Brain-computer interface company, Precision Neuroscience, announced that it was given clearance by the FDA for its Layer 7 Cortical Interface. This is a high-resolution cortical electrode array that records, monitors, and stimulates electrical activity on the surface of the brain. The array is a core component of Precision’s fully implantable, wireless brain-computer interface system, which is currently in development. 

With the FDA’s approval, the interface is now authorized for commercial use with implantation durations of up to 30 days.

Here’s what Co-Founder, Dr. Benjamin Rapoport, had to say regarding the approval:

By introducing the Layer 7 Cortical Interface into clinical settings, we'll be able to deliver immediate value for patients and neurosurgical teams, enabling real-time neural recording at a fidelity and scale not previously possible.  

Neural decoding algorithms, like all AI-driven products, rely on vast amounts of data. This regulatory clearance will exponentially increase our access to diverse, high-quality data, which will help us to build BCI systems that work more effectively.

Here’s more: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/04/17/3063418/0/en/Precision-Neuroscience-Receives-FDA-Clearance-for-High-Resolution-Cortical-Electrode-Array.html

MindMed, Inc. announced that the first patient has been dosed in its Phase 3 study evaluating MM120 ODT for the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).  MM120 ODT is a pharmaceutically optimized form of LSD.  

This particular study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of MM120 ODT versus placebo, and is expected to enroll approximately 140 participants in the United States. This is the third Phase 3 study of MM120 ODT, with previous studies in Generalized Anxiety Disorder already underway. By running these studies at the same time, the company can leverage the shared symptomatology between these conditions to more effectively match participants to the appropriate study based on their clinical presentation. Check it out: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250414503827/en/MindMed-Announces-First-Patient-Dosed-in-Phase-3-Emerge-Study-of-MM120-in-Major-Depressive-Disorder-MDD

Two small studies published in the journal Nature have indicated that stem cells transplanted into the brains of Parkinson’s patients can produce dopamine and appear to ease tremor symptoms. 

In one of the studies, surgeons administered either a low or high dose of stem-cells. The treatment was derived from human embryonic stem cells, which researchers had coaxed into becoming immature brain cells called neuron progenitors.

During surgery, these cells were injected into a structure on each side of the brain that's involved in movement.

PET scans taken 18 months later showed that the transplanted cells were producing dopamine. An assessment using a standard rating scale of Parkinson's progression suggested the treatment was also easing symptoms. According to Dr. Lorenz Studer from the Center for Stem Cell Biology at the Sloan Kettering Institute in New York, for a typical Parkinson’s patient, one would expect every year to get two or three points worse. But in the high-dose group of this study, patients actually got about 20 points better. You can check out all the specific details of the study here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08845-y

Did you know that music-induced “chills” can trigger natural opioids in the brain?

According to researchers from the Turku PET Centre in Finland, listening to music can activate the brain’s opioid system, which is involved in feelings of pleasure and pain relief.

The brain’s opioid system is known to be involved in pleasurable experiences related to survival-critical behaviors, such as eating and sex. And this new study has demonstrated, for the first time, that listening to favorite music also activates the brain’s opioid receptors.

The study measured the release of opioids in the brain using positron emission tomography while participants listened to their favorite music. The results showed that participants’ favorite music influenced opioid release in several brain areas associated with the experience of pleasure. The release of opioids was also linked to how often participants reported experiencing pleasurable chills while listening to music. Check it out: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00259-025-07232-z