Researchers in the UNC Early Brain Development Study tracking the development of the brain’s emotion circuitry in infancy found that adult-like functional brain connections for emotional regulation emerge during the first year of life. And the growth of these brain circuits during the second year of life predicted the IQ and emotional control of the children at 4 years old, suggesting new avenues for early detection and intervention for children who are at risk for emotional problems. Continue reading “Brain circuits for successful emotional development established during infancy”
Abnormal vision in childhood can affect brain functions
A research team has discovered that abnormal vision in childhood can affect the development of higher-level brain areas responsible for things such as attention. Continue reading “Abnormal vision in childhood can affect brain functions”
How sleep deprivation hinders memory
Researchers at Michigan State University conducted the largest experimentally controlled study on sleep deprivation to date, revealing just how detrimental operating without sleep can be in everything from bakers adding too much salt to cookies to surgeons botching surgeries. Continue reading “How sleep deprivation hinders memory”
Sensitive babies become altruistic toddlers
Our responsiveness to seeing others in distress accounts for variability in helping behavior from early in development, according to a study published September 25 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Tobias Grossmann of the University of Virginia, and colleagues. Continue reading “Sensitive babies become altruistic toddlers”
The link between cognitive function and sexuality in older adults
The number of people who live at home with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), a brain disease that causes abnormal changes that kill brain cells, is expected to grow from 3.2 million today to more than 8 million in 2050. Continue reading “The link between cognitive function and sexuality in older adults”
Delayed pregnancy: Heart health risks for moms and sons, study shows
Delaying pregnancy may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease in both women and their children, with boys at higher risk of disease, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of Alberta in Canada will present their findings today at the American Physiological Society’s (APS) Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolic Diseases: Sex-Specific Implications for Physiology conference in Knoxville, Tenn. Continue reading “Delayed pregnancy: Heart health risks for moms and sons, study shows”