Showing 20 articles starting at article 1
Categories: Healthy Aging, Infant and Preschool Learning
Published Eureka baby! Groundbreaking study uncovers origin of 'conscious awareness'
(via sciencedaily.com) Fundamental questions of agency -- acting with purpose -- have perplexed some of the greatest minds in history including Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. Now, human babies provide groundbreaking insight into the origins of agency. Since goal-directed action appears in the first months of human life, researchers used young infants as a test field to understand how spontaneous movement transforms into purposeful action. The 'birth' of agency can be quantified as a 'eureka-like,' pattern-changing phase transition within a dynamical system that spans the baby, the brain, and the environment.
Published Intellectual disability more common in families with substance use disorder
(via sciencedaily.com) Children of a parent with alcohol or drug use disorder have a greater risk of intellectual disability, even if the problem only lies with the father, researchers report. According to the study, preventive measures should be directed at both parents.
Published Toddlers learn to reason logically before they learn to speak, study finds
(via sciencedaily.com) Nineteen-month-old toddlers already use natural logical thinking, even before they learn to speak, to deal with uncertainties about the world. This natural logic contributes to their learning process, both in terms of language and in other fields of knowledge, according to a new study.
Published Adding complex component of milk to infant formula confers long-term cognitive benefits for bottle-fed babies
(via sciencedaily.com) New research has shown how a complex component of milk that can be added to infant formula has been shown to confer long-term cognitive benefits, including measures of intelligence and executive function in children.
Published Research hints at links between babies' microbiome and brain development
(via sciencedaily.com) In a small, exploratory study, levels of certain types of microbes in babies' guts were shown to be associated with performance in tests of early cognitive development.
Published Newly identified lipid in breast milk might reduce cerebral palsy in infants
(via sciencedaily.com) In experiments using neonatal mice, researchers have identified a fatty molecule in breast milk that triggers a process in which stem cells in the brain produce cells that create new white matter, reversing brain injury.
Published What nap times reveal about your child's brain development
(via sciencedaily.com) Infants who nap a lot have smaller vocabularies and poorer cognitive skills -- according to new research.
Published How mother and infant sleep patterns interact during the first two years of life
(via sciencedaily.com) New mothers can expect sleep deprivation in the first few years of baby's life. But too little sleep can take a toll on the health of both mother and child. A new study looks at maternal and infant sleep patterns, identifying predictors and providing recommendations for instilling healthy habits.
Published Hardship affects the gut microbiome across generations
(via sciencedaily.com) A new study has shown that hardship experienced by mothers during their own childhood or during pregnancy is reflected in the composition of their 2-year-old children's gut microbiome. It was previously understood that in rodents, prenatal stress affects microbiomes into adulthood, but how long after birth the effects lasted in humans was unknown. The changes to this community of microorganisms are likely among the ways that hardship affects a child's socioemotional development.
Published Baby opera: Study finds babies get a kick out of live music
(via sciencedaily.com) Study findings suggest that even babies feel the impact of being at a live show, through both musicians' interactions with an audience and the social experience of being in a crowd.
Published Burns take a toll on academic outcomes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A common childhood injury has been shown to slash school completion rates, adding to evidence that found being hospitalized can have a long-lasting effect on young people.
Published Babies talk more around human-made objects than natural ones
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study suggests young children are more vocal when interacting with toys and household items, highlighting their importance for developing language skills.
Published Follow the leader: Researchers identify mechanism of cancer invasion
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A cancerous tumor is the accumulation of cells uncontrollably dividing, some of which can invade other parts of the body. The process is difficult to predict in detail, and eradicating the cells poses even greater difficulty. Now, a research team has revealed how the exodus initiates, shedding light on a potential therapeutic target to halt the invasion and providing a prognostic marker to help clinicians select the best treatment option.
Published Poor sense of smell linked to increased risk of depression in older adults
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In a study that followed more than 2,000 community-dwelling older adults over eight years, researchers say they have significant new evidence of a link between decreased sense of smell and risk of developing late-life depression.
Published Pain not perceived in the same way in people with Alzheimer's Disease
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research has found that in a mouse model mimicking Alzheimer's Disease (AD) pain signals are not processed in the same way as in healthy mice.
Published Loss of Y chromosome in men enables cancer to grow
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source As men age, some of their cells lose the very thing that makes them biological males -- the Y chromosome -- and this loss hampers the body's ability to fight cancer, according to new research. The study found that loss of the Y chromosome helps cancer cells evade the body's immune system. This common impact of the aging process in men results in aggressive bladder cancer, but somehow also renders the disease more vulnerable -- and responsive -- to a standard treatment called immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Published New findings show mitochondrial DNA fragments in blood as important biomarkers for aging and inflammation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In an eight-year study of more than 600 community-dwelling older adults, researchers say they have further linked levels of cell-free DNA (DNA fragments resulting from cell death) circulating in the blood to chronic inflammation and frailty. The study is novel and expands on previous work, the investigators say, because it focused on mitochondrial DNA rather than solely genomic DNA, as previously reported.
Published Dads are key in supporting breastfeeding, safe infant sleep
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Fathers can make a huge difference in whether an infant is breastfed and placed to sleep safely, according to a recent survey of new fathers.
Published Close up on aging reveals how different cell types in the body age at different pace
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team or researchers reports the first Aging Fly Cell Atlas (AFCA), a detailed characterization of the aging process in 163 distinct cell types in the laboratory fruit fly. Their in-depth analysis revealed that different cell types in the body age differently, each cell type following a process involving cell type-specific patterns. AFCA provides a valuable resource for researchers in the fruit fly and aging communities as a reference to study aging and age-related diseases and to evaluate the success of anti-aging strategies.
Published Ultra small molecule as a new target for Alzheimer's disease?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study shows that a very small molecule called microRNA-132 can have a significant impact on different brain cells and may play a role in Alzheimer's disease.