Topic description and stories

Neuroscience has transformed our understanding of the brain and promises treatments for devastating disorders that affect millions.

Charts map rapid growth and slow decline of brains

06 April 2022

An international team of researchers has created a series of brain charts spanning our entire lifespan – from a 15 week old fetus to 100 year old adult – that show how our brains expand rapidly in early life and slowly shrink as we age. 

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AI could detect dementia years before symptoms appear

12 Aug 2021

Artificial intelligence could spot the early signs of dementia from a simple brain scan long before major symptoms appear – and in some cases before...

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Spatially oriented neurons (mouse brain)

Scientists reverse age-related memory loss in mice

22 Jul 2021

Scientists at Cambridge and Leeds have successfully reversed age-related memory loss in mice and say their discovery could lead to the development of...

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Man smoking

Autistic individuals may be more likely to use recreational drugs to self-medicate their mental health

01 Jul 2021

While autistic individuals are less likely to use substances, those who do so are more likely to self-medicate for their mental health symptoms...

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Inflatable, shape-changing spinal implants could help treat severe pain

25 Jun 2021

A team of engineers and clinicians has developed an ultra-thin, inflatable device that can be used to treat the most severe forms of pain without the...

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Marmoset

Marmoset study identifies brain region linking actions to their outcomes

24 Jun 2021

Researchers have discovered a specific brain region underlying ‘goal-directed behaviour’ – that is, when we consciously do something with a...

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Colourful illustration of human brain

Study shows brain differences in interpreting physical signals in mental health disorders

22 Jun 2021

Researchers have shown why people with mental health disorders, including anorexia and panic disorders, experience physical signals differently.

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A man sitting in front of a screen

Teenagers at greatest risk of self-harming could be identified almost a decade earlier

15 Jun 2021

Researchers have identified two subgroups of adolescents who self-harm and have shown that it is possible to predict those individuals at greatest...

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Mother and child

Mothers can influence offspring’s height, lifespan and disease risk in unexpected ways – through their mitochondria

17 May 2021

Mitochondria - the ‘batteries’ that power our cells – play an unexpected role in common diseases such as type 2 diabetes and multiple sclerosis...

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Tiles spelling "autism"

Unhealthy patterns of diet, exercise, and sleep linked to high risk of cardiovascular disease in autistic people

10 May 2021

Autistic people have far greater risks of long term physical health conditions than others, but the reasons for this remain unclear. New research...

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Grey-scale image of a woman

Stress does not lead to loss of self-control in eating disorders, study finds

12 Apr 2021

A unique residential study has concluded that, contrary to perceived wisdom, people with eating disorders do not lose self-control – leading to binge...

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Boy at sunset

Autism rates have increased and show differences in ethnic minorities and links to social disadvantage

29 Mar 2021

Around one in 57 (1.76%) children in the UK is on the autistic spectrum, significantly higher than previously reported, according to a study of more...

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Boy wearing face mask

Pandemic restrictions aggravating known triggers for self-harm and poor mental health among children and young people

10 Mar 2021

Experts have issued a stark warning about the effects of the pandemic on the mental health of children and young people.

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