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.

Topiramate drug curbs marijuana use among young smokers, but with serious side effects

Combining the drug topiramate with psychological counseling curbed marijuana use among young smokers significantly more than did counseling alone, according to newly published results of a small randomized, controlled trial at Brown University. The results come with a caveat, however: many study volunteers couldn't tolerate the medicine's side effects.

18 Jan 2016

Does cancer affect memory? An interview with Associate Professor Janette Vardy

The study evaluated cognitive function in patients with colorectal cancer. It characterized the incidence and severity of cognitive impairment in people with colorectal cancer (CRC) compared to healthy controls.

7 Jan 2016

Easy-to-follow MIND diet helps lower Alzheimer's risk

A diet created, studied and reported on by researchers at Rush University Medical Center has been ranked the easiest diet to follow and the second best overall diet (tying in both categories) for 2016 by U.S. News & World Report.

6 Jan 2016

Scientists identify genes linked to human intelligence

Scientists from Imperial College London have identified for the first time two clusters of genes linked to human intelligence.

22 Dec 2015

Study: Weight loss due to dietary changes can improve sleep at any body weight

Weight loss due to dietary changes can improve sleepiness at any weight, says a study published by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania this month in the journal Sleep. The findings offer new insights into how weight fluctuations impact numerous aspects of sleep independent of body weight.

17 Dec 2015

Understanding how thought arises from brain structure

Using 20 years of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from tens of thousands of brain imaging experiments, computational neuroscientists Hava Siegelmann and a postdoctoral colleague at the University of Massachusetts have created a geometry-based method for massive data analysis to reach a new understanding of how thought arises from brain structure.

17 Dec 2015

Researcher presents quantitative model of electrical cascades activated in the brain during perceptual tasks

The word 'avalanche' is generally associated with violent and unexpected events -- such as rockslides, or the sudden collapse of unstable drifts of snow. But in brain research, avalanches -- intermittent cascades of electrical activity -- are everyday occurrences that are not only peaceful, but actually reflect stability.

17 Dec 2015

Major clinical trial launched to test ways to slow or halt mental decline in seniors

Some decline in memory and cognitive function is a normal part of aging, but what if it could be prevented? Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Washington University in St. Louis have launched a major clinical trial to investigate whether mental decline in seniors can be slowed or halted through exercise and other health-related interventions.

16 Dec 2015

Benefits of early dementia diagnosis may lead to challenging issues, new study shows

A new epidemiologic study showed that patients with early stage dementia, who had been referred to a specialist, have twice the risk of institutionalization compared to those who are not, according to a research study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease this month.

11 Dec 2015

New heart failure drug may increase patients' risk of Alzheimer's disease, macular degeneration

Patients with mild heart failure stand to benefit from a new drug that can halt the progression of their disease and reduce their risk of cardiovascular-related death. But the drug -- a tablet that combines the agents valsartan and sacubitril, sold under the trade name Entresto by drugmaker Novartis -- may be too good to be true, according to Arthur M. Feldman, MD, PhD, Executive Dean of the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Chief Academic Officer of the Temple University Health System, and Laura H. Carnell Professor of Medicine at LKSOM.

10 Dec 2015

Two UK studies reveal apparent increase in healthy ageing, less severe disability

Two studies conducted 20 years apart in England reveal an apparent increase in healthy ageing, or years lived healthily, reflecting less cognitive impairment; and an increase in the proportion of life lived healthily, through a larger proportion of years lived with disability but less rather than more severe disability.

10 Dec 2015

Tetra begins human Phase 1 safety trials of BPN14770

Tetra Discovery Partners today announced that the company has initiated human Phase 1 safety trials of its lead compound BPN14770, which Tetra is developing as a potential treatment to both improve memory and slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

9 Dec 2015

Patients suffering from diabetic foot have significantly impaired cognitive function

In a first-time study, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev researchers revealed a new finding in people with diabetes who suffer from "diabetic foot." Patients with this condition also have significantly impaired cognitive function.

8 Dec 2015

Taking estriol along with conventional medications helps RRMS patients avoid relapses

Taking the pregnancy hormone estriol along with their conventional medications helped patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) avoid relapses, according to results of a Phase II randomized, placebo-controlled study led by UCLA researchers.

1 Dec 2015

Low levels of BRCA1 protein in the brain linked to dementia

Mutant forms of breast cancer factor 1 (BRCA1) are associated with breast and ovarian cancers but according to new findings, in the brain the normal BRCA1 gene product may also be linked to Alzheimer's disease. The results, published in Nature Communications, suggest that low levels of BRCA1 protein in the brain may contribute to dementia.

1 Dec 2015

Air evacuations may pose significant added risk to patients with traumatic brain injury

Over the past 15 years, more than 330,000 U.S. soldiers have suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI). It is one of the leading causes of death and disability connected to the country's recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Many of these patients were evacuated by air from these countries to Europe and the U.S. for further treatment. In general, these patients were flown quickly to hospitals outside the battle zone, where more extensive treatment was available.

1 Dec 2015

Lack of direct parental care affects brain development in left-behind children

Researchers in China have found that children who have been left without direct parental care for extended periods of time show larger gray matter volumes in the brain, according to a study being presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

30 Nov 2015

Physical exercise can enhance development of new brain cells

Exercise can enhance the development of new brain cells in the adult brain, a process called adult neurogenesis. These newborn brain cells play an important role in learning and memory. A new study has determined that mice that spent time running on wheels not only developed twice the normal number of new neurons, but also showed an increased ability to distinguish new objects from familiar objects.

25 Nov 2015

Brain protein identifies presence of nerve fiber damage

Physicians and others now recognize that seemingly mild, concussion-type head injuries lead to long-term cognitive impairments surprisingly often. A brain protein called SNTF, which rises in the blood after some concussions, signals the type of brain damage that is thought to be the source of these cognitive impairments, according to a study led by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.

24 Nov 2015

Exercise can impact cortical thickness in older adults with mild cognitive impairment

Older adults that improved their fitness through a moderate intensity exercise program increased the thickness of their brain's cortex, the outer layer of the brain that typically atrophies with Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study from the University of Maryland School of Public Health.

20 Nov 2015

Cognitive Function News and Research

Further Reading

Topiramate drug curbs marijuana use among young smokers, but with serious side effects

Does cancer affect memory? An interview with Associate Professor Janette Vardy

Easy-to-follow MIND diet helps lower Alzheimer's risk

Scientists identify genes linked to human intelligence

Study: Weight loss due to dietary changes can improve sleep at any body weight

Understanding how thought arises from brain structure

Researcher presents quantitative model of electrical cascades activated in the brain during perceptual tasks

Major clinical trial launched to test ways to slow or halt mental decline in seniors

Benefits of early dementia diagnosis may lead to challenging issues, new study shows

New heart failure drug may increase patients' risk of Alzheimer's disease, macular degeneration

Two UK studies reveal apparent increase in healthy ageing, less severe disability

Tetra begins human Phase 1 safety trials of BPN14770

Patients suffering from diabetic foot have significantly impaired cognitive function

Taking estriol along with conventional medications helps RRMS patients avoid relapses

Low levels of BRCA1 protein in the brain linked to dementia

Air evacuations may pose significant added risk to patients with traumatic brain injury

Lack of direct parental care affects brain development in left-behind children

Physical exercise can enhance development of new brain cells

Brain protein identifies presence of nerve fiber damage

Exercise can impact cortical thickness in older adults with mild cognitive impairment

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

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