Sport Stars and Junk Food? The majority of foods that star athletes promote are nutrient-poor, which may encourage young people to adopt bad eating habits. The top 100 athletes endorsed 512 brands, with sporting goods and apparel representing the largest category at 28.3%, followed by food and drinks at 23.8%. Most of the food and…

Group Sessions? A study of 509 British youths found the incidence of mental health issues was reduced over the following 24 months after just two 90-minute group therapy sessions. Researchers noted a 21-26% reduction in severe depression, anxiety, and conduct problem symptoms. A similar program is now being implemented in 32 Canadian high schools. National…

Improve Brain Health with Exercise. Previous studies have shown endurance exercise can improve cognitive function, especially in older adults; however, the underlying mechanism was unknown. New research shows that muscular exertion results in the release of a protein called FNDC5 into the blood stream. In turn, FNDC5 stimulates the brain to produce a protein called…

Low Self-Esteem? According to a new study, a man is likely to feel worse about himself when his wife or girlfriend succeeds. Scientists discovered that men automatically interpret their partner’s success as their own failure, even when they are not in direct competition. The study did not find that a woman’s self-esteem is negatively affected…

Video Games are Good! Scientists have developed a video game-based training strategy called NeuroRacer that could “repair” cognitive decline in older individuals. The 3D video game challenges cognitive control by providing a series of distractions on the screen that the players must try to avoid while driving. After playing the game, the study participants showed…

The Brain and Learning a Second Language. Learning a second language requires the brain to create and strengthen new neural connections in the brain’s inferior frontal cortex. This is similar to the structural changes seen in people learning complex motor skills, such as juggling. Montreal Neurological Institute, September 2013

Advances in Infant Mortality. European infant mortality rates fell from 178 deaths (< 1 year of age) per 1,000 births in the 1870s to 120 per 1,000 during 1911-1915. In the 1950s, these rates fell to 41 per 1,000, and in the late 1970s, they continued to fall to only 14 per 1000. In 2010,…

Mental Attitude. Harsh verbal punishments, such as shouting, cursing, or using insults, are just as harmful to adolescents as physical discipline. Adolescents whose parents used harsh verbal punishment are more likely to suffer from depression and are more likely to engage in vandalism or aggressive behavior. Parental warmth, love, emotional support, and affection between parents…

Control Over Your Own Life? When people were provided with scientific evidence that supported the ability to predict the future, they felt a greater sense of control over their lives. One group of study participants read a paragraph stating that researchers had found evidence supporting the existence of precognition, while another group read a paragraph…

Control Over Your Own Life? When people were provided with scientific evidence that supported the ability to predict the future, they felt a greater sense of control over their lives. One group of study participants read a paragraph stating that researchers had found evidence supporting the existence of precognition, while another group read a paragraph…