ScienceDaily: Mind & Brain News |
| Childhood vaccination exemptions rise in parts of the US Posted: 12 Jun 2018 05:18 PM PDT Non-medical exemptions from childhood vaccinations are rising in some areas of the United States, creating a risk of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks, argue researchers. |
| Dementia risk increased in 50-year-olds with blood pressure below hypertension threshold Posted: 12 Jun 2018 05:18 PM PDT New findings from the long-running Whitehall II study of over 10,000 civil servants has found 50-year-olds who had blood pressure that was higher than normal but still below the threshold commonly used when deciding to treat the condition, were at increased risk of developing dementia in later life. This increased risk was seen even when the study participants did not have other heart or blood vessel-related problems, according to the research. |
| Sleeping too much or not enough may have bad effects on health Posted: 12 Jun 2018 05:18 PM PDT Fewer than six and more than ten hours of sleep per day are associated with metabolic syndrome and its individual components, according to a new study. |
| Smoking and diabetes linked to brain calcifications Posted: 12 Jun 2018 03:52 PM PDT People who smoke or have diabetes may be at increased risk of calcifications in a region of the brain crucial to memory, according to a new study. |
| Psychedelic drugs promote neural plasticity in rats and flies Posted: 12 Jun 2018 03:52 PM PDT Psychedelic drugs may have mind-altering powers in the physical sense, too. A new study has found psychedelics, specifically DOI, DMT, and LSD, can change brain cells in rats and flies, making neurons more likely to branch out and connect with one another. The work supports the theory that psychedelics could help to fight depression, anxiety, addiction, and post-traumatic stress disorder. |
| One-third of US adults may unknowingly use medications that can cause depression Posted: 12 Jun 2018 03:52 PM PDT A new study suggests that more than one-third of U.S. adults may be using prescription medications that have the potential to cause depression or increase the risk of suicide. |
| People who deeply grasp pain or happiness of others, process music differently in brain Posted: 12 Jun 2018 03:51 PM PDT People who deeply grasp the pain or happiness of others also process music differently, say researchers. The study in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience compared MRI scans of low- and high-empathy people. Higher empathy people process music like a pleasurable proxy for a human encounter -- in brain regions for reward and social awareness. The findings may have implications for the function of music now and in our evolutionary past. |
| Beyond the 'Reading Wars': How the science of reading can improve literacy Posted: 12 Jun 2018 03:51 PM PDT A new scientific report from psychological researchers aims to resolve the so-called 'reading wars,' emphasizing the importance of teaching phonics in establishing fundamental reading skills in early childhood. The report shows how early phonics skills are advanced with a rich reading curriculum throughout the school years. |
| Today's dads are engaging more with their kids Posted: 12 Jun 2018 03:51 PM PDT Whether it's physically being there for a baseball game or piano recital, or emotionally being there to provide warmth or support in a tough time, there appears to be a shift in how fathers are viewing their roles. |
| Scientists unravel molecular mechanisms of Parkinson's disease Posted: 12 Jun 2018 03:50 PM PDT Detailed brain cell analysis has helped researchers uncover new mechanisms thought to underlie Parkinson's disease. |
| Discovery shines light on the mystery of cell death in MS Posted: 12 Jun 2018 03:50 PM PDT Researchers have discovered a unique process of brain cell death that affects the cells that are most vulnerable in multiple sclerosis (MS). After identifying the process called pyroptosis, or fiery death, the researchers were able to block the enzyme in the brain that is responsible for it, using a drug that could potentially treat MS. |
| Block play could improve your child's math skills, executive functioning Posted: 12 Jun 2018 03:50 PM PDT Semi-structured block play among preschool-age children has the potential to improve two skills - mathematics and executive functioning - critical to kindergarten readiness, according a new study. |
| Potential new treatment for drug addiction relapse revealed Posted: 12 Jun 2018 07:58 AM PDT Research reveals a new potential mechanism for combating drug addiction relapse. |
| Mother's attitude to baby during pregnancy may have implications for child's development Posted: 12 Jun 2018 07:57 AM PDT Mothers who 'connect' with their baby during pregnancy are more likely to interact in a more positive way with their infant after it is born, according to a new study. Interaction is important for helping infants learn and develop. |
| How can patients be protected from post-surgery opioid addiction? Posted: 12 Jun 2018 07:57 AM PDT Greater coordination is needed between surgeons and physicians about the prescription of pain-relieving opioid drugs following surgery to help identify patients who are at risk of becoming opioid addicts. |
| Graphene carpets: So neurons communicate better Posted: 12 Jun 2018 07:57 AM PDT Scientists have experimentally observed the phenomenon of ion 'trapping' by graphene carpets and its effect on the communication between neurons. The researchers have observed an increase in the activity of nerve cells grown on a single layer of graphene. Combining theoretical and experimental approaches they have shown that the phenomenon is due to the ability of the material to 'trap' several ions present in the surrounding environment on its surface, modulating its composition. |
| Researchers map brain of blind patient who can see motion Posted: 12 Jun 2018 07:57 AM PDT Since the visual processing centres of her brain went dark after a stroke, a Scottish woman has been unable to see objects. However, she has developed the remarkable ability to see objects in motion, neuroscientists at Western University in Canada have discovered. |
| Novel system mimics focus activity of the human eye Posted: 12 Jun 2018 07:57 AM PDT A new computational system effectively mimics the natural way the human eye corrects focus, specifically while viewing objects that are closer rather than farther away. |
| Mozart, meditation and a yoga mat: Oncologists welcome integrative therapies for breast cancer Posted: 12 Jun 2018 06:21 AM PDT A breast cancer patient dealing with anxiety, depression or mood swings could soon be encouraged by her oncologist to learn meditation techniques, join a yoga class or put music to therapeutic use. |
| Better physical fitness and lower aortic stiffness key to slower brain aging Posted: 12 Jun 2018 06:21 AM PDT The rate of decline in certain aspects of memory may be explained by a combination of overall physical fitness and the stiffness of the central arteries. |
| AI senses people's pose through walls Posted: 12 Jun 2018 06:07 AM PDT A new wireless smart-home system could help detect and monitor disease and enable the elderly to 'age in place.' |
| Physiological benefits may be experienced by veterans with PTSD who use service dogs Posted: 12 Jun 2018 05:36 AM PDT A new study shows how veterans with PTSD may benefit physiologically from using service dogs. This study used a physiological marker to define the biobehavioral effects of service dogs on veterans with PTSD. |
| Basketball teams playing for survival in critical NBA playoffs are more likely to lose Posted: 12 Jun 2018 05:00 AM PDT A new study finds that basketball teams playing for survival in critical NBA playoff games are more likely to lose. This study is the first to illustrate 'choking' in a real-world team sports environment. The results suggest that 'choking' is a common phenomenon in high-stakes situations and may be applicable to a variety of high-pressure performance situations, including those found in the workplace. |
| Urban violence can hurt test scores even for kids who don't experience it Posted: 12 Jun 2018 05:00 AM PDT Children who attend school with many kids from violent neighborhoods can earn significantly lower test scores than peers with classmates from safer areas. |
| Finally, hope for a syphilis vaccine Posted: 12 Jun 2018 05:00 AM PDT Despite efforts to eradicate it, syphilis is on the rise. It is the second leading cause of stillbirth and miscarriage worldwide, and if left untreated it can cause strokes, dementia, and other neurological disease. Until now, most health agencies focused on treating infected people and their sex partners -- but new discoveries may make a vaccine possible. |
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