Researchers from the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia in Barcelona, Spain, and the West China Hospital at Sichuan University announced that they successfully used specifically tailored nanoparticles to remove build-ups of amyloid beta (a key toxin linked to Alzheimer's disease) in the brains of mice.

By utilizing these nanoparticles, they were able to repair a dysfunction in the blood-brain barrier to allow the build-up to be transported out of the brain for disposal.

The results of this study show a significant reversal of Alzheimer's pathology, and open a new research path by concentrating on restoring normalcy to the brain's incredibly complex vasculature. Here’s more: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41392-025-02426-1

A new study published in the journal Environmental Research has discovered that long-term exposure to sulfur dioxide, a colorless gas produced by the combustion of oil-based fuel and coal, may be associated with the development of ALS.

For their analysis, researchers focused on levels of sulfur dioxide present in one particular location in New Brunswick, Canada. They tracked levels of sulfur dioxide before symptoms of ALS began to appear, compared to levels taken in the years before a diagnosis was made. Check it out: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935125014835?via%3Dihub

New research from the University of Pittsburgh and Scripps Research Institute identified a key component to regulating long-term pain states: a group of cells called the Y1 receptor (neurons in the brainstem’s lateral parabrachial nucleus which play a critical role in pain perception).

These neurons are activated during enduring pain states, but they also integrate information about hunger, fear and thirst, allowing for pain signals to be modulated by other brain circuits signaling more urgent needs.

With these findings, researchers believe they can help clinicians better understand chronic pain, noting that if those neurons can be measured and targeted, a whole new path for treatment could be made available. Here’s more: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09602-x

Did you know that psychedelic beer may have helped a pre-Inca empire in Peru attract “elite” outsiders and consolidate power?

According to a recent study published in The Journal of American Archaeology, Wari rulers may have used psychedelics mixed in beer to help grow their empire. They explain that communal feasts where it was drunk would have brought people together, and that the the effects of drinking the mix would have lasted for weeks.

Authors of the study pointed out that the remains of seeds from a plant called Anadenanthera colubrina (also known as vilca) have been found at Wari sites, including near the remains of beer made from a plant called Schinus molle. Vilca is known to produce a psychedelic effect. It’s a fascinating study, and you can check it out here: https://www.revistasipgh.org/index.php/rearam/article/view/6051