I found this on NewsBreak: Activating a gene that slows brain aging and increases lifespan.
Category: neuroscience – Page 354
New Research Reveals That Trauma Can Get “Under the Skin,” Weakening Your Muscles As You Age
A study from the University of Michigan has shown that traumatic experiences during childhood may get “under the skin” later in life, impairing the muscle function of people as they age.
The study examined the function of skeletal muscle of older adults paired with surveys of adverse events they had experienced in childhood. It found that people who experienced greater childhood adversity, reporting one or more adverse events, had poorer muscle metabolism later in life. The research, led by University of Michigan Institute for Social Research scientist Kate Duchowny, is published in Science Advances.
Duchowny and her co-authors used muscle tissue samples from people participating in the Study of Muscle, Mobility and Aging, or SOMMA. The study includes 879 participants over age 70 who donated muscle and fat samples as well as other biospecimens. The participants also were given a variety of questionnaires and physical and cognitive assessments, among other tests.
Cannabis use linked to enhanced ability to understand others’ emotions
A recent study published in the Journal of Neuroscience Research offers an intriguing perspective on the effects of regular cannabis use. Contrary to the commonly held view that cannabis has primarily negative impacts on mental health and behavior, the study suggests that regular cannabis users may have a heightened ability to understand the emotions of others. This enhanced empathetic ability is linked to increased connectivity within certain brain regions, particularly the anterior cingulate cortex, a key area involved in processing empathy.
Cannabis is one of the most widely used psychoactive substances worldwide, yet its impact on mental health and cognitive functions remains a subject of contentious debate. Traditional research predominantly highlights the negative consequences associated with cannabis use, particularly its potential to impair cognitive functions and contribute to mental health issues.
These studies often focus on how cannabis interacts with brain regions like the anterior cingulate cortex, which is known to have a high density of cannabinoid receptors and plays a significant role in cognitive processes such as decision making and emotion regulation.
Researchers set new standards for nanoparticles, helping patients with MS, ALS, Parkinson’s disease
Is it possible for nanoparticles to go through the digestive system and deliver medicine directly to the brain tissue? Researchers from Michigan State University say yes, and their latest findings are expected to benefit patients with neurodegenerative disorders like multiple sclerosis, or MS; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS; and Parkinson’s disease, or PD.
Daniel Dennett (1942−2024)
Saddened by the news of Prof. Daniel Dennett’s passing. a brilliant philosopher with with such great influence in cognitive science. It’s such a great loss.
Daniel Dennett, professor emeritus of philosophy at Tufts University, well-known for his work in philosophy of mind and a wide range of other philosophical areas, has died.
Professor Dennett wrote extensively about issues related to philosophy of mind and cognitive science, especially consciousness. He is also recognized as having made significant contributions to the concept of intentionality and debates on free will. Some of Professor Dennett’s books include Content and Consciousness (1969), Brainstorms: Philosophical Essays on Mind and Psychology (1981), The Intentional Stance (1987), Consciousness Explained (1992), Darwin’s Dangerous Idea (1995), Breaking the Spell (2006), and From Bacteria to Bach and Back: The Evolution of Minds (2017). He published a memoir last year entitled I’ve Been Thinking. There are also several books about him and his ideas. You can learn more about his work here.