Research
Two scientists have won the Brain Prize for discoveries showing how the nervous system detects and processes touch and pain. David Ginty and Patrik Ernfors will share the Brain Prize 2026 for work that, according to the prize committee, has changed scientific understanding of how nerve cells in the skin turn painful, thermal and mechanical [...]
Psychedelic drugs may help sustain PTSD recovery by triggering brain repair, according to new research in rats. Psilocybin and MDMA can produce rapid effects in people with PTSD, but lasting benefits require brain circuits to stabilise. The study suggests myelin, the insulating layer around nerve cells, may help bridge the gap between the short-lived psychedelic [...]
As more people seek mental health advice from AI chatbots, new research suggests the systems are not yet ready and can fall short of professional psychotherapy ethics standards. Researchers from Brown University, working with mental health professionals, found repeated problematic behaviour even when the chatbots were prompted to use established psychotherapy approaches. In tests, chatbots [...]
By Tuned Global Music in the medicine and research space has proved to have significant therapeutic benefits, treating conditions including dementia, Parkinson’s disease, PTSD and ADHD. Now, with the evolution of music technology and AI, the potential to heal the mind through music has become even more powerful. At a recent industry event, three experts [...]
EBRAINS has extended the EBRAINS roadmap submission deadline for its 2026-2036 digital neuroscience plan to 15 March 2026 after requests from the research community. The extension gives stakeholders a final opportunity to submit ideas that could help shape the future direction of Europe's digital neuroscience infrastructure. The roadmap, announced in November 2025, is a community-driven [...]
An Australian study is exploring VR for safe fall recovery among people with spinal cord injury. The University of Queensland is leading the project, which is developing a virtual reality programme to help patients practise safe falls for the first time. The work builds on seven years of research into spinal cord injury and falls [...]
Severe CTE is clearly linked to dementia in people exposed to repetitive head impacts, researchers have found. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, is a progressive brain disorder caused by repeated head impacts. It is seen in people who play contact sports, serve in the military or are exposed to physical violence. CTE can [...]
The brain may reinforce seizures during sleep by treating them like memories, according to new research. A study analysing long-term brain recordings from implanted devices in 11 people with epilepsy found that after a seizure, the brain entered a prolonged deep sleep state similar to how it stores new memories. This process mimics memory consolidation, [...]
People with mental illness who use AI chatbots risk a worsening of their condition, according to a study published after screening health records from nearly 54,000 patients. Researchers reviewed electronic health records and identified cases where AI chatbot use appeared to have negative effects, primarily through worsened delusions. Delusions are fixed false beliefs held despite [...]
Scientists have observed in real time and reversed a chemical process linked to protein clumping associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Using a molecule-measuring technique in laboratory tests, researchers tracked how certain metals can promote the clumping of amyloid-beta proteins. In people with Alzheimer’s disease, these protein build-ups block neural pathways and prevent brain cells from communicating [...]
