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Genetics

Genetics articles related to neuroscience research will be listed here.

·June 11, 2025·5 min read

Hidden Protein Defects Behind Autism Identified

Researchers have created a standardized mouse stem cell library containing 63 genetic variants strongly linked to autism spectrum disorder. Using CRISPR gene editing, the team generated mice and diverse tissues from these modified cells, allowing them to model autism at both the cellular and organismal level.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·June 10, 2025·4 min read

How the Brain’s RNA Rings Are Formed

Circular 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.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·June 10, 2025·6 min read

Genetic Sensitivity to Environment May Shape Mental Health Traits

A 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.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·June 6, 2025·4 min read

Skin Aging Reduced by Molecules from Bacteria in the Blood

Researchers 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.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·June 5, 2025·7 min read

HIV Drugs Linked to Lower Alzheimer’s Risk

FDA-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.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·June 3, 2025·6 min read

Dormant Stem Cells May Hold Key to Restoring Sense of Smell

Researchers 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).

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·June 3, 2025·4 min read

Shared Genetic Signatures Found Across Psychiatric Disorders

Researchers 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.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·June 2, 2025·6 min read

Blocking Brain Inflammation Molecule May Halt Alzheimer’s

A 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.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·June 2, 2025·6 min read

How Cocaine Hijacks the Brain

In 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.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·May 31, 2025·5 min read

One Molecule to Sleep and Wake: A New Brain Switch Discovered

Researchers 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.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·May 30, 2025·7 min read

Blood Fat Links Found Between Heart Risk and Alzheimer’s

New 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.

This shows a man, a woman, DNA, and a brain.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·May 30, 2025·5 min read

Common Gene Variant Doubles Dementia Risk, But Only in Men

New 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.