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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Many cases of dementia may arise from non-inherited DNA ‘spelling mistakes’

15 Oct 2018

Only a small proportion of cases of dementia are thought to be inherited – the cause of the vast majority is unknown. Now, in a study published today...

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Mental health disorders: risks and resilience in adolescence

10 Oct 2018

Deeper understanding of the wiring and rewiring of the adolescent brain is helping scientists pinpoint why young people are especially vulnerable to...

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Keyboard Warrier

European research network aims to tackle problematic internet use

09 Oct 2018

A pan-European network to tackle problematic internet usage officially launches today with the publication of its manifesto, setting out the...

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Green arrow points to the implant in the hippocampus of a mouse brain

Electronic device implanted in the brain could stop seizures

29 Aug 2018

Researchers have successfully demonstrated how an electronic device implanted directly into the brain can detect, stop and even prevent epileptic...

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In His Own World

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome more likely to have a child with autism

01 Aug 2018

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are more likely than other women to have an autistic child, according to an analysis of NHS data carried...

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Chattering teeth

Why we just can't stop eating: the complex truth behind obesity

23 Jul 2018

Obesity is often characterised as nothing more than greed and lack of willpower. The truth is far more complex.

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Quiet reflection (crop)

Loneliness is contagious – and here's how to beat it

16 Jul 2018

One in three adults is affected by loneliness. It's time for us to take a risk and let others into our lives, says Olivia Remes, PhD candidate at the...

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Bridging the divide: philosophy meets science

12 Jul 2018

A unique three-year project to bridge the divide between science and philosophy – which embedded early-career philosophers into some of Cambridge’s...

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The stresses and strains of work and unemployment

26 Jun 2018

A stressful workplace can damage your health. But so too can being out of work. Cambridge researchers are trying to understand why both situations...

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Mother’s attitude towards baby during pregnancy may have implications for child’s development

12 Jun 2018

Mothers who ‘connect’ with their baby during pregnancy are more likely to interact in a more positive way with their infant after it is born...

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Brain cholesterol associated with increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease

07 May 2018

Researchers have shown how cholesterol – a molecule normally linked with cardiovascular diseases – may also play an important role in the onset and...

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Woman contemplates sunrise

Sense of control and meaning helps protect women from anxiety, study suggests

24 Apr 2018

People who feel in control of their lives and who find purpose and meaning in life are less likely to have anxiety disorders even when going through...

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