Tag

Neuroplasticity

All articles tagged with #neuroplasticity

science6 days ago•5 min saved

Acupuncture May Rewire Depression Brain Circuits, New Imaging Sheds Light

A meta-analysis of seven trials (357 adults with major depressive disorder) finds acupuncture produces distinct neuroplastic changes in emotion and reward circuits, differing from antidepressants by activating the right cingulum and caudate and, with more sessions, changes in the left amygdala. Acupuncture also showed greater reductions in depression and anxiety scores than antidepressants, though many participants were also on meds. The study suggests acupuncture could offer complementary mechanisms for treatment-resistant depression, but larger, longer-term, standardized trials and studies of underlying molecular pathways are needed.

via ScienceAlert|

#acupuncture #depression #mental-health

science13 days ago•7 min saved

Seven-Day Meditation Retreat Triggers Broad Brain and Body Changes

A small, observational study of 20 adults at a seven-day meditation retreat found brain and blood changes: fMRI showed reduced activity in the default mode and salience networks and greater whole-brain integration; post-retreat plasma caused neurons in a dish to grow longer neurites; blood tests indicated metabolic, immune, and endogenous-opioid shifts; MEQ-30 scores rose, suggesting heightened mystical experiences akin to psychedelic effects, though causality can't be established due to lack of a control group; one co-author is the retreat's CEO, and researchers call for more rigorous, controlled studies to confirm these results.

via ScienceAlert|

#fmri #meditation #mystical-experiences

science15 days ago•7 min saved

A Week of Intensive Meditation Rewires Brain and Body

A seven-day meditation retreat in healthy adults produced broad brain, metabolic, immune, and pain-regulation changes, with brain activity showing reduced internal mental chatter, evidence of increased neuroplasticity, altered metabolism, higher endogenous opioid levels, and shifts in immune signaling; brain connectivity patterns resembled those seen with psychedelic states, though the study cannot separate which components caused the effects and further trials are needed to assess durability and clinical relevance.

via ScienceDaily|

#brain-connectivity #endogenous-opioids #immune-system

science15 days ago•2 min saved

Tiny daily brain workouts can boost cognition at any age, study finds

A three-year study of nearly 4,000 adults aged 19–94 shows brain health can improve at any age through brief, daily, targeted practices and coaching, with the BrainHealth Index measuring cognitive health, connectedness, and emotional balance; those with lower starting scores improved the most, and consistent micro-training boosted brain health scores, challenging the idea that cognitive decline is inevitable.

via BBC Science Focus Magazine|

#aging #brain-health #cognitive-training

health20 days ago•57 min saved

Brain can rebound after stopping alcohol, new research shows

A Washington Post summary of neuroscience experts explains that alcohol initially elevates mood through endorphins and dopamine, but chronic use alters brain chemistry and reduces gray matter in frontal regions, potentially increasing dementia risk and other health problems. Importantly, evidence also shows the brain can recover with reduced or stopped drinking: cognitive functions like attention and memory improve within 6–12 months, gray matter can increase, and frontal regions show growth, especially early in abstinence. Even low-to-moderate drinking can affect brain structure, but abstinence or reduction may restore function and compensatory pathways. Practical takeaways include Dry January/Sober October, recovery-support tools, and seeking professional help if drinking is problematic; the brain’s plasticity offers a path to recovery for many (though full recovery isn’t guaranteed for everyone).

via Yahoo|

#abstinence #alcohol #brain

health20 days ago•46 min saved

The Brain’s Comeback: What Happens When You Stop Drinking Alcohol

Alcohol can shrink gray matter and dysregulate stress and reward systems, raising anxiety, sleep disruption and dementia risk with heavier, long‑term use. But the brain is highly plastic: reducing or stopping alcohol can restore function and structure, with cognitive improvements and gray‑matter gains often seen after 6–12 months of abstinence, especially in frontal regions. Even lower levels of drinking can impact the brain, while reductions can still yield cortical growth. Recovery varies by how much and how long one drank, but many people feel better when they cut back or quit, aided by evidence‑based therapies and tools like Dry January, sobriety apps, and professional help if needed.

via nz.news.yahoo.com|

#abstinence #alcohol #brain

science22 days ago•5 min saved

Brain Rewires in Response to Chronic Tinnitus, Study Finds

A study comparing acute and chronic tinnitus found brain networks shift over time—from heightened salience activity in early tinnitus to a more stable pattern in long-term cases—indicating neuroplastic adaptation and suggesting treatment approaches may need to be tailored to tinnitus duration.

via ScienceAlert|

#brain-networks #central-executive-network #neuroplasticity

life-sciences22 days ago•9 min saved

Ketamine Sparks Female-Specific Brain Plasticity via Microglia

A study finds that after ketamine anesthesia, female mice exhibit heightened brain activity and microglial remodeling that increases neuroplasticity via corticosterone triggering the FKBP51 protein; this effect is not observed in male mice, suggesting sex-specific drug responses with implications for depression treatment research.

via News-Medical|

#fkbp51 #ketamine #life-sciences

science27 days ago•5 min saved

Training Rewires the Brain for Real Multitasking

A small study suggests extensive practice can reroute cognitive tasks from the prefrontal cortex to the temporal cortex, reducing the frontal bottleneck and enabling closer to true multitasking. Using fMRI/EEG, participants trained to sort cars showed shifted brain activity after weeks of trials, with broader implications for learning, medicine, and AI.

via ScienceAlert|

#brain #learning #multitasking

science1 month ago•5 min saved

Humans Can Learn Echolocation in 10 Weeks, Reshaping the Brain

New studies show that both blind and sighted adults can learn click-based echolocation after 10 weeks of training, with brain scans revealing functional and structural changes in the primary visual (V1) and auditory (A1) cortices. The findings indicate adult brain plasticity for sensory repurposing beyond vision, suggesting the brain can adapt to process echoes; related animal research hints at species-specific neural adaptations in echolocation.

via ScienceAlert|

#adult-learning #auditory-cortex #echolocation

science1 month ago•5 min saved

Dominant Hand Shaped by Practice, Not Innate Wiring

A PNAS study by Arac, Lee and Krakauer suggests limb dominance is driven by practice, not innate brain wiring. In an elbow-writing test, right-handed individuals showed no advantage with their right elbow; after training, both elbows improved, indicating dominance fades when using an unfamiliar body part and that long-term tool/handwriting use shapes motor preference.

via ScienceAlert|

#elbow-writing #handedness #limb-dominance

health1 month ago•9 min saved

Quality social ties and varied leisure: a neurologist’s two-brain health habits

A NYU Langone neurologist urges that emotional wellbeing and meaningful, in-person social connections trump mere social activity or puzzles for brain health, outlining two practical habits: prioritize high‑quality socializing over a packed calendar, and engage in varied, low‑stress activities like reading or listening to music to stimulate different brain regions, boost neuroplasticity, and potentially delay dementia as people live longer.

via Business Insider|

#brain-health #dementia #emotional-wellbeing

health1 month ago•5 min saved

Second pregnancies reshape the brain in unique, non-repeating ways

A study of 110 women tracked from preconception through postpartum found that a second pregnancy leaves brain changes that are distinct from the first: attention and sensory-processing networks show the biggest shifts, while the default mode network changes are less pronounced. Grey-matter reductions averaged 2.8% in second-time mothers (3.1% for first-time mothers across a larger affected region). Brain changes begin in pregnancy and do not fully revert after birth. The imaging patterns relate to bonding strength and to depression risk, with second pregnancies showing earlier depression signals. These findings could improve screening and treatment for maternal mental health and help explain how repeated pregnancies influence long-term brain aging.

via The Times of India|

#brain-changes #health #maternal-bonding

cognitive-science1 month 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

science1 month 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