Cutting-edge studies illuminate molecular and cellular mechanisms relevant to brain aging, PTSD, and Parkinson’s disease. Research at Salk Institute highlights neuron-to-glia communication mediated by heat shock proteins, influencing brain aging dynamics. Another study identifies disrupted somatostatin interneuron signaling and neuroimmune pathway alterations in PTSD patients’ prefrontal cortex. For Parkinson’s, imaging innovations aid early prodromal symptom detection, while novel biomarkers from earwax VOCs promise non-invasive diagnostic breakthroughs.