Many adolescent students sleep less than the recommended duration of 8-10 hours a night. It is unclear; however, whether short night sleep combined with an afternoon nap is as good as having the same amount of sleep continuously during the night without a nap. Researchers at Duke-NUS Medical School have demonstrated for the first time that different sleep schedules with the same total sleep opportunity over 24 hours may have dissimilar effects on cognition and glucose levels. This is the first study to gather experimental evidence on the notion that ‘what may be appropriate sleep for one health goal may not be for another’. Continue reading “Split and continuous sleep in teens impact cognition and glucose levels differently”
Cell mechanism delays and repairs DNA damage that can lead to cancer
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have identified a specific mechanism that protects our cells from natural DNA errors — an ‘enemy within’ — which could permanently damage our genetic code and lead to diseases such as cancer. The study has just been published in Nature Cell Biology. Continue reading “Cell mechanism delays and repairs DNA damage that can lead to cancer”
Smoking and alcohol: Double trouble for the brain?
Along with many other harmful health consequences, smoking tobacco causes chemical changes, oxidative stress and inflammation in the brain. Excessive alcohol use can have similar effects. Surprisingly, however, very few studies have examined the combined impact of smoking and alcohol on the brain. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Chemical Neuroscience have shown that in rats, the joint use of tobacco and alcohol could increase neural damage in particular brain regions. Continue reading “Smoking and alcohol: Double trouble for the brain?”
Being surrounded by green space in childhood may improve mental health of adults
Children who grow up with greener surroundings have up to 55% less risk of developing various mental disorders later in life. This is shown by a new study from Aarhus University, Denmark, emphasizing the need for designing green and healthy cities for the future. Continue reading “Being surrounded by green space in childhood may improve mental health of adults”
This is a neuron on nicotine
When a person takes a puff on a cigarette, nicotine floods into the brain, latching onto receptors on the surface of neurons and producing feelings of happiness. But nicotine does not simply stay on the surface of cells — the drug actually permeates into neural cells and alters them from the inside out. Now, a team of scientists has developed a protein sensor that glows in the presence of nicotine, allowing the researchers to observe nicotine’s movements in cells and reveal more about the nature of nicotine addiction. Continue reading “This is a neuron on nicotine”
‘Lack of cleaning’ in brain cells is central to Alzheimer’s disease
Scientists around the world are still struggling to understand Alzheimer’s better in order to be able to treat and potentially prevent the development of the debilitating disease in the future. No new medications have been approved during recent years. Continue reading “‘Lack of cleaning’ in brain cells is central to Alzheimer’s disease”
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