Irregular bedtimes during early childhood are linked to lower cognitive performance, a large longitudinal UK study finds. Researchers from the ESRC International Centre for Lifecourse Studies in Society and Health at University College London examined whether the time and regularity of bedtimes in early childhood are associated with intellectual performance at age seven. Given the … Read more

Summary: New research finds that a sense of meaning in life and strong self-efficacy—the belief in one’s ability to succeed—are central to psychological well-being for both sexes. Men in the sample reported slightly higher levels of passion and self-efficacy, but men and women were similar across measures such as grit, growth mindset, flourishing, and emotional … Read more

Summary: A new analysis of CDC surveillance data with Rutgers University research shows a marked rise in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among 4-year-old children in New Jersey. Between 2010 and 2014 the measured prevalence increased by 43 percent, with New Jersey reaching about one in 35 children. Source: Rutgers University Increase in ASD Prevalence Among … Read more

Summary: A small study conducted in Turkey found that during the COVID-19 pandemic, women reported an increase in sexual desire and in the frequency of sexual intercourse, while simultaneously reporting a decline in perceived sexual quality and more menstrual disturbances. Source: Wiley Study overview A recent, small-scale clinical study from Turkey examined changes in women’s … Read more

Summary: Surf therapy can improve quality of life and mental well-being for people who have experienced a traumatic or acquired brain injury. Source: Swansea University For generations, surfers have celebrated the unique exhilaration of catching a perfect wave. New research now explores how time in the sea can also support recovery and psychological wellbeing for … Read more

Summary: Researchers report that the gamma-CaMKII protein acts as a crucial shuttle for memory-related signaling. When this shuttle is impaired, as seen in some cases of intellectual disability, schizophrenia, and autism, the ability to form long-term memories is reduced. Source: NYU Langone Broken shuttle protein that fails to deliver signals from synapses to the nucleus … Read more

Summary: New research suggests older adults can be more focused, less mentally restless, and less affected by anxiety than younger adults. Source: TCD Researchers at the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience (TCIN) report that healthy older adults show reduced mind-wandering and better sustained focus than younger adults, despite typical age-related declines on some cognitive tests. … Read more

Summary: Stimulating the formation of beige fat — a thermogenic subtype of white adipose tissue — can reverse age-related declines in metabolic activity. These findings point to new approaches to prevent age-associated weight gain and metabolic disorders. Source: Cornell University New research identifies a biological pathway that limits the formation of energy-burning beige fat with … Read more

Researchers reveal how the alteration of a single nucleotide, the basic building block of DNA, could initiate fragile X syndrome, the most common inherited form of intellectual disability. The study appears in The Journal of Cell Biology. Fragile X syndrome arises from a problem in the FMR1 gene on the X chromosome. In many people … Read more

The Odds of Living to 110 Level Off After Age 105: New Analysis of Italian Supercentenarians Summary: Researchers report that death rates slow and then plateau after age 105. The study suggests there is no fixed, clearly defined limit to the human lifespan yet in sight. Source: UC Berkeley. Reaching 110 may be closer than … Read more