Brain | Page 778 | Science Codex

Short-term attentional perseveration associated with real-life creative achievement

What makes some people more creative than others? Psychologists have suggested that creativity partly depends on a person's ability to continuously switch attention between the details and the bigger picture of a given task.

In two experiments, Darya Zabelina and Mark Beeman from Northwestern University found evidence for the opposite effect, at least for one measure of creativity: creative people with achievements in the real world may concentrate so much on one aspect that they have difficulty switching to another.

Forced exercise may still protect against anxiety and stress, says CU-Boulder study

Being forced to exercise may still help reduce anxiety and depression just as exercising voluntarily does, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Past studies have shown that people who exercise are more protected against stress-related disorders. And scientists know that the perception of control can benefit a person's mental health. But it has been an open question whether a person who feels forced to exercise, eliminating the perception of control, would still reap the anxiety-fighting benefits of the exercise.

Culture vultures

Human tendency to adopt the behaviour of others when on their home territory has been found in non-human primates.

Researchers at the University of St Andrews observed 'striking' fickleness in male monkeys, when it comes to copying the behaviour of others in new groups.

The study has been hailed by leading primate experts as rare experimental proof of 'cultural transmission' in wild primates to date.

The findings could help explain the evolution of our human desire to seek out 'local knowledge' when visiting a new place or culture.

Missing link in Parkinson's disease found

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have described a missing link in understanding how damage to the body's cellular power plants leads to Parkinson's disease and, perhaps surprisingly, to some forms of heart failure.

These cellular power plants are called mitochondria. They manufacture the energy the cell requires to perform its many duties. And while heart and brain tissue may seem entirely different in form and function, one vital characteristic they share is a massive need for fuel.

Longer days bring 'winter blues' -- for rats, not humans

Most of us are familiar with the "winter blues," the depression-like symptoms known as "seasonal affective disorder," or SAD, that occurs when the shorter days of winter limit our exposure to natural light and make us more lethargic, irritable and anxious. But for rats it's just the opposite.

Thanks to rare alpine bacteria, researchers identify one of alcohol's key gateways to the brain

AUSTIN, Texas — Thanks to a rare bacteria that grows only on rocks in the Swiss Alps, researchers at The University of Texas at Austin and the Pasteur Institute in France have been the first to identify how alcohol might affect key brain proteins.

It's a major step on the road to eventually developing drugs that could disrupt the interaction between alcohol and the brain.

New insights into Alzheimer's gene paves the way for prevention

Alzheimer's disease is the most common neurodegenerative disorder, affecting more than five million Americans, but currently there is no way to prevent, delay or stop its progression. A study published online April 25 by the Cell Press journal Neuron shows that a gene called CD33 contributes to Alzheimer's disease by inhibiting the ability of immune cells to remove toxic molecules in the brain. The findings provide new insights into the molecular causes of the disease and reveal a novel potential therapy that could prevent cognitive decline and brain damage at early stages.

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

Most information about the cause of Alzheimer's disease is based on studies from animal models. Now, a study published by Cell Press on April 25th in the journal Cell 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 disease. 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 caused by this debilitating disease.

Alzheimer's risk gene presents potential treatment target

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators have determined that one of the recently identified genes contributing to the risk of late-onset Alzheimer's disease regulates the clearance of the toxic amyloid beta (A-beta) protein that accumulates in the brains of patients with the disease. In their report receiving advance online publication in Neuron, the researchers describe a protective variant of the CD33 gene that promotes clearance of A-beta from the brain.

Suppressing protein may stem Alzheimer's disease process

Scientists funded by the National Institutes of Health have discovered a potential strategy for developing treatments to stem the disease process in Alzheimer's disease. It's based on unclogging removal of toxic debris that accumulates in patients' brains, by blocking activity of a little-known regulator protein called CD33.

Psychology: School violence

School violence is a very important social issue world-wide. It poses a significant threat to the health, achievement, and well-being of students. Although the most highly published incidents involve serious physical violence, less serious forms of physical aggression and psychological violence (including harassment, bullying, and relational aggression) present far more prevalent and persistent problems.

Why do guppies jump?

COLLEGE PARK, Md - If you've owned a pet guppy, you know they often jump out of their tanks. Many a child has asked why the guppy jumped; many a parent has been stumped for an answer. Now a study by University of Maryland biologist Daphne Soares reveals how guppies are able to jump so far, and suggests why they do it.

New hope for autistic children who never learn to speak

An Autistica consultation published this month found that 24% of children with autism were non-verbal or minimally verbal, and it is known that these problems can persist into adulthood. Professionals have long attempted to support the development of language in these children but with mixed outcomes. An estimated 600,000 people in the UK and 70 million worldwide have autism, a neuro-developmental condition which is life-long.

Autism risk spotted at birth in abnormal placentas

Researchers at the Yale School of Medicine have figured out how to measure an infant's risk of developing autism by looking for abnormalities in his/her placenta at birth, allowing for earlier diagnosis and treatment for the developmental disorder. The findings are reported in the April 25 online issue of Biological Psychiatry.

New hope for Autistic children who never learn to speak

An Autistica consultation published this month found that 24% of children with autism were non-verbal or minimally verbal, and it is known that these problems can persist into adulthood. Professionals have long attempted to support the development of language in these children but with mixed outcomes. An estimated 600,000 people in the UK and 70 million worldwide have autism, a neuro-developmental condition which is life-long.