2026·8 min read

Primary Cilium Shapes the Developing Brain

The primary cilium is more than an evolutionary leftover; it is a specialized protein factory. Researchers have discovered that these microscopic "antennas" contain localized machinery to produce proteins, offering a new biological roadmap for understanding, and eventually treating, developmental brain disorders.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·May 7, 2026·7 min read

Gene Therapy Restores Walking After Paralysis

Researchers have used a designer cytokine, hIL-6, to "rewire" the spinal cord by stimulating the sprouting of new connections from intact nerve fibers. This approach successfully restored coordinated walking in paralyzed mice, highlighting a powerful new strategy for treating spinal cord contusions.

Neuroscience

·April 29, 2026·8 min read

Tug-of-War of Life: Fertilized Eggs Keep Two Separate Nuclei

Why don't sperm and egg nuclei fuse right away? New research reveals a "tug-of-war" for growth factors that protects the embryo’s epigenetic blueprint.

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Genetics

A New Genetic Entry Point for Autism Traits

Genetic Pathways Link Cannabis Use to Psychosis Risk

Genetic Risk for Schizophrenia Diverges Brain Growth in Teens

APOE2 Protects Neurons from DNA Damage and Aging

Slowing Parkinson’s by Blocking a Key Protein

“Jumping Genes” Shaped the Evolution of the Brain

Mapping Millions of Aging Brain Cells Simultaneously

Progesterone Exposure Linked to Gene Alterations in Male Brains

Brain-First Hypothesis: Rethinking the Cambrian Explosion

Primary Cilium Shapes the Developing Brain

Gene Therapy Restores Walking After Paralysis

Tug-of-War of Life: Fertilized Eggs Keep Two Separate Nuclei

Sleep Duration Linked to Accelerated Aging

Why Men and Women Hear Differently

Neural Hotwire: How Biological Synapses Bypass Broken Brain Links

A New Genetic Entry Point for Autism Traits

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