The electrical oscillations we call brain waves have intrigued scientists and the public for more than a century. But their function—and even whether they have one, rather than just reflecting brain activity like an engine’s hum—is still debated. Many neuroscientists have assumed that if brain waves do anything, it is by oscillating in synchrony in different locations. Yet a growing body of research suggests many … Continue reading
4 simple exercises to strengthen your attention and reduce distractibility
June 25th, 2018 - By jen in UncategorizedOur attention gets hijacked by everything from the stress in our lives to the ding of our phones. Neuroscientist Amishi Jha shows how we can cultivate the ability to focus on what really matters. “I think, therefore I am distracted.” Read full article: TEDEd Lessons Worth Sharing, “4 simple exercises to strengthen your attention and reduce distractibility.”
What to Do When a Loved One Is Severely Depressed
June 18th, 2018 - By jen in UncategorizedMental illness is nothing to be ashamed of…But deep in the comment threads, some have also been debating a more uncomfortable question: What do you do when a friend is depressed for such a long time that you’ve started to feel that that nothing you can do will make a difference, and your empathy reserves are tapped out? There are no easy answers. Read full … Continue reading
Association of Food Allergy and Other Allergic Conditions With Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children
June 12th, 2018 - By jen in Autism SpectrumQuestion What are the associations of food allergy and other allergic conditions with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children? Findings This cross-sectional study used nationally representative data from 199 520 children aged 3 to 17 years who participated in the US National Health Interview Survey from 1997 to 2016. Children with food, respiratory, and skin allergies were significantly more likely to have ASD than children without … Continue reading
Music Lessons Improve Children’s Cognitive Skills, Academic Performance
May 10th, 2018 - By jen in Athletic/Performance Enhancement, UncategorizedStructured music lessons significantly enhance children’s cognitive abilities, including language-based reasoning, short-term memory, planning and inhibition, which lead to improved academic performance. Published in Frontiers in Neuroscience, the research is the first large-scale, longitudinal study to be adapted into the regular school curriculum. Visual arts lessons were also found to significantly improve children’s visual and spatial memory. Read full article: Laboratory Equipment, “Music Lessons Improve … Continue reading
Helping Kids With A.D.H.D., and Their Families, Thrive
April 26th, 2018 - By jen in Information on ADD/ADHDWhen a child has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, it affects everybody in the family, said Dr. Mark Bertin, a developmental pediatrician in Pleasantville, N.Y. Parents need to understand the nature of A.D.H.D., he said, and appreciate that it affects “a host of self-management skills,” which play out in school but also in daily home routines. Read full article: The New York Times, “Helping Kids With … Continue reading
Why Teenagers Become ‘Allergic’ to Their Parents
April 19th, 2018 - By jen in TeensThe arrival of spring is often prime time for hay fever, but adolescents seem to be able to develop an allergy to their parents, either intermittent or chronic, at any time of the year. This allergy usually has a sudden onset around age 13 and can last for months or, in some cases, years. While it’s no fun to become the parent who cannot order … Continue reading
The compelling case for working a lot less
April 9th, 2018 - By jen in UncategorizedResearchers are learning that it doesn’t just mean that the work we produce at the end of a 14-hour day is of worse quality than when we’re fresh. This pattern of working also undermines our creativity and our cognition. Over time, it can make us feel physically sick – and even, ironically, as if we have no purpose. Read full article: BBC, “The compelling case … Continue reading
Poor grades tied to class times that don’t match our biological clocks
April 2nd, 2018 - By jen in UncategorizedIt may be time to tailor students’ class schedules to their natural biological rhythms, according to a new study from UC Berkeley and Northeastern Illinois University. Researchers tracked the personal daily online activity profiles of nearly 15,000 college students as they logged into campus servers. After sorting the students into “night owls,” “daytime finches” and “morning larks” — based on their activities on days they … Continue reading
Want to enjoy the deep, mystical sleep of our ancestors? Turn your lights off at dusk.
March 8th, 2018 - By jen in neuroAgility News, SleepWhat if you could meditate like a Tibetan lama with no instruction whatsoever — and without having to subscribe to any religious beliefs? People hear a question like that and, unless they are particularly gullible, they assume they’re about to be scammed. But in this case there is nothing to buy — no tapes, no app, no religious agenda that gets sprung on you at … Continue reading