ScienceDaily: Intelligence News

Individuals who drink heavily and smoke may show 'early aging' of the brain

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:34:34 EDT

Alcohol treatment interventions work best when patients understand and are actively involved in the process. A first-of-its-kind study looks at the interactive effects of smoking status and age on neurocognition in one-month-abstinent alcohol dependent (AD) individuals in treatment. Results show that AD individuals who currently smoke have more problems with memory, ability to think quickly and efficiently, and problem-solving skills than those who do not smoke, effects which seem to become greater with increasing age.

For combat veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, 'fear circuitry' in the brain never rests

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:32:32 EDT

Chronic trauma can inflict lasting damage to brain regions associated with fear and anxiety. Previous imaging studies of people with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, have shown that these brain regions can over-or under-react in response to stressful tasks.

Researchers shocked by new statistics on head injuries among people who are homeless

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:26:26 EDT

Men who are heavy drinkers and homeless for long periods of time have 400 times the number of head injuries as the general population, according to a new study by researchers who said they were shocked by their findings.

Fishing for memories: How long-term memories are processed to guide behavior

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:39:39 EDT

In our interaction with our environment we constantly refer to past experiences stored as memories to guide behavioral decisions. But how memories are formed, stored and then retrieved to assist decision-making remains a mystery. By observing whole-brain activity in live zebrafish, researchers have visualized for the first time how information stored as long-term memory in the cerebral cortex is processed to guide behavioral choices.

Fast and painless way to better mental arithmetic? Yes, there might actually be a way

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:39:39 EDT

In the future, if you want to improve your ability to manipulate numbers in your head, you might just plug yourself in. So say researchers who report on studies of a harmless form of brain stimulation applied to an area known to be important for math ability.

Faulty energy production in brain cells leads to disorders ranging from Parkinson's to intellectual disability

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:38:38 EDT

Neuroscientists have shown for the first time that dysfunctional mitochondria in brain cells can lead to learning disabilities. The link between dysfunctional mitochondria and Parkinson's disease is known, but this new research shows that it is also present in other brain disorders.

Genetic risk for schizophrenia is connected to reduced IQ

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:53:53 EDT

The relationship between the heritable risk for schizophrenia and low intelligence (IQ) has not been clear. Schizophrenia is commonly associated with cognitive impairments that may cause functional disability. Researchers have now found that individuals with a higher genetic risk for schizophrenia had a lower IQ at age 70 but not at age 11.

Brain rewires itself after damage or injury, life scientists discover

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:50:50 EDT

The brain forms complex new circuits after damage to compensate for lost function, often far from the damaged region, life scientists report. The new study identified the exact regions of the brain that take over when the brain's hippocampus is damaged, and is the first demonstration of such neural circuit plasticity.

Alzheimer's markers predict start of mental decline

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:26:26 EDT

Using long-term patient data, scientists have found that many of the biomarkers for Alzheimer’s identified in recent years can help accurately predict the start of full-blown disease years in advance.

Brain frontal lobes not sole center of human intelligence, comparative research suggests

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:28:28 EDT

Human intelligence cannot be explained by the size of the brain's frontal lobes, say researchers. Research into the comparative size of the frontal lobes in humans and other species has determined that they are not -- as previously thought -- disproportionately enlarged relative to other areas of the brain, according to the most accurate and conclusive study of this area of the brain. It concludes that the size of our frontal lobes cannot solely account for humans' superior cognitive abilities.

Serotonin mediates exercise-induced generation of new neurons

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:09:09 EDT

Mice that exercise in running wheels exhibit increased neurogenesis in the brain. Crucial to this process is serotonin signaling. Surprisingly, mice lacking brain serotonin due to a genetic mutation exhibited normal baseline neurogenesis. However, in these serotonin-deficient mice, activity-induced proliferation was impaired, and wheel running did not induce increased generation of new neurons.

Brain system for emotional self-control discovered

Thu, 09 May 2013 10:43:43 EDT

Different brain areas are activated when we choose to suppress an emotion, compared to when we are instructed to inhibit an emotion, according a new study.

Laughter perception networks in brain different for mocking, joyful or ticklish laughter

Wed, 08 May 2013 17:21:21 EDT

A laugh may signal mockery, humor, joy or simply be a response to tickling, but each kind of laughter conveys a wealth of auditory and social information. These different kinds of laughter also spark different connections within the "laughter perception network" in the human brain depending on their context, according to new research.

Brain anatomy of dyslexia is not the same in men and women, boys and girls

Wed, 08 May 2013 13:18:18 EDT

Using MRI, neuroscientists have found significant differences in brain anatomy when comparing men and women with dyslexia to their non-dyslexic control groups. Their study is the first to directly compare brain anatomy of females with and without dyslexia.

Theta brainwaves reflect ability to beat built-in bias

Tue, 07 May 2013 19:56:56 EDT

Many animals, including humans, harbor ingrained biases to actively obtain rewards and to remain inactive to avoid punishment. Sometimes, however those biases can steer us wrong. A new study finds that theta brainwave activity in the prefrontal cortex predicts how well people can overcome these biases when they are unwanted.

Using anticholinergics for as few as 60 days causes memory problems in older adults

Tue, 07 May 2013 12:48:48 EDT

Research on medications commonly taken by older adults has found that drugs with strong anticholinergic effects cause cognitive impairment when taken continuously for as few as 60 days. A similar impact can be seen with 90 days of continuous use when taking multiple drugs with weak anticholinergic effect.

Traumatized moms avoid tough talks with kids

Mon, 06 May 2013 18:17:17 EDT

Mothers who have experienced childhood abuse, neglect or other traumatic experiences show an unwillingness to talk with their children about the child's emotional experiences, a new study shows.

Cognitive impairment in families with exceptional longevity studied

Mon, 06 May 2013 18:13:13 EDT

Researchers examines the relationship between families with exceptional longevity and cognitive impairment consistent with Alzheimer disease.

So-called cougars, sugar daddies more myth than reality

Mon, 06 May 2013 11:40:40 EDT

Despite the popular image of the rich older man or woman supporting an attractive younger spouse, a new study shows those married to younger or older mates have on average lower earnings, lower cognitive abilities, are less educated and less attractive than couples of similar ages.

Increases in heart disease risk factors may decrease brain function

Thu, 02 May 2013 18:54:54 EDT

Increases in heart disease risk factors may decrease brain function. The association between the two was noted in young and middle-age adults as well as the elderly. Smoking and diabetes were especially linked with reduced brain function.

Want to slow mental decay? Play a video game

Wed, 01 May 2013 19:29:29 EDT

A new study shows that older people can put off the aging of their minds by playing a simple game that primes their processing speed skills. The research showed participants' cognitive skills improved in a range of functions, from improving peripheral vision to problem solving.

Hypothalamus: Brain region may hold key to aging

Wed, 01 May 2013 13:18:18 EDT

While the search continues for the Fountain of Youth, researchers may have found the body's "fountain of aging": the brain region known as the hypothalamus. For the first time, scientists report that the hypothalamus of mice controls aging throughout the body. Their discovery of a specific age-related signaling pathway opens up new strategies for combating diseases of old age and extending lifespan.

Mild iodine deficiency in womb associated with lower scores on children's literacy tests

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:14:14 EDT

Children who did not receive enough iodine in the womb performed worse on literacy tests as 9-year-olds than their peers, according to a recent study.

Strong personalities are weak when faced with change

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:16:16 EDT

Management teams with members who have strong personality traits have difficulty adapting to rapid changes in their surroundings, according to new study.

Do you obsess over your appearance? Your brain might be wired abnormally

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:42:42 EDT

New research has discovered that people with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) have abnormal connections throughout their brain. BDD is a disabling but often-misunderstood psychiatric condition in which individuals perceive that they're disfigured and ugly, even though they look normal to others.

Gene networks in brains of deceased patients reveal potential therapy for Alzheimer's disease

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:26:26 EDT

Most information about the cause of Alzheimer's is based on studies from animal models. Now, a study examines the brain tissue of deceased human patients and sheds light on dysfunctions in molecular networks in the brain that are at the root of Alzheimer's. By showing that the TYROBP gene plays a key role in disrupting immune system pathways in the brains of Alzheimer's patients, the study reveals a potential therapeutic target for preventing brain damage.

Clenching right fist may give better grip on memory

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:51:51 EDT

Clenching your right hand may help form a stronger memory of an event or action, and clenching your left may help you recollect the memory later, according to new research.

Mild blast injury causes molecular changes in brain akin to Alzheimer

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:31:31 EDT

Scientists have shown that mild traumatic brain injury after blast exposure produces inflammation, oxidative stress and gene activation patterns akin to disorders of memory processing such as Alzheimer's disease.

Emotional intelligence trumps IQ in dentist-patient relationship

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:57:57 EDT

IQ directly relates to how students perform on tests in the first two years of dental school. But emotional 'intelligence' trumps IQ in how well dental students work with patients, report researchers.

Gone, but not forgotten: Scientists recall EP, perhaps the world’s second-most famous amnesiac

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:49:49 EDT

Neuroscientists have described for the first time, in exhaustive detail, the underlying neurobiology of an amnesiac who suffered from profound memory loss after damage to key portions of his brain.

Sporting events: Clear your memory to pick a winner

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:49:49 EDT

Predicting the winner of a sporting event with accuracy close to that of a statistical computer program could be possible with proper training, according to researchers.

More evidence berries have health-promoting properties

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 15:34:34 EDT

Adding more color to your diet in the form of berries is encouraged by many nutrition experts. The protective effect of berries against inflammation has been documented in many studies. Diets supplemented with blueberries and strawberries have also been shown to improve behavior and cognitive functions in stressed young rats.

Stem cell transplant restores memory, learning in mice

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 15:16:16 EDT

For the first time, human embryonic stem cells have been transformed into nerve cells that helped mice regain the ability to learn and remember.

Scientific basis for cognitive complaints of breast cancer patients

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 13:26:26 EDT

Researchers have shown a statistically significant association between neuropsychological (NP) test performance and memory complaints in post-treatment, early stage breast cancer patients. Patient-reported memory difficulties were also associated with having received chemotherapy and radiation and depressive symptoms in one of the first studies to show patient complaints of cognitive problems after breast cancer treatment (chemo brain) associates with NP test performance.

Risk factor for depression can be 'contagious'

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:44:44 EDT

A new study with college roommates shows that a particular style of thinking that makes people vulnerable to depression can actually "rub off" on others, increasing their symptoms of depression six months later.

Learning disabilities affect up to 10 percent of children

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:23:23 EDT

Up to 10 percent of the population are affected by specific learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, dyscalculia and autism, translating to 2 or 3 pupils in every classroom, according to a new review.

Bursts of brain activity may protect against Alzheimer's disease

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:57:57 EDT

Scientists have found that bursts of electrical pulses applied to the brain can manipulate the balance of two proteins crucial to the development of Alzheimer's disease. It represents a major advance in understanding how not only genetic mutations but also physiological mechanisms affect the development of the disease.

Brain-behavior associations: Researchers look at ties between early social experiences and adolescent brain function

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:59:59 EDT

Brains develop in the context of experience. Social experiences may be particularly relevant for developing neural circuits related to the experience of feeling or emotion. Factors such as negative life events and the quality of relationships also matter. New findings come from four large, longitudinal studies of high-risk adolescents from varied backgrounds.

Teens' brains are more sensitive to rewarding feedback from peers

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:50:50 EDT

Teenagers are risk-takers -- they're more likely than children or adults to experiment with illicit substances, have unprotected sex, and drive recklessly. But research shows that teenagers have the knowledge and ability to make competent decisions about risk. So what explains their risky behavior? Scientists argue that this risky behavior may reflect the unique effect of peer influence on the still-developing teenage brain.

Scientists reverse memory loss in animal brain cells

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:44:44 EDT

Neuroscientists have taken a major step in their efforts to help people with memory loss tied to brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Going places: Rat brain 'GPS' maps routes to rewards

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:18:18 EDT

Studying rats' ability to navigate familiar territory, scientists found that the hippocampus uses remembered spatial information to imagine routes the rats then follow. Their discovery has implications for understanding why hippocampal damage disrupts specific types of memory and learning in people with Alzheimer's disease and age-related cognitive decline. And because these mental trajectories guide the rats' behavior, the research model may be useful in future studies on higher-level tasks, such as decision-making.

Light drinking in pregnancy not linked to development problems in childhood, study suggests

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 21:47:47 EDT

Light drinking during pregnancy is not linked to adverse behavioural or cognitive outcomes in childhood, suggests a new study. This study collated data from the Millennium Cohort Study, a national study of infants born in the UK between 2000-2002, to assess whether light drinking (up to two units of alcohol per week) in pregnancy was linked to unfavourable developmental outcomes in 7-year-old children.

Memory, the adolescent brain and lying: The limits of neuroscientific evidence in the law

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EDT

Brain scans are increasingly able to reveal whether you believe you remember some person or event in your life. In a new study, researchers used fMRI brain scans to detect whether a person recognized scenes from their own lives, as captured in some 45,000 images by digital cameras. The study is seeking to test the capabilities and limits of brain-based technology for detecting memories, a technique being considered for use in legal settings.

Training the brain to improve on new tasks

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 17:24:24 EDT

A brain-training task that increases the number of items an individual can remember over a short period of time may boost performance in other problem-solving tasks by enhancing communication between different brain areas. The new study is one of a growing number of experiments on how working-memory training can measurably improve a range of skills -- from multiplying in your head to reading a complex paragraph.

New light shed on traumatic brain injuries

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:14:14 EDT

A new article offers the latest information concerning a "switch" that turns "on" and "off" inflammation in the brain after trauma.

No evidence drugs, vitamins, supplements help prevent cognitive decline in healthy older adults

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:14:14 EDT

A review has found no evidence that drugs, herbal products or vitamin supplements help prevent cognitive decline in healthy older adults.

Musicians who learn a new melody demonstrate enhanced skill after a night's sleep

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:48:48 EDT

A new study examining how the brain learns and retains motor skills provides insight into musical skill. Musicians who practiced and learned a new melody and were tested on it again after a night's sleep showed enhanced learning, says a researcher. The study found, however, that when two similar musical pieces were practiced one after the other, followed by sleep, any gains in speed and accuracy were diminished.

Teachers' assessments not always conducive to fair education, researcher says

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:59:59 EDT

Teachers’ assessments of pupils’ literacy can vary significantly, even for pupils with similar test scores. This may interfere with children’s right to fair and gender-equal education, according to new research.

Reactivating memories during sleep: Memory rehearsal during sleep can make a big difference in remembering later

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:24:24 EDT

Why do some memories last a lifetime while others disappear quickly? A new study suggests that memories rehearsed, during sleep or waking, can have an impact on memory consolidation and on what is remembered later. A new study shows that when the information that makes up a memory has a high value, the memory is more likely to be rehearsed and consolidated during sleep and remembered later.

Sound stimulation during sleep can enhance memory

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:38:38 EDT

Slow oscillations in brain activity, which occur during so-called slow-wave sleep, are critical for retaining memories. Researchers have found that playing sounds synchronized to the rhythm of the slow brain oscillations of people who are sleeping enhances these oscillations and boosts their memory.

Different brains have similar responses to music

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 07:57:57 EDT

Do the brains of different people listening to the same piece of music actually respond in the same way? An imaging study says the answer is yes, which may in part explain why music plays such a big role in our social existence.

Benefits of cognitive pain relief methods

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:13:13 EDT

Those who accept their pain condition are best able to tolerate pain, while distraction can be the way to lower pain intensity, according to new research.

Producing new neurons under all circumstances: A challenge that is just a mouse away

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 13:20:20 EDT

Improving neuron production in elderly persons presenting with a decline in cognition is a major challenge facing an aging society and the emergence of neuro-degenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. Researchers in France recently showed that the pharmacological blocking of the TGF-beta molecule improves the production of new neurons in the mouse model.

Rosemary aroma may help you remember to do things

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 09:11:11 EDT

The aroma of rosemary essential oil may improve prospective memory in healthy adults. The findings suggest that this essential oil may enhance the ability to remember events and to remember to complete tasks at particular times in the future.

Shift of language function to right hemisphere impedes post-stroke aphasia recovery

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 12:19:19 EDT

In a study designed to differentiate why some stroke patients recover from aphasia and others do not, investigators have found that a compensatory reorganization of language function to right hemispheric brain regions bodes poorly for language recovery. Patients who recovered from aphasia showed a return to normal left-hemispheric language activation patterns.

Could playing 'boys' games help girls in science and math?

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 09:26:26 EDT

A new review finds that men still have better spatial ability than women and this may be explained by gender-role identification.

Hallucinations of musical notation

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 07:30:30 EDT

A physician and neurologist has outlined case studies of hallucinations of musical notation, and commented on the neural basis of such hallucinations.

Avoid impulsive acts by imagining future benefits

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EDT

Why is it so hard for some people to resist the least little temptation, while others seem to possess incredible patience, passing up immediate gratification for a greater long-term good? The answer, suggests a new study, is that patient people focus on future rewards in a way that makes the waiting process seem much more pleasurable.

Brain-imaging tool and stroke risk test help identify cognitive decline early

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:13:13 EDT

Medical researchers have used a brain-imaging tool and stroke risk assessment to identify signs of cognitive decline early on in individuals who don't yet show symptoms of dementia.

Speaking a tonal language (such as Cantonese) primes the brain for musical training

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 18:26:26 EDT

Non-musicians who speak tonal languages may have a better ear for learning musical notes, according to researchers.