Growing up in a bilingual home can provide unexpected cognitive benefits later in life – especially if exposed to two or more languages from birth. Experts say infants from bilingual homes gather more information by shifting their visual attention more frequently than those in single-language homes. ‘Early bilinguals’ – those who learn a second language … Read more
Scientists are concerned the coronavirus could cause long-term damage to the brain and central nervous system, potentially leading to Alzheimer’s in later life. US and UK-based academics are planning a large-scale global study to investigate the possibility SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes Covid-19, could lead to cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other forms of dementia … Read more
Humans reach their ‘cognitive peak’ where their brain is its most powerful at the age of 35 – but the mind starts declining a decade later, study finds Researchers analyzed more than 24,000 professional chess games since 1890 This involved studying 1.6 million moves and comparing them to ‘ideal moves’ They found performance had improved … Read more
For generations, Americans’ of reasoning and memory – known as cognitive function – got better and better, until the baby boomers came along, new research suggests. Data on more than 30,000 people spanning six generations reveals that early- and mid-baby boomers, who were born between 1948 and 1959, show more signs of mental decline than … Read more
The term ‘covidiot’ is a coronavirus-era slang term for someone who ignores recommendations to limit the spread of the deadly disease – and a new study reveals what makes these people dismiss the warnings. Researchers found that whether or not an individual decides to follow social distancing depends on how much information their working memory … Read more
Iron accumulation in the outer layer of the brain could lead to mental deterioration in people with Alzheimer’s disease, scientists report. MRI scans over the course of 17 years showed people with Alzheimer’s have higher levels of iron in some regions of the brain – including deep grey matter, temporal lobes and neo-cortex – than … Read more
‘Baby brain’ after giving birth is only a blip — with new mothers regaining their full cognitive function within a year — a study has found. Often dubbed ‘Mumnesia’, it is said this phenomenon manifests as increased forgetfulness and absent-mindedness in mothers shortly after giving birth. However, researchers from the US found that it is short-lived … Read more
Couples who share a bed get better sleep resulting in improved mental health, memory and problem-solving skills, according the to results of a new study. In German experiments, couples sleeping together were shown to have longer and less disrupted periods of rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep. REM sleep – the fourth stage of sleep, associated with vivid … Read more
Regular exercise protects the brain from damage and keeps it healthy in old age, fresh evidence suggests. German scientists found cycling halted the decline of grey matter in hundreds of volunteers with an average age of 52. But the researchers claimed ‘just about any physical activity that gets your heart pumping’ would have the same effect. Grey … Read more