While virtual-reality path integration (VR-PI) may reveal subtle changes that precede the onset of clinical cognitive symptoms, the association between PI performance and structural brain changes remains unclear. Now, researchers have demonstrated that poor PI performance is linked to accelerated cortical thinning in several brain regions and is tied to key blood biomarkers of neurodegeneration. The findings suggest that VR navigation tasks may offer a non-invasive approach for early detection of neurodegenerative diseases.

What if the body had a shuttle service to deliver medication directly to the brain? One research team believes they might have a way to make it a reality.

Peter Davies, MD, PhD, deputy director at the Texas A&M Health Institute of Biosciences and Technology, and his colleagues have been awarded a Dementia and Alzheimer’s Initiative (DARI) seedling grant from Texas A&M Health for their proposal to deliver medication past the blood-brain barrier, a persistent obstacle in neuroscience.

Salk has recruited Ian Guldner as a new assistant professor, bringing fresh momentum to foundational research on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Guldner’s lab will identify cellular communication mechanisms that regulate brain aging and disease, and target those interactions to preserve brain health. His recruitment was enabled by a gift from the Ray and Dagmar Dolby Family Fund and will create new opportunities for collaboration across Salk in neurodegeneration, immunobiology, and aging.