Neuroinflammation is the effect of the brain’s own immune cells at work, but it’s also involved in more than 600 brain conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases. We’re currently funding research to study #neuroinflammation through our Cure One, Cure Many grants.

You can start your own fundraiser for brain research in honor or memory of a loved one, as a meaningful service activity for your local team or club, or as a project for your local community. We’ve provided free online resources to help. Learn more: buff.ly/V18Vyp9 💓

June is #Alzheimers and Brain Awareness Month, dedicated to raising awareness about the prevalence of dementia. Funding research across the full spectrum of brain conditions is our best hope for developing new diagnosis and prevention strategies, treatments, and cures.

This week’s blog highlights researchers who are currently working on ABF-funded studies or received a grant in the past. These efforts are only possible with the support of donors. Thank you for helping to keep brain research moving forward! Read more ➡️ buff.ly/mRhHxbB

The @jci.org recently published an article by 2023 Next Generation Research Grant recipient Maurizio Grassano, MD, and others on genetic analysis of neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons, and FTD.

2026 is the 20th anniversary of the discovery of TDP-43, a protein involved in #ALS. We honored one of its discoverers, Dr. Virginia Man-Yee Lee, with the Potamkin Prize and Essey Award. ALS cases are rising. The solution is research. #ALSawarenessmonth Learn more: buff.ly/HxxkvOm

57% of the strokes that occur in the U.S. affect women. But research co-led by @uthealthsa.bsky.social suggests that women who birth three or more children may have reduced risk of stroke. However, additional research is needed. #WomensHealthMonth

Executive Director Michelle Heritage was a guest on board member Joanne Smikle’s popular podcast, SmikleSpeaks. In part 1, she discusses brain diseases, #BrainHealth, the importance of scientific #research, and her personal experience with #dystonia. 🎧 Listen to the episode ➡️ buff.ly/oKCkTvN

May is #NationalWomensHealthMonth. Our latest blog post recaps our March webinar, "Menopause and the Brain," which features Next Gen. researchers Dr. Riley Bove and Dr. Maria Pia Campagna. Read how research is addressing the link between menopause and brain health ➡️ buff.ly/rpU7tqF

For patients with #Parkinsons disease, deciding whether to undergo #DeepBrainStimulation surgery can be difficult. Researchers at @cumedicalschool.bsky.social have developed an evidence-based decision aid to help patients evaluate this option.

May is #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth. Neurology, the study of the physical brain and nervous system, and psychology, the study of the mind and mental health, are each important in treating diseases and disorders. Read more about this total brain approach ➡️ buff.ly/4fh54tc

Cure One, Cure Many Award recipient Dr. Caghan Kizil has been featured in a news article about a new study of the APOE gene. It found that the APOE2 variant helps repair DNA, thereby protecting the brain from Alzheimer’s disease and the effects of aging. buff.ly/r958Rcj

Board Member Merit Cudkowicz is the lead author of a study testing a new therapy for #ALS called PrimeC. It lowered levels of the protein ferritin and microRNA molecules associated with ALS, reducing symptoms and the risk of ALS-related complications. Read more about this study ➡️ buff.ly/FY4PCVt

#ALS research is going strong. May is #ALSawarenessmonth, so it’s a great time to revisit our webinar “Research in ALS: What’s Giving Us Hope?” The webinar features a conversation with board member and ALS expert Merit Cudkowicz, MD, MSc. Watch the webinar ➡️ buff.ly/x2r7DZf

This past blog discusses how #MultipleSclerosis damages #myelin, the protective coating around nerve cells, and can then lead to #VisionLoss. However, researchers have found a promising drug that boosted myelin repair in mice and restored their lost sight. Read the blog ➡️ buff.ly/WxEOPnj

In this past webinar, Lisa M. Shulman, MD, director of the @univofmaryland.bsky.social Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center, explains the effects of traumatic events, such as loss and personal tragedy, on the brain. Watch the full discussion here: buff.ly/vXvplJI

Meet 2026 Next Gen. Researcher Pavel Yanev, MD, PhD. He is studying why physical exercise helps prevent dementia for some people but not others. This work could improve recommendations to prevent Alzheimer’s. Funded with @alzassociation.bsky.social. #MoveInMay 🧠 Learn more ➡️ buff.ly/l4uO0Nr

We’ve added #OpticNeuritis to our Brain Diseases from A to Z page on our website. This inflammation of the optic nerve can affect vision, cause pain, and increase risk for MS. The typical form disproportionally affects women. #HealthyVisionMonth #WomensHealthMonth. Read more ➡️ buff.ly/iUU5XGS

2026 Next Generation Research Grant recipient Dr. Alexandra Bayer Wildberger is featured in @ctinsider.bsky.social. At Yale, her Foundation–funded research focuses on #MyastheniaGravis and antibody immunoglobin M. ABF Exec. Director Michelle Heritage is also quoted. buff.ly/t9VEPgW

About 40% of women with #Epilepsy are estimated to experience seizures tied to hormonal changes related to the menstrual cycle. For #WomensHealthMonth, we’re revisiting a blog on the connection between hormones, epilepsy, and #BrainHealth. buff.ly/QcdP2cX

May is #VisionHealthMonth. From MS to migraine to optic neuritis, there are many brain conditions that can affect vision. Terson syndrome (TS) is a rare eye condition that can result due to increased pressure in the brain. Learn more about Terson Syndrome ➡️ buff.ly/ADYCsdu

#MultipleSclerosis research is moving beyond slowing the disease. Next Generation Research Grantee Mark Milner, PhD, shared with @mlive.com how his work could potentially reverse MS-related damage. Read more: buff.ly/B53aUaz

Rates of #stroke among younger people (less than 55 years) have been increasing, according to Drs. Nehme and Li of @ox.ac.uk. Non-traditional risk factors may play a role, but they suggest prevention efforts need to target younger people. #StrokeMonth

Proud to see the American Brain Foundation's Executive Director Michelle Heritage featured in this important conversation!

Today is #UndiagnosedDay, for the 350 million people living with undiagnosed diseases and their families. Many brain diseases go unrecognized and undiagnosed. This past webinar discusses how to recognize the signs and symptoms of brain diseases: buff.ly/JFOzb0W

Does coffee prevent dementia? It’s not that simple. In a @washingtonpost.com op-ed, Richard M. Ransohoff explains why research headlines can mislead—and how to better understand studies yourself. Read more ➡️

Today's blog presents a recap and video of the webinar we hosted with Harvard neurologist Dr. Jasmeer Chhatwal (a past Next Generation Researcher). Dr. Chhatwal discussed #Alzheimers, cognitive decline, and how stay sharp we age. buff.ly/POXV1d2 #HealthAging

Be a hero! Defend the future of brain research by joining the Brain Squad, the American Brain Foundation's monthly giving program. Recurring monthly donations help support the financial health of nonprofits. Set your own amount and cancel or change it at any time. 🧠 Join ➡️ buff.ly/6ojQKU2

THC could help delay or prevent symptoms of #Alzheimers. Researchers [email protected], paired low doses of THC with the drug celecoxib in mouse-model studies. This blocked the negative effects of THC and boosted the positive ones. 🧠 Read more: buff.ly/ZlQ9N2q

April is #ParkinsonsAwarenessMonth. In a past webinar, Ray Dorsey, MD, discussed how environmental toxins present significant risks for diseases like Parkinson’s, what can be done to limit the impact of these toxins, where research efforts are focused, and more: buff.ly/h81YTMp

@NEJM.org has published a study reporting that gathering sleeping patients’ #EEG data, and analyzing it with AI deep-learning methods, could lead to insight and predictions about #BrainHealth. #SleepMedicine

Meet 2026 Next Gen. Researcher Arjun Balachandar, MD. He is studying freezing of gait, caused by Parkinson’s disease. He’ll use a brain-computer interface to develop brain stimulation treatments to help patients walk. Funded with the Parkinson’s Foundation. #WorldParkinsonsDay More: buff.ly/ZzpiAn5

We are proud to sponsor the NOVA Conference, April 25, in Boston, hosted by the Aging Initiative. Board members Joanne Smikle, PhD, and Merit Cudkowicz, MD, Msc, are featured speakers. NOVA brings together the best minds in brain aging. Registration required: buff.ly/QYCXzI7

Rowan Saloner (Next Generation Researcher, 2024) and Gil Rabinovici (Potamkin Prize recipient 2025) contributed to study finding that older adults who get as little as ten minutes of low-intensity exercise per day have healthier brains than sedentary peers.

#ALS and #FTD are so closely related that scientists now refer to both as part of the ALS-FTD spectrum. Learn more in this updated blog post, which includes recent discoveries and references ABF-funded researchers currently investigating these diseases ➡️ buff.ly/EXNHzfi

Sadly, for every good #BrainResearch study we fund, there are three more that we can’t. Imagine how many more studies could go forward, and how much closer we could get to cures, with additional donor support. Your gifts make research happen. Thank you. 🔬 Donate ➡️ buff.ly/oo7hhRw 💓

The latest addition to our online Brain Diseases from A to Z section of our website focuses on ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). #ADHD is one of the most common #MentalHealth conditions affecting children, though it also affects millions of adults. 🧠 Learn more: buff.ly/kzZOyLF

Get to know the 6 brilliant research teams who were awarded American Brain Foundation Cure One, Cure Many Awards in 2026 and learn more about their incredible work. 🧠🔬 #BrainResearch #Neuroscience

We’re funding research to identify biomarkers for Lewy body dementia (LBD). In the meantime, a team at @amsterdamumc.bsky.social has identified the protein DOPA decarboxylase as a possible biomarker that differentiates #LBD from Alzheimer’s.

@nytimes.com reports on how tango lessons can be good therapy for #Parkinsons disease. Practicing tango has been found to help improve mobility and gait, and dancing together also gives patients a positive social and emotional boost:

Babies categorize objects at just two months old, far earlier than previously thought. Researchers at @tcddublin.bsky.social observed 130 two-month-old infants and recorded their fMRI brain activity patterns, which were analyzed using AI models. #Neurodevelopment #BrainResearch

Dr. Ryan S. Dhindsa @ryandhindsa.bsky.social has been awarded the American Brain Foundation’s @abfbrain.bsky.social Cure One, Cure Many #grant to advance new ways to prevent and treat #AlzheimersDisease. @bcmhouston.bsky.social #TexasChildrens www.bcm.edu/news/bcm-res...

Read about the recipients of the latest American Brain Foundation Cure One, Cure Many Awards in our latest blog! In the largest distribution of funding in ABF history, six researchers and their teams will study #neuroinflammation and #LewyBodyDementia. ⬇️ buff.ly/J98m8gY

Webinar tonight! At 8 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. CT, tune in to a free live webinar on how #menopause and hormones affect the brain. ABF Next Gen researchers Riley Bove, MD, and Maria Pia Campagna, PhD, will discuss hormonal shifts and #BrainHealth. Register here: buff.ly/UfKDIlC

Join a free webinar on #menopause and the brain, Tuesday, March 24 (8 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. CT). Featuring ABF Next Gen. grant recipients Drs. Riley Bove and Maria Pia Campagna, the discussion will explore how hormonal shifts affect brain health. Register now: buff.ly/tiK2lV8

March is both #MultipleSclerosisAwarenessMonth and #AutoimmuneAwarenessMonth. Thank you to American Brain Foundation Global Ambassador Selma Blair for her advocacy on behalf of those living with MS and other autoimmune and brain diseases.

Today marks the beginning of #BrainAwarenessWeek, a @danafoundation.bsky.social initiative to foster enthusiasm and support for brain science. One of the best ways to support brain science is to help fund research by making a gift to the American Brain Foundation. Donate ➡️ buff.ly/WUQ9kke 💓

Researchers at UNC School of Medicine and Cartesian Therapeutics have had success treating the symptoms of generalized #MyastheniaGravis with therapy that uses immune cells from a patient’s own blood to reduce production of harmful antibodies. #immunotherapy

Brittany Krzyzanowski, PhD, a 2024 Next Generation Research Grant recipient, has released a preliminary study finding that drinking water from newer groundwater is associated with a higher risk of #Parkinsons disease compared to older groundwater.

Today is #WorldSleepDay, which raises awareness about the important health benefits of sleep. This past ABF webinar features sleep expert Dr. Phyllis C. Zee, chair of our Research Advisory Committee. She explains why sleep is important for brain health.