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Scientists have demonstrated normal brain aging is accelerated by approximately 26% in people with progressive type 2 diabetes compared to individuals without the disease. The authors evaluated the relationship between typical brain aging and that seen in type 2 diabetes, and observed that type 2 diabetes follows a similar pattern of neurodegeneration as aging, but one that progresses faster. One implication of this is that even typical brain aging may reflect changes in the brain's regulation of glucose by insulin. The results further suggest that by the time type 2 diabetes is formally diagnosed, there may already be significant structural...

Adding cranberries to your diet could help improve memory and brain function, and lower 'bad' cholesterol—according to new research. A new study published today highlights the neuroprotective potential of cranberries. The research team studied the benefits of consuming the equivalent of a cup of cranberries a day among 50 to 80-year-olds. "Past studies have shown that higher dietary flavonoid intake is associated with slower rates of cognitive decline and dementia. "Cranberries are rich in these micronutrients and have been recognized for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The research team investigated the impact of eating cranberries for 12 weeks on brain...

A study using epilepsy patients undergoing surgery has given neuroscientists an opportunity to track in unprecedented detail the movement of a thought through the human brain, all the way from inspiration to response. The findings, published in 2018, confirmed the role of the prefrontal cortex as the coordinator of complex interactions between different regions, linking our perception with action and serving as what can be considered the "glue of cognition". Previous efforts to measure the passing of information from one area to the other have relied on processes such as electroencephalography (EEG) or functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which, while...

Workers looking forward to enjoying a long and leisurely retirement after years of toil may need to think again. New research shows that brain function declines rapidly as soon as people stop work and put their feet up. A major British study which tracked 3,400 retired civil servants found that short-term memory declines nearly 40 percent faster once employees become pensioners. It appears that the lack of regular stimulation takes a heavy toll on cognitive function and speeds up memory loss and dementia, researchers warned. Professor Cary Cooper, an expert in organizational psychology at Manchester Business School, said the study...

As neuroscientists from around the world continue to unravel brain processes they include a multidisciplinary approach that goes beyond the brain cells. New research has used neurobiology and nano-scale engineering to study neural circuits and their link to behavior.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a state of serious impairments in both learning ability and social functioning, is one of many labels for one of the most prevalent conditions in child psychiatry, and, undoubtedly, the most controversial, which partly persists into adulthood. ADHD is conservatively estimated to occur in 3,0–7,5% of school-age children (Goldman et al., 1998), but more permissive criteria yield estimates of up to 17% (Barbaresi et al., 2002). Up to 20% of boys in some school systems receive psychostimulants for the treatment of ADHD (LeFever et al., 1999). Partly in response to legitimate concern about an apparent rapid increase...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Motherhood may make women smarter and may help prevent dementia in old age by bathing the brain in protective hormones, U.S. researchers reported on Thursday. Tests on rats show that those who raise two or more litters of pups do significantly better in tests of memory and skills than rats who have no babies, and their brains show changes that suggest they may be protected against diseases such as Alzheimer's. University of Richmond psychology professor Craig Kinsley believes his findings will translate into humans. "Our research shows that the hormones of pregnancy are protecting the brain, including...