ScienceDaily: Mind & Brain News

Loneliness and social isolation are just as much a threat to longevity as obesity Posted: 11 Mar 2015 01:05 PM PDT Loneliness and social isolation are just as much a threat to longevity as obesity. The effect occurs even for people who like to be alone. Lack of relationships is a bigger health risk for people under age 65.

How genetic changes lead to familial Alzheimer's disease Posted: 11 Mar 2015 11:09 AM PDT Mutations in the presenilin-1 gene are the most common cause of inherited, early-onset forms of Alzheimer's disease. In a new study, scientists replaced the normal mouse presenilin-1 gene with Alzheimer's-causing forms of the human gene to discover how these genetic changes may lead to the disorder. Their surprising results may transform the way scientists design drugs that target these mutations to treat inherited or familial Alzheimer's, a rare form of the disease.

Experience of time is altered in depression, meta-study shows Posted: 11 Mar 2015 11:09 AM PDT Patients suffering from depression appear to experience time differently than healthy individuals. Statements made by patients in a recent study indicate that for them time seems to pass extremely slowly or even stands still. Psychologists have collated relevant studies on the subject to analyze them in a meta-study.

Feasibility of blood-based test for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease Posted: 11 Mar 2015 11:09 AM PDT The first evidence that a simple blood test could be developed to confirm the presence of beta amyloid proteins in the brain, which is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, has been presented by researchers.

Gender, race influences when teens start drinking, smoking and doing drugs Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:47 AM PDT Cigarette use among white teenagers is substantially higher than among black and Hispanic teenagers, especially at 18 years old, according to researchers. Alcohol and marijuana use are also higher in white teenagers, and the numbers continue to increase until age 20. Throughout their 20s, blacks and Hispanics are more likely to pick up a cigarette-smoking habit, while the numbers start to decrease for whites.

Promising 'natural' Alzheimer's treatment moves toward clinical trials Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:46 AM PDT A promising new natural treatment for Alzheimer's disease is moving toward clinical trials. This will be a major step forward as there is nothing on the market that slows the progression of Alzheimer's; natural products chemist has patented a botanical compound, withanamides.

Brain processes ongoing pain more emotionally Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:45 AM PDT A momentary lapse of concentration is all it takes for a finger to become trapped or sprain an ankle -- and it hurts. Pain is the body's protective mechanism and a complex neurological phenomenon. Moreover, ongoing pain in the sense of chronic pain can be a disease, clinicians say. Scientists have now demonstrated that already during a few minutes of ongoing pain, the underlying brain activity changes by shifting from sensory to emotional processes.

Repairing the cerebral cortex: It can be done Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:45 AM PDT An important step in the area of cell therapy has been taken by scientists: repairing the cerebral cortex of the adult mouse using a graft of cortical neurons derived from embryonic stem cells. These results also suggest that damaged circuits can be restored only by using neurons of the same type as the damaged area.

Brain waves predict our risk for insomnia Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:44 AM PDT There may not yet be a cure for insomnia, but researchers are a step closer to predicting who is most likely to suffer from it -- just in time for World Sleep Day on March 13. Researchers note that we should all keep abiding by the habits already acknowledged to promote a good night's sleep: "Avoid sources of stress when going to bed, preserve the bedroom environment for sleep and not for work, and avoid stimulation. Find ways to relax before going to sleep."

Drug restores brain function and memory in early Alzheimer’s disease Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:42 AM PDT An existing epilepsy drug reverses a condition in elderly patients who are at high risk for dementia due to Alzheimer's disease.

Face-to-face bullying worse than cyber-attacks, students say Posted: 11 Mar 2015 06:10 AM PDT Face-to-face bullying is more cruel and harsh than online attacks, a survey of school students found. The findings of this study indicate that significantly more victims perceived traditional bullying to be more harsh and cruel than cyberbullying. "It clearly indicates the feelings of the children and the very real threat they have of being physically harmed by another child," the lead investigator said.

Telemedicine enrolls patients remotely into acute stroke trial Posted: 11 Mar 2015 06:10 AM PDT For the first time in the world, researchers were able to enroll patients at other hospitals into an acute stroke clinical trial.

Religion, support for birth control health coverage can mix Posted: 11 Mar 2015 06:10 AM PDT Religious affiliation doesn't necessarily predict a woman’s views on reproductive health care policies like birth control coverage, a study shows. Even when it comes to policies that have sometimes been characterized as going against Christian views -- such as the Affordable Care Act mandate for employer-provided contraception coverage -- religious women's opinions are mixed, finds the American study.

Assessing feedback interactions in a creative setting Posted: 11 Mar 2015 05:19 AM PDT The traditional notion of feedback usually involves a one-way conversation where a manager rates an employee's performance because the destination, so to speak, is known. But what happens in a creative setting, when the endpoint is unknown? New research finds sharing incomplete work and having a healthy-give-and-take is a critical ingredient because the feedback is focused on developing an idea, rather than evaluating it at the end. The lessons could apply in the corporate world.

Gene linked with early epilepsy discovered Posted: 11 Mar 2015 05:17 AM PDT Certain types of early-onset epilepsy are caused by previously unknown mutations of a potassium channel gene, KCNA2. The mutations disrupt the electrical balance in the brain in two ways. In some patients, the flow of potassium is greatly reduced; while in others, it is raised enormously. Both states can lead to hard-to-treat epileptic seizures. New information may lead to a treatment to help prevent poor brain development in some cases, researchers say.

Slick mobile payments may rebound on retailers Posted: 11 Mar 2015 05:17 AM PDT Developers and marketing experts concentrate on making mobile device payment systems slick and easy but research shows they that approach may rebound on retailers. "The perceived wisdom is that payments via a mobile device should be designed and marketed as being ever faster, simpler and effortless. But the evidence that uses a slightly clunky system is that there is value in the social interactions at the point of sale for both customer and supplier," an investigator notes.

Study reveals sexual appeal of war heroes Posted: 11 Mar 2015 05:16 AM PDT Women are more attracted to war heroes than regular soldiers or men who display heroic traits in other fields, such as in sports or natural disaster work, according to new research. The findings also suggest that men did not find heroism to be a sexually attractive trait in women. In the study, 92 women studying in the UK were presented with hypothetical profiles of the opposite sex, representing varying levels of heroism in different contexts such as warfare, sport and business.

Stem cells in the brain: Limited self-renewal Posted: 11 Mar 2015 05:15 AM PDT Stem cells in the brain can produce neurons and are consequently seen as a hope for treatment. A team of researchers has now discovered that the self-renewal rate of the stem cells is however limited, explaining why their number drops over the course of a lifetime. This work now sets the basis for further investigation of the signalling pathways that maintain the stem cells.

Dark neural patches explored Posted: 11 Mar 2015 05:15 AM PDT Researchers have found a surprise upon mapping the precise connectivity inside a brain structure called the neostriatum. The cell groups here do not seem to be talking to each other, and are less interdependent in their functioning than previously suspected.

Harder-to-abuse oxycontin doesn't stop illicit use Posted: 11 Mar 2015 05:13 AM PDT A reformulation of OxyContin that makes it less likely to be abused than the older formulation has curtailed the drug’s illicit use. But researchers have found that a significant percentage still abuse the drug despite package labeling that emphasizes its abuse-deterrent properties.

Computer model explains how brain learns to categorize Posted: 11 Mar 2015 05:12 AM PDT A computer model has been devised to explain how a neural circuit learns to classify sensory stimuli into discrete categories, such as "car vs. motorcycle." Their findings shed new light on the brain processes underpinning judgments we make on a daily basis.

One in six college students misuse ADHD stimulant drugs Posted: 10 Mar 2015 02:41 PM PDT One in six college students misuse the stimulant drugs prescribed for ADHD, such as Ritalin and Adderall, considerably more than reported in several of the earlier studies, a meta-analysis shows. Those students run both legal and health risks in off-prescription use of ADHD stimulant drugs, which are Schedule II controlled substances.

More weight-loss strategies needed for people with neurological disabilities Posted: 10 Mar 2015 02:41 PM PDT A review of nutrition and weight-loss interventions for people with impaired mobility found strategies are sorely lacking for people with neurological disabilities. Interventions are overwhelmingly geared toward muscular disorders, leaving a gap in approaches that could help people with neurological disabilities become more active, eat healthier and lose weight, researchers conclude.

Researchers see way cocaine hijacks memory Posted: 10 Mar 2015 02:41 PM PDT A mechanism in the brain that facilitates the pathologically powerful role of memory in drug addiction has been identified by a group of researchers. Their discovery opens a new area of research for targeted therapy that would alter or disable the mechanism and make drug addiction less compulsive.

'Perfect storm' of stress, depression may raise risk of death, heart attack for heart patients Posted: 10 Mar 2015 02:41 PM PDT High stress and deep depression among heart patients may up the risk of death or heart attack by 48 percent. The findings validate the concept of a 'psychosocial perfect storm' for heart patients. Researchers say behavioral interventions may be needed to help heart patients manage both stress and depression.

Protein in brain can 'put the brakes' on binge drinking Posted: 09 Mar 2015 10:46 AM PDT A new study identifies both where in the brain and how a protein in the brain, called Neuropeptide Y or NPY, can act to suppress binge alcohol drinking. These findings suggest that restoring NPY may be useful for treating alcohol use disorders and may also protect some individuals from becoming alcohol dependent.