Cognitive Function News and Research

RSS

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.

U.S. dementia cases expected to surge with aging population

A new study shows that the risk of developing dementia anytime after age 55 among Americans is 42%, more than double the risk reported by older studies.

13 Jan 2025

Could camembert cheese hold the key to better memory?

Myristamide enhances cognitive function and BDNF in mice, indicating Camembert cheese's potential in combating cognitive decline and supporting brain health.

9 Jan 2025

Study links glymphatic system damage to vascular dementia

A new study from the Keck School of Medicine of USC has tested a biomarker linked to vascular dementia across four separate groups and proposed an explanation for how cognitive impairment arises.

8 Jan 2025

Can nicotine improve cognitive function and inflammation in people with HIV?

Research indicates smoking may improve cognitive control in HIV-positive individuals by lowering brain inflammation, highlighting nicotine's potential benefits.

3 Jan 2025

Study reveals how societal inequities influence brain aging and dementia

Researchers from Trinity College Dublin have collaborated with international partners to explore if societal inequality affects our brain.

27 Dec 2024

A new link between brain health and mitochondrial function

New findings in mice have uncovered a crucial mechanism linking neuronal activity to mitochondrial function, researchers report, revealing a potential pathway to combat age-related cognitive decline. Mitochondria play a pivotal role in meeting the dynamic energy demands of neuronal activity, producing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) primarily via oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS).

19 Dec 2024

Social and mentally stimulating activities benefit cognitive function

It’s that time of the year when most of us get the chance to sit back and enjoy some well-deserved down time. But whether you reach for the TV controller, or a favourite book, your choice could have implications for your long-term brain health, say researchers at the University of South Australia.

19 Dec 2024

Study finds no link between antibiotic use and cognitive decline in older adults

For healthy older adults, using antibiotics is not associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment or dementia, according to a study published in the December 18, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

18 Dec 2024

Nutraceuticals: exploring potential benefits and challenges of an unregulated healthcare frontier

Nutraceuticals offer potential health benefits, from migraine relief to cognitive support, but safety and regulatory issues must be addressed for effective use.

18 Dec 2024

Pioneering study shows promising results for cognitive treatment in Down syndrome

The ICOD (Improving Condition in Down syndrome) project, a pioneering study in addressing the cognitive difficulties associated with Down syndrome, has demonstrated the safety of treatment with the molecule AEF0217, developed by the French biotech Aelis Farma, as well as its effectiveness in improving cognitive function in these people.

17 Dec 2024

Higher cardiorespiratory fitness improves cognitive function in older age

Higher cardiorespiratory fitness in older age is linked to the preservation of several core aspects of cognitive ability that are vulnerable to age-related decline, finds research published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

11 Dec 2024

How lifestyle and health shape your dementia risk

New RAND research identifies early predictors of cognitive impairment and dementia using a nationally representative U.S. dataset, highlighting the role of modifiable factors and baseline cognitive health in prevention and intervention strategies.

9 Dec 2024

Exercise enhances memory for up to 24 hours, study finds

The short-term boost our brains get after we do exercise persists throughout the following day, suggests a new study led by UCL (University College London) researchers.

9 Dec 2024

Mouse study links glyphosate to Alzheimer's-like brain changes and anxiety

Glyphosate exposure in mice exacerbates Alzheimer's-like neuropathologies, increases neuroinflammation, and leaves lasting effects, even after prolonged recovery.

9 Dec 2024

New brain stimulation trial aims to improve cognitive recovery from TBI

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability among young people in the United States and is the most devastating survivable injury in modern warfare, according to the University of Cincinnati's Ishita Basu.

9 Dec 2024

Early ovarian removal and APOE4 increase Alzheimer's risk in women

New research published by a team of researchers from the University of Toronto in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Alberta has found that women who have had both ovaries surgically removed before the age of 50 and carry a variant of the apolipoprotein gene, the APOE4 allele, are at high risk of late-life Alzheimer disease (AD). Use of hormone therapy mitigates this risk.

5 Dec 2024

Frontotemporal dementia disrupts empathy for pain, study reveals

Study reveals diminished brain activity related to empathy for pain in individuals with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), using task-based fMRI. Findings show a stark reduction in neural responses tied to affective empathy, highlighting early bvFTD impacts on social cognition.

5 Dec 2024