A new study published by the Gladstone Institute for Neurological Disease has found that an overactivation of dopamine-producing neurons can result in degeneration. 

The findings of this study coincide with molecular changes that have been observed in Parkinson’s brain tissue in humans, associating excess neuron activity with a decrease in dopamine production and cell death.  

According to the lead author of the study, Dr. Ken Nakamura, an overarching question in the Parkinson’s research field has been why the cells that are most vulnerable to the disease die. Answering that question could help scientists understand why the disease occurs and potentially point toward new ways to treat it. Here’s more: https://elifesciences.org/articles/98775

According to a new study from the University of Rochester, microglia, which are the brain’s immune cells, directly shape dopamine circuits during adolescence by strengthening axonal connections. Axonal connections are special communication links between neurons and other cells. 

Turns out, microglia contact occurs before new boutons form, highlighting their role in circuit plasticity. Boutons are small swellings on the axon that are responsible for forming synapses with other neurons. They essentially work to transmit signals and are necessary for communication within the nervous system. 

Scientists believe that these latest findings could facilitate treatments for neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders by targeting microglia activity during adolescence, or even reactivating it in adulthood. Check it out: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-63314-4

Cybin, Inc. announced that it received approval in Australia to conduct a Phase 3 multinational program evaluation of CYB003 (a proprietary deuterated psilocin molecule) for the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).

This approval comes on the heels of approval from both the Irish Medicines Board, which initiated the study in Ireland, Poland, and Greece, and the United Kingdom Medical and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, which initiated the study in the U.K.

The U.S. FDA has also granted CYB003 a Breakthrough Therapy Designation for the treatment of MDD. With this latest approval, Cybin is now cleared to study CYB003 on three continents. Here’s more: https://ir.cybin.com/investors/news/news-details/2025/Cybin-Receives-Australian-Approval-for-EMBRACE-a-Multinational-Pivotal-Study-Evaluating-CYB003-for-the-Adjunctive-Treatment-of-Major-Depressive-Disorder/default.aspx

Reunion Neuroscience announced positive topline results from its Phase 2 clinical trial of its lead product candidate RE104, which is designed to treat postpartum depression (PPD).

77.1% of patients treated with RE104 demonstrated a response to therapy at Day 7, and remission rates were maintained through the Day 28 follow-up. 

PPD remains the most common complication of pregnancy and childbirth in the U.S., affecting approximately 15% of new mothers within the first year after giving birth, with nearly 500,000 women in the U.S. diagnosed annually. Here’s more on Reunion’s results: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06342310?tab=table

Did you know that breathwork and music can trigger psychedelic-like bliss in the brain?

According to researchers from Brighton and Sussex Medical School, U.K., practicing breathwork while listening to music can induce profound altered states of consciousness similar to those caused by psychedelics. 

In the study entitled: Neurobiological substrates of altered states of consciousness induced by high ventilation breathwork accompanied by music, scientists found that high ventilation breathwork can activate the body’s stress response and increase blood flow to emotion-processing regions of the brain. These changes correlate with bliss, emotional release, and unity, known as “oceanic boundlessness.” Check it out: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0329411