Factors that promote inflammation in C9ORF72 mutation carriers with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or frontotemporal dementia (FTD) have remained elusive. McCourt et al. identified pro-inflammatory forms of glycogen in gut contents of people with ALS/FTD and demonstrate that targeting glycogen in a C9orf72 mouse model extends lifespan and reduces neuroinflammation.
In a study published today, Friday, February 13, 2026, in the journal Nature Aging, researchers show that blood-based biomarkers can support accurate dementia diagnosis across diverse populations when integrated with cognitive and neuroimaging measures. Blood-based biomarkers are emerging as one of the most promising advances for the global diagnosis of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. These tests offer a more accessible, scalable, and cost-effective alternative to traditional diagnostic tools such as brain imaging or cerebrospinal fluid analysis.
However, most blood-based biomarkers have been developed and validated primarily in relatively homogeneous populations. Genetic background, overall physical health, and environmental and social exposures can substantially influence biomarker levels, raising concerns about how well these tests perform across diverse populations worldwide.
The new study, published in the journal Nature, provides new insights by demonstrating that while different mutations affect the developing brain in initially distinct ways, they increasingly impact overlapping molecular pathways as development progresses.
Researchers monitored the gene expression of the organoids over 100 days as they developed, which allowed researchers to observe how genetic changes affect brain during the critical early development windows.
Early in development, each genetic form showed distinct molecular signatures. However, as the organoids matured, these different mutations increasingly affected similar biological processes, particularly those involved in neuronal maturation and synapse formation.
The researchers identified a network of genes involved in regulating gene expression and chromatin remodeling, which is the process by which DNA is packaged and made accessible for reading. This network appears to play a central role in this convergence. Using CRISPR technology to individually reduce the activity of these regulatory genes in neural cells, the team confirmed that many of them control downstream pathways were previously linked to autism.
Notably, the study found few consistent molecular changes in organoids derived from individuals with idiopathic autism, likely reflecting the highly complex genetic architecture of autism that doesn’t involve major mutations. This finding underscores the need for much larger studies to understand the more common, polygenic forms of autism. ScienceMission sciencenewshighlights.
The researchers have created a comprehensive map showing how eight different genetic mutations associated with autism spectrum disorder affect early brain development, providing new insights into the ways diverse genetic causes may lead to shared features and symptoms of the disorder.
This case report describes mogamulizumab-associated Kaposi sarcoma in 2 patients with primary cutaneous T-cell lymphomas.
📄Read the full report.
Corresponding Author: Emilie Holder, MD, Service de Dermatologie, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital Lyon Sud, F-69495 Oullins-Pierre-Bénite, France ([email protected]).
Published Online: February 11, 2026. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2025.
Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr Dalle reported grants from Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Pierre Fabre, and Regeneron, and his spouse is an employee of Sanofi outside the submitted work. No other disclosures were reported.
Scientists have traditionally studied how the brain controls movement by asking patients to perform structured tasks while connected to multiple sensors in a lab. While these studies have provided important insights, these experiments do not fully capture how the brain functions during everyday activities, be it walking to the kitchen for a snack or strolling through a park.
For people living with Parkinson’s disease, this gap between laboratory research and real-world behavior has limited efforts to improve gait symptoms outside of the clinic.
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are one of the largest families of cell surface proteins in the human body that recognize hormones, neurotransmitters, and drugs. These receptors regulate a wide range of physiological processes and are the targets of more than 30% of currently marketed drugs. The histamine H1 receptor (H1R) is one such GPCR subtype that plays a key role in mediating allergic reactions, inflammation, vascular permeability, airway constriction, wakefulness, and cognitive functions in the human body. While antihistamines primarily target H1R, current drugs can exhibit limited therapeutic efficacy, prompting researchers to look at H1R ligands from new perspectives.
Recently, the importance of drug design based not only on the affinity or binding energy between a compound and its target protein, but also on its components, enthalpy, and entropy, has been recognized as crucial for rational drug design. In particular, enthalpy–entropy compensation has emerged as a key concept for understanding ligand selectivity and isomer specificity. However, direct experimental measurement of these thermodynamic parameters has been limited to cell surface proteins, such as GPCRs.
Addressing this gap, a research team led by Professor Mitsunori Shiroishi from the Department of Life System Engineering, Tokyo University of Science (TUS), Japan, systematically investigated the binding thermodynamics of the H1R. The team included Mr. Hiroto Kaneko (first-year doctoral student) and Associate Professor Tadashi Ando from TUS, among others. Their study was published online in ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters on January 26, 2026.
Menopause reshapes the brain in surprising ways — but it may also reveal the brain’s remarkable ability to adapt.
During menopause, many women notice episodes of “brain fog,” which can include forgetfulness, difficulty focusing, and persistent mental tiredness. These challenges are often linked to shifting hormone levels. To better understand what is happening in the brain during this life stage, researchers reviewed previously published studies examining how structural brain changes relate to cognitive, emotional, and physical health outcomes. Their findings were presented at the 2025 Annual Meeting of The Menopause Society.
Structural Brain Changes During Menopause.
This multicenter case series highlights 5 cases of enterovirus encephalitis among people with MS receiving ocrelizumab, presenting with fever, encephalopathy, and gait changes, as well as myocarditis in 1 case.
ObjectivesAnti-CD20 therapies for multiple sclerosis (MS) are highly effective at preventing disease activity. Recognizing infectious complications of these therapies is essential. MethodsThree MS centers shared deidentified clinical data on persons with MS (pwMS) receiving ocrelizumab who developed enterovirus encephalitis.
