Alzheimer’s risk may start at the brain’s border, not inside it Your brain has its own elite defense team — and new research shows these "guardian" cells might be the real battleground for neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and stroke. Scientists discovered that most genetic risks linked to these diseases act not in neurons, but in the blood vessels and immune cells that form the blood-brain barrier.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/r....eleases/2025/08/2508

Weight loss drug Ozempic could protect the brain from stroke Could popular diabetes and weight loss drugs like Ozempic actually protect your brain from stroke damage, or prevent strokes altogether? Three new studies presented at a major neurosurgery conference suggest they might.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/r....eleases/2025/08/2508

Pain relief without pills? VR nature scenes trigger the brain’s healing switch Stepping into a virtual forest or waterfall scene through VR could be the future of pain management. A new study shows that immersive virtual nature dramatically reduces pain sensitivity almost as effectively as medication. Researchers at the University of Exeter found that the more present participants felt in these 360-degree nature experiences, the stronger the pain-relieving effects. Brain scans confirmed that immersive VR scenes activated pain-modulating pathways, revealing that our brains can be coaxed into suppressing pain by simply feeling like we re in nature.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/r....eleases/2025/07/2507

Scientists discover the receptor that helps your brain clean itself—and fight Alzheimer’s Scientists at UCSF have uncovered how certain immune cells in the brain, called microglia, can effectively digest toxic amyloid beta plaques that cause Alzheimer’s. They identified a key receptor, ADGRG1, that enables this protective action. When microglia lack this receptor, plaque builds up quickly, causing memory loss and brain damage. But when the receptor is present, it seems to help keep Alzheimer's symptoms mild. Since ADGRG1 belongs to a drug-friendly family of receptors, this opens the door to future therapies that could enhance brain immunity and protect against Alzheimer’s in more people.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/r....eleases/2025/07/2507

One shot, seven days: Long-acting levodopa gel tackles Parkinson’s tremors Researchers in Australia have created a biodegradable gel that delivers Parkinson’s medications through a single weekly shot, replacing the need for multiple daily pills. Injected just under the skin, the gel steadily releases levodopa and carbidopa for seven days, helping keep tremors and stiffness in check while easing side effects linked to fluctuating doses.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/r....eleases/2025/07/2507