MIT NewsBy David Orenstein | The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory
In six talks, researchers from across MIT described projects aimed at advancing the understanding of and interventions against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and ALS.
This story was first published by MIT News. The full article is on their site.
Read the full storyOpens news.mit.edu
Neuroscience News
Does Alzheimer's start outside the brain? Gladstone Institutes researchers mapped the first atlas of 92 blood proteins that cross the blood-brain barrier, discovering that the barrier shuts down the import of protective liver proteins before it ever begins leaking toxins.
Brain disorders
Neuroscience News
Why does brain volume loss in multiple sclerosis follow distinct patterns? An MRI study of 2,187 patients reveals that atrophy originates in metabolically exhausted network hubs—including the thalamus and sensorimotor cortices—spreading outward along structural connections.
Mental health
Neuroscience News
When sleep invades wakefulness: An EEG study of 84 Parkinson’s patients reveals that sleep-like slow brain waves intrude into daytime consciousness, directly tracking with hallucinations and cognitive decline while offering a potential prodromal biomarker.
Sleep and dreams
Neuroscience News
Meet the brain's trash compactor: UVA Health researchers discovered that the CASS4 risk gene directs microglia to tightly pack and contain toxic amyloid plaques, proving Alzheimer's risk operates directly through immune defenses rather than neurons.
Brain disorders
