Executive Function

Alzheimer's: Poor air quality may contribute to cognitive decline

More evidence points to the idea that air pollution may increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease. A new study suggests that tiny polluting particles carried by dirty air can enter the brain, possibly contributing to cognitive decline....
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The brain finds a way to adapt, even when we remove half

A fascinating new study involving people who underwent hemispherectomy — surgery to remove one of the brain's hemispheres — in childhood shows that these individuals now display almost no immediately obvious effects of this procedure....
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Study finds no link between statin use and memory harm in older adults

There is no link between statin use and memory impairment, researchers have concluded, after evaluating effects of the cholesterol-lowering drugs over 6 years in more than 1,000 older people in Australia....
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16 strategies and treatments to fight depression

Depression is one of the most common mood disorders in the United States. It causes persistent sadness and limits a person's ability to go about their daily activities.
However, ...
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Smart people may learn music faster

Intelligence could play a role, according to a Michigan State University study that investigated the early stages of learning to play piano.
Published in the journal , the study may be the first to examine the relationship between intelligence, music aptitude and growth mindset in be...
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Illiteracy may triple dementia risk

New research suggests that not being able to read or write can raise the chances of developing dementia by two or three times....
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Retinal imaging shows promise in early detection of Alzheimer's

An analysis of how the retina of the eye scatters light shows promise as an aid for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease....
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How to stop ruminating thoughts

Ruminating thoughts are excessive and intrusive thoughts about negative experiences and feelings. A person with a history of trauma may be unable to stop thinking about the trauma, for example, while a person with depression may persistently think nega...
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Imagined movements can alter our brains

Brain-computer interfaces (BCI) work on the principle that measurable changes in electrical brain activity occur just by thinking about performing a task. Signals can be read, evaluated, and then converted into control signals via a machine learning system, which can then be used to operate a com...
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Screen-based media associated with structural differences in brains of young children

A new study documents structural differences in the brains of preschool-age children related to screen-based media use.
The study, published in , shows that children who have more screen time have lower structural integrity of white matter tracts in parts of the brain that support lan...
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