Lifeboat Foundation

Meanwhile, scientists dug into how psychedelics and MDMA fight off depression and post-traumatic stress disorders. The year was a relative setback for the psychedelic renaissance, with the FDA rejecting MDMA therapy. But the field is still gaining recognition for its therapeutic potential.

Then there’s lenacapavir, a shot that protects people from HIV. Named “breakthrough of the year” by Science, the shot completely protected African teenage girls and women against HIV infection. Another trial supported the results, showing the drug protected people who have sex with men at nearly 100 percent efficacy. The success stems from a new understanding of the protein “capsule” guarding the virus’ genetic material. Many other viruses have a similar makeup—meaning the strategy could help researchers design new drugs to fight them off too.

So, what’s poised to take the leap from breakthrough to clinical approval in 2025? Here’s what to expect in the year ahead.

Researchers at the Allen Institute have identified a specific brain region in mice where aging triggers significant changes in numerous cell types. The study also pinpointed which cell types undergo the most profound transformations.

This new information, published in the journal Nature, points toward potential approaches for slowing or controlling the aging process in the brain.

The research was focused on numerous glial cell types – the brain’s “support cells” – that demonstrated considerable shifts in gene activity with age. Among the cells most affected were microglia, border-associated macrophages, oligodendrocytes, tanycytes, and ependymal cells.

Chinese scientists have found a common hypertension drug could prove potent in treating a rare but highly invasive brain tumour.

Although craniopharyngioma is a benign tumour, it can cause complications due to its growth along the critical nerve structures of the brain close to the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland.

Given its location, the tumour can cause hormone dysfunction and metabolic disorders, like obesity, diabetes and hypothyroidism.

Summary: Time perception varies depending on context, often slowing in emergencies or unfamiliar settings and speeding up during absorption or as we age. Time expansion experiences (Tees) occur when seconds stretch into minutes, frequently in accidents, sports, or moments of calm. These experiences, often tied to altered states of consciousness, allow people to process more information and act decisively.

While theories link Tees to noradrenaline release or evolutionary adaptation, their occurrence in peaceful states suggests a deeper connection to changes in self-perception and awareness. Understanding Tees could offer insights into human cognition and survival mechanisms.

How sleep microstructure organizes memory replay.

T occur in isolation; older memories are also replayed during sleep, raising an intriguing challenge: how does the brain avoid interference between fragile new memories and stable old ones?” + To explore this question, researchers developed a groundbreaking method to study both hippocampal activity and sleep dynamics simultaneously in naturally sleeping mice. Using a technique called pupillometry, which measures oscillatory changes in pupil size, they uncovered a previously unknown “microstructure” within non-REM sleep that helps the brain manage memory replay.

They discovered that memory replay is organized into distinct substates of non-REM sleep:

Continue reading “Sleep microstructure organizes memory replay” »

Research reveals distinct mechanisms underlying neonatal and post-pubertal social behaviors, providing valuable insights for developing targeted early interventions.

Researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and Hirosaki University have unveiled significant findings on the development of social behaviors in fragile X syndrome, the most common genetic cause of autism spectrum disorder. The study, published in Genomic Psychiatry, highlights the effects of a specific prenatal treatment on social behaviors in mice.

The researchers found that administering bumetanide—a drug that regulates chloride levels in neurons—to pregnant mice restored normal social communication in newborn pups with the fragile X mutation. However, they also discovered an unexpected outcome: the same treatment reduced social interaction after puberty in both fragile X and typical mice. These findings shed light on the complex and developmental-stage-specific effects of interventions for fragile X syndrome.

Largest brain aging study points to possible connections between diet, inflammation, and brain health.

Scientists at the Allen Institute have discovered specific types of brain cells in mice that experience significant changes as they age. They also identified a distinct “hotspot” where many of these changes are concentrated. Published today (January 1) in Nature, these findings could lead to the development of therapies aimed at slowing or managing the brain’s aging process.

Sensitive cells: Scientists discovered dozens of specific cell types, mostly glial cells, known as brain support cells, that underwent significant gene expression changes with age. Those strongly affected included microglia and border-associated macrophages, oligodendrocytes, tanycytes, and ependymal cells.

Inflammation and neuron protection: In aging brains, genes associated with inflammation increased in activity while those related to neuronal structure and function decreased.

Aging hot spot: Scientists discovered a specific hot spot combining both the decrease in neuronal function and the increase in inflammation in the hypothalamus. The most significant gene expression changes were found in cell types near the third ventricle of the hypothalamus, including tanycytes, ependymal cells, and neurons known for their role in food intake, energy homeostasis, metabolism, and how our bodies use nutrients. This points to a possible connection between diet, lifestyle factors, brain aging, and changes that can influence our susceptibility to age-related brain disorders.

Continue reading “Brain-wide cell-type-specific transcriptomic signatures of healthy ageing in mice” »