All articles tagged with #cognitive disorders
A study from the University of Nottingham found that balanced neural inhibition in the hippocampus is essential for recognition memory, with both excessive and insufficient inhibition disrupting object recognition, while inhibition in the prefrontal cortex has no effect. These findings highlight the importance of neural balance for memory function and could inform treatments for cognitive disorders like schizophrenia and dementia.
A global study involving 131 researchers from 105 labs across seven countries has found altered brain pH and lactate levels across various animal models of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, indicating a common energy metabolism dysfunction. Elevated lactate levels were predominantly associated with impaired working memory, highlighting a direct impact on cognitive function. The identification of altered brain energy metabolism as a transdiagnostic endophenotype paves the way for innovative treatment approaches targeting shared metabolic dysfunctions in disorders such as schizophrenia, autism, and Alzheimer’s.
Moderate consumption of coffee and tea has been found to lower the risk of cognitive disorders, such as dementia, according to a recent meta-analysis. The study analyzed 33 studies and involved over 389,000 participants. Coffee consumption was associated with a 27% lower risk of cognitive disorders, while tea consumption was linked to a 32% lower risk. The protective effects of coffee peaked at around 2.5 cups per day, while one cup of tea per day was associated with an 11% reduced risk of death from cognitive disorders. The study suggests that caffeine improves short-term cognitive performance and protects against long-term cognitive decline by blocking overactive adenosine receptors in the brain. However, further research is needed to validate these findings and explore potential confounding factors.
Older patients receiving thyroid hormone therapy with low thyrotropin levels are at an increased risk for cognitive disorders, including dementia, according to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. The study found that both exogenous and endogenous hyperthyroidism were associated with a higher likelihood of incident cognitive disorders. Women were more likely to have low levels of thyrotropin and be overtreated. The findings suggest that caution should be exercised when prescribing thyroid hormone therapy to older patients to avoid overtreatment and potential complications. Primary care physicians should consider consulting with endocrinologists for a differential diagnosis and treatment plan.
Researchers have discovered "visual-movement" neurons in the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) that use coordinated activity called "beta bursts" to suppress distractions and maintain focus on rewarding tasks. This finding provides insights into how the brain filters out distractions and offers potential implications for understanding cognitive disorders such as attention deficit disorder (ADD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).