Does Alzheimer’s Disease Affect Diabetics Differently? In an eighteen-month study, researchers explored whether or not Alzheimer’s disease affected patients with diabetes differently than non-diabetics. While they did not detect much difference in cognitive decline between the groups, functional decline was more pronounced in patients with both diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. Clinical Therapeutics, February 2015

Student Loans = Stress for Young Adults. A new study finds that student loan debt is a significant cause of stress among young adults. Researchers conducted a survey across the United States and found that those with greater student loan debt reported higher levels of depressive symptoms. Study author Dr. Katrina Walsemann writes, “We are…

Are Girls Around the World Smarter Than Boys? After analyzing educational data collected during a ten-year period concerning 1.5 million 15-year-old boys and girls from around the world, an international team of researchers from the University of Missouri and the University of Glasgow claims that girls outperform boys in reading, math, and science in 70%…

Early to Bed Leads to Fewer Negative Thoughts. A study that included 100 college students found that those who went to bed later and slept fewer hours experienced more repetitive negative thoughts during the day than those who went to bed earlier and slept longer. Study author Dr. Jacob Nota adds, “Making sure that sleep…

Parental Suicide Attempts Raise Risk of Their Children Doing the Same. According to the findings of a new study, when a parent has a history of attempting suicide, the odds that their child will attempt suicide increase five-fold when compared with the children of individuals who have not attempted suicide. Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein, the president…

Having a Dog Helps Autistic Children Develop Stronger Social Skills. A survey of 70 families with at least one autistic child found that autistic children who lived with at least one dog had stronger social skills than autistic children who lived in dog-free homes. Social skills are typically difficult for kids with autism to develop,…

Learning to Play Music Improves Kids’ Brains. MRI scans of children who received musical training showed greater thickness in the areas of the brain that influence working memory, self-control, organization, and planning for the future. The research team claims their findings “underscore the vital importance of finding new and innovative ways to make music training…

 Are You Pre-Wired to Be Bilingual? Some brains appear to be pre-wired to acquire a second language, according investigators who analyzed MRI scans of native English speakers who were asked to study Chinese vocabulary for six weeks. The pre-study MRI scans of those who were most successful at learning Chinese revealed a greater number of…

Prenatal Exposure to Alcohol and Tobacco Increases ADHD Risk. Children whose mothers drink or smoke during pregnancy are roughly 50-250% more likely to be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than children who receive no alcohol or tobacco exposure while in utero. More specifically, if a mother drinks alcohol during pregnancy, her child’s risk…

Blood Sugar Control and Dementia Risk. An analysis involving 1,342 elderly patients indicates that those with poorly controlled blood sugar are 3-5 times more likely to develop either dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, December 2014