Mental health is a state of emotional and psychological well-being in which an individual is able to use his or her cognitive and emotional capabilities, function in society, and meet the ordinary demands of everyday life.
Changes in scores of genes contribute to autism risk — Newfound genetic differences provide many hints at causes – Small differences in as many as a thousand genes contribute to risk for autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This new study examined data on several types of rare, genetic differences in more than 14,000 DNA samples from parents, affected children, and unrelated individuals.
Autism – Study finds association between maternal exposure to agricultural pesticides – Pregnant women who lived in close proximity to fields and farms where chemical pesticides were applied experienced a two-thirds increased risk of having a child with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental delay.
Cleveland Clinic identifies mechanism in Alzheimer’s-related memory loss — Study uncovers role of Neuroligin-1 protein – Cleveland Clinic researchers have identified a protein in the brain that plays a critical role in the memory loss seen in Alzheimer’s patients. The protein – Neuroligin-1 (NLGN1) – is known to be involved in memory formation; this is the first time it’s been linked to amyloid-associated memory loss.
High good and low bad cholesterol levels are healthy for the brain, too – High levels of “good” cholesterol and low levels of “bad” cholesterol are correlated with lower levels of the amyloid plaque deposition in the brain that is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease, UC Davis researchers have found.
Vitamin E May Delay Decline in Mild-to-Moderate Alzheimer’s Disease — Study Shows Benefit in Activities of Daily Living and Savings in Caregiver Time with Vitamin E – A new research suggests that alpha tocepherol, fat-soluble Vitamin E and antioxidant, may slow functional decline (problems with daily activities such as shopping, preparing meals, planning, and traveling) in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease and decrease caregiver burden.
Are concussions related to Alzheimer’s disease? – A history of concussion involving at least a momentary loss of consciousness may be related to the buildup of Alzheimer’s-associated plaques in the brain, revealed by researchers in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
A single spray of oxytocin improves brain function in children with autism – A single dose of the hormone oxytocin, delivered via nasal spray, has been shown to enhance brain activity while processing social information in children with autism spectrum disorders.
ADHD linked to social and economic disadvantage — Scientists have found evidence of a link between social and economic status and childhood attention deficit disorder in the UK – Scientists have found evidence of a link between social and economic status and childhood attention deficit disorder (ADHD) in the UK. A team led by the University of Exeter Medical School analysed data from the Millennium Cohort Study, a database of more than 19,500 UK children born between 2000 and 2002.
Copper identified as culprit in Alzheimer’s disease – Copper appears to be one of the main environmental factors that trigger the onset and enhance the progression of Alzheimer’s disease by preventing the clearance and accelerating the accumulation of toxic proteins in the brain.
Induced or augmented childbirth appears to be associated with increased risk for autism – An analysis of North Carolina birth and educational records suggests that induction (stimulating uterine contractions prior to the onset of spontaneous labor) and augmentation (increasing the strength, duration, or frequency of uterine contractions with spontaneous onset of labor) during childbirth appears to be associated with increased odds of autism diagnosis in childhood.
