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.

Older adults' driving habits may provide early warning signs of cognitive decline or dementia

Older adults' driving habits revealed clues about their brain health and may provide early warning signs of cognitive decline or dementia, according to a preliminary study to be presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2026.

29 Jan 2026

Nitrate source matters more than nitrate amount

Findings suggest that plant-sourced nitrates may reduce dementia risk, while animal and water sources are linked to increased risk, emphasizing diet quality.

29 Jan 2026

Olive oil type matters for cognition and gut health in older adults

Higher intake of virgin and total olive oil was associated with modest but significant improvements in cognitive performance over two years in older adults with metabolic syndrome. These associations were partly linked to gut microbiota composition, with specific taxa such as Adlercreutzia contributing a small mediating effect.

26 Jan 2026

Brain structure changes linked to adaptability decline in aging adults

As people age, structural brain changes influence their ability to adapt to the environment. New from eNeuro, Tatiana Wolfe and colleagues at the University of Arkansas characterized changes in the brain across two periods of adulthood that may correspond to changes in adaptive behavior.

19 Jan 2026

Super agers' resilience against Alzheimer's disease linked to protective gene variant

The gene variant posing the greatest genetic risk of late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) is called APOE-ε4. A different variant of the same gene, APOE-ε2, is thought to confer protection against AD.

19 Jan 2026

Restoring brain energy balance reverses advanced Alzheimer’s disease in mouse models

For over a century, Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been considered irreversible. Consequently, research has focused on disease prevention or slowing, rather than recovery.

6 Jan 2026

Simple drug treatments could help older brains cope with memory decline and postoperative recovery

Simple pharmaceutical interventions could help older brains cope with memory impairment and recovery after surgery, new studies in mice suggest.

6 Jan 2026

Two isoforms of a cellular energy sensor play distinct, opposing roles in Alzheimer's disease

A comprehensive mini-review published today after peer review in Brain Medicine by Dr. Tao Ma and colleagues at Wake Forest University School of Medicine synthesizes emerging evidence that two isoforms of a critical cellular energy sensor play distinct, and sometimes opposing, roles in Alzheimer's disease.

6 Jan 2026

Integrated neural probes reveal dopaminergic control of sleep-wake transitions

Understanding the dynamic neural mechanisms of sleep-wake cycles is a major challenge in sleep science and neuroengineering.

6 Jan 2026

Understanding sevoflurane-induced neurogenesis inhibition and cognitive dysfunction in children

Every year, millions of infants and children undergo surgery under general anesthesia in the world. Sevoflurane is a commonly used pediatric anesthetic. Its exposure during brain development has been shown to inhibit neurogenesis and cause cognitive dysfunction in animal models.

5 Jan 2026

Targeting CSE enzyme may offer new pathways for Alzheimer’s treatment

Scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine say results of a new National Institutes of Health-funded study are advancing efforts to exploit a new target for Alzheimer's disease: a protein that manufactures an important gas in the brain.

30 Dec 2025

Restoring brain energy balance reverses Alzheimer’s disease in mouse models

For over a century, Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been considered irreversible. Consequently, research has focused on disease prevention or slowing, rather than recovery.

23 Dec 2025

Unlocking sleep-wake secrets with dual brain signal analysis

Understanding the dynamic neural mechanisms of sleep-wake cycles is a major challenge in sleep science and neuroengineering.

22 Dec 2025

Everyday light exposure shapes how alert and mentally sharp we feel outside the lab

This real-world study shows that recent and habitual light exposure are linked to lower subjective sleepiness and faster reaction times in daily life. Brighter and more stable daytime light patterns were associated with better performance on specific cognitive tasks, independent of sleep and time of day.

18 Dec 2025

Social isolation emerges as a key, independent risk factor for cognitive decline

Using longitudinal data from the US Health and Retirement Study, this study applied causal inference modeling to disentangle the independent and joint effects of social isolation and loneliness on later-life cognitive function. It shows that reducing social isolation is associated with modest but meaningful protection against cognitive decline, with loneliness mediating only a small proportion of this effect.

17 Dec 2025

Lysophosphatidylcholines show gene-dependent effects in early Alzheimer’s disease

A new study presents robust evidence on the role of lysophosphatidylcholines (LPCs) in the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers discovered that LPCs-compounds that transport a variety of healthy fatty acids to the brain-either promote Alzheimer's or protect against it, depending on a person's genetics.

17 Dec 2025

Brief light-intensity exercise improves executive function and mood in children

In modern society, physical inactivity and sedentary behavior have become common issues globally. This trend is also growing among children, raising concerns for their mental and physical health.

17 Dec 2025

Combined physical frailty and depression may sharply raise dementia risk

Concurrent physical frailty and depression likely boost the risk of dementia in older people, with the interaction of these 2 factors alone contributing around 17% of the overall risk, suggest the findings of a large international study, published in the open access journal General Psychiatry.

16 Dec 2025

New research highlights the importance of social engagement for cognitive health

New research from the University of St Andrews has discovered a direct causal effect between social isolation and a faster decline in later- life cognitive function. Pathological cognitive decline is most often driven by Alzheimer's and related dementias.

16 Dec 2025

Study identifies a distinctive, measurable pattern of brain activity in children with ADHD

A new study suggests that children with ADHD may exhibit a distinctive, measurable pattern of brain activity that could reflect differences in neural efficiency.

15 Dec 2025

Cognitive Function News and Research

Further Reading

Older adults' driving habits may provide early warning signs of cognitive decline or dementia

Nitrate source matters more than nitrate amount

Olive oil type matters for cognition and gut health in older adults

Brain structure changes linked to adaptability decline in aging adults

Super agers' resilience against Alzheimer's disease linked to protective gene variant

Restoring brain energy balance reverses advanced Alzheimer’s disease in mouse models

Simple drug treatments could help older brains cope with memory decline and postoperative recovery

Two isoforms of a cellular energy sensor play distinct, opposing roles in Alzheimer's disease

Integrated neural probes reveal dopaminergic control of sleep-wake transitions

Understanding sevoflurane-induced neurogenesis inhibition and cognitive dysfunction in children

Targeting CSE enzyme may offer new pathways for Alzheimer’s treatment

Restoring brain energy balance reverses Alzheimer’s disease in mouse models

Unlocking sleep-wake secrets with dual brain signal analysis

Everyday light exposure shapes how alert and mentally sharp we feel outside the lab

Social isolation emerges as a key, independent risk factor for cognitive decline

Lysophosphatidylcholines show gene-dependent effects in early Alzheimer’s disease

Brief light-intensity exercise improves executive function and mood in children

Combined physical frailty and depression may sharply raise dementia risk

New research highlights the importance of social engagement for cognitive health

Study identifies a distinctive, measurable pattern of brain activity in children with ADHD

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