Could Cerebellum Injury Be a Possible Cause of Autism? Princeton University scientists say their research indicates that an injury to the cerebellum early in life may make a child 36 times more likely to score highly on autism screening tests. Study author Dr. Sam Wang adds, “What we realized from looking at the literature is…

Could Type AB Blood Be a Risk Factor for Dementia? Individuals with blood type AB appear to be more likely to develop the thinking and memory problems that lead to dementia, according to a new study involving over 30,000 participants. However, because more studies are needed to confirm their findings, the researchers advise people with…

Marital Stress Strains Parent-Child Relationships. An analysis of more than 200 families revealed that when parents reported conflict and tension in their marriage, their interactions with their children were also strained in the immediate future. Study author Dr. Chrystyna Kouros writes, “The quality of that relationship spills over into each parent’s interactions with the child.…

Differences in Brains of People with Dyslexia. Dyslexia causes problems with reading and writing and is the most commonly diagnosed learning disorder in the United States. Researchers have discovered that people with this condition have disrupted network connections in their brains. Using functional MRI, the research team found that individuals with dyslexia have less connectivity…

Gardens Can Calm People with Dementia. A review of 17 previous studies has found that gardening tasks — such as watering plants or sitting or strolling in a garden — can help sooth anxiety in some dementia patients. Experts say the findings are encouraging, and ongoing research into the potential calming power of outdoor space…

Stress During Pregnancy May Increase Asthma Risk in Children. Past studies have shown that exposure to stress during pregnancy can increase a child’s risk for premature birth, low birth weight, and development problems. Now, a new animal-based study suggests that maternal stress during pregnancy, even just one high-stress episode, can also increase an offspring’s risk…

Low Vitamin D Levels May Increases Alzheimer’s Risk. Older adults with low levels of vitamin D in their blood may have double the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease compared to seniors with sufficient vitamin D levels. In the study, the risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s significantly increased when vitamin D levels fell below 20 ng/ml.…

High Blood Pressure in Middle Age May Weaken Brain Later. If you let your blood pressure get too high in midlife, you may pay the price of mental decline when you are older. A study involving nearly 14,000 individuals found that hypertension in those aged 48 to 67 years was tied to a 6.5% drop…

What is the Key to Being a Good Comedian? A new study suggests that a stand-up comedian’s success at making an audience laugh is determined by how adept he or she is at linking humor and emotion. The lead author of the study, Dr. Tim Miles of the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom,…

 Ultrasounds May Detect Autism in Utero. A newly published study using ultrasound scans to check for fetal defects found that children who went on to develop autism spectrum disorder (ASD) had a greater head and abdominal size at 20 weeks in the womb compared with children who did not develop ASD. This discovery could offer…