Welcome to In the Spotlight, where each month we shine a light on something exciting, timely, or simply fascinating from the world of science.

In honor of Alzheimer's Awareness Month, we’re exploring the science and stories surrounding Alzheimer’s disease. 

Latest News Releases

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 24-Oct-2026 03:16 ET (24-Oct-2026 07:16 GMT/UTC)

25-Sep-2026

 

Solving Alzheimer’s with math? Researcher explores the possibilities

Mississippi State University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Mississippi State Associate Professor Shantia Yarahmadian is using mathematical modeling to examine how common metals may influence a protein that forms plaque associated with Alzheimer’s disease—and how potential therapies could alter these processes.

Journal

Bulletin of Mathematical Biology

25-Sep-2026

The brain still responds to favourite music in dementia

Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience - KNAW

What happens in the brain of someone with dementia when they hear music that means something to them? Researchers from Alzheimer Center Amsterdam and the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience mapped how the brain responds to personally meaningful music. They found that favourite music evokes a stronger brain response than neutral music — and that this response differs between types of dementia.

24-Sep-2026

 

Blood proteins reveal effects of Alzheimer’s drug

Washington University in St. Louis
Peer-Reviewed Publication

WashU Medicine researchers found that dozens of blood proteins shift during Alzheimer’s treatment and may help monitor the effects of the medication.

Journal

The Lancet Neurology

24-Sep-2026

Menopause leaves a fingerprint that may predict dementia risk

University of California - San Francisco
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The biology of menopause may help determine brain health decades later. UCSF researchers discovered a molecular fingerprint in the blood of women in the menopause transition that is linked to brain aging later in life. Researchers focused on 16 molecules associated with diminished memory and thinking skills, as well as Alzheimer’s disease risk in older women. 

Journal

Nature Medicine

Funder

National Institutes of Health

24-Sep-2026

 

Mount Sinai researchers identify how APOE4 gene damages brain blood vessels in Alzheimer’s disease

The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Two studies using human brain tissue and miBrains, a stem cell-derived human brain model, reveal how APOE4 promotes vascular scarring and abnormal protein buildup, pointing to potential therapeutic targets

Journal

Cell

24-Sep-2026

Michigan Alzheimer's Disease Research Center receives $22M to advance efforts statewide

Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan
Grant and Award Announcement

Michigan Alzheimer's Disease Research Center receives $22M from the NIH to advance statewide efforts in Alzheimer's research, care and prevention.