FeaturedGeneticsNeuroscience·June 10, 2025·4 min readHow the Brain’s RNA Rings Are FormedCircular RNAs (circRNAs) are stable, ring-shaped molecules that play crucial roles in brain development, cognition, and long-term cellular regulation. Unlike typical RNA, they form closed loops that resist degradation, making them ideal for neurons.Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeurosciencePsychology·June 10, 2025·6 min readGenetic Sensitivity to Environment May Shape Mental Health TraitsA large international study of over 21,000 identical twins has identified genetic variants that influence how individuals respond to life experiences, affecting traits such as anxiety, depression, and autistic traits. By analyzing genetic differences in identical twins, researchers discovered that certain genes make people more or less sensitive to environmental exposures.Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeuroscience·June 6, 2025·4 min readSkin Aging Reduced by Molecules from Bacteria in the BloodResearchers have identified three anti-aging compounds produced by Paracoccus sanguinis, a bacterium found in the bloodstream. These indole-based metabolites reduced inflammation and oxidative stress in human skin cell cultures—key contributors to skin aging.Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeurologyNeuroscience·June 5, 2025·7 min readHIV Drugs Linked to Lower Alzheimer’s RiskFDA-approved HIV drugs targeting reverse transcriptase (RT) may reduce Alzheimer’s risk by blocking similar enzymatic activity in the aging brain. Scientists discovered unexpected RT activity in neurons of healthy and Alzheimer’s brains, tracing it to truncated LINE1 elements—ancient genetic sequences capable of copying themselves via RT.Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeuroscience·June 3, 2025·6 min readDormant Stem Cells May Hold Key to Restoring Sense of SmellResearchers have created a 3D mouse organoid model to study how neurons in the nose regenerate, revealing that a type of stem cell once considered dormant may be crucial for repairing olfactory tissue. The team found that horizontal basal cells (HBCs), marked by KRT5, actively support new neuron generation alongside globose basal cells (GBCs).Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeurosciencePsychology·June 3, 2025·4 min readShared Genetic Signatures Found Across Psychiatric DisordersResearchers have uncovered shared biological mechanisms across major psychiatric disorders by analyzing postmortem brain samples from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Instead of looking at gene expression broadly, they zoomed in on the exon level—the building blocks that influence how proteins are made.Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeurologyNeuroscience·June 2, 2025·6 min readBlocking Brain Inflammation Molecule May Halt Alzheimer’sA new study has uncovered a surprising culprit in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease: the immune molecule STING. Scientists found that STING, normally involved in defending the brain, becomes hyperactive with age, causing harmful inflammation and accelerating brain damage.Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeuroscience·June 2, 2025·6 min readHow Cocaine Hijacks the BrainIn a groundbreaking study, researchers have engineered fruit flies that voluntarily consume cocaine, creating the first fly model for cocaine addiction. Typically, flies avoid the drug due to its bitter taste, but by disabling their bitter-sensing receptors, scientists encouraged addictive behavior within just 16 hours of exposure.Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeuroscience·May 31, 2025·5 min readOne Molecule to Sleep and Wake: A New Brain Switch DiscoveredResearchers studying the tiny roundworm C. elegans have uncovered a surprising mechanism by which a single brain signal controls both falling asleep and waking up. The chemical messenger FLP-11 activates a receptor called DMSR-1 in different neurons to either silence wakefulness or shut down sleep, acting as a biological on-off switch.Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeurologyNeuroscience·May 30, 2025·7 min readBlood Fat Links Found Between Heart Risk and Alzheimer’sNew research reveals complex relationships between blood lipid levels and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. While small dense LDL cholesterol—linked to heart disease—was associated with increased Alzheimer’s risk, other markers like ApoB48 were linked to reduced risk.Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeurologyNeuroscience·May 30, 2025·5 min readCommon Gene Variant Doubles Dementia Risk, But Only in MenNew research reveals that men who carry two copies of a common genetic variant in the HFE gene are more than twice as likely to develop dementia, while women with the same variant are not affected. The variant, known as H63D, is linked to haemochromatosis and is present in about 1 in 36 people.Read More
Brain CancerFeaturedGeneticsNeurologyNeuroscience·May 30, 2025·6 min readLab-Designed Peptide Targets Glioblastoma Stem CellsA newly developed lab-designed molecule, JM2, may offer a promising therapy to combat glioblastoma recurrence by targeting the tumor’s most resilient cells. Researchers discovered that glioblastoma stem cells rely on the protein connexin 43’s interaction with microtubules—an interaction disrupted by JM2.Read More
