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.

Boosting the number of neurons improves learning and memory of old mice

We all will experience it at some point, unfortunately: The older we get the more our brains will find it difficult to learn and remember new things.

9 Jan 2020

Specific group of immune cells may influence Alzheimer’s disease

A new study has revealed that the immune system plays a crucial and previously unidentified role in Alzheimer's disease.

9 Jan 2020

Researchers evaluate the effect of intensive systolic blood pressure control in people aged 80 or older

The number of people who are 80-years-old and older is on the rise, and will account for nearly 10 percent of the whole U.S. population by 2050.

6 Jan 2020

Prenatal phthalate exposure may contribute to deficits in motor function in girls

Scientists at the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health (CCCEH) have uncovered a link between prenatal exposure to phthalates--a ubiquitous group of plasticizers and odor-enhancing chemicals--and deficits in motor function in girls.

6 Jan 2020

Exercise and a healthy lifestyle shown to reduce the risk of dementia

Research suggests that regular exercise not only improves heart health but can also slow down cognitive decline and potentially delay the onset of dementia.

3 Jan 2020

Study shows cardiorespiratory exercise is good for the brain's gray matter

Cardiorespiratory exercise -- walking briskly, running, biking and just about any other exercise that gets your heart pumping -- is good for your body, but can it also slow cognitive changes in your brain?

2 Jan 2020

Extending ‘healthspan’: Brain scientists tap into the secrets of living well longer

Retired state employees Vickey Benford, 63, and Joan Caldwell, 61, are Golden Rollers, a group of the over-50 set that gets out on assorted bikes — including trikes for adults they call "three wheels of awesome" — for an hour of trail riding and camaraderie.

2 Jan 2020

Developing brain vulnerable to HIV despite early treatment

A new study on how the HIV infection affects the development of intellect and other areas of brain development in children shows that early treatment doesn’t completely avert these negative outcomes. The paper, published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases shows that HIV in children can lead to impaired learning, reasoning and brain functioning.

18 Dec 2019

MSU study: Despite early treatment, HIV still attacks children’s brains

The vast majority of children living with HIV today are in sub-Saharan Africa. While early antiretroviral therapy, or ART, has ensured less deadly outcomes for children living with and exposed to HIV, studies show the virus still may affect the brain.

18 Dec 2019

Radiation-induced brain damage: new study reveals the mechanism

Following radiation therapy to the head for brain tumors, more than 80% of patients who live six months at least after the treatment report a loss of some cognitive functions such as memory, thinking and related tasks. Now a new study published in the journal Scientific Reports shows why this happens, which in turn could pave the way to correct this damage and protect the brain in future patients.

17 Dec 2019

Researchers identify factors impacting money management skills in MS patients

A team of rehabilitation researchers identified factors associated with the money management problems experienced by some individuals with multiple sclerosis.

17 Dec 2019

Study provides clues about how hydration affects cognitive performance in older adults

Not getting enough water is enough to make you feel sluggish and give you a headache, but a new Penn State study suggests it may also relate to cognitive performance.

12 Dec 2019

New study uncovers the genetic basis of memory

New research has uncovered the genetic basis for different functions of memory.

10 Dec 2019

Focus on treating just the heart jeopardizes health of elderly in cardiac intensive care units

Medical professionals have announced the need to change treatment of elderly patients in cardiac intensive care units.

9 Dec 2019

Aussies can have their health and eat meat too with new version of Mediterranean diet

Barbecued, stir-fried or roasted, there's no doubt that Aussies love their meat. Consuming on average nearly 100 kilograms of meat per person per year, Australians are among the top meat consumers worldwide.

9 Dec 2019

Study provides new insight into learning mechanisms of the cerebellum

In mere milliseconds trillions of chemical reactions ignite signals that travel across the billions of neurons in our brain. As we go through our daily lives and absorb new knowledge these neurons begin to modify themselves and change their signaling properties.

6 Dec 2019

Proteins circulating in the blood could help predict people's age

The carnival worker who tries to guess your age relies on aspects of your appearance, such as your posture and whether any wrinkles emanate from the corners of your eyes and lips. If the carny's guess is more than a few years off, you win a stuffed koala.

5 Dec 2019