Tag

Neuroplasticity

All articles tagged with #neuroplasticity

cognitive-science2 days ago•29 min saved

Brain health can grow at any age with online training, new study finds

A three-year online BrainHealth Project study of 3,966 adults aged 19–94 found that adults of all ages can measurably improve brain health using accessible online training and coaching. The BrainHealth Index showed gains across cognitive clarity, social connectedness, and emotional balance, with higher engagement yielding larger improvements. Importantly, those starting with lower brain health scores improved the most, and there was no observed ceiling to growth, challenging the idea that cognitive vitality is limited to seniors. Limitations include lack of a control group and a highly educated sample; researchers plan to add objective health metrics and a more diverse population in future work.

via PsyPost|

#aging #brain-health #brainhealth-index

science3 days ago•15 min saved

Space Rewires the Brain: Neuroplasticity in Microgravity

A BBC report synthesizes 15 brain-imaging studies (about 377 participants) showing that microgravity triggers structural and functional changes in brain regions involved in movement, balance and multisensory processing, revealing the brain rewires itself to life without gravity. While astronauts can counter bone and muscle loss with exercise, brain adaptation takes time and could complicate long-duration missions to the Moon or Mars, prompting exploration of countermeasures such as centrifugation or non-invasive brain stimulation to help pilots and crews adapt and stay safe.

via BBC|

#astronauts #brain #gravity

health4 days ago•18 min saved

Brushing With Your Non-Dominant Hand: A Tiny Brain Workout or Just a Novel Habit

Brushing with the opposite hand is discussed as a simple way to nudge neuroplasticity and boost attention by forcing the brain to adapt to a new routine, but research shows no clear, broad cognitive benefits. The piece also notes that while such habits can increase cognitive engagement, proven brain-health strategies still center on regular physical activity, social interaction, and cardiovascular health, with standard oral-hygiene guidelines from the ADA and Mayo Clinic remaining the primary focus. Professionals advise consulting a dentist or doctor before making significant changes, and for now, consistent brushing and flossing stay the evidence-backed priority.

via Dallas Express|

#brain-health #cognitive-engagement #health

science9 days ago•7 min saved

Handedness Is Shaped by Practice and Tools, Not Birth

3D motion capture shows no innate arm dominance during plain reaching or with added wrist weight; a lightweight stick strapped to the forearm reveals a dominant-hand gap, while writing with elbows eliminates it—demonstrating that handedness arises from lifelong tool-use practice and can be reshaped through targeted training, challenging the idea of fixed, biology-driven dominance.

via Neuroscience News|

#handedness #motion-capture #motor-control

science11 days ago•5 min saved

Practice Rewires the Brain, Unlocking True Multitasking

Georgetown researchers report that extensive practice can relocate a learned task from the prefrontal cortex to the temporal cortex, offloading mental effort and enabling true multitasking, with implications for education, medical training, and AI systems.

via SciTechDaily|

#fmri #learning #multitasking

science14 days ago•35 min saved

High-dose psilocybin briefly revives function in advanced Alzheimer's: a case study

A published Frontiers in Neuroscience case report describes an 80-year-old woman with advanced Alzheimer's who temporarily regained urinary continence, walking ability, self-care, and conversational capacity after a single five-gram dose of psilocybin-containing mushrooms (with a follow-up three-gram session showing continued improved verbal expression). While the improvements spanned multiple domains and persisted for weeks, researchers caution that this is a single observational case without controls or standardized testing, and not evidence of a cure. The findings suggest dormant brain-network capacities may be temporarily re-engaged by psychedelic-induced neuroplasticity, highlighting the need for formal, controlled trials and safety assessments, particularly in vulnerable older adults; ongoing studies like UC Berkeley's PLASTICITY aim to explore aging brains and neuroplasticity with psychedelics.

via PsyPost|

#alzheimers-disease #case-report #neuroplasticity

health16 days ago•4 min saved

Brushing with your non-dominant hand may boost brain health in aging adults

A New York Post health piece suggests brushing teeth with the non-dominant hand can engage broader brain networks and promote neuroplasticity, potentially supporting cognitive reserve as people age; the article also highlights language learning and home cooking as additional factors linked to lower dementia risk.

via New York Post|

#brain-health #cognitive-reserve #dementia

science21 days ago•5 min saved

Brain Health Can Improve at Any Age, Large-Scale Study Finds

A three-year study of 3,966 adults aged 19–94 found brain health can improve with brief daily brain-training exercises, challenging the notion that cognitive decline is inevitable with age. Using the BrainHealth Index, researchers tracked gains in clarity, emotional balance, and connectedness; engagement was the strongest predictor of improvement, with the largest gains among those starting with lower scores. The study notes diversity limitations and includes ongoing brain imaging to explore neural mechanisms, underscoring that cognitive health can be cultivated at any age.

via SciTechDaily|

#aging #brainhealth-index #cognitive-training

science24 days ago•7 min saved

Psychedelic Case Hints at Hidden Abilities in Alzheimer's Brain

An elderly woman with advanced Alzheimer's showed temporary improvements in speech, independence and orientation after psilocybin mushroom sessions. The report is a single case, with no biomarkers or control group, and does not prove a reversal of the disease or establish safety. It raises questions about whether psychedelics can temporarily modify brain-network communication and uncover latent abilities, underscoring the need for controlled research and caution given potential risks for older adults.

via ScienceAlert|

#alzheimers-disease #brain-networks #dementia

health-and-medicine26 days ago•7 min saved

Neuroplasticity Lasts a Lifetime: Brain Health Improves Across Adulthood, Study Finds

A three-year UT Dallas study of 3,966 adults aged 19–94 found brain health can improve at any age with just 5–15 minutes of daily brain-training, as measured by the BrainHealth Index across clarity, emotional balance, and connectedness; the biggest gains came from those starting with the lowest scores, and engagement level was the strongest predictor of improvement, challenging the idea that cognition inevitably declines with age. The study notes representativeness limits in its sample and ongoing imaging research continues to explore underlying brain mechanisms.

via ScienceDaily|

#aging #brain-health #brainhealth-project

science26 days ago•8 min saved

Psychedelic Session Triggers Temporary Speech Revival in Advanced Alzheimer’s Case

An octogenarian with advanced Alzheimer’s showed a temporary return of fluent speech and personal-memory recall about 19 hours after a supervised 5-gram psilocybin dose, with weeks of improved alertness and independence, and a second supervised 3-gram session suggesting further benefit. This is a single uncontrolled case with no biomarkers, so it does not prove efficacy or safety and cannot be generalized; potential mechanisms include 5-HT2A receptor signaling, increased BDNF, dendritic spine growth, and temporary restructuring of brain networks, highlighting the need for controlled trials and caution against unsupervised use.

via Neuroscience News|

#alzheimers-disease #bdnf #brain-networks

science28 days ago•4 min saved

Brief Glimmer of Function: Psilocybin Sparks Temporary Gains in an Alzheimer’s Case

A case report describes an elderly Japanese-American woman with advanced Alzheimer’s who ingested psilocybin mushrooms in two supervised sessions and, within hours to weeks, showed improved alertness, memory recall, mobility and independence; however, the observations come from a single patient with no biomarkers, controls, or standardized testing, so they cannot prove that psilocybin reverses Alzheimer’s or guide therapy. The report suggests possible temporary changes in brain networks and neuroplasticity but remains unproven, and safety concerns and the lack of controlled data mean this should not inform self-treatment outside supervised research.

via The Conversation|

#alzheimers-disease #brain-networks #dementia

science1 month ago•14 min saved

Neuroplasticity at Work: How Early Rehab Can Rewrite a Broken Brain

A leading neurorehabilitation doctor argues that the adult brain can recover after stroke or head injury through early, intensive, targeted therapy that exploits neuroplasticity; Claire’s year-long progress—from no speech and paralysis to speaking and using her right arm with help from music therapy—shows what consistent rehab can achieve, even months after injury, while post-discharge care remains uneven and underfunded; the piece also notes potential future treatments (drugs, brain stimulation, VR) and the broader case for investing in brain health to cut long-term costs.

via The Guardian|

#brain-injury #neuroplasticity #rehabilitation

science1 month ago•13 min saved

Fatherhood triggers rapid brain reorganization, study finds

A longitudinal MRI study of 25 first-time fathers shows early widespread gray matter reductions in areas tied to sensory processing, self-referential thinking, and social cognition during the first six weeks after birth, followed by later increases in frontal and cerebellar regions related to planning and emotional control. Functional connectivity also shifts, weakening links to sensory regions and strengthening those related to emotion and cognitive control. Researchers identify weeks six to nine as a critical window for paternal neuroplasticity, indicating that the brain’s reorganization is a real biological feature of early fatherhood, not just a social adjustment.

via Space Daily|

#fatherhood #functional-connectivity #gray-matter

mind-and-brain1 month ago•25 min saved

First Six Weeks Trigger Rapid Brain Remodeling in New Fathers

A small MRI study followed 25 new fathers across 24 weeks after birth, revealing rapid brain changes—early widespread gray matter reductions in multiple regions, later region-specific growth and altered connectivity—indicating paternal neuroplasticity, though generalizability is limited by the single-site, non-diverse sample and lack of pre-birth baseline.

via ZME Science|

#fatherhood #gray-matter #mind-and-brain