Cholinesterase inhibitors are a group of drugs recommended for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, but their effects on cognition have been debated and few studies have investigated their long-term effects. A new study involving researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and published in the journal Neurology shows persisting cognitive benefits and reduced mortality for up […]
Home »
DNA repair supports brain cognitive development
It’s a fact of life that things break down. And when they do, whether it’s your car, the roof, or a blocked artery, there are people who we can call to help with the repairs. A lesser known fact of life is that DNA also regularly breaks down and needs to be repaired. Researchers led […]
Plant compound reduces cognitive deficits in mouse model of Down syndrome
The plant compound apigenin improved the cognitive and memory deficits usually seen in a mouse model of Down syndrome, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions. Apigenin is found in chamomile flowers, parsley, celery, peppermint and citrus fruits. The researchers fed the compound to pregnant mice carrying […]
Insomnia, sleeping less than six hours may increase risk of cognitive impairment
Middle-aged adults who report symptoms of insomnia and are sleeping less than six hours a night may be at increased risk of cognitive impairment, according to a study by Penn State College of Medicine researchers. The results may help health care professionals understand which patients who report insomnia are at increased risk for developing dementia. […]
Diet may help preserve cognitive function
According to a recent analysis of data from two major eye disease studies, adherence to the Mediterranean diet—high in vegetables, whole grains, fish, and olive oil—correlates with higher cognitive function. Dietary factors also seem to play a role in slowing cognitive decline. Researchers at the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of […]
Widowhood accelerates cognitive decline among those at risk for Alzheimer’s disease
The death of a spouse often means the loss of intimacy, companionship and everyday support for older adults. A new study finds that widowhood can have another profound effect: It may accelerate cognitive decline. Investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital analyzed older, cognitively normal Americans enrolled in the Harvard Aging Brain […]
Tetris gameplay reveals complex cognitive skills
In a fraction of a second, a colorful digital block shaped like the letter “L” falls from the top of the computer screen. In even less time, fingers float across a controller, striking the arrow keys in rapid succession to rotate the figure so it falls in line with a computerized stack of shapes. Form […]
Linguists track impact of cognitive decline across three decades of one writer’s diaries
Researchers at the University of Toronto (U of T) specializing in language variation and change have identified a specific relationship between an individual’s use of language, and the transition from healthy to a diagnosis of severe dementia. In a study of diary entries by Toronto resident Vivian White over a 31-year period, the researchers tracked […]
Abnormal gut bugs tied to worse cognitive performance in vets with PTSD and cirrhosis
A study involving military veterans with PTSD and cirrhosis of the liver points to an abnormal mix of bacteria in the intestines as a possible driver of poor cognitive performance—and as a potential target for therapy. The study appeared Aug. 28, 2019, in the American Journal of Physiology. Lead author Dr. Jasmohan Bajaj says the […]
Researchers create organoid of a brain region to study cognitive disorders
In a lab dish, Yale researchers modeled two brain structures and their interactions to shed light on the origins of neuropsychiatric diseases. In-Hyun Park, associate professor of genetics, and his team created an organoid of the thalamus, a major hub that integrates sensory information and relays it to different areas of the brain. Organoids are […]