Category Archives: Brain Function

New research suggests that maintaining a Mediterranean style diet may help protect against symptoms of depression in later life. The study presented at the American Psychiatric Association’s 2019 Annual Meeting showed that while the Mediterranean diet has previously been associated with longer life, reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, and cancer, it may also hold protective ...click here to read more

If you need more reasons to try and control blood sugar, here is another: it might affect your memory. Research indicates that over time, rising blood sugar leads to lower performance in cognitive function and memory. When blood sugar levels get high and remain uncontrolled, it has the potential to damage nerves in the brain, ...click here to read more

Research from a recent study has shown that light physical activity may help with brain aging. Nicole Spartano of the Boston University School of Medicine and colleagues explained in JAMA Network Open that the human brain typically shrinks in older age. The volume typically declines about 0.2 percent per year by age 60. It is ...click here to read more

There’s no doubt that genetics play a role in stroke risk. Very strong associations exist between family history, age, and stroke risk. But just because your 30s and 40s are long behind you and your mother or father had a stroke, it does not mean that you’re doomed to a similar fate. The Centers for ...click here to read more

Two linked papers published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry have found that older adults who regularly take part in number and word puzzles have sharper brain function. Researchers had previously presented findings on a connection between word puzzles and brain health, but this new information builds on this to include those who regularly ...click here to read more

New research shows that mindfulness music may help those who have suffered a stroke to recover impaired cognitive ability. The study published in the International Journal of Stroke reported the outcomes of a study that aimed to investigate the effect of combining music listening and mindfulness techniques on recovery of cognitive ability after a stroke. ...click here to read more

If you experience some stress in your life, you’re certainly not alone. A new Gallup Poll examining positive and negative experiences has shown that no matter where you live, stress, anger, and sadness are a regular part of life. Unfortunately, these feelings can go further than emotion and impact physical health too. The study showed ...click here to read more

For those suffering from depression, researchers say everyday stress may be enough to cause blood vessel dysfunction in otherwise healthy adults. A study recently published in Journal of the American Heart Association has shown that patients who had experienced stress in the previous 24 hours had worse endothelial function, a process that helps regulate blood ...click here to read more

According to research presented this week at EuroHeartCare 2019, two-thirds of people who suffer from heart failure also show signs of memory problems. During the scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology, it was shown that there was a direct link between exercise and healthy brain function in heart failure patients. The study presented ...click here to read more

If you’ve got a healthy diet, active life, good friends, and good sleep, you’ve essentially got the ingredients for a healthy life. But more often than not, one of those gets tossed to the wayside. And the truth is that it may have the biggest impact on overall health and longevity. It’s easy to stay ...click here to read more

A recent study published by the American Psychological Association has found that people who don’t give up on their goals and have a positive outlook on life appear to suffer less with depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. The research looked at thousands of Americans over the course of 18 years. The study published in the ...click here to read more

I’ve noticed that people really like to compartmentalize things. There are specific foods they eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a snack, for example. The same thing goes for health: there are things you can do for your body and things you can do for your brain. But at the end of the day, ...click here to read more

A new study out of Australia is showing how a bout of exercise in the morning can improve cognitive performance like decision-making across the day compared to prolonged sitting without exercise. “Sedentary behavior is associated with impaired cognition, whereas exercise can acutely improve cognition,” say the authors of the study. The study titled, ‘Brain Breaks’ ...click here to read more

Alzheimer’s disease is on the rise, and although there is no cure, researchers are constantly looking at ways to help reduce the risk of this memory-robbing disease or at least slow it down. One of those methods is through diet, as much of our health relies on diet. One diet that has been getting much ...click here to read more