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.

People with longevity gene have improved brain skills

Scientists showed that people who have a variant of a longevity gene, called KLOTHO, have improved brain skills such as thinking, learning and memory regardless of their age, sex, or whether they have a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.

12 May 2014

Mice study shows specific energy source responsible for performing complex cognitive functions

New research suggests that certain types of brain cells may be "picky eaters," seeming to prefer one specific energy source over others.

9 May 2014

Finding has implications for understanding cognitive decline in degenerative diseases

New research suggests that certain types of brain cells may be "picky eaters," seeming to prefer one specific energy source over others. The finding has implications for understanding the cognitive decline seen in aging and degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis.

8 May 2014

Study finds premature menopause associated with long-term negative effects on cognitive function

Premature menopause is associated with long-term negative effects on cognitive function, suggests a new study published today (7 May) in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (BJOG).

8 May 2014

Study shows cognitive deficits, structural differences in brains of school-age children born late preterm

The brains of children who were born just a few weeks early differ from those born on time, and these differences may affect learning and behavior, according to a study to be presented Monday, May 5, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

6 May 2014

FABP5 protein enhances cognitive function

Case Western Reserve researchers have discovered that a protein previously implicated in disease plays such a positive role in learning and memory that it may someday contribute to cures of cognitive impairments.

5 May 2014

Severe diabetes linked to brain atrophy

Type 2 diabetes may be associated with brain degeneration, according to a new multicenter study published online in the journal Radiology. The study also found that, contrary to common clinical belief, diabetes may not be directly associated with small vessel ischemic disease, where the brain does not receive enough oxygenated blood.

29 Apr 2014

Strategy-based cognitive training has potential to enhance cognitive performance

Strategy-based cognitive training has the potential to enhance cognitive performance and spill over to real-life benefit according to a data-driven perspective article by the Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas published in the open-access journal Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience.

29 Apr 2014

Physical activity reduces hippocampal atrophy in elders at genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease

A study of older adults at increased risk for Alzheimer's disease shows that moderate physical activity may protect brain health and stave off shrinkage of the hippocampus- the brain region responsible for memory and spatial orientation that is attacked first in Alzheimer's disease.

25 Apr 2014

Sleeping more than 8 hours favours development of cognitive impairment in people over 65

Sleeping more than 8 hours and less than 6 and the lack of cognitive stimulation such as reading favours the development of cognitive impairment in people over 65. This is the main conclusion of a study carried out by researchers from the Department of Pharmacy at the University CEU Cardenal Herrera and pharmacists in the Valencian Region (Spain).

23 Apr 2014

Researchers investigate impact of nutrition in resource-poor regions on infant brain development

Brain activity of babies in developing countries could be monitored from birth to reveal the first signs of cognitive dysfunction, using a new technique piloted by a London-based university collaboration.

22 Apr 2014

Dopamine replacement therapy linked with decline in depressed Parkinson patients' cognitive function

A group of scientists from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine and the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging has found interesting new information in a study on depression and neuropsychological function in Parkinson's disease (PD).

19 Apr 2014

Researchers examine relationship between vitamin D deficiency and cognitive impairment

Vitamin D deficiency and cognitive impairment are common in older adults, but there isn't a lot of conclusive research into whether there's a relationship between the two.

16 Apr 2014

Taking care of grandkids one day a week helps keep grandmothers mentally sharp, shows study

Taking care of grandkids one day a week helps keep grandmothers mentally sharp, finds a study from the Women's Healthy Aging Project study in Australia, published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS).

9 Apr 2014

African Americans are at higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease than white population

A new study by researchers at Rush University Medical Center reviews research that suggests that the risk for developing Alzheimer's disease among older African Americans may be two to three times greater than in the non-Hispanic white population and that they differ from the non-Hispanic white population in risk factors and disease manifestation.

8 Apr 2014

Ketamine offers novel treatment for patients with severe depression

New data show ketamine (a drug widely used for anaesthesia and pain relief) has a rapid antidepressant effect in some patients with severe depression. The first UK study of ketamine intravenous infusions in people with treatment-resistant depression was conducted by the Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Oxford.

3 Apr 2014

Cognitive Function News and Research

Further Reading

People with longevity gene have improved brain skills

Mice study shows specific energy source responsible for performing complex cognitive functions

Finding has implications for understanding cognitive decline in degenerative diseases

Study finds premature menopause associated with long-term negative effects on cognitive function

Study shows cognitive deficits, structural differences in brains of school-age children born late preterm

FABP5 protein enhances cognitive function

Severe diabetes linked to brain atrophy

Strategy-based cognitive training has potential to enhance cognitive performance

Physical activity reduces hippocampal atrophy in elders at genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease

Sleeping more than 8 hours favours development of cognitive impairment in people over 65

Researchers investigate impact of nutrition in resource-poor regions on infant brain development

Dopamine replacement therapy linked with decline in depressed Parkinson patients' cognitive function

Researchers examine relationship between vitamin D deficiency and cognitive impairment

Taking care of grandkids one day a week helps keep grandmothers mentally sharp, shows study

African Americans are at higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease than white population

Ketamine offers novel treatment for patients with severe depression

Sleep fragmentation, poor sleep quality associated with decline in executive function

Young adults with cardiac risk factors have worse cognitive function in middle age

Cogstate's cognition test to play key role in A4 trial for Alzheimer’s disease

Two new risk loci for bipolar disorder identified

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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