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Genetics

Genetics articles related to neuroscience research will be listed here.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·October 24, 2025·7 min read

Alzheimer’s Disrupts Brain’s Internal Clock, Unraveling Gene Rhythms

Alzheimer’s disease not only damages memory but also distorts the brain’s internal clock, disrupting the daily rhythms of hundreds of genes tied to brain health. Researchers found that in mice with amyloid buildup, normal circadian gene activity in microglia and astrocytes—the brain’s immune and support cells—became erratic.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·October 24, 2025·9 min read

Gene Editing Reverses Age-Related Memory Loss

Researchers have identified molecular mechanisms behind age-related memory decline — and shown they can be reversed. Two studies revealed that correcting specific molecular processes in the hippocampus and amygdala, and reactivating a silenced memory-supporting gene called IGF2, improved memory in older rats.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·October 22, 2025·8 min read

New AI Tool Reveals Genetic Link Between Memory Cells and Alzheimer’s

A new computational tool developed by researchers has uncovered genetic evidence directly linking Alzheimer’s disease to the loss of memory-making neurons, helping to resolve a decades-long mystery in dementia research. The algorithm, called seismic, matches genetic data to individual cell types, outperforming previous methods and highlighting how specific brain cells—not just immune cells—are implicated in Alzheimer’s.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·October 17, 2025·5 min read

New Alzheimer’s Mutation Weakens Brain’s Immune Defense

A new study has identified a mutation in the TREM2 gene that disrupts the brain’s ability to clear toxic amyloid plaques, increasing Alzheimer’s disease risk. The mutation, called T96K, keeps the TREM2 gene in an overactive state that paradoxically weakens microglial “cleanup” activity, especially in females.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·October 16, 2025·6 min read

Scientists Identify New Gene Behind Hereditary Vision Loss

Researchers have identified a new genetic cause of hereditary optic atrophy—a condition that leads to gradual vision loss—by discovering a previously unknown mutation in the PPIB gene. This gene helps proteins fold properly and ensures healthy mitochondrial function, both of which are disrupted in affected individuals.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·October 16, 2025·7 min read

Child Abuse Leaves Lasting Biological Scars on the Brain and DNA

New research reveals that child maltreatment leaves measurable biological “scars” on DNA, altering brain structure and function. Using a genome-wide epigenetic analysis, scientists identified four key methylation sites—ATE1, SERPINB9P1, CHST11, and FOXP1—linked to maltreatment.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·October 15, 2025·6 min read

Astrocytes, Not Neurons, Hold the Key to Emotional Memory

New research reveals that astrocytes — not neurons — are responsible for stabilizing emotional memories by re-engaging during recall. After an emotionally intense event, such as fear, specific astrocytes become biologically tagged with adrenoreceptors, making them responsive when the memory is later reactivated.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·October 13, 2025·7 min read

Genes Linked to Cannabis Use Reveal Ties to Mental Health

Researchers analyzing data from over 130,000 participants have identified specific genes associated with cannabis use and its frequency, revealing strong links to psychiatric, cognitive, and physical health traits. The genes CADM2 and GRM3, already known for roles in brain communication and impulsivity, appear central to how individuals initiate and sustain cannabis use.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·October 9, 2025·7 min read

Gene Behind Child Brain Disorder Also Tied to Parkinson’s Disease

Scientists have discovered that mutations in the EPG5 gene—known for causing the rare childhood disorder Vici syndrome—also increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease and dementia later in life. The gene plays a crucial role in autophagy, the process by which cells clear out damaged material.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·October 8, 2025·8 min read

Why Older Fathers Pass on More Harmful Mutations to Their Kids

Groundbreaking research has revealed that as men age, harmful genetic mutations in sperm not only accumulate but are also favored during sperm production, giving them a reproductive advantage. Using ultra-accurate DNA sequencing, scientists found that sperm from older men were significantly more likely to carry disease-causing mutations, including those linked to neurodevelopmental disorders and cancer.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·October 6, 2025·5 min read

Neurons Burn Fat for Fuel: Discovery Could Reverse Brain Damage

Scientists have shown that neurons don’t rely solely on sugar for energy — they can also burn fat. When energy demand spikes, neurons even create their own fats by recycling parts of themselves, a process dependent on a key protein called DDHD2.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·October 6, 2025·6 min read

AI Learns to Design the Human Body’s Most Elusive Proteins

A new machine learning method has achieved what even AlphaFold cannot — the design of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), the shape-shifting biomolecules that make up nearly 30% of all human proteins. These unstable proteins play key roles in cellular communication, sensing, and disease, yet their ever-changing structures have defied traditional AI prediction models.