Mindfully Healing

This component of the Mediterranean diet protects memory. Extra-virgin olive oil helps to protect the brain from cognitive decline, new research finds. The oil reduces the formation of protein in the brain that is linked to Alzheimer’s. The conclusions come from a study of mice, some of whom were fed a diet enriched with extra-virgin olive oil. Professor Domenico Praticò, who led the study, said: “We found that olive oil reduces brain inflammation but most importantly activates a process known as autophagy. Brain cells from mice fed diets enriched with

The procedure doesn’t require anaesthesia or sedation, taking around 40 minutes per session. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is an effective long-term treatment for depression, research finds. TMS involves stimulating the brain using magnetic fields. Magnetic pulses are directed towards the left prefrontal cortex, to stimulate areas of the brain linked to depression. The pulses help to excite neurons at the site of stimulation and in other connected areas of the brain. The magnetic pulses are similar to those used for MRI brain scans. TMS has been cleared by the US

Lonely people quickly move to the edges of social networks — here’s why. Loneliness makes the areas of the brain that are vigilant for threat more active, a new study finds. This can make people who are socially isolated more abrasive and defensive — it’s a form of self-preservation. This may be why lonely people can get marginalised. Professor John Cacioppo, an expert on loneliness, speaking about an earlier study on the marginalisation of the lonely, said: “We detected an extraordinary pattern of contagion that leads people to be moved

There is something about the voice which is effective in communicating status. Lowering the pitch of your voice in the first few seconds of an interaction can help you influence others, new research finds. Those who lowered their voice were also seen as more prestigious and admirable by their peers in the study. Dr Joey Cheng, the study’s first author, said: “What excites me about this research is that we now know a little bit more about how humans use their voices to signal status. In the past, we focused

Boosting marital quality with some of the oldest (and cheesiest) techniques known to psychology. It can be hard to keep positive feelings towards your partner in a long-term relationship. But help is at hand in the shape of new research funded by, of all people, the US Department of Defense. Dr Jim McNulty, the study’s first author, explained: “The research was actually prompted by a grant from the Department of Defense — I was asked to conceptualize and test a brief way to help married couples cope with the stress

It is also a generally protective factor against health problems. More intelligent people are at a lower risk of suicide, research finds. In fact, intelligence emerges as a generally protective factor against health problems. People with higher intelligence are also less likely to suffer heart attacks and have accidents. Dr David Batty, the study’s first author, said: “People with higher IQ test scores tend to be less likely to smoke or drink alcohol heavily, they eat better diets, and they are more physically active. So they have a range of

What you should eat for the ‘most important meal of the day’. New research shows that eating a good breakfast — particularly one rich in protein — boosts a critical neurotransmitter, which may lower food cravings later in the day. The research comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that many teens skip breakfast and adolescent obesity has quadrupled in the last 30 years. Dr. Heather Leidy, an assistant professor of nutrition and exercise physiology who led the study, said: “Our research showed that people experience

Inhaling the essential oil could help reduce the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Orange essential oil is a potential treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, new research suggests. The oil — derived from the skin of an orange — could provide a better option than drugs, which generally have unwanted side effects. Ms Cassandra Moshfegh, the study’s first author, said: “Relative to pharmaceuticals, essential oils are much more economical and do not have adverse side effects. The orange essential plant oil showed a significant effect on the behavioral response in our

This Alzheimer’s early warning sign could provide a way of warding off the neurodegenerative disease. Poor sleep could be an early sign of Alzheimer’s in people who are otherwise healthy, new research finds. Scientists have found links between certain biological markers of Alzheimer’s and sleep disturbances. Dr Barbara B. Bendlin, who led the study, said: “Previous evidence has shown that sleep may influence the development or progression of Alzheimer’s disease in various ways. For example, disrupted sleep or lack of sleep may lead to amyloid plaque buildup because the brain’s

There will be a test, so I hope you are paying attention. When a person starts to blink more rapidly, it suggests their mind is wandering, research finds. Blinking sets up a tiny barrier against the outside world, allowing the brain to focus on something different. The researchers were inspired by neuroscientific findings that parts of the brain are less active when the mind wanders. Dr Daniel Smilek, the study’s first author, said: “And we thought, OK, if that’s the case, maybe we’d see that the body would start to