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

This personality trait is on the rise among the younger generation. The personality trait of entitlement can lead to chronic disappointment, psychologists have concluded. Entitlement is believing you are better than others and deserve more than them. Unfortunately people who feel entitled often enter a spiral of habitual behaviour that is toxic. From anger they tend to lash out at others, blaming them. At the same time they continue to tell themselves that they are special. Dr Joshua Grubbs, the study’s first author, said: “At extreme levels, entitlement is a

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

Two things which make you look more intelligent that you can do right now. Getting more sleep makes people look more intelligent because of how it affects their resting or neutral facial expression. People who are better rested open their eyes wider and do not have a slight frown on their face. Dr Sean Talamas, the study’s lead author, said: “People over generalise in judging those with droopy eyelids and a frown as being tired and having a low mood, both of which have a well-documented detrimental effect on cognitive

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

Drinking this could reduce your brain age twenty years in just three months. Cocoa flavanoids — like those contained in a cup of cocoa — can reverse age-related memory loss in older adults, a new study finds. This is the first direct evidence that an important component of memory decline that comes with age can be improved with a simple dietary change. Typically, normal age-related memory declines are noticeable to people in their fifties and sixties: things like forgetting where the keys are or having trouble recalling a name or