Dementia

Recent articles

Research image of tau proteins in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Supersized version of Alzheimer’s protein avoids clumping in brain

“Big tau” may explain why some brain regions, such as the cerebellum and brainstem, are largely spared from neurodegeneration, even though tau is expressed throughout the nervous system.

By Charles Q. Choi
16 August 2024 | 6 min read
Abstract illustration of antibodies scattered against a peach-colored background.

We found a major flaw in a scientific reagent used in thousands of neuroscience experiments — and we’re trying to fix it.

As part of that ambition, we launched a public-private partnership to systematically evaluate antibodies used to study neurological disease, and we plan to make all the data freely available.

By Mona AlQazzaz, Aled Edwards
5 February 2024 | 6 min read
Composite of images of fruit flies taking flight.

Seen and heard: The Transmitter’s top multimedia stories in 2023

Our audio, video and photo highlights from the past year help to transport readers into scientists’ lives and research, and the lives of their study participants.

By The Transmitter
29 December 2023 | 3 min read

Unmasking Alzheimer’s disease

People with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease describe why they enrolled in clinical trials through the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network (DIAN), in a new book of portrait photography.

By Rebecca Horne
13 November 2023 | 2 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Colorful illustration of a latticework of proteins.

Cracking the code of the extracellular matrix

Despite evidence for a role in plasticity and other crucial functions, many neuroscientists still view these proteins as “brain goop.” The field needs technical advances and a shift in scientific thinking to move beyond this outdated perspective.

By Anna Victoria Molofsky
17 January 2025 | 5 min read
A repeated DNA strand extends farther from the left side of the image with each iteration.

Huntington’s disease gene variants past a certain size poison select cells

The findings—providing “the next step in the whole pathway”—help explain the disease’s late onset and offer hope that it has an extended therapeutic window.

By Angie Voyles Askham
16 January 2025 | 6 min read
Research image highlighting different brain regions.

X marks the spot in search for autism variants

Genetic variants on the X chromosome, including those in the gene DDX53, contribute to autism’s gender imbalance, two new studies suggest.

By Holly Barker
16 January 2025 | 6 min read