UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences

£1million to help find new treatments for muscle wasting condition Professor Mary Reilly receives £1 million funding from UK charity to help track progression in a group of rare conditions.

#ICYMI @mdukcharity.bsky.social has invested £1 million into a @uclqsion.bsky.social project to help find treatments for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT).

Dementia takes 3.5 years to diagnose after symptoms begin People with dementia are diagnosed an average of 3.5 years after symptoms are first noticed, or even longer (4.1 years) for those with early-onset dementia, finds a new study led by UCL researchers.

🗣️ Dr Vasiliki Orgeta (@uclpsychiatry.bsky.social) said: "“Timely diagnosis can improve access to treatments and for some people prolong the time living with mild dementia before symptoms worsen.”

Increase in mental illness symptoms among young people The increase in mental health problems among young people in the UK in recent years has been driven by a real increase in symptoms, finds a new study led by UCL researchers.

The increase in mental health problems among young people in the UK in recent years has been driven by an increase in symptoms, finds a new study led by @uclpsychiatry.bsky.social researchers.

UCL study finds lifestyle changes may reduce a biomarker for neurodegeneration A new study led by researchers at UCL has found that a multi-domain lifestyle intervention may help reduce a key biological marker linked to brain degeneration and dementia.

📝 A new study led by @uclpsychiatry.bsky.social researchers has found that a multi-domain lifestyle intervention may help reduce a key biological marker linked to brain degeneration and dementia.
www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

Tribute to eye treatment pioneer Professor Pete Coffey UCL colleagues have paid tribute to world-leading eye researcher Professor Pete Coffey, who pioneered a treatment enabling people whose vision had been destroyed by disease to see again.

🖤 We pay tribute to beloved @ucleye.bsky.social colleague Prof Pete Coffey.
A pioneer in stem cell therapy, his research has helped restore sight to people with macular degeneration.
www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2025/ju...

Personality type can predict which forms of exercise people enjoy The key to sticking to and reaping the rewards of exercise over the long term may be as simple as doing something you enjoy, say the authors of a new study from UCL.

🏋️ Skipping the gym? New research from UCL ICN suggests that your personality type might be the reason you enjoy some types of exercise more than others.
www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2025/ju...

£1million to help find new treatments for muscle wasting condition Professor Mary Reilly receives £1 million funding from UK charity to help track progression in a group of rare conditions.

🔬 @mdukcharity.bsky.social announce £1 million in funding for a @uclqsion.bsky.social project to help find treatments for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT).
www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

UCL researchers join indigenous Pacific sailors to explore ancient skill of wave piloting UCL researchers are teaming up with a group of world-leading scientists to investigate how indigenous sailors find their way by sensing the swells of the ocean.

⛵ UCL researchers, including @hugospiers.bsky.social, are teaming up with a group of world-leading scientists to investigate how indigenous sailors find their way by sensing the swells of the ocean.
www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

Celebrating impact beyond academia Staff and students across the Faculty came together to celebrate the incredible achievements and contributions at the inaugural Faculty of Brain Sciences Celebrating Impact Awards.

🤝 Staff and students across the Faculty came together to celebrate the incredible achievements and contributions at the inaugural Faculty of Brain Sciences Celebrating Impact Awards.
www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

UCL psychologist to co-launch UK's biggest survey exploring the mental impact of menopause Professor Aimee Spector (Division of Psychology and Language Sciences) is collaborating with Menopause Mandate to investigate the link between hormones, brain fog and cognitive health

🔎 Prof Aimee Spector (@uclpals.bsky.social) is collaborating with @menomandate to investigate the link between hormones, brain fog and cognitive health during menopause. www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

Reads: Faculty news roundup July 2025

🧠 UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences | July Roundup 🧵
From adventures on the high seas to how personality may impact which exercise we enjoy, here’s what made headlines across the Faculty of Brain Sciences this month. 👇

How do researchers use donated brains to study diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s? In part two of our behind the scenes tour of the UCL Queen Square Brain Bank, Research Technician Nancy… What happens to the brains that are donated to research? (part two)

In part 2 of our behind the scenes tour of the UCL Queen Square Brain Bank, Nancy shows us how researchers study donated tissue to improve our understanding of how neurodegenerative diseases work.

UCL study finds mental wellbeing programmes may reduce a biomarker for neurodegeneration A new study led by researchers at UCL has found that a behavioural intervention may help reduce a key biological marker linked to brain degeneration and dementia.

A new study led by researchers at @uclpsychiatry.bsky.social has found that a multi-domain lifestyle intervention may help reduce a key biological marker linked to brain degeneration and dementia.

Senior academic and early career 2024-25 staff promotions 48 academic staff from the Faculty of Brain Sciences have been awarded a senior promotion and 30 early career staff have been awarded a promotion in this year's UCL academic promotions round.

🥳 Huge congratulations to the academic staff & early career staff from the Faculty of Brain Sciences who have been awarded a promotion in this year's UCL academic promotions round.
➡️

This is the age range when air pollution starts damaging your brain Air pollution damages the brain. Here's when it starts.

Air pollution has long been linked to cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses, but new @uclqsion.bsky.social research suggests it may also significantly impair brain health—especially when exposure occurs during midlife.

Aimee Spector, Professor of Clinical Psychology of Ageing at @uclpals.bsky.social, shares her personal journey through memory lapses and how it shaped her research in this piece for the Telegraph.
www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitne...

Dr Christina Carlisi on how to protect the mental health of children and adolescents How do we ensure that children and young people have the tools they need to protect their mental health in online and real world spaces? We speak to Dr Christina Carlisi to find out.

How can we better protect young minds?
Dr Christina Carlisi (@uclpals.bsky.social) shares insights on supporting children’s mental health online.

How your personality type dictates your exercise routine Researchers believe their findings could help those trying to become more active but struggling to make lasting changes

🏋️‍♂️ Skipping the gym? New research from UCL Surgery & Interventional Science and UCL ICN suggests that your personality type might be the reason you enjoy some types of exercise more than others.

Researchers reveal how our brains predict what we’re about to see Researchers in the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology find that the hippocampus sends signals to the visual cortex to predict what we are about to see.

Our brains don’t just see; they predict what’s coming next. @uclqsion.bsky.social researchers have revealed how neural activity anticipates visual input, helping us make sense of the world in real time.

New immunotherapy clinical trial for incurable brain cancer commences A UCL-sponsored clinical trial for patients newly diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, has opened at UCLH’s National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and Clinical…

A UCL-sponsored clinical trial for patients newly diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer has opened at UCLH’s National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and Clinical Research Facility.

UCL announces new Vice-Provost (Health) Professor Ibrahim Abubakar, an internationally renowned expert in global health, has been announced as UCL’s new Vice-Provost (Health).

Professor Ibrahim Abubakar, an internationally renowned expert in global health, has been announced as UCL’s new Vice-Provost (Health).

www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2025/ju...

Times Radio Breakfast with Kate McCann and Stig Abell | Times Radio | The Times and the Sunday Times Listen to Times Radio live for the latest breaking news, expert analysis and well-informed discussion covering the biggest stories of the day.

Why is 'snitching' such a common human behaviour? 👀
Prof Sophie Scott reveals why some of us are likely to report our neighbours for flouting the hosepipe ban this summer. (listen from 1 hr 57 mins)

Introducing our new favorite stimulus. A few minutes are enough to map the visual preferences of thousands of neurons.

Mapping the visual cortex with Zebra noise and wavelets
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

By Sophie Skriabine and Max Shinn, with Samuel Picard and
@kenneth-harris.bsky.social

Experts from @uclpsychiatry.bsky.social join international call for urgent research and better care for aging trauma survivors. www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

Tribute to eye treatment pioneer Professor Pete Coffey UCL colleagues have paid tribute to world-leading eye researcher Professor Pete Coffey, who pioneered a treatment enabling people whose vision had been destroyed by disease to see again.

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of beloved @ucleye.bsky.social colleague Prof Pete Coffey.
A pioneer in stem cell therapy, his research has helped restore sight to people with macular degeneration. His legacy will continue to transform lives.

Have you ever wondered what happens to brains that are donated to research? 🤔🧠

This #WorldBrainDay, Research Technician Nancy offers a rare glimpse inside the @uclqsion.bsky.social Brain Bank.

Dr Elizabeth O’Nions and Professor Joshua Stott on ADHD and life expectancy Dr Elizabeth O’Nions and Professor Joshua Stott have been investigating the life expectancy of people living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

5/ Dr Elizabeth O’Nions and Prof Joshua Stott have been investigating the life expectancy of people living with ADHD.
www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

Professor Anne Schilder on the links between hearing loss and dementia Professor Anne Schilder investigates the links between hearing loss and dementia.

4/ Prof Anne Schilder (UCL EarInstitute) is investigating the links between hearing loss and dementia.
www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

Dr James Ruffle on AI’s ability to transform brain cancer care Dr James Ruffle and the wider team at the High-Dimensional Neurology group in the Queen Square Institute of Neurology are transforming brain cancer care with AI-based tools.

3/ Dr James Ruffle (@uclqsion.bsky.social) and the wider team at the High-Dimensional Neurology group in the Queen Square Institute of Neurology are transforming brain cancer care with AI-based tools. www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

Professor Gabriele Lignani on developing new gene therapies for neuropsychiatric disorders Professor Gabriele Lignani is leading an international team of researchers to develop a new generation of cell-state gene therapies for neuropsychiatric disorders

2/ Prof Gabriele Lignani of @lignanilab.bsky.social is leading an international team of researchers to develop a new generation of cell-state gene therapies for neuropsychiatric disorders.

www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...