Ancient virus DNA thrives in us. 24 April 2012Last updated at 02:36 ET By David Shukman Science editor, BBC News A history of exposure to infection has marked our genomes Traces of ancient viruses which infected our ancestors millions of years ago are more widespread in us than previously thought.
A study shows how extensively viruses from as far back as the dinosaur era still thrive in our genetic material. It sheds light on the origins of a big proportion of our genetic material, much of which is still not understood. The scientists investigated the genomes of 38 mammals including humans, mice, rats, elephants and dolphins. The research was carried out at Oxford University, the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Centre in New York and the Rega Institute in Belgium. It is reported in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The Human Brain - Exercise. In a sedentary group of people aged 60 to 75, University of Illinois researchers introduced them to a fitness regime.
For six months the elders had either an aerobic or non-aerobic workout for up to 90 minutes, three times a week. "We chose couch potatoes," said the study's lead author, cognitive neuroscientist Arthur Kramer. The 214 healthy adults hadn't been involved in any physical exercise for the previous 5 to 10 years. "Indeed most of our subjects hadn't done any formal exercise for more like 30 or 40 years. " One group took long walks three times a week, and the other only did gentle toning and stretching exercises using weights. "We see selective cognitive benefits which accompany improvement in aerobic fitness," says Kramer. Even beyond age 70, cardiovascular exercise can improve memory and reasoning skills.
Topics. Dietary Fats That Improve Brain Function. We have a fatty brain.
Fat plays many vital roles in brain function. In the past, very little attention was given to the influence of dietary fats upon our mental state. Recent multiple lines of evidence indicate that it might be possible to manipulate our dietary fat intact in order to treat or prevent disorders of cognitive function. A study to be published in the Journal of Neurochemistry by a group from Universite Laval in Quebec compared the effects of monounsaturated fats from olive and canola oils with polyunsaturated fats from meat, fish and vegetable oils upon a variety of biochemical changes and electrical properties of cells within a brain region that is critical for learning and memory.
The diets contained five percent total fat; the remainder of the diet contained a balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fibers, vitamins and minerals. After eleven months, the diets significantly changed the profile of fats within the brain. . © Gary L. 3 Easy Ways to Improve Your Brain Power - by Dumb Little Man - Dumb Little Man - Tips for Life. Study: Brain Games Don't Boost Overall Mental Function. You've probably heard it before: the brain is a muscle that can be strengthened.
It's an assumption that has spawned a multimillion-dollar computer-game industry of electronic brainteasers and memory games. But in the largest study of these games to date, a team of British researchers has found that healthy adults who undertake computer-based "brain training" do not improve their mental fitness in any significant way. The study, published online on Tuesday by the journal Nature, tracked 11,430 participants through a six-week online study. All participants were given a battery of unrelated, benchmark cognitive-assessment tests before and after the six-week study. These tests, designed to measure overall mental fitness, were adapted from reasoning and memory tests that are commonly used to gauge brain function in patients with brain injury or dementia. Not all neuroscientists agree. For now, there is no nifty computer game that will turn you into Einstein, Grahn says.
Speaking More Than One Language May Slow The Aging Process In The Mind. Children who speak a second or third language may have an unexpected advantage later in life, a new Tel Aviv University study has found.
Knowing and speaking many languages may protect the brain against the effects of aging. Dr. Gitit Kavé, a clinical neuro-psychologist from the Herczeg Institute on Aging at Tel Aviv University, together with her colleagues Nitza Eyal, Aviva Shorek, and Jiska Cohen-Manfield, discovered recently that senior citizens who speak more languages test for better cognitive functioning. The results of her study were published in the journal Psychology and Aging. However, Kavé says that one should approach these findings with caution. Exercising the Brain. The 6 Most Frequently Quoted Brain Facts (That Are Total BS) After millennia of research, experts still don't know very much about the human brain.
As such, most of what you have picked up on the subject from pop culture is just laughably wrong. In fact, we'll bet you even heard some or all of these brain myths in school at some point ... #6. "Alcohol Kills Brain Cells! " What you heard: It's the reason Homer Simpson gets stupider every season, and it's what your mom warned you about when you got caught sneaking a beer from dad's stash when you were 13: Every beer you drink kills something like a million brain cells and makes you permanently stupider. Getty"Goodbye, Algebra 2! " The truth: 50 Ways To Boost Your Brain Power. 1) Meditate — Meditation has been known to increase IQ, relieve stress, and promotes higher levels of brain functioning.
Meditation also activates the “prefrontal cortex” of the brain, an area responsible for advanced thinking ability and performance. 2) Draw A Picture — Drawing stimulates the right-hemisphere of the brain and inspires creativity. Get out the colored pencils and begin drawing your way to a powerful brain. How to Improve Your Memory: Tips and Exercises to Boost Brainpower.