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.

BGRF announces publication of research into personalising nootropic drugs using in silico prediction methods

The Biogerontology Research Foundation (BGRF), a UK-based charity committed to the support of aging research to address the challenges of a rapidly aging population and to reduce the impact of disease on future generations, announces the publication of research into personalising nootropic drugs using in silico prediction methods.

17 Feb 2015

Study lays groundwork for building consensus on successful aging

Scholars have long debated what successful aging is, how to measure it, and how to promote it. But the latest issue of The Gerontologist lays the groundwork for building consensus on the topic -- while pointing out that the answer may differ among academics and the general public, as well as across populations and demographic groups.

16 Feb 2015

ATA recommends daily serving of iodine in multivitamin/mineral supplements for pregnant, breastfeeding women

The American Thyroid Association has championed the effort to include a daily serving of iodine in multivitamin/mineral supplements intended for pregnant and breastfeeding women, and it applauds the new guidelines released by the U.S. Council for Responsible Nutrition advising manufacturers to include 150 micrograms of iodine to these daily supplements.

11 Feb 2015

New NIEHS grants to support independent biomedical research

New grants totaling $3 million will go to six outstanding early-career scientists, bridging a funding gap to independent biomedical research. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health, created the award to encourage early stage researchers who want to discover how our environment influences human health.

6 Feb 2015

Study focuses on two natural approaches to preventing breast cancer

Preventing cancer requires intimate knowledge of how cancer starts, what causes it to grow and flourish, and how to stop it in its tracks. Sometimes this comes in the form of a vaccine (the HPV vaccine for cervical and head and neck cancers), a screening (a colonoscopy for colorectal cancer) or a blood test (the PSA level test for prostate cancer).

5 Feb 2015

Resveratrol found in red grapes, peanuts may help prevent age-related decline in memory

A compound found in common foods such as red grapes and peanuts may help prevent age-related decline in memory, according to new research published by a faculty member in the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine.

5 Feb 2015

SuperAgers have distinctly different looking brains

SuperAgers, aged 80 and above, have distinctly different looking brains than those of normal older people, according to new Northwestern Medicine research that is beginning to reveal why the memories of these cognitively elite elders don't suffer the usual ravages of time.

4 Feb 2015

Childhood football increases risk of cognitive impairment

The DETECT study, published yesterday, showed that former National Football League (NFL) players who participated in tackle football before the age of 12 years were more likely to have memory and thinking problems in adulthood.

30 Jan 2015

Study: Common pesticide may alter the development of brain's dopamine system

A commonly used pesticide may alter the development of the brain's dopamine system -- responsible for emotional expression and cognitive function - and increase the risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children, according to a new Rutgers study.

30 Jan 2015

ADDF awards grant to support initiation of AGB101 Phase 3 trial for aMCI treatment

The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation announced today a $900,000 grant to AgeneBio, a pharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies for neurologic and psychiatric diseases. The grant will support the initiation of an FDA-registered Phase 3 clinical trial of AGB101, a new therapeutic treatment for amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI).

28 Jan 2015

Daily use of Pycnogenol may help improve overall cognitive function

New research delivers exciting news for those seeking natural ways to boost memory and mental performance. A study recently published in the Journal of Neurosurgical Sciences shows daily use of Pycnogenol (pic-noj-en-all), a natural plant extract from French maritime pine tree bark, may help improve attention span, memory, decision-making – including executive-level performance – and overall cognitive function.

21 Jan 2015

Walnuts may improve cognitive function

Eating walnuts may improve performance on cognitive function tests, including those for memory, concentration and information processing speed according to new research from the David Geffen School of Medicine at The University of California, Los Angeles, led by Dr. Lenore Arab. Cognitive function was consistently greater in adult participants that consumed walnuts, regardless of age, gender or ethnicity.

21 Jan 2015

Study: Stem cell transplantation improves quality of life in patients with relapsing-remitting MS

Results from a preliminary study indicate that among patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), treatment with nonmyeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (low intensity stem cell transplantation) was associated with improvement in measures of disability and quality of life, according to a study in the January 20 issue of JAMA.

21 Jan 2015

Vascular and Alzheimer's-related brain abnormalities cause dementia in older people

A growing body of research suggests that the most common cause of dementia in older people is a mix of vascular and Alzheimer's-related brain abnormalities, and that approximately half of people who die with Alzheimer's also have evidence of strokes in their brains. Furthermore, when strokes and hallmark Alzheimer's plaques and tangles are combined, it increases a person's likelihood of experiencing dementia.

15 Jan 2015

Continued exposure to high blood sugars may impact brain function in young diabetic children

Investigators have found that young children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) have slower brain growth compared to children without diabetes. A new study, published in the December issue of Diabetes, now available ahead of print, suggests that continued exposure to hyperglycemia, or high blood sugars, may be detrimental to the developing brain.

19 Dec 2014

Loyola neurologist finds little scientific evidence that brain games improve cognitive function

Computerized brain games that are advertised as a way to help boost intelligence and prevent dementia will be popular Christmas gifts this year.

18 Dec 2014

Bipolar brain changes both state- and trait-dependent

Some of the alterations in brain activation in patients with bipolar disorder are dependent on their current mood, study findings show.

17 Dec 2014

Genetic variations may contribute to treatment-related cognitive problems in children with ALL

Common variations in four genes related to brain inflammation or cells' response to damage from oxidation may contribute to the problems with memory, learning and other cognitive functions seen in children treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), according to a study led by researchers from Boston Children's Hospital, The Children's Hospital at Montefiore, and Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center.

10 Dec 2014

Abstinence-induced changes in the brain could help predict relapse in smokers

Quitting smoking sets off a series of changes in the brain that Penn Medicine researchers say may better identify smokers who will start smoking again—a prediction that goes above and beyond today's clinical or behavioral tools for assessing relapse risk.

5 Dec 2014

People diagnosed with diabetes in midlife experience cognitive problems later

People diagnosed with diabetes in midlife are more likely to experience significant memory and cognitive problems during the next 20 years than those with healthy blood sugar levels, new Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research suggests.

2 Dec 2014

Cognitive Function News and Research

Further Reading

BGRF announces publication of research into personalising nootropic drugs using in silico prediction methods

Study lays groundwork for building consensus on successful aging

ATA recommends daily serving of iodine in multivitamin/mineral supplements for pregnant, breastfeeding women

New NIEHS grants to support independent biomedical research

Study focuses on two natural approaches to preventing breast cancer

Resveratrol found in red grapes, peanuts may help prevent age-related decline in memory

SuperAgers have distinctly different looking brains

Childhood football increases risk of cognitive impairment

Study: Common pesticide may alter the development of brain's dopamine system

ADDF awards grant to support initiation of AGB101 Phase 3 trial for aMCI treatment

Daily use of Pycnogenol may help improve overall cognitive function

Walnuts may improve cognitive function

Study: Stem cell transplantation improves quality of life in patients with relapsing-remitting MS

Vascular and Alzheimer's-related brain abnormalities cause dementia in older people

Continued exposure to high blood sugars may impact brain function in young diabetic children

Loyola neurologist finds little scientific evidence that brain games improve cognitive function

Bipolar brain changes both state- and trait-dependent

Genetic variations may contribute to treatment-related cognitive problems in children with ALL

Abstinence-induced changes in the brain could help predict relapse in smokers

People diagnosed with diabetes in midlife experience cognitive problems later

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