All times listed in Eastern Standard Time. All press events will be held in Room 202B in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Media registrants will have access to the livestreams and recordings of all press events.
Sunday, November 15
The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) is partnering with Science to offer an exclusive in-person only preview of a forthcoming Science paper several hours before it is shared under embargo via normal distribution channels. In this press event, leading neuroscientists will present new results from humans that tackle a century-old debate in the neuroscience of speech — revealing that a region of the brain long known to be involved in speech perception may also generate spoken words.
Extensive research shows that simple healthy habits can greatly improve brain health across the lifespan, even in groups genetically predisposed to dementia and other disorders. But pseudoscientific claims often overcomplicate what’s known about a brain-healthy lifestyle. Top neuroscientists will clarify the diet and exercise choices that have been shown to support a healthy brain throughout life, answer questions to demystify the research, and highlight an overlooked risk factor — loss of smell — and how to address it.
An exclusive look into select JNeurosci and eNeuro papers before they're published. Experts will share peer-reviewed research detailing how sourness overpowers other kinds of tastes by weakening communication from the tongue to the brain; the life-saving functions of heart-brain interactions; and a new understanding of how brain activity varies between people with autism.
Alzheimer’s disease and fibromyalgia are just two of many brain disorders that disproportionately affect women — yet female subjects have historically been understudied. Scientists will describe the role of menopause in Alzheimer’s disease and unveil new findings with implications for improving menopause hormone therapy (MHT). Experts will also explain how the immune response, which is influenced by sex hormones like estrogen, can influence fibromyalgia and Alzheimer’s disease development in women.
As rates of depression continue to rise globally, more people are turning to alternative approaches for treatment and prevention. Experts will showcase new research that is laying the groundwork for blood tests that can predict whether an individual would benefit from psychedelic-assisted therapy, taking some of the guesswork out of ketamine and psilocybin treatments. Scientists will also discuss how mind-body interventions alter brain structure to alleviate depression and reveal an association between body mass index (BMI) and brain health.
Monday, November 16
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often characterized by lack of focus, emotional dysregulation, and impulsivity. But new research into ADHD across the lifespan shows a more systemic impact, such as altered breathing patterns, an anxious experience of time’s passage, and reduced iron levels in the brain. Experts will discuss emerging treatments and the effectiveness of existing ones, particularly as they pertain to substance use disorders, which disproportionately affect people with ADHD.
While Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research typically focuses on brain cells, researchers are increasingly looking at how influences outside of the brain might contribute. New research suggests nanoplastics could be damaging blood vessels critical for brain health, and the brain’s waste clearance system could become less efficient as we age. Experts will also discuss the role of the gut in AD, including insights into how long COVID’s gastrointestinal symptoms could worsen, and probiotic supplements might improve, AD outcomes.
Tuesday, November 17
Artificial intelligence is helping scientists tackle increasingly complex questions about the brain — but neuroscience is also helping scientists rethink AI. Scientists will present an AI-powered tool that lets researchers analyze complex genomic data using natural language and reveal how the fruit fly brain may inspire more flexible AI systems. Experts will also discuss how better brain-data standards are laying the groundwork for the next generation of AI-powered neuroscience.
Scientists are unveiling new technologies that will allow more paralyzed individuals to communicate with loved ones clearly and conveniently. While previous technologies translated brain signals to speech using a monotone synthetic voice, new advancements enable patients to communicate with cadence, expression, and even in song. Experts will highlight long-term use cases of brain-to-speech technologies and a recent breakthrough in brain-to-text decoding on a smartphone, which holds promise for more widespread use.
Physiological indicators of disease — known as biomarkers — can show up before symptoms do, opening the door for proactive treatment and precision therapies. Researchers will discuss the emergence of blood-based tests for both Alzheimer’s disease and depression as well as their limitations. Experts will also share unexpected indicators of Alzheimer’s disease from brain scans and the emerging uses of artificial intelligence for detecting and characterizing a range of diseases.