The brain network that links thinking with movement, called SCAN, was first described by WashU Medicine researchers in 2023 and has been identified in a new study as the neurological basis of Parkinson’s disease. An experimental therapy that targeted this network more than doubled symptom improvement in a small group of patients with Parkinson’s, which is characterized by hyperconnectivity between SCAN and the brain’s subcortex.

New research is challenging the long-held view of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a fear-based disorder. In a new study, 68% of trauma-exposed individuals reported that emotional pain (guilt, shame, sadness, loss of joy) impaired their daily functioning more than fear. The findings from this research in Biological Psychiatry, published by Elsevier, underscore the need to broaden PTSD models beyond fear and re-evaluate treatment pathways accordingly.

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is pleased to announce the national launch of an innovative new science exhibition, showcasing the groundbreaking research, technologies and promising new therapies bringing progress in the mission to end cancer. “The Journey to End Cancer: From Cause to Cure,” presented by MD Anderson, will begin its national tour on March 7 at The Health Museum in Houston, followed by stops at multiple museums across the U.S. over five years.

Published in PLOS Genetics, new research from MDI Biological Laboratory introduces a transgenic zebrafish that rapidly reproduces the molecular and cellular hallmarks of age-related muscle decline (sarcopenia). By conditionally activating a single atrophy-linked gene, the model—dubbed “atrofish”—compresses years of muscle aging into days or weeks. The platform reveals early protein loss in muscle fibers, uncovers a surprising link between muscle degeneration and nerve loss, and offers a fast, cost-effective way to test interventions aimed at preserving muscle and neuromuscular health during aging.