Researchers have discovered that there may be a “brain factor” among older adults that causes them to struggle to hear in the midst of background noise. In an interdisciplinary study published by the Journal of Neurophysiology, researchers Samira Anderson, Jonathan Z. Simon, and Alessandro Presacco found that adults aged 61–73 with normal hearing scored significantly… Continue reading The Brain Factor in Hearing
Tag: brain
Hope for Coma Patients
UCLA researchers have discovered how to “jump start” a brain after an injury, They say that a 25-year-old man recovering from a coma has made remarkable progress following the treatment. The technique uses sonic stimulation to excite the neurons in the thalamus, an egg-shaped structure that serves as the brain’s central hub for processing information.… Continue reading Hope for Coma Patients
Found: Important Clue to Development of Alzheimer’s
Researchers have discovered a gene signature in healthy brains that echoes the pattern in which Alzheimer’s disease spreads through the brain. The findings, published in the journal Science Advances, could help uncover the molecular origins of this devastating disease, and may be used to develop preventative treatments for at-risk individuals to be taken well before… Continue reading Found: Important Clue to Development of Alzheimer’s
Exercise Improves Brain as Well as Body
Researchers have discovered that regular physical activity for older adults could lead to higher brain volumes and a reduced risk for developing dementia. The investigators, from UCLA, found that physical activity particularly affected the size of the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain controlling short-term memory. Also, the protective effect of regular physical… Continue reading Exercise Improves Brain as Well as Body
Compensating for Hearing Loss
Scientists know that as people age, they compensate for hearing loss by tapping into other areas of the brain. But now, it’s becoming clearer how – and where – this compensation takes place. The findings were published in the journal Nature Communications. The background: As people age, their peripheral and central auditory system (areas of… Continue reading Compensating for Hearing Loss
Stress and Diabetes: What’s the Link?
Researchers have found a link between emotional stress and diabetes, with roots in the brain’s ability to control anxiety. That control lies with the brain’s executive functions, processes that handle attention, inhibition, working memory and cognitive flexibility and are also involved in reasoning, problem-solving and planning. The study by Rice University researchers, published in Psychoneuroendocrinology,… Continue reading Stress and Diabetes: What’s the Link?
The Brain and Our Habits
Researchers have now demonstrated what happens in the brain for habits to control behavior, and the finding could lead to new treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder and addictions. The study, published in Neuron, was led by Christina Gremel, assistant professor of psychology at the University of California San Diego, who began the work as a postdoctoral… Continue reading The Brain and Our Habits
A New Parkinson’s Discovery
Because billions of neurons are packed into our brain, the neuronal circuits that are responsible for controlling our behaviors are by necessity highly intermingled. This tangled web makes it complicated for scientists to determine exactly which circuits do what. Now, using two laboratory techniques pioneered in part at Caltech, Caltech researchers have mapped out the… Continue reading A New Parkinson’s Discovery
More Exercise May Reduce Memory Loss
Older people who are physically active have larger gray matter volume in key brain areas responsible for memory and cognition, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UCLA. The findings, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, showed also that people who had Alzheimer’s disease or… Continue reading More Exercise May Reduce Memory Loss
What Events Do We Recall Best?
When it comes to memory, we’re likelier to recall the things that may help us in the future, according to new research from the University of California, Davis, Center for Neuroscience. The finding was published in the journal Neuron. “Rewards help you remember things, because you want future rewards,” said Professor Charan Ranganath, a UC… Continue reading What Events Do We Recall Best?
Your Brain Might Be Secretly Thwarting Your New Year’s Resolutions
The human brain is wired to pay attention to previously pleasing things — a finding that could help explain why it’s hard to break bad habits or stick to New Year’s resolutions. In the February 2016 issue of Current Biology, Johns Hopkins University neuroscientists demonstrate for the first time that when people see something associated with… Continue reading Your Brain Might Be Secretly Thwarting Your New Year’s Resolutions
Why Are Bad Habits So Hard to Break?
We’ve all berated ourselves for our failure to break our bad habits. But as it turns out, there might be a neurological reason for that. New research by Duke University scientists suggests that a habit leaves a lasting mark on specific circuits in the brain, priming us to feed our cravings. Published online Jan. 21… Continue reading Why Are Bad Habits So Hard to Break?
Mentally Challenging Activities Key to A Healthy Aging Mind
Although evidence indicates that engaging in enriching activities may help maintain cognitive vitality, researchers haven’t really understood why – until now. The study was reported in Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience. Investigators at the University of Texas at Dallas proposed that only tasks that involved sustained mental effort and challenge would facilitate cognitive function. Senior author… Continue reading Mentally Challenging Activities Key to A Healthy Aging Mind
Proteins and Brain Atrophy
Some proteins that circulate in the blood are associated with brain atrophy, researchers have found, and the discovery could be used in Alzheimer’s-related tests in the future. A newly reported study, led by Liana Apostolova, M.D., Barbara and Peer Baekgaard Professor of Alzheimer’s Disease Research at the Indiana University School of Medicine, is believed to… Continue reading Proteins and Brain Atrophy
Genes in The Brain May Affect Aging “Body Clocks”
The circadian rhythm of gene activity changes with aging, according to a study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School. The finding was based on an investigation of thousands of genes from nearly 150 human brains. The discovery, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, also suggests that a novel… Continue reading Genes in The Brain May Affect Aging “Body Clocks”
This is Your Brain on Marijuana
Several studies have demonstrated that the primary active constituent of cannabis, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (?9-THC), induces transient psychosis-like effects in healthy subjects similar to those observed in schizophrenia. However, the mechanisms underlying these effects are not clear. A new study, published in December 2015 in the journal Biological Psychiatry, reports that ?9-THC increases random neural activity, termed… Continue reading This is Your Brain on Marijuana
A Protein May Help Fight Aging Memory
Investigators have discovered an interesting way that may improve memory and learning in aging brains: by increasing the quantity of a protein in nerve cells. The study, led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System (VA) and University of California (UC) San Diego School of Medicine, was published… Continue reading A Protein May Help Fight Aging Memory
Anxiety: Is It “All In Your Head?”
Everyone suffers from anxiety occasionally. And it’s not always a bad thing. Anxiety before a test, for example, can help us study harder. If we want to do well on a job interview, we’ll be spurred to do our homework on our prospective employer. But it’s a problem if anxiety becomes so exaggerated or severe… Continue reading Anxiety: Is It “All In Your Head?”