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.

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

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

Cognitive Function News and Research

Further Reading

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

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

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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