Michael Marshall

Episode 406The glymphatic system is the brain’s waste disposal system - responsible for clearing out harmful toxins that build up during the day.Now a new mouse study has connected reduced glyphatic flow to Alzheimer’s disease. And because this…

The glymphatic system flushes toxins out of the brain, but this seems to be disrupted in Alzheimer's disease, and cholesterol may be involved

The glymphatic system is the brain's recently discovered network for flushing out toxins. Now, we're uncovering surprising ways to boost it to protect brain health

Taking metformin, a type 2 diabetes drug, has been linked to a lower risk of dementia over the following decades, but the association isn't conclusive

Our brains are large compared with other animals, so it is tempting to assume there was an evolutionary advantage to them – but that may not be true at all

Evidence is mounting that there are distinct subtypes of autism, and now, scientists have found that the condition can vary according to the strength of people's brain connections

Why do we have big brains? Or walk on two legs? Biological anthropologist and broadcaster Alice Roberts talks human exceptionalism, evolution and her new book Humans with Michael Marshall

The Epstein-Barr virus seems to affect gene expression and cell signalling in a way that causes the autoimmune condition multiple sclerosis

A single femur found in Bulgaria appears to represent an ape or early hominin that walked on two legs before any known African hominin, but the evidence is far from conclusive

The evolution of human hands is one of the most important – and overlooked – stories of our origin. Now, new fossil evidence is revealing their pivotal role

A trial will finally reveal whether limiting the time teens spend on social media really does affect their mental health

For years, we've thought of autism as lying on a spectrum, but emerging evidence suggests that it comes in several distinct types. The implications for how we support autistic people could be profound

The period between Christmas and New Year is always weird, but I do quite like getting a chance to take stock of the year; to figure out what I've done, and what I'd like to do next or better. In...

The ideas presented in George Lakoff and Srini Narayanan's The Neural Mind are fascinating, but the writing is far less compelling

The largest study so far into the genetics of chronic fatigue syndrome, or myalgic encephalomyelitis, has implicated 259 genes – six times more than those identified just four months ago

The German government has committed half a billion euros for research on long COVID and other post-infection syndromes. The German government has committed half a billion euros for research on long COVID and other post-infection syndromes.

Is it an epidemic of overdiagnosis, or do the dramatic rises in autism and ADHD cases reflect the healthcare system – and society – starting to catch up to the reality of neurodivergence?

Is it an epidemic of overdiagnosis, or do the dramatic rises in autism and ADHD cases reflect the healthcare system – and society – starting to catch up to the reality of neurodivergence?

Ozempic, MRI machines and flat screen televisions all emerged out of fundamental research decades earlier — the very types of study being slashed by the US government. Ozempic, MRI machines and flat screen televisions all emerged out of fundamental research decades earlier — the very types of study being slashed by the US government.

Fibromyalgia, which causes chronic pain all over the body, is poorly understood, but two studies – made up of millions of participants – are helping us get to the roots of the condition