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microglia

·May 14, 2026·6 min read

Brain Immune Cells Drive Compulsive Behavior

Is anxiety an immune response? New research reveals that Hoxb8 microglia, specialized immune cells in the brain, use calcium signaling to switch anxiety and grooming behaviors on and off.

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.

This shows an older woman sleeping and microglia.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·May 12, 2026·6 min read

Targeting Brain “Clean-up” Cells to Fight Dementia

Researchers discovered that dysregulated circadian rhythms cause microglia, the brain’s immune cells, to become "stress-primed" and malfunction. This state prevents them from clearing amyloid plaques, accelerating dementia risk. Now, using DARI seedling grants, Souza is testing a stem-cell-derived "EV therapy" designed to keep these cells healthy and prevent neuroinflammation.

Brain Cancer Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·April 21, 2026·7 min read

Alzheimer’s Brains Share a Genetic Signature with Some Cancers

A study finds that Alzheimer’s is driven by cancer-like mutations in the brain's immune cells, which may enter from the blood and trigger lethal brain inflammation.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·April 7, 2026·6 min read

Single Immune Switch Drives Both Arthritis and Alzheimer’s

Researchers identify TREM-1 as a potent amplifier of the innate immune system. The review suggests that targeting this receptor could provide new treatments for sepsis, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s.

This shows a person holding their head in pain.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Pain Psychology

·March 19, 2026·9 min read

Why Chronic Pain Leads to Depression

New research reveals that the hippocampus acts as a control center for chronic pain, and a specific "inflammatory switch" determines who develops depression.

Featured Neuroscience

·March 12, 2026·8 min read

Immune Cells in the Brain Discovered to Control Puberty and Reproduction

Scientists discover that fertility is controlled by the brain's defense cells, identifying a new genetic link to human infertility.

This shows a brain surrounded by processed foods.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 19, 2026·10 min read

Processed Foods Silence the Brain’s Fear Center

Three days is all it takes. New research proves that skipping fiber can trigger rapid inflammation in your brain's emotional center, leaving you vulnerable to poor decisions.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·November 5, 2025·5 min read

Brain’s Immune Cells Found to Protect Against Alzheimer’s Damage

Researchers have uncovered how the brain’s immune cells, called microglia, can act as protectors rather than destroyers in Alzheimer’s disease. By lowering the immune regulator PU.1, microglia began expressing lymphoid-like receptors that reduced inflammation and preserved cognitive function in mouse models.

Featured Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·October 6, 2025·5 min read

Hidden Early Signs of Diabetic Blindness Revealed

Scientists have developed a powerful new imaging method that reveals how immune cells in the eye behave long before visible damage occurs in diabetic retinopathy. Using a combination of a head-fixation device, contact lenses, and a custom objective lens, researchers were able to capture live, high-resolution images of microglia activity in diabetic mice.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·August 28, 2025·4 min read

Brain Cells Behind Depression Identified

Researchers analyzing post-mortem brain tissue found two cell types altered in people with depression: excitatory neurons that regulate mood and stress, and microglia that manage inflammation. The findings highlight how depression is tied to measurable brain changes, not just emotional symptoms.

Featured Neuroscience

·August 28, 2025·5 min read

Immune Cells Found to Shape Teen Brain Circuits

Adolescence is a critical period for the brain’s frontal cortex, where executive functions mature and vulnerabilities to psychiatric disorders emerge. A new study shows that microglia, the brain’s immune cells, directly shape dopamine circuits during this time by strengthening axonal connections.