Category Archives: Brain Function

Physiological stressors can affect the heart in various ways. A new study from the Masonic Medical Research Institute (MMRI) found that it’s not uncommon for people to live without any knowledge of an underlying genetic heart condition until a stressor brings it to the surface. Just one external impact such as a heart attack is ...click here to read more

Researchers from Rush University Medical Center suggest older adults who follow the MIND diet may benefit from better cognitive performance. This specific diet may help to protect the brain from amyloid plaques and tangles. As the body ages, the tissues on the brain can sometimes develop abnormal clumps of proteins. These proteins called amyloid plaques ...click here to read more

Veterans suffering from PTSD are all too familiar with anxiety. However, a new Veterans Affairs study has found a strong link between PTSD severity and anxiety sensitivity among female veterans who experienced military sexual trauma. Researchers say that treating anxiety could be a way to ease core PTSD symptoms. Anxiety sensitivity is a fear of ...click here to read more

Elevated hypertension in middle-aged adults may raise the risk of vascular dementia down the line. A large new study published in PNAS is the first to show how the risk of dementia can begin early in those with high blood pressure. Interestingly, the study also found that some middle-aged individuals with damage caused by hypertension ...click here to read more

According to a new nationwide study, the eyes of older adults may provide a possible indication of Alzheimer’s disease. Amyloid plaques found in the eyes’ retinas may be an indicator of similar plaques in the brain, which is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers are hoping this can provide a more visible biomarker for detecting ...click here to read more

You don’t need to be reminded of your brain’s complexity. You try to get sleep at night and keep it engaged during the day with information and exercise. But there is one thing you might be overlooking: socializing. There is plenty of research to show that social ties, particularly strong ones, play a big role ...click here to read more

Many studies have shown the impact that physical exercise can have on Alzheimer’s disease. But, new experimental research is digging deeper to understand how the relationship may be due to how physical exercise modulates iron metabolism in the muscles and brain. Iron accumulation and brain iron metabolism have previously been associated with aging and Alzheimer’s ...click here to read more

Too little sleep can lead to big trouble. Aside from feeling tired and groggy, it’s associated with poor heart health, weight gain, toxic waste build-up in the brain, paranoia, and poor performance. Sleep hygiene and exercise can help, but a lot of the time, they may not. That’s because winding down and relaxing and sticking ...click here to read more

Getting a restful night of sleep is important for so many reasons. A new study from Ohio State University suggests missing out on the recommended seven or more hours of sleep per night could lead to poor snacking choices. An analysis of data including 20,000 American adults found a link between lack of sleep and ...click here to read more

Normal aging can play tricks on your brain. You may have a harder time focusing your attention or absorbing new information. It’s a relatively normal occurrence that can make it more difficult to learn and retain new things. But you don’t necessarily have to resign yourself to an “it is what it is” position. By ...click here to read more

Scientists have found a relationship between insulin resistance and an increase in depression. Those who are insulin resistant have double the risk of developing major depressive disorder compared to someone who is not insulin resistant. The study performed at Stanford Medicine found that insulin resistance is a common yet silent condition affecting at least 1 ...click here to read more

Getting a good night’s sleep is about more than the time directly before bed or when your head hits the pillow. It starts almost as soon as you wake up. How you spend your day can play a big role in how you spend your night. If your nights are long and filled with tossing ...click here to read more

Good quality sleep is crucial for overall health. But for people with migraines, they may be getting less quality REM sleep time compared to those without migraines. According to a study published in Neurology, the American Academy of Neurology journal, both children and adults get less total sleep time. However, children with migraines took less ...click here to read more

A racing heart, feeling powerless, sweating, and chest pain are all common symptoms of a panic attack. But can you feel the same symptoms while being as cool as a cucumber? It’s very easy to misdiagnose a heart condition called supraventricular tachycardia, or SVT. The condition may look and feel just like a panic attack. ...click here to read more