In Alzheimer’s disease, microglia act as a double-edged sword. They can either protect the brain or worsen the damage, depending on their activation state. Inflammatory activation harms healthy neurons. However, a study reveals that a special type of microglia expressing specific receptors and behaving like T cells may help mitigate this neurodegenerative condition.

Despite the formidable challenges for developing precision psychiatry, the approach is notching its first successes in the preclinical and even some clinical settings. Many individual studies as well as large projects like the Psychiatric Ratings using Intermediate Markers studies and the Psychiatric Biomarkers Network have been looking at multiple biomarker types, and have begun to identify predictors of specific symptoms, or disease progression.

Despite the formidable challenges for developing precision psychiatry, the approach is notching its first successes in the preclinical and even some clinical settings. Many individual studies as well as large projects like the Psychiatric Ratings using Intermediate Markers studies and the Psychiatric Biomarkers Network have been looking at multiple biomarker types, and have begun to identify predictors of specific symptoms, or disease progression.

A collaborative effort is trying to construct the cell atlas of the developing brains of humans and animal models. Using advanced single-cell and spatial technologies, they mapped how brain cell types emerge, diversify and organize over time, offering new insights into the origins of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions. These breakthroughs in genomics and imaging will allow scientists to study complex developmental processes with high resolution.

Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc’s unremarkable third-quarter 2025 earnings report was greatly overshadowed by an early readout from its orexin receptor 2 (OX2R) agonist program in narcolepsy, particularly promising phase IIa data demonstrating ORX-750’s efficacy across a group of sleep disorders, though investors seek further data to differentiate Centessa’s program from potential competitors such as Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.’s oveporexton and Alkermes plc’s alixorexton.

The U.S. FDA’s complete response letter (CRL) for Biohaven Ltd.’s lead asset, troriluzole, to treat spinocerebellar ataxia has prompted a wave of downstream changes at the company. There will be a roughly 60% cutback in annual R&D spending, not including personnel, as Biohaven focuses on three other late-stage clinical programs.