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.

Systematic review: Role of walnut consumption on cardiovascular risk factors

An updated systematic review from Harvard University examines 25 years of evidence for the role of walnut consumption on cardiovascular risk factors, including cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, and weight.

13 Jul 2018

Study: ‘Skinny fat’ may be important predictor of cognitive performance in older adults

A new study has found that "skinny fat" - the combination of low muscle mass and strength in the context of high fat mass - may be an important predictor of cognitive performance in older adults.

5 Jul 2018

Increase in marker of inflammation from mid to late life linked with dementia

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have added to evidence that rising and chronic inflammation as measured by a biomarker in the blood in middle and late age are linked to visible structural changes in the brains of people with poor cognition and dementia.

2 Jul 2018

Tau protein allows microtubules to grow and remain dynamic, shows study

A new study by researchers from Drexel University College of Medicine reverses the popular scientific dogma that the protein tau stabilizes microtubules within brain cells.

30 Jun 2018

Walnut consumption linked to lower prevalence of type 2 diabetes

A new epidemiological study representing more than 34,000 American adults suggests that those who consume walnuts may have about half the risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to adults who do not eat nuts.

27 Jun 2018

Researchers explore how hypertension impairs cognitive function

The squeeze high blood pressure puts on fragile blood vessels in the brain appears to disrupt a normal, protective process that balances the blood flowing to our brains with the activity of our resting neurons.

26 Jun 2018

Scientists use novel approach to uncover how brain networks interact to make word-choice decisions

Effective verbal communication depends on one's ability to retrieve and select the appropriate words to convey an intended meaning. For many, this process is instinctive, but for someone who has suffered a stroke or another type of brain damage, communicating even the most basic message can be arduous.

21 Jun 2018

Study hints at benefits of lifestyle interventions in reducing dementia risk

There is no treatment yet for dementia; but one day, a family doctor could prescribe a specific diet, an exercise regime, music or language lessons, or documentary discussion groups as treatments to ward off the disease.

19 Jun 2018

Link between frailty and mortality remains unchanged despite lower death rates, study finds

A study published today in Age and Ageing, the scientific journal of the British Geriatrics Society, found that despite death rates in the UK now being much lower than in the 1990s, the relationship between higher levels of frailty and mortality remains unchanged. Reduced mortality rates in older age appear to apply to those with little frailty, while older people with higher levels of frailty are not seeing a benefit.

18 Jun 2018

New discovery could have significant implications in brain aging and cancers

Scientists at the University of Sheffield have discovered what keeps the perfect balance of breaks and repairs in our DNA - something which could help improve the success of chemotherapy and combat neurodegeneration associated with aging.

13 Jun 2018

Combination of physical fitness and aortic stiffness explains rate of memory decline in older people

The rate of decline in certain aspects of memory may be explained by a combination of overall physical fitness and the stiffness of the central arteries, researchers from Swinburne's Centre for Human Psychopharmacology have found.

12 Jun 2018

Study: Immunization with beneficial bacteria can have long-lasting anti-inflammatory effects on the brain

Immunization with beneficial bacteria can have long-lasting anti-inflammatory effects on the brain, making it more resilient to the physical and behavioral effects of stress, according to new research by University of Colorado Boulder scientists.

7 Jun 2018

Lower sleep efficiency in people with diabetes and prediabetes associated with poorer cognitive function

A study published in the journal Acta Diabetologica reports that people with diabetes and prediabetes who have lower sleep efficiency – a measure of how much time in bed is actually spent sleeping – have poorer cognitive function than those with better sleep efficiency.

7 Jun 2018

'Saving appearance responses' particularly common in people with Alzheimer's disease

Dementia, in any form, is a heartbreaking disease that can take away one's thinking and judgement abilities before they pass. To save face, people with dementia often pretend to know answers to questions, even if they really don't.

6 Jun 2018

People with type 1 diabetes for decades show signs of mild drop in cognitive abilities

People who live with type 1 diabetes for very long duration show signs of mild decreases in cognitive abilities, primarily in memory, compared to those who don't have the disease, Joslin Diabetes Center researchers have shown.

5 Jun 2018

Psychologists show that depression accelerates brain aging

A new study from the University of Sussex has revealed an association between depression and faster brain aging.

24 May 2018

Early-life obesity linked to children's lower perceptual reasoning and working memory scores

A new study by Brown University epidemiologists found that children on the threshold of obesity or overweight in the first two years of life had lower perceptual reasoning and working memory scores than lean children when tested at ages five and eight. The study also indicated that IQ scores may be lower for higher-weight children.

23 May 2018

Novel drug prevents memory impairment in mice exposed to simulated deep space radiation

Planning a trip to Mars? You'll want to remember your anti-radiation pills. NASA and private space companies like SpaceX plan to send humans to the red planet within the next 15 years--but among the major challenges facing future crewed space missions is how to protect astronauts from the dangerous cosmic radiation of deep space.

22 May 2018

Combination of atrial fibrillation and carotid artery disease increases patient's risk of dementia

Atrial fibrillation patients who are diagnosed with carotid artery disease face higher risks for developing dementia, according to new research from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City.

14 May 2018

Simple walking test helps identify patients at high risk for postoperative cognitive dysfunction

The distance a patient can walk in 6-minutes before a heart operation may be a clue to whether that patient will develop problems with memory, concentration, and attention after the procedure, according to a study published online today in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.

10 May 2018