At the recently opened FENS Forum 2026 in Barcelona – the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies’ flagship congress and Europe’s largest neuroscience meeting – a symposium on ectodomain shedding showcased how soluble synaptic proteins are emerging as both biomarkers and therapeutic candidates for disorders ranging from autism to schizophrenia.
Myelin is crucial for the correct functioning of nerve signaling and its loss is a feature of neurological disorders. The cells responsible for myelination in the CNS are oligodendrocytes (OLs), which derive from oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs).
Metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) is a rare inherited lysosomal storage disorder characterized by progressive neurodegeneration resulting from loss of arylsulfatase A (ARSA) activity. Researchers at Kazan Federal University reported preclinical efficacy data for a gene therapy candidate in a porcine model of MLD.
Separate research teams have reported new insights into resistance mechanisms to the antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) Padcev (enfortumab vedotin, Astellas Pharma Inc./Pfizer Inc.), and possibly to ADCs more broadly. Urothelial cancer drug Padcev, which targets the cell adhesion molecule Nectin-4, was approved in 2019 and is currently one of Pfizer’s top 10 medicines and vaccines, generating $1.94 billion in 2025.
Ovarian clear-cell carcinoma is a cancer characterized by inherent resistance to platinum-based therapies and lacks an effective targeted therapeutic approach. On the other hand, chaperone-mediated autophagy is a lysosomal degradation mechanism to stabilize cellular homeostasis during stressful scenarios, but its role in modulating platinum response in ovarian cancer is not well understood.
Researchers in Korea have investigated the interaction of SET-domain containing 1B (SET1B) with other proteins in vitro, as well as the impact of SET1B depletion in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines.
The majority of epilepsies are developmental disorders that start in childhood. But there is a large minority that starts in late adulthood. And increasingly, researchers are suspecting that such epilepsies share mechanisms with dementia. Summarizing the highlights of epilepsy research presented at the recent Annual Congress of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN), Aleksandar Ristic told his audience that the biggest epilepsy story out of the Congress was “not a drug, but it was a reframing.”
Human biology is extraordinarily complex, and that sophistication emerges from the very beginning. During embryonic and fetal development, the organism’s architecture is shaped through the organization of tissues, the establishment of molecular pathways, and the coordination of signals that will later sustain the body as an integrated system. It is likely the most delicate stage of life, where any disturbance in that foundational process can have lasting consequences on health.
At the 2026 World Congress of Neuropsychopharmacology (CINP), held in Glasgow June 26-29, 2026, researchers from Japan’s National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP) showcased how human organoid technologies are reshaping the study of neurodevelopmental vulnerability, addiction and psychiatric disorders.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) through implanted electrodes has enabled fundamentally new ways of treating certain disorders. More than 100,000 severely ill patients have received an implant to treat Parkinson’s disease, which is DBS’ greatest success story.
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