Kirk R. Daffner, MD, and colleagues found five weeks of cognitively stimulating activity by healthy older adults increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and cognitive performance. They report evidence that the improvement in cognition with training was mediated by increases in BDNF.

Garth Rees Cosgrove, MD, Michael A. Mooney, MD, of the Department of Neurosurgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and colleagues recently organized a pilot in-person cadaveric workshop for medical students. It included hands-on teaching of craniotomy-related skills by neurosurgery faculty and residents.

Rose Du, MD, PhD, and colleagues completed the largest-ever analysis of patients with cranial dural arteriovenous fistulas (dAVF) hemorrhage. They report that treatment within five days was associated with a low rate of an early rebleed and appears to be an appropriate timeframe.

It’s possible to link lesions in different brain locations to a common neuroanatomical substrate using the human connectome. Using this approach, Brigham researchers have identified specific testable targets for therapeutic neuromodulation of nicotine addiction.

Because of imaging advances, incidental diagnosis of midline intracranial neuroendocrine cystic masses is increasingly common. Edward Laws, MD, of the Pituitary and Neuroendocrine Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and colleagues examined whether there’s a link between Rathke cleft cysts and pineal gland cysts.

Advances in telemedicine are enabling the Brigham to bring high-quality neurosurgical care to patients nationally and internationally. Timothy R. Smith, MD, PhD, MPH, of the Department of Neurosurgery, discusses how these efforts reflect the broader movement to meet patients’ right to healthcare globally.

A groundbreaking intranasal vaccine for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) developed at Brigham shows tremendous promise in its first phase of human trials. Study leader Howard L. Weiner, MD, discusses the trial’s progress to date, planned future phases, and how the vaccine could shape the future of AD care.

Mass General Brigham Neurology Residency leaders recently revised its parental leave policy to better embody equity, fairness, transparency, and wellness values. They discuss the impact of the updated policy and offer suggestions for other programs that wish to implement a parental leave policy with similar goals.

Using machine learning, researchers in the Brigham Multiple Sclerosis Center and colleagues have developed a tool for predicting what the outcome of patients with recently diagnosed MS will be in 10 years.