Author: Rahul Sidhu, PhD Candidate, Neuroscience, University of Sheffield

CYAM/Shutterstock Magic mushrooms are better known for producing hallucinations and altering people’s sense of reality than for treating brain diseases. Most people associate them with tripping, rather than Alzheimer’s disease. But a report on an individual patient has prompted scientists to ask whether psilocybin, the psychedelic compound in magic mushrooms, could have unexpected effects on […]

Semaglutide, the drug behind the blockbuster weight-loss jabs Ozempic and Wegovy, does not slow cognitive decline in people with early-stage Alzheimer’s, according to two large new studies. The results close the door, for now, on hopes that a treatment for diabetes and obesity might also help protect the brain. The evoke and evoke+ trials tracked […]

Alzheimer’s is a disease that robs people of their memory, and scientists have long sought ways to stop or reverse its effects. But the blood-brain barrier – the brain’s protective shield – has been both a friend and a foe. While it keeps harmful substances out, it also blocks many treatments from getting in. Now […]

Alzheimer’s disease steals memories and devastates lives. Yet despite an abundance of research, the earliest brain changes that trigger this disease still remain unclear, making it challenging to find effective treatments. But could lithium – a metal most of us know better for its use in batteries or as a treatment for mood disorders – […]