Brain Health

Can bad oral bacteria travel to the brain and trigger Parkinson's disease?

A common oral bacterium may move from the mouth to the gut and release toxins that enter the brain, damaging dopamine-producing cells linked to Parkinson's disease

How Encephalitis damages the brain and why early detection matters

Often mistaken for viral fever, encephalitis inflames the brain and can turn fatal within hours. Here's explaining the causes, warning signs, treatment and recovery

Terminal lucidity: Why brain gains a burst of awareness just before death

Sometimes, people with terminal illness suddenly become more alert, aware and communicative shortly before death. Neurologists explain what is known about this phenomenon, called terminal lucidity

Why the idea that your brain suddenly 'fully develops' at 25 is a myth

Like many myths, the "age 25" idea is rooted in real scientific findings, but it's an oversimplification of a much longer and more complex process

Men's brains drain faster with age than women's, new research suggests

New research shows men's brains shrink faster structurally with age, but scientists say this does not explain why women account for most Alzheimer's cases, pointing to deeper biological factors

What really works for ADHD: Pills, therapy and what global evidence shows

The largest-ever review of ADHD treatments finds medicines work best in the short term, CBT helps adults, and long-term answers remain missing, forcing families and doctors to weigh benefits against h

Mounjaro and the brain: Why cravings fade at first, then return later

A rare brain-recording study found tirzepatide briefly muted activity linked to 'food noise'; months later the signals and intrusive thoughts returned, hinting at limits to its effect

Can sleep and social support make your brain look eight years younger?

A University of Florida study using MRI and machine learning suggests sleep, optimism, stress control and social support are linked to younger-looking brains, by up to eight years in some participants

Can you recognise a face but forget the name? A neurologist explains why

Ever recognised a face instantly but blanked on the name? A neurologist explains why names slip first, how stress and sleep affect recall, and when forgetting may signal trouble

Your brain resets at ages 9, 32, 66 and 83: Study maps life's neural shifts

A new Nature Communications study finds brain ageing isn't linear, with key network 'turning points' at 9, 32, 66 and 83 that mark distinct phases from childhood to late life

How heavy metals in polluted air trigger fatigue, headaches and brain fog

Beyond PM2.5 and PM10, polluted air carries neurotoxic metals like lead, arsenic and cadmium that inflame the brain, disrupt energy pathways and trigger fatigue and fogginess on high-AQI days

From birth to 90: The five big turning points that rewire the human brain

Scientists studying around 4,000 brain scans have found that the human brain grows and changes in five major stages, with key shifts around ages nine, 32, 66 and 83

How starting exercise in your 40s can reduce dementia risk by nearly half

A major long-term study tracking adults for 37 yrs finds that regular physical activity in your 40s, 50s and beyond can cut dementia risk by up to 45 per cent, even in those with genetic vulnerability

Watching a lot of reels, short videos? It hurts your brain, says study

Heavy use of Reels, Shorts and TikTok may impair attention, increase stress and anxiety, and disrupt sleep, according to a new review of 98,299 people examining the cognitive toll of short-form videos

30,000 brain scans show junk foods alter brain regions that regulate eating

Using data from 30,000 adults, researchers say ultra-processed foods may alter key brain regions linked to hunger, reward and overeating, raising new questions about long-term health risks

Why smoking tobacco with cannabis may drain the brain's bliss molecule

A new study using advanced brain imaging suggests that people who use both tobacco and cannabis may have lower activity of the brain's natural "bliss molecule", hinting at why quitting feels harder

Fasting and focus: Science shows your brain performs just fine without food

Adults showed no measurable decline in mental performance when fasting, but children and adolescents did worse on tests when they skipped meals

Having neurodevelopmental condition could be linked with early death: Study

Having a neurodevelopmental condition such as autism and ADHD could be related with a nearly five times higher chance of dying before age 25, compared to those without, according to a study conducted in New Zealand. While relative risk between the two groups is high, it is important to remember that deaths in this group remain rare, said lead author Nick Bowden, from the University of Otago's department of paediatrics and child health. Symptoms of neurodevelopmental conditions can emerge in early childhood, impairing one's development in skills such as language, communication or behaviour. Social communication and behaviour is affected in autism, while ability to pay attention and focus on a task and emotion regulation is impaired in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Using the StatsNZ database, the researchers followed nearly nine lakh children born between 1995 and 2009 until 2019. About 40,000 (4.5 per cent) of the total had a neurodevelopmental condition, identif

How the air you breathe could be silently harming your brain health

Studies increasingly find links between higher concentrations of certain pollutants and the prevalence of dementia

Rare brain disorder found in four sisters: Doctors call it extraordinary

A West Virginia family's story has stunned doctors after four sisters were diagnosed with Chiari malformation, a rare structural brain defect seldom seen in more than one sibling