Cognitive Function News and Research

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Cognition is a concept used in different ways by different disciplines, but is generally accepted to mean the process of thought. For example, in psychology and cognitive science it refers to an information processing view of an individual's psychological functions.

HeartWare Ventricular Assist System meets primary endpoint in ENDURANCE clinical trial

HeartWare International, Inc., a leading innovator of less invasive, miniaturized circulatory support technologies that are revolutionizing the treatment of advanced heart failure, today announced that data from its first destination therapy clinical trial cohort, ENDURANCE, successfully demonstrated that the trial achieved the primary endpoint.

16 Apr 2015

Study looks at connections between cerebral cortex and cerebellum in children with autism

In early childhood, the neurons inside children's developing brains form connections between various regions of brain "real estate." As described in a paper published last week in the journal Biological Psychiatry, cognitive neuroscientists at San Diego State University found that in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, the connections between the cerebral cortex and the cerebellum appear to be overdeveloped in sensorimotor regions of the brain.

9 Apr 2015

Impulse control disorders do not promote cognitive decline in PD

Impulse control disorders in patients with Parkinson’s disease are not associated with more marked impairment of cognitive function, researchers report.

7 Apr 2015

Healthy eating, exercise, and brain-training programme results in slower mental decline for older people

1260 people from across Finland, aged 60–77 years, were included in the study, with half randomly allocated to the intervention group, and half allocated to a control group, who received regular health advice only. All of the study participants were deemed to be at risk of dementia, based on standardised test scores.

6 Apr 2015

PAION initiates Remimazolam Phase 3 trial in patients undergoing colonoscopy

PAION, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of PAION AG, today announced the initiation of a U.S. Phase 3 clinical trial of Remimazolam, an ultra-short-acting sedative/anesthetic, for procedural sedation in patients undergoing colonoscopy.

31 Mar 2015

Complete review of amyloid-beta protein behind Alzheimer's disease

"It will still take many years to understand the mechanisms leading to the formation of the characteristic plaques seen in brains affected by Alzheimer's disease", explains Alessandro Laio, SISSA professor. "We know they are mostly a build-up of amyloid-beta peptide, the protein that research is currently focusing on". And, as of today, all those involved in biomolecular research on Alzheimer's will have access to a new and important instrument: an extensive and complete review of all scientific knowledge about this "killer protein" has in fact just been published in the journal Chemical Reviews.

31 Mar 2015

Sympathetic nerve block shows no major benefit for PTSD in randomized controlled trial

A sympathetic nerve block that has shown promise for treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) performed no better than sham treatment in a randomized controlled trial, new research shows.

25 Mar 2015

A new approach to TBI therapy

Innovative angles of attack in research that focus on how the human brain protects and repairs itself will help develop treatments for one of the most common, costly, deadly and scientifically frustrating medical conditions worldwide: traumatic brain injury.

24 Mar 2015

New diet may significantly lower risk of Alzheimer's disease

A new diet, appropriately known by the acronym MIND, could significantly lower a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, even if the diet is not meticulously followed, according to a paper published online for subscribers in March in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association.

20 Mar 2015

Yale researchers test new device that protects patients' brain during heart-valve replacement procedure

In the first multicenter trial of its kind, Yale researchers tested a new device that lowers the risk of stroke and cognitive decline in patients undergoing heart-valve replacement.

16 Mar 2015

Study: Listening to classical music improves activity of genes involved in brain functions

Although listening to music is common in all societies, the biological determinants of listening to music are largely unknown. According to a latest study, listening to classical music enhanced the activity of genes involved in dopamine secretion and transport, synaptic neurotransmission, learning and memory, and down-regulated the genes mediating neurodegeneration.

13 Mar 2015

New evidence links autism risk genes to better cognitive function

Genes linked with a greater risk of developing autism may also be associated with higher intelligence, a study suggests.

11 Mar 2015

Possible therapies to address cognitive symptoms in individuals with schizophrenia

By studying specially bred mice with specific developmental and cognitive traits resembling those seen in schizophrenia, UC San Francisco researchers have provided new evidence that abnormal rhythmic activity in particular brain cells contributes to problems with learning, attention, and decision-making in individuals with that disorder.

6 Mar 2015

New research challenges current theories of ageing

Older brains may be more similar to younger brains than previously thought.

5 Mar 2015

Early symptoms of post-traumatic stress strongly predict later disability in military personnel

Evaluating military personnel with blast-related mild traumatic brain injuries, researchers have found that early symptoms of post-traumatic stress, such as anxiety, emotional numbness, flashbacks and irritability, are the strongest predictors of later disability.

5 Mar 2015

Study shows how mutations that cause Alzheimer's disease lead to neurodegeneration, dementia

A study from researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital reveals for the first time exactly how mutations associated with the most common form of inherited Alzheimer's disease produce the disorder's devastating effects.

5 Mar 2015

People with diabetes more prone to depression, anxiety

People with diabetes are more prone to anxiety and depression than those with other chronic diseases that require similar levels of management. The reasons for this aren't well understood, but Joslin Diabetes Center researchers have discovered one potential explanation.

2 Mar 2015

Vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids may optimize brain serotonin concentrations and function

Although essential marine omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D have been shown to improve cognitive function and behavior in the context of certain brain disorders, the underlying mechanism has been unclear. In a new paper published in FASEB Journal by Rhonda Patrick, PhD and Bruce Ames, PhD of Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, serotonin is explained as the possible missing link tying together why vitamin D and marine omega-3 fatty acids might ameliorate the symptoms associated with a broad array of brain disorders.

27 Feb 2015

New study finds that wandering mind can impart distinct cognitive advantage

Does your mind wander when performing monotonous, repetitive tasks? Of course! But daydreaming involves more than just beating back boredom. In fact, according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a wandering mind can impart a distinct cognitive advantage.

24 Feb 2015

Formula-fed infants have higher arsenic levels than breast-fed infants

In the first U.S. study of urinary arsenic in babies, Dartmouth College researchers found that formula-fed infants had higher arsenic levels than breast-fed infants, and that breast milk itself contained very low arsenic concentrations.

23 Feb 2015

Cognitive Function News and Research

Further Reading

HeartWare Ventricular Assist System meets primary endpoint in ENDURANCE clinical trial

Study looks at connections between cerebral cortex and cerebellum in children with autism

Impulse control disorders do not promote cognitive decline in PD

Healthy eating, exercise, and brain-training programme results in slower mental decline for older people

PAION initiates Remimazolam Phase 3 trial in patients undergoing colonoscopy

Complete review of amyloid-beta protein behind Alzheimer's disease

Sympathetic nerve block shows no major benefit for PTSD in randomized controlled trial

A new approach to TBI therapy

New diet may significantly lower risk of Alzheimer's disease

Yale researchers test new device that protects patients' brain during heart-valve replacement procedure

Study: Listening to classical music improves activity of genes involved in brain functions

New evidence links autism risk genes to better cognitive function

Possible therapies to address cognitive symptoms in individuals with schizophrenia

New research challenges current theories of ageing

Early symptoms of post-traumatic stress strongly predict later disability in military personnel

Study shows how mutations that cause Alzheimer's disease lead to neurodegeneration, dementia

People with diabetes more prone to depression, anxiety

Vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids may optimize brain serotonin concentrations and function

New study finds that wandering mind can impart distinct cognitive advantage

Formula-fed infants have higher arsenic levels than breast-fed infants

Discover how SciY empowers scientists

Why use light scattering to analyze proteins and viral vectors?

Changing the landscape of R&D to build clinical success from the ground up

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