Babies who are years away from being able to say “one,” “two,” and “three” actually already have a sense of what counting means, Johns Hopkins University researchers have discovered. Continue reading “Babies understand counting years earlier than believed”
Consuming alcohol leads to epigenetic changes in brain memory centers
Triggers in everyday life such as running into a former drinking buddy, walking by a once-familiar bar, and attending social gatherings can all cause recovering alcoholics to “fall off the wagon.” About 40 to 60 percent of people who have gone through treatment for substance abuse will experience some kind of relapse, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. But what drives the biology behind these cravings has remained largely unknown. Continue reading “Consuming alcohol leads to epigenetic changes in brain memory centers”
Twin study shows what’s good for the heart is good for the brain
Emory University researchers are giving us double the reasons to pay attention to our cardiovascular health — showing in a recently published study in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease that good heart health can equal good brain health. Continue reading “Twin study shows what’s good for the heart is good for the brain”
Memory training builds upon strategy use
Researchers from Åbo Akademi University, Finland, and Umeå University, Sweden, have for the first time obtained clear evidence of the important role strategies have in memory training. Training makes participants adopt various strategies to manage the task, which then affects the outcome of the training. Continue reading “Memory training builds upon strategy use”
Green tea ingredient may ameliorate memory impairment, brain insulin resistance, and obesity
A study published online in The FASEB Journal, involving mice, suggests that EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), the most abundant catechin and biologically active component in green tea, could alleviate high-fat and high-fructose (HFFD)-induced insulin resistance and cognitive impairment. Previous research pointed to the potential of EGCG to treat a variety of human diseases, yet until now, EGCG’s impact on insulin resistance and cognitive deficits triggered in the brain by a Western diet remained unclear. Continue reading “Green tea ingredient may ameliorate memory impairment, brain insulin resistance, and obesity”
Clues to brain changes in depression
Scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), led by Scott Thompson, PhD, Professor of Physiology, have identified changes in brain activity linked to the pleasure and reward system. Continue reading “Clues to brain changes in depression”