Brain Foundation

02/05/2026

“If we can pick up MS before it becomes symptomatic and if we can treat it effectively, we can prevent a significant number from developing symptomatic MS.”

Dr Yi Chao Foong and his team will be using their 2025 Brain Foundation Research Grant to investigate the potential of low-field MRI to detect MS lesions. If successful, it would provide a lower-cost, portable option that could be widely scaled to enable earlier detection and treatment.

Co-Investigators : A/Prof Anneke Van der Walt, A/Prof Kh Tohidul Islam, A/Prof Zhaolin Chen, A/Prof Helen Kavnoudias

02/05/2026

Less than a week to complete the Neuro Survey. Share your experiences and help shape the future of neurological care. Survey closes Friday May 8.

➡️ https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2DR8TQ6

Do you live with a neurological condition, care for someone who does, work on the frontline as a health professional, service provider or researcher? Your voice matters. Help shape the future of neurological care and research in Australia by completing our survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2DR8TQ6 by Friday 08 May.

01/05/2026

Migraine genetics and concussion outcomes, optimism and dementia risk, breakthrough Parkinson’s treatment, and more in this month’s Neuro News Wrap.

Grab a cuppa and swipe to read ➡️

tbi

27/04/2026

Happy Brain Teaser Tuesday! What 'thing' links these three words?

Drop your guesses in the comments.

You can find a hint below if you need it!



//

Hint: 💧

24/04/2026

We're proud to introduce the Darren 'Muddy' Laycock Grant for AVM Research, honouring a beloved father, friend and community hero who passed without warning at 55 from a ruptured arteriovenous malformation (an abnormal tangle of blood vessels in the brain).

Darren was a skilled mechanic and diesel fitter who spent his career working on pipelines and heavy machinery across remote Australia. He had a passion for motorcycles and water skiing - and a long-held dream of riding from Melbourne all the way up to Darwin.

In 2025, his family and friends made that dream come true, bringing the community together and completing the 4,000km motorbike ride (named ‘the Mudrun’) in his memory.

We are proud to support ongoing AVM awareness and fund critical research in Darren's name.

Applications are now open - learn more and apply on our website.

If you know a researcher working in this space, please share this opportunity.

22/04/2026

Did you know that even looking at nature on a screen (like you are now) can have benefits for mood and mental health? 🌱

Whether it's walking your dog or having a swim at the beach, being in nature is fantastic for your brain. Immersion in natural environments lowers stress, boosts mood, and clears the mind, allowing for improved focus and creative problem-solving.

In her presentation for , A/Prof Roehr discussed everything from gardening to the trend of ‘forest bathing’ or Shinrin-yoku. You can watch the webinar on our website or YouTube channel.

21/04/2026

Happy Earth Day 🌿🧠 Did you know nature exposure is consistently linked to better brain health and a lower risk of dementia?

The environments we live in aren't just backdrops to individual behaviours, but are active determinants of brain health across the lifespan.

Our access to green and blue spaces, and exposure to air pollution or climate extremes, can either foster cognitive resilience or create vulnerabilities, all based on where we live.

During , A/Prof Susanne Roehr from UNSW UNSW Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing explored the social and environmental determinants of brain health—and reflected on how something as simple as “taking a walk” has become a subject of measurement and study in the modern day.

You can watch the full webinar on our website or YouTube channel.

21/04/2026

Today isn't not . Can you figure out what Brian and Helen will do? 🤔

Drop your guesses in the comments!

17/04/2026

Have you been diagnosed with TBI (concussion) or Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)? 🧠

You may be eligible to participate in research to help advance the knowledge, management or treatment of neurological conditions.

1. Researchers at UNSW Sydney are investigating whether tear fluid and corneal nerves may provide important clues about Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)/concussion.
2. The MInD Sub-study is investigating brain activity associated with age-related cognitive changes, with the goal of identifying early signs of cognitive decline and better understanding of memory and thinking changes linked to conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Find more information here: https://brainfoundation.org.au/research-participant/

Both studies have ethics approval.

16/04/2026

Is there any safe level of alcohol? Can the brain recover after alcohol dependence? How can alcohol affect mood?

During in March, Prof Greg Sutherland from the University of Sydney answered your questions on alcohol and brain health - but with so many great ones submitted, we ran out of time to address them all on the day.

Prof Sutherland has kindly taken the time to answer your remaining questions. Read the full Q&A and watch the free webinar recording at the link in the comments.

Special thanks to the Using Our Brains Donor Program and the NSW Brain Tissue Resource Centre for their collaboration on this resource. 🍷🧠

14/04/2026

When in doubt, sound it out! Happy . Today's challenge is to guess the city or country from the cryptic image clues.

Drop your guesses in the comments 🌏⤵️

12/04/2026

We're honoured to introduce the Fishing for Kyan Aneurysm Research Award, established in memory of Kyan Armstrong, who was just 15 years old when he passed away unexpectedly from a brain aneurysm in October 2022.

Kyan was a kind young man who loved fishing, playing AFL, working on his 1950’s truck, and spending time with his family and mates in his home town of Wagga Wagga.

Following his passing, his family established FishingforKyan to bring the community together, raise funds for aneurysm research, and honour his legacy through hope and awareness.

This year, we're proud to support their mission by funding much-needed research into cerebral aneurysms.

Applications are now open - learn more and apply on our website.

If you know a researcher working in this space, please share this opportunity.