Brain Foundation

14/11/2025

💚 Run for Tony 💚

Last Sunday, an incredible team of 54 runners and walkers took on the Canberra Marathon in honour of Tony, a beloved dad, husband, brother and friend who tragically lost his life to a ruptured brain aneurysm.

His sudden, unexpected passing has left a huge hole in the hearts of his wife, children, family, and friends.

In memory of Tony, they took on the half-marathon to raise awareness and support crucial research—so that fewer families have to face the same, unimaginable heartbreak.

Together, they have raised over $10,000 for brain research. We are beyond grateful for their efforts, which will go a long way in improving diagnosis, detection, treatment and outcomes.

13/11/2025

In the early 1900s, German physician Alois Alzheimer described "adipose saccules" and "lipoid granules"—small droplets of fatty substances—within the brain cells of his patient.

He regarded this "lipid degeneration" as a key hallmark of the disease, comparable in importance to the plaques and tangles he also observed.

While amyloid plaques and tau tangles became the focus of AD research for decades, Alzheimer's observations of lipid buildup have remained largely understudied until recently.

Dr Timothy Couttas is one of our 2025 grant recipients. 🎉

His team will be investigating lipid imbalance and myelin damage in Alzheimer’s disease.

12/11/2025

A faster, radiation-free way to diagnose & monitor dementia 🧠🔎

Dr Jun Cao is one of our fantastic 2025 grant recipients. In his research, his team will compare FDG-PET scans to a new MRI-based scan, with the ultimate goal of developing a faster, safer, radiation-free scan for dementia diagnosis and monitoring.

If successful, this project could have far-reaching effects and make dementia care more accessible, particularly for Australians living regionally or rurally.

Your support makes critical research like this possible. Thank you 💚

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Watch the full interview on our YouTube page at Brain Foundation 🔗

12/11/2025

Congratulations to Dr Jun Cao, one of our research grant recipients for 2025. 🎉

Dementia affects 55 million people worldwide, but current diagnostic tools like FDG-PET scans are costly and not widely available.

Dr Cao’s research will explore a new MRI-based approach that’s non-invasive and radiation-free.

“If it is successful, this technique will make dementia diagnosis and monitoring much safer, faster, and more accessible.”

Congratulations to Dr Cao and his co-investigators at NeuRA on this exciting research advancement. 👏🧠

Watch Dr Cao talk about the project 🔗 https://brainfoundation.org.au/research-grants/2025/alzheimers-dementias-2/

11/11/2025

Can you unscramble these brainy words?

Hint: The blue letter is the first letter of the word.

All the words relate to the BRAIN... think about both its functions and its parts. 🧠

10/11/2025

Henk & Fred have officially completed their hike through the Aussie Alps, 43 days and 680km later.

They have raised an incredible $7300 for critical brain research, supported by their family and friends.

Braving some wild weather and rugged terrain, it was an incredible journey of perseverance, determination, and community spirit. ❄️☀️

"Knowing that there was support genuinely helped us push through the difficult sections of the hike. We can't thank everybody enough." - Henk & Fred

Thank you for walking for research.

09/11/2025

🎄🌟 Just ONE WEEK to go until The Brain Foundation Tamworth Christmas Fair! 🎁✨

For 22 incredible years, this fair has brought the community together — raising over $400,000 for vital, ground-breaking brain research.

Come support local, tick off your Christmas shopping, and enjoy delicious food, coffee, live music, and family-friendly entertainment. The best part? Every purchase you make goes towards life-changing brain research.

Check out some of the amazing stalls for 2025 at The Brain Foundation Tamworth Christmas Fair

Save the date! Sunday 16th November 2025 is the new date for the annual Christmas Fair at the Tamworth Racecourse.
The committee looks forward to welcoming you to another huge fund raising event for the Brain Foundation. Last year $30,000 was raised with every cent going straight into research.

09/11/2025

Meet our Brain Health Hero, Kimberly. 👋

Kimberly ran her first marathon in Perth to raise funds for research in honour of her brother, who is living with a complex type of autoimmune encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).

She says, "We’ve always been two peas in a pod. Dad tells people we get on like a house on fire. Despite the emotional rollercoaster it all is, I like to think the laughs and perspective managed from our family throughout the years outweigh the hardest days. I just hope no family ever has to go through what we have. It’s not just about raising awareness, it’s about promoting curiosity. That’s how things get taken a step further. "

Kimberly's not slowing down, with ambitions to work towards a triathlon and do an Ironman. 💪

Thank you for running for research and for hope 💚

07/11/2025

Concussions can be tricky to diagnose—especially when alcohol or drugs are involved. 🍺🧠

Intoxication can hide or mimic concussion symptoms, causing delays or missed diagnoses. This increases the risk of repeat injuries and longer recovery times.

Thanks to a 2023 Brain Foundation grant, Dr Jennifer Makovec Knight and her team at Monash University have found blood-based biomarkers that help diagnose mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) — even if the patient is under the influence.

This has important clinical implications in
✅ reducing diagnostic bias
✅ supporting an often marginalised and underserved patient group
✅ ensuring fair access to follow-up care and rehabilitation for mTBI

Read the full report on our website. Link in the comments!

05/11/2025

Did you know that about 50% of concussion patients are currently missing out on proper care? 🤕

New ANZ guidelines aim to close existing gaps in concussion treatment knowledge and transform care through education and awareness.

Here’s why they matter:
📘 Covers all stages of injury — from recognising initial signs, to long-term care and symptom management
🤕 Tailored advice for different injury types (not just sports-related) & age groups
👩‍⚕️ Designed to give GPs the confidence to manage concussion
📚 Written in simple language & free to access
👪 Helpful for parents, coaches & the wider community, making care more accessible
✅ Dispels common concussion myths

This is a great initiative led by the University of Queensland that will make good care more accessible, not just for professional athletes, but for everyday Australians. 🇦🇺

You can access the guidelines at https://anzconcussionguidelines.com/

03/11/2025

Happy ! Today's puzzle is a horse riddle🐴👒

Riddle: Three horses — Mango, Rook, and Silk — each have a different colour (bay, grey, chestnut) and a different speciality (trail, show, race).

Clues:
Rook is not grey.
The racehorse is chestnut.
Mango is not a trail horse.

Which horse is which colour and speciality?

P.S. - No, the horse's name isn't Friday 😅

02/11/2025

From brain fog, to gum disease, to how LEGO is helping kids take MRIs — it’s been a big month in neuroscience! Here’s your easy wrap-up of the last month.

In this edition of Neuro News we will cover...
🌱 Long-COVID brain fog identified in PET scan
🌱 Parkinson's disease & the kidneys
🌱 Cholesterol levels & dementia
🌱 Woman plays an instrument during brain surgery
🌱 How creativity boosts brain health
🌱 Alzheimer's diagnosis delays
🌱 Gum disease and brain health
🌱 How a LEGO MRI scanner is helping kids

🧠 Research brings hope. Your support for the Brain Foundation means tomorrow’s breakthroughs are within reach — closer than we may realise.