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.

FIGO takes stand on human exposure to toxic chemicals

Dramatic increases in exposure to toxic chemicals in the last four decades are threatening human reproduction and health, according to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), the first global reproductive health organization to take a stand on human exposure to toxic chemicals.

1 Oct 2015

Study explores how the human brain contributes to success

Discoveries about how the human brain contributes to our success - both as a species and as individuals - are among the first fruit of projects funded under the National Institutes of Health BRAIN Initiative program as well as the Human Connectome Project.

30 Sep 2015

New study heightens concerns over detrimental impact of air pollution on gene associated with AD risk

A new study by researchers at the Universities of Montana, Valle de México, Boise State, and North Carolina, the Centro de Ciencias de la Atmósfera, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, and Centro Médico Cozumel heightens concerns over the detrimental impact of air pollution on hippocampal metabolites as early markers of neurodegeneration in young urbanites carrying an allele 4 of the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE).

26 Sep 2015

Brain health: how can you reduce cognitive decline? An interview with Heather Snyder, Ph.D.

Reader’s Digest and the Alzheimer’s Association partnered to survey approximately 1,600 people in May 2015 about their brain health and their knowledge of how lifestyle habits affect cognitive decline and dementia.

22 Sep 2015

$Common Alzheimer's disease drug increases bone density, reduces fracture risks$

Common Alzheimer's disease drug increases bone density, reduces fracture risks

The most common drug used to treat Alzheimer's disease increases bone mass in mice, according to one of the first research articles published in the new open access journal Heliyon. The authors of the study, from Saitama Medical University in Japan, say this means the drug could also be used to treat bone loss diseases like osteoporosis and periodontitis, following further clinical research.

21 Sep 2015

Cardiovascular disease morbidity is significantly reduced through intensive management of blood pressure

According to initial results of a multi-site landmark study, led by Dominic Raj, M.D., at the George Washington University (GW) site, cardiovascular disease morbidity is significantly reduced through intensive management of high blood pressure.

15 Sep 2015

UT Southwestern researchers part of study that shows effectiveness of intensive blood pressure management

More intensive management of high blood pressure, below a commonly recommended blood pressure target, significantly reduces rates of cardiovascular disease, and lowers risk of death in a group of adults 50 years and older with high blood pressure, a National Institutes of Health study involving UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers shows.

14 Sep 2015

Multiple IV administration of adipose-derived MSCs may extend healthy life and lifespan

Researchers in Korea have determined the possibility that adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) may extend healthy life and lifespan by intravenous injections.

28 Aug 2015

Omega-3 supplements fail to slow cognitive decline in older persons, NIH clinical study shows

While some research suggests that a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids can protect brain health, a large clinical trial by researchers at the National Institutes of Health found that omega-3 supplements did not slow cognitive decline in older persons. With 4,000 patients followed over a five-year period, the study is one of the largest and longest of its kind.

26 Aug 2015

Study shows significant link between macular pigment levels in the eye and cognitive function

Ongoing European Research Council-funded research at Waterford Institute of Technology's Macular Pigment Research Group is investigating the potential link between cognitive function and levels of a vital eye pigment linked to diet. The study suggests that measuring macular pigment offers potential as a biomarker of cognitive health

25 Aug 2015

UT Southwestern, NASA to study zero-gravity effects on the human brain in cancer patients

UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers, in conjunction with NASA, will take four volunteer cancer patients on a zero-gravity ride into the upper atmosphere to study why zero-gravity conditions on the International Space Station sometimes affect the vision of astronauts staying there for extended periods.

20 Aug 2015

MGH study reveals effects of combined radiation and chemotherapy on the brain tissue of glioblastoma patients

A study from Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center researchers - the first to examine the effects of combined radiation and chemotherapy on the healthy brain tissue of glioblastoma patients - reveals not only specific structural changes within patients' brains but also that the effect of cancer therapy on the normal brain appears to be progressive and continues even after radiation therapy has ceased.

18 Aug 2015

Adult IQ of children with very low birth weight can be predicted by age two

Research from the University of Warwick indicates that the IQ of adults born very premature or of very low birth weight can be predicted when they are just a toddler.

13 Aug 2015

FDA accepts sNDA to review Brintellix clinical trial data for treatment of major depressive disorder

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Takeda) and H. Lundbeck A/S (Lundbeck) announced today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted a supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for review to add clinical data regarding the effect of Brintellix (vortioxetine) on certain aspects of cognitive function in adults with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) to the current product label.

11 Aug 2015

Aging adults who follow MIND diet can delay cognitive decline

While cognitive abilities naturally diminish as part of the normal aging process, it may be possible to take a bite out of this expected decline.

5 Aug 2015

Natural protein fragment produced in the brain can inhibit enzyme implicated in Alzheimer's disease

For the first time, UCLA researchers have shown that a natural protein fragment produced in the brain can act as an inhibitor of a key enzyme implicated in the onset of Alzheimer's disease, a finding that could lead to the development of new drugs to treat the disease.

30 Jul 2015

Possible link discovered between common medications and falls in older men

Serious falls are more than twice as likely in older men who take medicines with anti-cholinergic properties - according to new research from the University of East Anglia.

29 Jul 2015

New Iowa State study finds strong link between insulin resistance and increased Alzheimer's disease risk

The fact that obesity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and some cancers is well known. But a new Iowa State University study adds to the growing evidence that memory loss should also be a top concern.

28 Jul 2015

Einstein-Montefiore researchers to present multiple findings at Alzheimer's Association International Conference

Investigators at Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University will present multiple findings at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference, taking place July 18-23 in Washington, D.C. Research topics include risk factors for developing amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI)—a condition characterized by memory problems, and is most often a precursor of Alzheimer's dementia.

16 Jul 2015

Researchers identify gene that underlies thinking skills

An international team of researchers, including investigators from the University of Mississippi Medical Center, has identified a gene that underlies healthy information processing -- a first step on a complicated road to understand cognitive aging and age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease.