(Natural News) Dreams are quickly forgotten the moment people wake up. This is likely due to a group of neurons that gets activated during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep – the phase of mammalian slumber when most dreams are made. A recent study published in the journal Science examined the neurons that produce appetite and sleep hormones in mice. Japanese […]

(Natural News) A study published in the journal Scientific Reports found that higher levels of physical fitness are linked to better cognitive performance and improved white matter integrity. The researchers from the University of Munster in Germany, who tested mostly 30-year-olds, said that these findings further strengthen the role of physical fitness in positive brain health outcomes. “This leads us to believe […]

(Natural News) A study published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association found that in people with Alzheimer’s, tau proteins promote the degeneration of brain regions responsible for keeping people awake. This explains why excessive daytime napping is common among people with the disease and suggests that it could be an early sign of Alzheimer’s. Previous studies […]

(Natural News) One of the defining features of the brain that sets it apart from all other organs of the human body (except muscles) is that it is made up of cells that cannot regenerate. The nerve cells in the brain called neurons are terminally differentiated, meaning that, unlike skin cells or blood cells, they cannot […]

(Natural News) Eating is a basic activity performed by all living organisms. Yet there is still much to learn about it, especially how and why eating becomes disordered. The National Eating Disorder Association reports that up to 30 million people in the U.S. suffer from an eating disorder, such as overeating, undereating, anorexia or bulimia. But despite eating being […]

(Natural News) Can light restore vision to blind people and help treat paralysis in patients with Parkinson’s disease? German researchers have recently examined the possibility of stimulating light-sensitive proteins to achieve therapeutic effects on various health conditions. Optogenetics is a technique that manages processes in the brain through light-based stimulation. It achieves its effects through […]

(Natural News) Rats share some behavioral traits with humans. Now, a new Dutch study claims that the animals also empathize with others and share their pain. When a person experiences physical pain, the cingulate cortex of the brain activates in response. This region also displays activity when the person sees another individual getting hurt. Researchers […]

(Natural News) Heart failure leads to many complications, especially in the cardiovascular system, but research suggests it could also lead to mental health problems. Heart failure patients often suffer from depression and cognitive impairment, and researchers from Canada have uncovered why these problems occur. Their findings were published in the journal Scientific Reports. Researchers from the […]

(Natural News) There are neurons in the brain that activate during deep sleep to create memories. A new animal study showed that these brain cells might be the same as the ones responsible for investigating new objects. The experiment tracked the activity of single cells deep in the brains of both male and female mice […]

(Natural News) Silymarin is an herbal extract that’s popularly used as a health supplement. It is associated with liver benefits and is often taken by patients with hepatitis. Silymarin contains a mixture of various compounds, the most active of which is the flavonoid known as silibinin. In a study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, researchers from […]