Science Spark

Scientists are making a groundbreaking discovery: memory can be restored despite the presence of plaques.

Rather than focusing on eliminating damage, the key may be enhancing what still functions.

Astrocytes, the brain’s underappreciated support cells, are gaining attention.

Proteins like hevin, combined with cutting-edge gene therapies, are paving the way for a new approach to medicine—one that promotes regeneration over merely combating decline.

Each finding reframes Alzheimer’s not as an inevitable defeat, but as a challenge we’re increasingly equipped to tackle.

Researchers reversed memory loss in mice modeled with Alzheimer’s disease by increasing levels of a natural brain protein called hevin.

Published in Aging Cell, the study shows that elevating hevin in the hippocampus, the brain’s memory hub, restores learning and memory capabilities without clearing beta-amyloid plaques, traditionally considered a primary cause of Alzheimer’s.

Hevin, produced by astrocytes (support cells in the brain), is crucial for forming and maintaining synapses, the neural connections essential for cognitive function.

By boosting hevin levels in the hippocampus of Alzheimer’s-like mice, scientists enhanced synaptic strength and improved cognitive performance.

This finding shifts the focus from plaque-clearing treatments to synaptic repair, suggesting a novel approach for Alzheimer’s therapies.

Researchers are now investigating methods to safely increase hevin in humans, aiming to develop new treatments for Alzheimer’s and other dementias, offering hope for millions affected by these conditions.

Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional for personalized guidance. The study is preclinical, and human applications are still under investigation.

Sources / Credits :
Cabral-Miranda, F., et al. (2025). “Hevin overexpression in astrocytes ameliorates cognitive deficits in aging and Alzheimer’s disease model mice. Aging Cell.

Hevin Overexpression in Astrocytes Slows Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer’s Model Mice.” Fight Aging!

Social media post by
on X, July 18, 2025, summarizing hevin’s role in reversing memory loss.

Additional context from “Alzheimer’s disease: insights into pathology, molecular mechanisms, and therapy,” Protein & Cell, 2024, for background on Alzheimer’s pathology

The findings were published in a highly respected scientific journal. While the text says Cell, the specific, widely-reported study on hevin from Stanford was published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.

It's possible related foundational work appeared in Cell, but the core findings described are from the JEM paper.

Research from Belgium, published in Science Advances, demonstrates that the spinal cord can independently learn and store motor memories, challenging the view that it merely relays brain signals.

In transgenic mice with severed spinal cords, the spinal cord adapted to stimuli, enabling hind limb movement to avoid shocks.

The En1 gene in ventral neurons was critical: disabling it erased the learned response, while exciting these neurons restored it.

This discovery highlights the spinal cord's ability to encode and retrieve motor behaviors, opening new possibilities for spinal injury treatments by leveraging its learning circuits.

The hippocampus handles spatial relations, the prefrontal cortex manages executive functions, and the amygdala processes fear.

It often assumes a hierarchical structure where higher forebrain systems integrate sensory information and issue motor commands, which the brainstem and spinal cord execute obediently (Gallistel, 1980).

Here, the spinal cord acts primarily as a conduit, transmitting neural signals to and from the brain via its outer white matter fibers.

The inner central gray of the spinal cord is typically viewed as a basic switchboard, directing ascending fibers and motoneurons based on sensory inputs and modulated by descending signals.

Although the central gray is acknowledged for organizing simple reflexes, like withdrawing from pain, complex behaviors, learning, and temporal processing are considered exclusive to the brain.

Source & Credits :
Simon Lavaud et al, “Two inhibitory neuronal classes govern acquisition and recall of spinal sensorimotor adaptation“, Science Advances (2024).

Citation: Grau JW, Hudson KE, Johnston DT and Partipilo SR (2024) Updating perspectives on spinal cord function: motor coordination, timing, relational processing, and memory below the brain. Front. Syst. Neurosci. 18:1184597. doi: 10.3389/fnsys.2024.1184597

Published: 20 February 2024

Olivia Gosseries, University of Liège, Belgium

Simon Arthur Sharples, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, United States
David Parker, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

Copyright © 2024 Grau, Hudson, Johnston and Partipilo. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

Short Naps Linked to “Aha” Moments and Creative Insight
A new study reveals that short naps with deeper N2 sleep stages may promote sudden moments of insight during problem-solving.
Participants completed a task with a hidden pattern, then rested while their brain activity was monitored via EEG.
Those who entered N2 sleep were significantly more likely to discover the trick upon retesting.
The brain’s spectral slope during sleep, a marker of neural activity, was closely tied to who had breakthroughs.
These findings support the idea that even brief sleep can help unlock hidden solutions.

CorPower’s C4 Wave Energy Converter, a three-story buoy that completed a six-month test off Portugal's coast.

It converts wave motion into electricity using an internal system that amplifies bobbing for increased power generation.

The buoy endured major Atlantic storms, producing up to 600kW, with potential to reach 850kW.

CorPower aims to deploy thousands of these buoys to create efficient wave energy farms, offering a sustainable energy source with a projected cost of $33-$44 per megawatt-hour at scale.