Could Pesticide Exposure be Linked to Depression in Teens?
Razi Berry Adolescents exposed to elevated levels of pesticides are at an increased risk of depression, according to a new study led by Jose R. Suarez-Lopez, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health at University of California San Diego School of Medicine. The study was published online (ahead of […]
New Study on Telepathic Communication
Razi Berry Telepathic communication might be one step closer to reality thanks to new research from the University of Washington. A team created a method that allows three people to work together to solve a problem using only their minds. BrainNet In BrainNet, three people play a Tetris-like game using a brain-to-brain interface. This is […]
Can a little bit of exercise make you smarter?
Razi Berry Most people know that regular exercise is good for your health. New research shows it may make you smarter, too. Exercise is cheap and ubiquitous with smart results Neuroscientists at OHSU in Portland, Oregon, working with mice, have discovered that a short burst of exercise directly boosts the function of a gene that […]
Sleep Helps the Brain’s Ability to Learn
Razi Berry Synapses in the hippocampus are larger and stronger after sleep deprivation, according to new research in mice published in JNeurosci. Overall, this study supports the idea that sleep may universally weaken synapses that are strengthened from learning, allowing for new learning to occur after waking. Sleep may universally weaken synapses strengthened from learning, […]
Effects of “Second-Hand Drinking”
Razi Berry Each year, one in five U.S. adults — an estimated 53 million people — experience harm because of someone else’s drinking, according to new research in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. “Second-Hand Drinking” “a significant public health issue” Similar to how policymakers have addressed the effects of secondhand smoke over […]
Antibacterial Agent May be Linked to Osteoporosis in Women
Razi Berry Women exposed to triclosan are more likely to develop osteoporosis, according to a study published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Women exposed to triclosan are more likely to develop osteoporosis Triclosan is an endocrine-disrupting chemical being widely used as an antibacterial in consumer goods and personal care products, […]
Keto-Type Diets May Improve Brain Function and Memory in Older Adults
Razi Berry In a pilot study of 14 older adults with mild cognitive problems suggestive of early Alzheimer’s disease, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report that a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet may improve brain function and memory. High-fat, low-carbohydrate diet may improve brain function and memory Although the researchers say that finding participants willing to undertake restrictive […]
Mysterious Group of Neurons Responsible for Mood Develop During Teen Years
Razi Berry Researchers have discovered a mysterious group of neurons in the amygdala — a key center for emotional processing in the brain — that stay in an immature, prenatal developmental state throughout childhood. Most of these cells mature rapidly during adolescence, suggesting a key role in the brain’s emotional development, but some stay immature […]
Gene Associated with Elevated Risk of Cannabis Abuse
Razi Berry New research from the Danish psychiatric project, iPSYCH, shows that a specific gene is associated with an increased risk of cannabis abuse. The gene is the source of a so-called nicotine receptor in the brain, and people with low amounts of this receptor have an increased risk of cannabis abuse. iPSYCH shows that […]
Ability to Describe Negative Emotions Could Protect Against Depression in Teens
Razi Berry Teenagers who can describe their negative emotions in precise and nuanced ways are better protected against depression than their peers who can’t. That’s the conclusion of a new study about negative emotion differentiation, or NED–the ability to make fine-grained distinctions between negative emotions and apply precise labels– published in the journal Emotion. Adolescents […]