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.

Corvalen M introduced for treatment of fibromyalgia symptoms

Fibromyalgia affects as many as one in 50 Americans, 90 percent of whom are women. Yet, despite its nearly epidemic status, patients still often rely on pharmaceutical options solely for treatment. That's why Bioenergy Life Science, Inc. has introduced Corvalen M, a natural treatment option for fibromyalgia symptoms.

28 May 2010

UCSF scientists discover new stem cell in developing human brain

UCSF scientists have discovered a new stem cell in the developing human brain. The cell produces nerve cells that help form the neocortex - the site of higher cognitive function -- and likely accounts for the dramatic expansion of the region in the lineages that lead to man, the researchers say.

26 May 2010

Increasing levels of GGA3 protein prevent accumulation of enzyme linked to Alzheimer's disease

Researchers at Tufts University School of Medicine have zeroed in on a protein that may play a role in the progression of Alzheimer's disease. The team found that increasing levels of the protein (called GGA3) prevented the accumulation of an enzyme linked to Alzheimer's. The strategy may lead to new treatments for the neurodegenerative disease.

26 May 2010

Non-adherence to medication increases risk of falling in older adults

Older adults increase their chances of falling by not taking their medications as directed, according to an article in the latest edition of the Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological and Medical Sciences (Volume 65A, Number 5). This new information comes from a recent study of Boston-area residents over age 70, which found that those who sometimes neglected their medications experienced a 50 percent increased rate of falls compared with those who did not.

20 May 2010

Study confirms inverse association of increase in BMI with lower brain volumes

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine determined that excess abdominal fat places otherwise healthy, middle-aged people at risk for dementia later in life. Preliminary findings suggest a relationship between obesity and dementia that could lead to promising prevention strategies in the future. Results of this study are published early online in Annals of Neurology, a journal of the American Neurological Association.

20 May 2010

Targacept commences Phase 2 clinical proof of concept trial of TC-5619 in adults with ADHD

Targacept, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel NNR Therapeutics (TM), today announced that it has initiated a Phase 2 clinical proof of concept trial of TC-5619 in adults with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). TC-5619 is a novel small molecule that is highly selective for the alpha7 neuronal nicotinic receptor, which Targacept refers to as NNR, and was discovered by Targacept scientists using Targacept's proprietary drug discovery platform known as Pentad (TM).

19 May 2010

Study examines impact of APOE ε4 on cognitive function, brain anatomy in AD patients

In the most comprehensive study to date, neurologists have clearly identified significant differences in the ways that Alzheimer's disease affects patients with and without the apolipoprotein E ε4 gene, a known genetic risk factor for the neurodegenerative disease, using a combination of cognitive and neuroanatomic measures. The study found that this gene influences the way the disease manifests, even at its mildest clinical stages.

19 May 2010

Adults with SCA show poorer performance on neurocognitive tests: Study

Compared with a group of healthy study participants, adults with sickle cell anemia showed poorer performance on neurocognitive tests, which was associated with anemia and age, according to a study in the May 12 issue of JAMA.

13 May 2010

Music enhances new learning of information in AD patients

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have shown that patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are better able to remember new verbal information when it is provided in the context of music even when compared to healthy, older adults. The findings, which currently appear on-line in Neuropsychologia, offer possible applications in treating and caring for patients with AD.

13 May 2010

Study confirms Resveratrol's impact on cognitive processes of the brain

The subject of extensive studies across the world, Resveratrol is proving to be a major talking point in the scientific community. And as evidence comes to light of the continuing beneficial effects of this compound, a further study by the University of Northumbria in the UK has confirmed what many scientists already believe to be the case - that Resveratrol could have a significant impact on the cognitive processes of the human brain.

12 May 2010

Adult patients with sickle cell disease may develop cognitive problems: Study

Sickle cell disease may affect brain function in adults who have few or mild complications of the inherited blood disease, according to results of the first study to examine cognitive functioning in adults with sickle cell disease.

12 May 2010

Phase IIb study of EVP-6124 initiated in patients with Alzheimer's disease

EnVivo Pharmaceuticals today announced the initiation and dosing of patients in a Phase IIb study of its EVP-6124 compound, a selective alpha-7 nicotinic agonist in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.

12 May 2010

Transition Therapeutics reports increased revenue in third-quarter 2010

Transition Therapeutics Inc., a product-focused biopharmaceutical company developing therapeutics for disease indications with large markets, today announced its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2010.

11 May 2010

Algal DHA improves memory function in healthy aging adults: MIDAS

The Memory Improvement with Docosahexaenoic acid Study published online this week in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association showed that algal DHA improved memory function in healthy aging adults, providing a benefit roughly equivalent to having the learning and memory skills of someone three years younger.

4 May 2010

New research contradicts studies on adolescents’ risk-taking behavior

Conventional wisdom holds that adolescents are susceptible to drug use and other risk-taking behavior. However, a one-size-fits-all approach to curbing these behaviors likely will be unsuccessful, according to research to be presented Monday, May 3 at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

4 May 2010

Targacept, AstraZeneca expand TC-5619 development program to include ADHD, Alzheimer's disease

Targacept, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel NNR Therapeutics (TM), today announced an amendment to its 2005 collaboration agreement with AstraZeneca expanding the TC-5619 development program. In addition to the current development of TC-5619 in cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia (CDS), the amended terms provide for parallel development in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and potentially Alzheimer's disease.

3 May 2010

Panel finds insufficient evidence to support preventive measures for cognitive decline, Alzheimer's disease

Many preventive measures for cognitive decline and for preventing Alzheimer's disease-mental stimulation, exercise, and a variety of dietary supplements-have been studied over the years. However, an independent panel convened this week by the National Institutes of Health determined that the value of these strategies for delaying the onset and/or reducing the severity of decline or disease hasn't been demonstrated in rigorous studies.

29 Apr 2010

FIESTY acronym to improve cognitive function, reduce chances of developing dementia

As researchers learn more about how we age, they're finding that genetics are only half of the story when it comes to developing Alzheimer's disease.

28 Apr 2010

Regular exercise speeds learning, improves blood flow to the brain: Study

Regular exercise speeds learning and improves blood flow to the brain, according to a new study led by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine that is the first to examine these relationships in a non-human primate model. The findings are available in the journal Neuroscience.

27 Apr 2010

The Frost Group agrees to make investment in ChromaDex

ChromaDex Corporation, a natural products chemistry company which provides novel and innovative ingredients to the dietary supplement, food, beverage and cosmetic markets, announced today The Frost Group, LLC, led by Miami entrepreneur and billionaire Dr. Phillip Frost, has agreed to make an investment in ChromaDex.

26 Apr 2010