Psychology Research
Published

Soccer heading linked to measurable decline in brain function      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research links soccer heading -- where players hit the ball with their head -- to a measurable decline in the microstructure and function of the brain over a two-year period.

Psychology Research
Published

Eye-safe laser technology to diagnose traumatic brain injury      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have designed and developed a novel diagnostic device to detect traumatic brain injury (TBI) by shining a safe laser into the eye.

Psychology Research
Published

Researchers find connections between neuroinflammation and Alzheimer's disease      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Investigators revealed how genetic changes in certain types of brain cells may contribute to the inflammatory response seen in Alzheimer's disease.

Psychology Research
Published

Heart over head? Stages of the heart's cycle affect neural responses      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Optimal windows exist for action and perception during the 0.8 seconds of a heartbeat, according to new research. The sequence of contraction and relaxation is linked to changes in the motor system and its ability to respond to stimulation, and this could have implications for treatments for depression and stroke that excite nerve cells.

Psychology Research
Published

Fat cells help repair damaged nerves      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Damage to the body's peripheral nerves can cause pain and movement disorders. Researchers have recently investigated how damaged nerves can regenerate better. They found that fat tissue strongly supports the Schwann cells needed for repair during the healing process.

Chronic Illness Psychology Research
Published

Repairing nerve cells after injury and in chronic disease      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers discovered a mechanism for repairing damaged nerves during peripheral neuropathy in mice, wherein the protein Mitf orchestrates nerve repair after both trauma-induced and chronic nerve damage conditions, like Charcot Marie Tooth disease. Their findings may inspire novel therapeutics that bolster repair function and heal peripheral neuropathy -- even in hereditary and developmental cases.

Children's Health Infant's Health Mental Health Research Pregnancy and Childbirth Psychology Research
Published

Discrimination during pregnancy can affect infant's brain circuitry      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Experiences of discrimination and acculturation are known to have a detrimental effect on a person's health. For pregnant women, these painful experiences can also affect the brain circuitry of their children, a new study finds. These effects, the researchers say, are separate from those caused by general stress and depression. The study was published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.

Psychology Research
Published

Innovative design achieves tenfold better resolution for functional MRI brain imaging      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Hospital MRI scanners, using 3 Tesla magnets, provide poor spatial resolution in brain imaging. More recent 7T MRIs are better but used mainly in the rare research lab. Scientists have now supercharged the standard 7T scanner to improve the resolution by nearly a factor of 10 -- a 50-times improvement over standard 3T MRIs. The NexGen 7T can track signals through the brain and perhaps tie functional changes to brain maladies.

Healthy Aging Psychology Research
Published

Lowering a form of brain cholesterol reduces Alzheimer's-like damage in mice      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have found that a form of cholesterol known as cholesteryl esters builds up in the brains of mice with Alzheimer's-like disease, and that clearing out the cholesteryl esters helps prevent brain damage and behavioral changes.

Diet and Weight Loss Dieting and Weight Control Nutrition
Published

From the first bite, our sense of taste helps pace our eating      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

When you eagerly dig into a long-awaited dinner, signals from your stomach to your brain keep you from eating so much you'll regret it -- or so it's been thought.

Child Development Psychology Research
Published

Our brains are not able to 'rewire' themselves, despite what most scientists believe, new study argues      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Contrary to the commonly-held view, the brain does not have the ability to rewire itself to compensate for the loss of sight, an amputation or stroke, for example, say scientists. The researchers argue that the notion that the brain, in response to injury or deficit, can reorganize itself and repurpose particular regions for new functions, is fundamentally flawed -- despite being commonly cited in scientific textbooks. Instead, they argue that what is occurring is merely the brain being trained to utilize already existing, but latent, abilities.

Child Development Healthy Aging Psychology Research
Published

Hearing loss is associated with subtle changes in the brain      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A team of researchers employed hearing tests and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine whether hearing impairment is associated with differences in specific brain regions and affects dementia risk.

Psychology Research
Published

Brain hemorrhage cause other than injured blood vessels      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study has revealed a new culprit in the formation of brain hemorrhages that does not involve injury to the blood vessels, as previously believed. Researchers discovered that interactions between aged red blood cells and brain capillaries can lead to cerebral microbleeds, offering deeper insights into how they occur and identifying potential new therapeutic targets for treatment and prevention.

Diet and Weight Loss Dieting and Weight Control Fitness Healthy Aging Staying Healthy
Published

Poor work performance among Japanese employees strongly associated with insufficient sleep      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

This study examined the association between work performance and lifestyle habits among Japanese employees. The results revealed that insufficient sleep was the predominant factor affecting work performance in men and women, followed by lack of regular exercise and eating late-evening meals. Furthermore, the study indicated that men were more likely to exhibit lifestyle habits that impacted work performance than women.

Psychology Research
Published

New study reveals the genetics of human head shape      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have discovered a suite of genes that influence head shape in humans. These findings help explain the diversity of human head shapes and may also offer important clues about the genetic basis of conditions that affect the skull, such as craniosynostosis.

Diet and Weight Loss Dieting and Weight Control Nutrition Staying Healthy
Published

Following a Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of cognitive decline in older people      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Old people who follow a Mediterranean diet are at a lower risk of cognitive decline, according to a new study. The study provides new evidence for a better understanding of the biological mechanisms related to the impact of the diet on cognitive health in the aging population.

Nutrition Psychology Research
Published

Hunger hormones impact decision-making brain area to drive behavior      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A hunger hormone produced in the gut can directly impact a decision-making part of the brain in order to drive an animal's behavior, finds a new study.

Depression Mental Health Research Psychology Research
Published

A small molecule blocks aversive memory formation, providing a potential treatment target for depression      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses in the world, but current anti-depressants have yet to meet the needs of many patients. Neuroscientists recently discovered a small molecule that can effectively alleviate stress-induced depressive symptoms in mice by preventing aversive memory formation with a lower dosage, offering a new direction for developing anti-depressants in the future.

Birth Defects Healthy Aging Psychology Research
Published

Lab-grown 'small blood vessels' point to potential treatment for major cause of stroke and vascular dementia      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have grown small blood vessel-like models in the lab and used them to show how damage to the scaffolding that supports these vessels can cause them to leak, leading to conditions such as vascular dementia and stroke.

Birth Defects Child Development Children's Health Chronic Illness Depression Mental Health Research Parenting Pregnancy and Childbirth Psychology Research Stress
Published

High levels of maternal stress during pregnancy linked to children's behavior problems      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Children whose mothers are highly stressed, anxious or depressed during pregnancy may be at higher risk for mental health and behavior issues during their childhood and teen years, according to new research.