‘Ecstasy’ may cause long-term changes in brain chemistry

Based on research with women, it appears that the so-called “rave” drug can induce a drop in serotonin levels that can last up to two years. Serotonin, the research team noted, is critical to the regulation of mood, appetite, sleep, learning and memory.

Study co-author Dr. Ronald Cowan and his colleagues report their findings in the Dec. 5 online issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.

Can Exercise Aid Memory in Parkinson’s?

“Studies of normal aging show that memory and executive function can be improved with exercise, such as walking several days a week,” explains Karen Anderson, M.D., principal investigator and an assistant professor of neurology and psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

She adds, “We want to see if exercise can slow or reverse some of these memory changes in Parkinson’s patients. We will also investigate whether a computer game designed to improve executive function may make a difference as well.

Brain structure snapshots reveal science behind why only half of London taxi trainees pass the Knowledge test:

The scientists followed a group of 79 trainee drivers and a “control group” of 31 non-taxi drivers. Magnetic Imaging Resonance (MRI) scans were used to take brain structure “snapshots” of the volunteers, who were also given certain memory tasks.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/12/08/brain-structure-snapshots-reveal-science-behind-why-only-half-of-london-taxi-trainees-pass-the-knowledge-test-115875-23620070/

The 39 trainees who qualified had greater volumes of grey matter in their posterior hippocampus than the 40 who failed.

Scientists discover brain area that controls ability to correct movement after being hit or bumped.

http://www.healthcanal.com/brain-nerves/24136-Scientists-discover-how-brain-corrects-bumps-body.html

The fact that humans rapidly correct for any disturbance in motion demonstrates the brain understands the physics of the limb – scientists just didn’t know what part of the brain supported this feedback response – until now. Researchers have discovered that the pathway through the primary motor cortex provides this knowledge of the physics of the limb… implications for stroke patients.

Teen Sex May Affect Brain Development: New research shows sex during the adolescent years could affect mood and brain development into adulthood, say researchers from Ohio State University College of Medicine.

Exercise helps people eat healthier: physical activity in itself can help someone make better eating choices, according to a study from a Harvard University expert. A review of past research by neurology professor Miguel Alonso Alonso shows that physical activity can help in diet control in a few different ways.

Exercise creates more connections in the prefrontal part of the brain. This improves cognitive functions, including the ability to suppress impulsive eating urges.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/health/Exercise+helps+people+healthier+study/5762617/story.html

Breast cancer linked with brain changes, particularly after chemotherapy >> The findings of a recent study add to the growing body of evidence of neurologic impairment associated with primary breast cancer. Although these problems can occur irrespective of the patient’s treatment history, women who have undergone chemotherapy appear to fare the worst.

Bilingualism Has Protective Effect In Delaying Onset Of Dementia.

This is your mind on meditation: less wandering, more doing… The brains of experienced meditators appear to be fitter, more disciplined and more “on task” than do the brains of those trying out meditation for the first time.

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/nov/22/news/la-heb-meditation-mind-wandering-20111122

And the differences between the two groups are evident not only during meditation, but also when the mind is allowed to wander freely. And as you can see in the vidclip, meditation can be practiced almost anytime, anywhere :)

NIH-Funded Study Finds Link between Parkinson’s Disease and Occupational Chemical Exposure to TCE and PERC: A recent study demonstrated that repeated occupational exposure to certain chemicals increases the risk to the neurological disorder Parkinson’s disease…two of six chemicals about which they collected information “posed a notable risk” for developing the disease: trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PERC).