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 brain's immune cells may prevent or reduce severity of Alzheimer's disease

Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Research Institute researchers have published two new studies in Neuron that describe how TREM2, a receptor found on immune cells in the brain, interacts with toxic amyloid beta proteins to restore neurological function.

8 Mar 2018

People 85 and older with high cholesterol have reduced risk for cognitive decline, study reports

People aged 85 and older whose total cholesterol had increased from their levels at midlife had a reduced risk for marked cognitive decline, compared with those a decade younger whose cholesterol was similarly elevated, Mount Sinai researchers report in a new study.

6 Mar 2018

Study reveals negative effect of hemodialysis on the brain of elderly patients

A new study reveals that hemodialysis may reduce blood flow to the brain in older patients being treated for kidney failure.

2 Mar 2018

Receptors crucial for establishing strong memories

When we create a memory, a pattern of connections forms between neurons in the brain. New work from UC Davis shows how these connections can be strengthened or weakened at a molecular level. The study is published Feb. 27 in the journal Cell Reports.

27 Feb 2018

Study finds lower intellectual functioning in kids with chronic kidney disease

Children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) may have lower intellectual functioning compared with the general population, with mild deficits across academic skills, executive function, and visual and verbal memory.

24 Feb 2018

Early life exposure to green space could have beneficial effects on cognitive function

Primary schoolchildren who have been raised in homes surrounded by more greenspace tend to present with larger volumes of white and grey matter in certain areas of the brain.

23 Feb 2018

Blood or marrow transplantation survivors have higher risk of cognitive impairment

Allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation recipients are at a significantly higher risk of cognitive impairment in the years post-transplantation, according to a study published in Journal of Clinical Oncology.

20 Feb 2018

Deletion of specific enzyme leads to improvement in memory and cognitive functions

A new study in mice has made a possible breakthrough in Alzheimer’s research. The team of researchers at the Cleveland Clinic has noted that deleting a single enzyme can reverse the deposition of harmful plaques in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. This could improve cognitive functions as demonstrated in lab mice. The study appeared this week in the latest issue of the Journal of Experimental Medicine.

17 Feb 2018

Mice study raises hope to successfully treat Alzheimer's disease

A team of researchers from the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute have found that gradually depleting an enzyme called BACE1 completely reverses the formation of amyloid plaques in the brains of mice with Alzheimer's disease, thereby improving the animals' cognitive function.

14 Feb 2018

Higher levels of lifestyle physical activity linked to more gray matter in older adults’ brains

Higher levels of lifestyle physical activity – such as house cleaning, walking a dog and gardening, as well as exercise – are associated with more gray matter in the brains of older adults, according to a study by researchers at Rush University Medical Center.

14 Feb 2018

Four-pronged approach can lead to healthy aging for older adults

Want to live a long and healthy life? Of course. Well, that's not going to just happen. It'll take some effort – especially if you're already 65 or older.

13 Feb 2018

Food preservative improves symptoms in antipsychotic-resistant schizophrenia patients

The common food preservative sodium benzoate improves symptoms in clozapine-resistant schizophrenia patients, according to a new study published in Biological Psychiatry.

1 Feb 2018

Inhaled carbon dioxide triggers group of neurons responsible for arousal

Breathing too much carbon dioxide can be deadly, but it can happen during sleep if a particular sleeping position causes an obstructed airway or because of a medical condition like sleep apnea.

30 Jan 2018

The effects of Huntington’s disease can be seen as early as conception, finds new study

In a breakthrough study, scientists at the Rockefeller University have observed the effects of Huntington’s disease in neurons as early as conception.

30 Jan 2018

Researchers reverse symptoms associated with Rett syndrome in mouse model

It is a parent's nightmare: a child is born apparently healthy, then stops meeting developmental milestones at one year old. Her verbal and motor skills vanish, and irregular breathing, seizures, and a host of other problems appear.

29 Jan 2018

Enhanced lifestyle counselling could protect against Alzheimer’s disease, finds new study

Enhanced lifestyle counselling could prevent cognitive decline in people who are genetically predisposed to develop Alzheimer’s disease, finds new study.

29 Jan 2018

Aerobic exercise may improve cognitive symptoms in older adults at risk for AD

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a brain disorder that destroys memory and thinking skills over time. It is the most common form of dementia in older adults.

27 Jan 2018

MIND diet shows potential to slow cognitive decline in stroke survivors

A diet created by researchers at Rush University Medical Center may help substantially slow cognitive decline in stroke survivors, according to preliminary research presented on Jan. 25, at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2018 in Los Angeles.

25 Jan 2018

Findings provide better understanding of cognitive inflexibility in Fragile X Syndrome

Mice with the genetic defect that causes Fragile X syndrome (FXS) learn and remember normally, but show an inability to learn new information that contradicts what they initially learned, shows a new study by a team of neuroscientists.

22 Jan 2018

Worsening of anxiety symptoms may be early indicator of Alzheimer's disease

A new study suggests an association between elevated amyloid beta levels and the worsening of anxiety symptoms. The findings support the hypothesis that neuropsychiatric symptoms could represent the early manifestation of Alzheimer's disease in older adults.

12 Jan 2018