Mindfully Healing

Brain scans of 49 criminals predicted how many crimes they had been convicted of. Psychopaths are not ‘aliens’, but people who make bad, short-sighted-decisions, argues a Harvard neuroscientist. They are everyday human beings whose brains are wired differently to the rest of us. Just how differently is revealed in a new study published in the journal Neuron. The study found that psychopaths: focus mostly on reward, and don’t think much about the consequences of their actions. This is quite different to most people whose natural response is to consider: what

There are 9 risk factors for dementia, which can all be reduced. One-in-three cases of dementia is a result of manageable lifestyle factors, a new report from 24 international experts concludes. There are nine risk factors identified by dementia experts: low levels of education, midlife hearing loss, physical inactivity, high blood pressure (hypertension), type 2 diabetes, obesity, smoking, depression, and social isolation. These risk factors account for 35% of dementia cases. In other words: changing or managing these factors will help fight off dementia. Addressing high blood pressure, obesity and

New study reveals the personality trait that is attractive to both sexes. When it comes to dating, both sexes prefer a non-conformist partner, a new study finds. Although most people know a rebellious man is sexy; the results upend the common assumption that men prefer women who play by the rules. Women in the study guessed that the personality trait of conformity would attract men, but it didn’t. The study’s authors write: “Women overestimated how attracted men would be to the conformist women. People think that men prefer conformist women,

How to tell if someone has a borderline personality disorder. Borderline personality disorder is thought to affect between 1% and 6% of the population. It is more common in women than men. The most telling sign of borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a long history of instability in personal relationships. This is partly caused by unstable and impulsive emotions. At one time people with borderline personality disorder can idolise someone else, and soon after they hate them. As a result those with a borderline personality disorder often have very intense

The brains and bodies of identical twins were compared over ten years. Stronger leg muscles are linked to better brain ageing, a new study finds. It’s the first time a connection has been found between power in the lower limbs and healthy ageing in normal people. The study suggests that increasing levels of simple exercises like walking or even standing for longer may lead to healthy cognitive ageing. The study followed 324 identical female twins over a ten-year period. Fitness and lifestyle habits were measured by researchers. They also gave

Insomnia is the most common complaint people have about their health. Insomnia is not just “all in your head”, neuroscientists have found. For the first time, seven risk genes have been identified for insomnia. This could be the first step in understanding the biological causes of insomnia. It helps to show that insomnia is not — as is sometimes claimed — just a psychological condition. Professor Van Someren, one of the study’s authors, said: “As compared to the severity, prevalence and risks of insomnia, only few studies targeted its causes.

New study provides insights into how parents pass anxiety and depression onto their children. An over-active network of brain areas is central to how children inherit anxiety and depression from their parents. The network consists of three regions in the brain which work together to control the fear-response. Genes passed down from parents to children influence how these three regions function together, the new study finds. Professor Ned Kalin, one of the study’s authors, said: “Over-activity of these three brain regions are inherited brain alterations that are directly linked to

What makes people stay in relationships and what makes them want to leave? People who are married or just dating give similar reasons for wanting to leave their partner. These are (1) issues with their partner’s personality, (2) a breach of trust (often, cheating) and (3) partner becoming distant or disconnected. People give slightly different reasons for wanting to stay together. For people who are married, the top reasons to stay together are the investment they have already made in the relationship, family responsibilities and the barriers to leaving (e.g.

Study found the diet was linked to improved attention and a higher IQ. A specific type of fatty acids found in foods such as avocados, nuts and olive oil is linked to higher intelligence, new research finds. Monounsaturated fatty acids — or MUFAs — have been regularly linked to health benefits. MUFAs are particularly prevalent in the diet traditionally eaten in Mediterranean countries. The presence of these fatty acids in the diet may help to explain the health benefits of certain types of foods, such as: Olive oil Peanut oil