Neanderthals carb loaded, helping grow their big brains
Article courtesy of Ann Gibbons for Science Here’s another blow to the popular image of Neanderthals as brutish meat eaters: A new study of bacteria collected from Neanderthal teeth shows that our close cousins ate so many roots, nuts, or other starchy foods that they[...]
Feeling Foggy? These 4 ‘Brain Foods’ Can Help Keep Your Mind Sharp
Original article by McKel Hill for Healthline Your brain works hard all day long, so feed it well. Your diet can easily influence your emotions, ability to focus, energy levels, and so much more. A nutritionist shares her favorite brain-boosting foods and how to get them[...]
Laughing Is Good for Your Mind and Your Body, Here’s What the Research Shows
Article courtesy of Neuroscience News Amusement and pleasant surprises – and the laughter they can trigger – add texture to the fabric of daily life. Those giggles and guffaws can seem like just silly throwaways. But laughter, in response to funny events, actually takes a lot[...]
Researchers link gut microbiota and Alzheimer’s disease
Original article by Katherine Rushlau for Integrative Practitioner There may be a correlation in humans between an imbalance in the gut microbiota and the development of amyloid plaques in the brain, which are characteristic of Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.[...]
The gut trains the immune system to protect the brain
Original article from the NIH Gut-trained immune cells at CNS borders guard against meningitis and other infections The membranes surrounding our brains are in a never-ending battle against deadly infections, as germs constantly try to elude watchful immune cells and sneak past a special protective barrier[...]
Impact of the immune system on the brain of children
Vestibulum ante ipsum primis Vestibulum ac diam sit amet quam vehicula elementum sed sit amet dui. Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Donec velit neque, auctor sit amet aliquam vel, ullamcorper sit[...]
Coffee – Good For Your Brain
Original article from Dr. Perlmutter There has certainly been a lot of information appearing in scientific literature as of late indicating that coffee consumption is good for the brain. One recent report has revealed what I believe to be a very specific mechanism that directly relates[...]
Study reveals fundamental insight into how memory changes with age
New research from King’s College London and The Open University could help explain why memory in old age is much less flexible than in young adulthood. Original article from King's College Through experiments in mice the researchers discovered that there were dramatic differences in how memories[...]
Daily blue-light exposure shortens lifespan and causes brain neurodegeneration in Drosophila
Original article from Nature.com Light is necessary for life, but prolonged exposure to artificial light is a matter of increasing health concern. Humans are exposed to increased amounts of light in the blue spectrum produced by light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which can interfere with normal sleep cycles.[...]
‘Outlandish’ competition seeks the brain’s source of consciousness
Original article from Science Brain scientists can watch neurons fire and communicate. They can map how brain regions light up during sensation, decision-making, and speech. What they can't explain is how all this activity gives rise to consciousness. Theories abound, but their advocates often talk past[...]
The Challenge of Defining Alzheimer Disease Based on Biomarkers in the Absence of Symptoms
Original article from JAMA Network The search for biomarkers in Alzheimer disease (AD) has been driven by the expectation that such markers will facilitate diagnosis in advance of significant clinical impairment, as well as serve as surrogate markers for clinical trials. The leading biomarkers now in[...]
International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry Research Practice Releases Omega-3 Fatty Acids Clinical Guidelines for Major Depressive Disorder
Original article from Today's Practitioner The subcommittee of the International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry Research recently released a literature review and a Delphi process of Omega-3 fatty acids clinical guidelines for major depressive disorder (MDD). The guidelines were published in Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics Journal. The ISNPR developed[...]
Yale study finds high-fat diet leads to neurological changes in brain
Original article by Katherine Rushlau High-fat diets contribute to irregularities in the hypothalamus region of the brain, which regulates body weight homeostasis and metabolism, according to a new study by researchers at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, and published in the journal Cell Metabolism. The study, led by[...]
Cheer up! Optimists live longer
Original article by David Schultz for Science Here’s a good reason to turn that frown upside down: Optimistic people live as much as 15% longer than pessimists, according to a new study spanning thousands of people and 3 decades. Scientists combined data from two large, long-term[...]
Can Our Brain Activity Affect the Gene Expression of Future Generations?
Original article by David Perlmutter, MD Well, this title offers a compelling question doesn’t it? From the outset, it’s important that I make it very clear that the science for today’s update is an animal study. That said, let’s explore. Researchers in Israel recently published a study in[...]
Does Anger Do More Self-Harm than Sadness?
Original article from Vital Health by Sherry Baker with Craig Weatherby The idea that emotions affect physical health is supported by good deal of evidence. Persistent anger, anxiety, and/or depression are all linked to chronic inflammation and the major diseases it promotes. Depression may be the[...]
Circadian Clocks: Body parts respond to day/night, independent from brain
Original article from Science Daily, June 2019 Can your liver sense when you're staring at a television screen or cellphone late at night? Apparently so, and when such activity is detected, the organ can throw your circadian rhythms out of whack, leaving you more susceptible to[...]
Drugs That Boost Our Circadian Rhythms Could Save Our Lives
Original article appeared in WIRED.com on May 28, 2019 This story is part of a series on how we make time—from productivity hacks and long walks to altering the function of our own circadian clocks. Before there was electricity or the internet or screens illuminated by[...]