Learn about brain health and nootropics to boost brain function
Exercise stimulates brain function thanks to its effect on muscles, study suggests
Exercise gives the brain a boost, and may help protect against cognitive decline, but why? Image credit: NICK VEASEY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Getty Images. Exercise can stimulate brain-boosting molecules when muscles are active, a new study found. By innervating muscle-tissue models, researchers found that the same…
6 Things to Add to Your Routine to Maintain Brain Fitness as You Age
Westend6/Getty Images We all want to age gracefully. We’ll do just about anything to do it. From eating for heart health to deciding which exercises to focus on or improving vision , most people know that maintaining many aspects of physical health is crucial…
Can Anxiety Relief Come at the Cost of Cognitive Health?
Key points Long-term use of benzos can lead to addiction & cognitive impairments. Older people are particularly vulnerable to the impairing effects of long-term benzodiazepine use. A recent study revealed the mechanism by which benzos interfere with plasticity and cognitive abilities. Other treatments such…
Study suggests eating these superfoods can help you live longer
Over the years, numerous observational studies have reported a strong link between higher intakes of flavonoid-rich foods and a lower risk of chronic disease and mortality. Flavonoids, sometimes called vitamin P , are polyphenolic compounds commonly found in colorful fruits and vegetables, as well…
Researchers demonstrate a new mechanism of neural plasticity underlying learning and memory processes
Graphical abstract. Credit: Cell Reports (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114112 Neurons are important, but they are not everything. Indeed, it is “cartilage,” in the form of clusters of extracellular matrix molecules called chondroitin sulfates, located in the outside nerve cells, that plays a crucial role in…
‘Mathematical microscope’ reveals novel, energy-efficient mechanism of working memory that works even during sleep
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain UCLA Health researchers have discovered a mechanism that creates memories while reducing metabolic cost, even during sleep. This efficient memory occurs in a part of the brain that is crucial for learning and memory, and where Alzheimer’s disease begins. The…
Nerves prompt muscle to release factors that boost brain health, study finds
Illinois researchers used a novel tissue model to examine the effect of nerve stimulation on muscle secretion of brain-boosting factors. The nerves, colored green, trigger the muscle to release hormones and mRNA packages that foster growth of and connection between neurons in the brain….
Scientists Have Discovered Cognitive Benefits of Creatine
Researchers at Forschungszentrum Jülich have found that a high single dose of creatine can temporarily enhance cognitive functions impaired by sleep deprivation, specifically improving processing capacity and short-term memory. The study cautions against excessive creatine intake due to potential health risks, although it suggests…
Sleep resets brain connections for a few hours, but then what happens?
In a study involving zebrafish, a team of scientists led by the University College London (UCL) has explored how the brain manages synaptic connections during sleep . The experts found that the brain weakens new neural connections that were forged during waking hours, but…
Researchers unveil mechanism enhancing cellular fitness against aging and neurodegeneration
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center discover a mechanism to enhance the fitness of cells against aging and neurodegenerative diseases. This finding will pave the way for novel therapeutic approaches in neuroprotection against aging-related disorders and neurodegeneration. Durham, North Carolina; USA; April 30, 2024….
Scientists discover new immunosuppressive mechanism in brain cancer
Graphical abstract. Credit: Immunity (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2024.04.006 The Wistar Institute assistant professor Filippo Veglia, Ph.D., and team, have discovered a key mechanism of how glioblastoma—a serious and often fatal brain cancer—suppresses the immune system so that the tumor can grow unimpeded by the body’s…
Scientists Identify New Brain Circuit That Inhibits Appetite
Researchers have discovered a brain circuit in mice that inhibits eating when nauseous, pinpointing unique amygdala nerve cells that operate differently from those activated during satiety, highlighting the complex regulation of appetite. A neural pathway suppresses appetite when experiencing nausea. Feeling full, nauseous, or…
How the brain structure that produces norepinephrine also helps control visual attention
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain The locus coeruleus (LC) is a small region of the brainstem that produces norepinephrine, a chemical with powerful effects on arousal and wakefulness which plays an important role in the body’s response to stress or panic. Now, research from the…
Noninvasive Brain Stimulation Shows Rapid Relief for Major Depression
0 Noninvasive transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) may lead to rapid improvement in major depressive disorder (MDD), results of a randomized, sham-controlled trial suggested. However, independent experts said more research is needed to confirm its benefit. While both the active and sham tACS groups…
Could menopause be delayed? The answer could lead to longer lifespans for women
Scientists are learning that ovaries aren’t just important for making babies—they also keep the heart, brain, and bones healthy. A mouse ovary treated with a high dose of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH)—a hormone naturally produced by follicles in the ovary—shows more small, dormant follicles and…
Waking Up Tired? Try This Natural Sleep Supplement
If melatonin makes you groggy, GABA could be a good alternative. Sleep is essential to all aspects of our well-being, from our mood and brain functions to our immune system , heart health and more. Despite how important a good night’s sleep is, many…
Scientists say sleep resets brain connections—but only for first few hours
Single-neuron synapse tracking across day–night cycles reveals diverse dynamics. Credit: Nature (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07367-3 During sleep, the brain weakens the new connections between neurons that had been forged while awake—but only during the first half of a night’s sleep, according to a new study…
Super-detailed map of brain cells that keep us awake could improve our understanding of consciousness
The major nodes of a human brain network that keeps us awake are shown color-coded in this MRI scan of a postmortem brain. (Image credit: Edlow et al., Sci. Trans. Med., 16 eadj4303 (2024). (Cropped by Live Science.)) Scientists have charted a comprehensive map…
Scientists identify new brain circuit in mice that controls body’s inflammatory reactions
The brain can direct the immune system to an unexpected degree, capable of detecting, ramping up and tamping down inflammation, shows a new study in mice from researchers at Columbia’s Zuckerman Institute. “The brain is the center of our thoughts, emotions, memories and feelings,”…
Sleep resets brain connections — but only for first few hours
During sleep, the brain weakens the new connections between neurons that had been forged while awake — but only during the first half of a night’s sleep, according to a new study in fish by UCL scientists. The researchers say their findings, published in…