Singing in a choir can boost seniors’ cognitive function and feelings of togetherness

Singing has been associated with numerous health benefits, from relieving stress to improving lung function. Now, a new study from Finland suggests choir singing can improve cognitive flexibility, the ability to switch between different thought processes. Seniors who sang in a choir also reported more of a sense of togetherness, researchers said, especially those who … Read more

Growing up in bilingual home ‘provides lasting cognitive benefits’ 

Growing up in a bilingual home can provide unexpected cognitive benefits later in life – especially if exposed to two or more languages from birth.  Experts say infants from bilingual homes gather more information by shifting their visual attention more frequently than those in single-language homes.   ‘Early bilinguals’ – those who learn a second language … Read more

Coronavirus infection could lead to long-term cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s

Global study to investigate whether Covid infection could lead to long-term cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s and dementia YEARS after infection US and UK-based academics are planning a large-scale global study  Will recruit and follow 40,000 people worldwide who have contracted Covid-19   Study will investigate if the viral infection increases risk of cognitive decline   By Joe Pinkstone … Read more

Health: High blood pressure can speed up cognitive decline, study finds

High blood pressure at any age for even a short amount of time can speed up cognitive decline, study finds Researchers from Brazil monitored 7,000 local adults for a period of four years They measured each individual’s memory, verbal fluency and executive function Cognitive decline was worse among those with uncontrolled hypertension This damage can be … Read more

Health: Cheese and wine can REDUCE risk of Alzheimer’s age-related cognitive decline, study shows

No need to hold back on the cheese and wine this Christmas: Study shows they can REDUCE risk of Alzheimer’s and age-related cognitive decline Researchers from the US studied the diets of nearly 1,800 Britons over a decade They compared this information with tests of their cognitive prowess over time Certain foods — which also … Read more

Experimental drug can reverse age-related cognitive decline within THREE DAYS, new mouse study finds

Scientists believe they may have created the first drug that reverses age-related cognitive decline in just days.     It works by rebooting the protein production machinery of the cells in our brains after it gets smothered by a stress response from our body. Research conducted on aged mice showed the compound restored memory and mental flexibility as … Read more

Anxiety ‘speeds up the onset of Alzheimer’s’ in people already suffering with cognitive decline

Anxiety can cause someone suffering from cognitive decline to develop full blown Alzheimer’s more quickly than someone not suffering with anxiety, study finds.  Medical University of South Carolina researchers obtained MRI scans for 339 patients with an average age of 72 and diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment.    The US team found a clear link between the … Read more

Humans reach their ‘cognitive peak’ where their brain is its most powerful at the age of 35

Humans reach their ‘cognitive peak’ where their brain is its most powerful at the age of 35 – but the mind starts declining a decade later, study finds Researchers analyzed more than 24,000 professional chess games since 1890 This involved studying 1.6 million moves and comparing them to ‘ideal moves’ They found performance had improved … Read more

Aging baby boomers have 3.5% poorer cognitive function than their parents’ generations

For generations, Americans’ of reasoning and memory – known as cognitive function – got better and better, until the baby boomers came along, new research suggests.  Data on more than 30,000 people spanning six generations reveals that early- and mid-baby boomers, who were born between 1948 and 1959, show more signs of mental decline than … Read more

Regular exercise can help boost pupils’ exam grades and develop cognitive skills, research says 

Regular exercise can help boost pupils’ exam grades and develop cognitive skills, research says Scientists found regular exercise helps children to develop their brain skills ‘Executive function’ was assessed before and after several months of exercise Those who had poor cognitive skills to begin with benefited most from exercise By Daily Mail Reporter Published: 23:09 … Read more