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: 26-Jul-2025 19:10 ET (26-Jul-2025 23:10 GMT/UTC)

4-Jun-2025

New study links longer reproductive years to healthier brain aging in women

University of Auckland
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study suggests that the number of years a woman spends in her reproductive phase – between her first period and menopause – may be linked to how well her brain ages later in life.

Journal

GigaScience

4-Jun-2025

Novel truncated RNAs from jumping DNA encode reverse transcriptases in aging human brain

Sanford Burnham Prebys
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys and elsewhere have recently reported real-world links in medical records associating common HIV drugs with a reduced incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. The studies showed patients were at less risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease if they were taking drugs to block a famous enzyme called reverse transcriptase, which copies RNA into DNA.

Jerold Chun, MD, PhD, and colleagues at Sanford Burnham Prebys looked for evidence of actual reverse transcriptase activity in the aging human brain and in brains affected by Alzheimer’s disease, identifying reverse transcriptase enzymatic activity, and novel RNAs that encode brain reverse transcriptases especially in neurons of the aging human brain.

Journal

JNeurosci

3-Jun-2025

Annual Alzheimer's clinical trials pipeline report shows increased reason for optimism

University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Peer-Reviewed Publication

An annual review of clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease highlights a growing number of active trials – and drugs – in the development pipeline and offers optimism for the global effort to find a cure.

Journal

Alzheimer s & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions

2-Jun-2025

Immune system discovery reveals potential solution to Alzheimer’s

University of Virginia Health System
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new way of thinking about Alzheimer’s disease has yielded a discovery that could be the key to stopping the cognitive decline seen in Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases, including ALS and Parkinson's.

Funder

NIH/National Institutes of Health, NIH/National Institutes of Health, NIH/National Institutes of Health, Alzheimer's Association, Cure Alzheimer's Fund, Owens Family Foundation, Harrison Family Foundation

2-Jun-2025

It’s not too late to start eating better for your brain

American Society for Nutrition
Reports and Proceedings

As the U.S. population ages and dementia cases rise, many people are asking whether it is possible to prevent this devastating disease. According to a new study, the answer may be on your plate: People who followed a dietary pattern known as the MIND diet were significantly less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease or related forms of dementia.

Meeting

NUTRITION 2025

30-May-2025

UT Health San Antonio researchers discover new links between heart disease and dementia

University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Research led by The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) has discovered new associations between various lipid, or fat, levels in the blood and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Journal

Neurology