Why do some children develop a brain that is too small (microcephaly)? An international research team involving the German Primate Center – Leibniz Institute for Primate Research (DPZ), Hannover Medical School (MHH), and the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics has used human brain organoids to investigate how changes in important structural proteins in the cell lead to this severe developmental disorder (EMBO Reports).

Arousal by the brainstem and subcortical regions, and awareness from cortical regions combine to produce consciousness in the brain. While arousal or wakefulness is regulated by the ascending reticular activating system of brainstem, the exact mechanism by which brainstem injuries lead to disorder of consciousness (DoC) remains unelucidated. Now, researchers reveal the roles of four nodes in the brainstem in DoC, and describe therapies targeting these nodes and their networks to aid recovery.

Maintaining long-term health has become a major challenge, driving research into ways to extend “healthspan” rather than lifespan alone. In a recent study, researchers from Japan investigated COX7RP, a mitochondrial protein that promotes the assembly of mitochondrial respiratory supercomplexes essential for efficient energy production. They found that boosting COX7RP improves mitochondrial performance, enhances metabolic health, and significantly prolongs lifespan in mice, opening doors to novel anti-aging interventions and therapeutic strategies for aging-related diseases.