Category Archives: Neuroscience

Summary: A groundbreaking study uncovered the brains remarkable ability to compensate for age-related decline by activating additional regions to maintain cognitive performance.

This research demonstrates that older adults can indeed enhance their task performance through the brains adaptive recruitment of other areas, particularly the cuneus region, which is not typically associated with the multiple demand network (MDN) involved in fluid intelligence tasks.

By analyzing fMRI scans of 223 adults during problem-solving tasks, the study reveals a nuanced understanding of how the brain navigates the challenges of aging, potentially opening pathways to interventions that could bolster cognitive health in older populations.

This comprehensive analysis underscores the complexity of brain function and adaptation, offering hope for mitigating the effects of aging on cognitive abilities.

Key Facts:

Source: University of Cambridge

Scientists have found the strongest evidence yet that our brains can compensate for age-related deterioration by recruiting other areas to help with brain function and maintain cognitive performance.

As we age, our brain gradually atrophies, losing nerve cells and connections and this can lead to a decline in brain function. Its not fully understood why some people appear to maintain better brain function than others, and how we can protect ourselves from cognitive decline.

A widely accepted notion is that some peoples brains are able to compensate for the deterioration in brain tissue by recruiting other areas of the brain to help perform tasks. While brain imaging studies have shown that the brain does recruit other areas, until now it has not been clear whether this makes any difference to performance on a task, or whether it provides any additional information about how to perform that task.

In a study published in the journaleLife, a team led by scientists at the University of Cambridge in collaboration with the University of Sussex have shown that when the brain recruits other areas, it improves performance specifically in the brains of older people.

Study lead Dr Kamen Tsvetanov, an Alzheimers Society Dementia Research Leader Fellow in the Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, said: Our ability to solve abstract problems is a sign of so-called fluid intelligence, but as we get older, this ability begins to show significant decline.

Some people manage to maintain this ability better than others. We wanted to ask why that was the case are they able to recruit other areas of the brain to overcome changes in the brain that would otherwise be detrimental?

Brain imaging studies have shown that fluid intelligence tasks engage the multiple demand network (MDN), a brain network involving regions both at the front and rear of the brain, but its activity decreases with age.

To see whether the brain compensated for this decrease in activity, the Cambridge team looked at imaging data from 223 adults between 19 and 87 years of age who had been recruited by theCambridge Centre for Ageing & Neuroscience (Cam-CAN).

The volunteers were asked to identify the odd-one-out in a series of puzzles of varying difficulty while lying in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanner, so that the researchers could look at patterns of brain activity by measuring changes in blood flow.

As anticipated, in general the ability to solve the problems decreased with age. The MDN was particularly active, as were regions of the brain involved in processing visual information.

When the team analysed the images further using machine-learning, they found two areas of the brain that showed greater activity in the brains of older people, and also correlated with better performance on the task.

These areas were the cuneus, at the rear of the brain, and a region in the frontal cortex. But of the two, only activity in the cuneus region was related to performance of the task more strongly in the older than younger volunteers, and contained extra information about the task beyond the MDN.

Although it is not clear exactly why the cuneus should be recruited for this task, the researchers point out that this brain region is usually good at helping us stay focused on what we see.

Older adults often have a harder time briefly remembering information that they have just seen, like the complex puzzle pieces used in the task. The increased activity in the cuneus might reflect a change in how often older adults look at these pieces, as a strategy to make up for their poorer visual memory.

Dr Ethan Knights from the Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit at Cambridge said: Now that weve seen this compensation happening, we can start to ask questions about why it happens for some older people, but not others, and in some tasks, but not others. Is there something special about these people their education or lifestyle, for example and if so, is there a way we can intervene to help others see similar benefits?

Dr Alexa Morcom from the University of Sussexs School of Psychology and Sussex Neuroscience research centre said: This new finding also hints that compensation in later life does not rely on the multiple demand network as previously assumed, but recruits areas whose function is preserved in ageing.

Funding: The research was supported by the Medical Research Council, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the European Unions Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, the Guarantors of Brain, and the Alzheimers Society.

Author: Craig Brierley Source: University of Cambridge Contact: Craig Brierley University of Cambridge Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: Open access. Neural Evidence of Functional Compensation for Fluid Intelligence Decline in Healthy Ageing by Kamen Tsvetanov et al. eLife

Abstract

Neural Evidence of Functional Compensation for Fluid Intelligence Decline in Healthy Ageing

Functional compensation is a common notion in the neuroscience of healthy ageing, whereby older adults are proposed to recruit additional brain activity to compensate for reduced cognitive function. However, whether this additional brain activity in older participants actually helps their cognitive performance remains debated.

We examined brain activity and cognitive performance in a human lifespan sample (N=223) while they performed a problem-solving task (based on Cattells test of fluid intelligence) during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Whole-brain univariate analysis revealed that activity in bilateral cuneal cortex for hard vs. easy problems increased both with age and with performance, even when adjusting for an estimate of age-related differences in cerebrovascular reactivity.

Multivariate Bayesian decoding further demonstrated that age increased the likelihood that activation patterns in this cuneal region provided non-redundant information about the two task conditions, beyond that of the multiple-demand network generally activated in this task.

This constitutes some of the strongest evidence yet for functional compensation in healthy ageing, at least in this brain region during visual problem-solving.

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Brain's Method for Preserving Cognition in Aging Revealed - Neuroscience News

Neuroscience

Fatty Acids in Brain Key in Memory Formation – Neuroscience News

February 13, 2024 medical

Summary: Researchers made a breakthrough discovery on how saturated fatty acids in the brain contribute to memory consolidation. The team have mapped out the molecular processes and identified critical genes, such as PLA1 and STXBP1, that regulate the formation of these fatty acids during neuronal communication, offering new insights into potential treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.

By experimenting with mouse models, the researchers observed a direct correlation between levels of saturated fatty acids and memory function, highlighting the essential role of these compounds in cognitive health.

This work, a collaboration among several prestigious institutions, not only deepens our understanding of memory mechanisms but also opens the door to innovative therapeutic strategies for conditions like Alzheimers disease.

Key Facts:

Source: University of Queensland

Researchers at the University of Queensland have revealed the crucial role of saturated fatty acids in the brains consolidation of memories.

Dr Isaac Akefefrom UQsQueensland Brain Institutehas uncovered the molecular mechanism and identified the genes underlying the memory creation process, opening the door to a potential treatment for neurodegenerative disorders.

Weve shown previously that levels of saturated fatty acids increase in the brain during neuronal communication, but we didnt know what was causing these changes, Dr Akefe said.

Now for the first time, weve identified alterations in the brains fatty acid landscape when the neurons encode a memory.

An enzyme called Phospholipase A1 (PLA1) interacts with another protein at the synapse called STXBP1 to form saturated fatty acids.

The brain is the bodys fattiest organ, with fatty compounds called lipids making up 60% of its weight. Fatty acids are the building blocks of a class of lipids called phospholipids.

The work done inProfessor Frederic Meunierslaboratory has shown that STXBP1 controls the targeting of the PLA1 enzyme, coordinating the release of fatty acids and directing communication at the synapses in the brain.

Human mutations in the PLA1 and the STXBP1 genes reduce free fatty acid levels and promote neurological disorders, Professor Meunier said.

To determine the importance of free fatty acids in memory formation, we used mouse models where the PLA1 gene is removed.

We tracked the onset and progression of neurological and cognitive decline throughout their lives.

We saw that even before their memories became impaired, their saturated free fatty acid levels were significantly lower than control mice.

This indicates that this PLA1 enzyme, and the fatty acids it releases, play a key role in memory acquisition.

The research has important implications for understanding of how memories are formed.

Our findings indicate that manipulating this memory acquisition pathway has exciting potential as a treatment for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimers, Professor Meunier said.

The research team acknowledges the contributions of PhD candidates Saber Abd Elkader from the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, and Benjamin Matthews from the Queensland Brain Institute.

This is a collaborative study with the University of New South Wales, University of Strasbourg, University of Bordeaux, The Scripp Research Institute and the Baylor College of Medicine.

Author: Elaine Pye Source: University of Queensland Contact: Elaine Pye University of Queensland Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: Open access. The DDHD2-STXBP1 interaction mediates long-term memory via generation of saturated free fatty acids by Fred Meunier et al. EMBO Journal

Abstract

The DDHD2-STXBP1 interaction mediates long-term memory via generation of saturated free fatty acids

The phospholipid and free fatty acid (FFA) composition of neuronal membranes plays a crucial role in learning and memory, but the mechanisms through which neuronal activity affects the brains lipid landscape remain largely unexplored.

The levels of saturated FFAs, particularly of myristic acid (C14:0), strongly increase during neuronal stimulation and memory acquisition, suggesting the involvement of phospholipase A1 (PLA1) activity in synaptic plasticity.

Here, we show that genetic ablation of the PLA1 isoform DDHD2 in mice dramatically reduces saturated FFA responses to memory acquisition across the brain.

Furthermore, DDHD2 loss also decreases memory performance in reward-based learning and spatial memory models prior to the development of neuromuscular deficits that mirror human spastic paraplegia. Via pulldown-mass spectrometry analyses, we find that DDHD2 binds to the key synaptic protein STXBP1.

Using STXBP1/2 knockout neurosecretory cells and a haploinsufficient STXBP1+/mouse model of human early infantile encephalopathy associated with intellectual disability and motor dysfunction, we show that STXBP1 controls targeting of DDHD2 to the plasma membrane and generation of saturated FFAs in the brain.

These findings suggest key roles for DDHD2 and STXBP1 in lipid metabolism andin the processes of synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory.

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Fatty Acids in Brain Key in Memory Formation - Neuroscience News

Neuroscience

The Synergistic Relationship between Human Brains and Large Language Models: A Cognitive and Social Revolution – Medriva

February 13, 2024 medical

As we navigate the digital age, our understanding of cognitive development is evolving. One notable area of growth is the burgeoning partnership between human brains and Large Language Models (LLMs). This relationship is not just a scientific curiosity, but a pivotal cognitive and social advance thats reshaping how we think, solve problems, and innovate.

At the heart of this partnership is language. As explored in a Psychology Today article, language serves as a shared foundation between human cognition and LLMs. Its through language that these two entities collaborate, resulting in complementary capabilities that elevate collective wisdom and unlock new avenues of exploration and creativity.

But the synergy doesnt stop at language alone. A recent Science Daily report highlights a new perspective on how LLMs can be utilized by neuroscientists to interpret and analyze data. The potential for LLMs to generate insights and make clinical progress, even without a full understanding of the biological processes they discover, is profound. However, leveraging the full potential of LLMs in neuroscience demands more data processing and storage infrastructure, alongside a shift towards a more data-driven scientific approach.

The integration of LLMs into neuroscience is not just about understanding the brainits about changing the face of healthcare. As detailed in an article on Medriva, LLMs like ChatGPT are being used to analyze vast datasets, accelerating discoveries in areas such as neurodegeneration drug development. The use of AI is offering unique insights into the human brain, bridging the gap between circuits and neurons, and providing unprecedented insights into how our brains process information, learn, and make decisions. The development of a virtual brain, a digital twin of the real thing, is now possible, promising breakthroughs in research and shaping the future of healthcare.

While this synergy between human brains and LLMs holds great promise, it also raises critical ethical and privacy concerns. As discussed in a LinkedIn post, the integration of LLMs into various fields such as healthcare, education, and research necessitates careful consideration of data privacy and ethical use. As we continue to leverage LLMs for human decision-making and problem-solving, these concerns must be meticulously addressed to ensure the responsible and fair use of this powerful technology.

In conclusion, the partnership between human brains and LLMs represents a significant leap forward in cognitive and social development. Whether in enriching our collective intelligence, driving breakthroughs in neuroscience, or revolutionizing healthcare, the potential of this synergistic relationship is vast. As we continue to explore this frontier, its crucial to navigate this journey with an ethical compass, ensuring that the benefits are realized responsibly and equitably.

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The Synergistic Relationship between Human Brains and Large Language Models: A Cognitive and Social Revolution - Medriva

Neuroscience

Can’t Buy Me Happiness: Joy Beyond Wealth – Neuroscience News

February 13, 2024 medical

Summary: Many Indigenous and local communities report high levels of life satisfaction despite low monetary incomes, challenging the widely held belief that economic growth is essential for happiness.

Surveying 2,966 individuals across 19 globally diverse sites, researchers found life satisfaction scores in these communities comparable to those in affluent countries, with some even surpassing the happiness indices of wealthy Scandinavian nations. This research suggests that societal well-being does not necessarily depend on material wealth, offering valuable insights for sustainable living and human happiness.

Factors such as social support, spirituality, and a connection to nature are speculated to underpin this satisfaction, pointing to potential pathways for achieving well-being without contributing to the sustainability crisis.

Key Facts:

Source: UAB

Many Indigenous peoples and local communities around the world are leading very satisfying lives despite having very little money.

This is the conclusion of a study by the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autnoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), which shows that many societies with very low monetary income have remarkably high levels of life satisfaction, comparable to those in wealthy countries.

Economic growth is often prescribed as a sure way of increasing the well-being of people in low-income countries, and global surveys in recent decades have supported this strategy by showing that people in high-income countries tend to report higher levels of life satisfaction than those in low-income countries. This strong correlation might suggest that only in rich societies can people be happy.

However, a recent study conducted by ICTA-UAB in collaboration with McGill University in Canada suggests that there may be good reasons to question whether this link is universal.

While most global polls, such as the World Happiness Report, gather thousands of responses from the citizens of industrialized societies, they tend to overlook people in small-scale societies on the fringes, where the exchange of money plays a minimal role in everyday life and livelihoods depend directly on nature.

The research, published in the scientific journalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences(PNAS),consisted of a survey of 2,966 people from Indigenous and local communities in 19 globally distributed sites. Only 64% of surveyed households had any cash income.

The results show that surprisingly, many populations with very low monetary incomes report very high average levels of life satisfaction, with scores similar to those in wealthy countries, says Eric Galbraith, researcher at ICTA-UAB and McGill University and lead author of the study.

The average life satisfaction score across the studied small-scale societies was 6.8 on a scale of 0-10. Although not all societies reported being highly satisfied averages were as low as 5.1 four of the sites reported average scores higher than 8, typical of wealthy Scandinavian countries in other polls, and this is so, despite many of these societies having suffered histories of marginalization and oppression.

The results are consistent with the notion that human societies can support very satisfactory lives for their members without necessarily requiring high degrees of material wealth, as measured in monetary terms.

The strong correlation frequently observed between income and life satisfaction is not universal and proves that wealth as generated by industrialized economies is not fundamentally required for humans to lead happy lives, says Victoria Reyes-Garcia, ICREA researcher at ICTA-UAB and senior author of the study.

The findings are good news for sustainability and human happiness, as they provide strong evidence that resource-intensive economic growth is not required to achieve high levels of subjective well-being.

The researchers highlight that, although they now know that people in many Indigenous and local communities report high levels of life satisfaction, they do not know why.

Prior work would suggest that family and social support and relationships, spirituality, and connections to nature are among the important factors on which this happiness is based, but it is possible that the important factors differ significantly between societies or, conversely, that a small subset of factors dominate everywhere.

I would hope that, by learning more about what makes life satisfying in these diverse communities, it might help many others to lead more satisfying lives while addressing the sustainability crisis, Galbraith concludes.

Author: Octavi Lopez Source: UAB Contact: Octavi Lopez UAB Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: The findings will appear in PNAS

Neuroscience

ADHD as an Asset in Entrepreneurship – Neuroscience News

February 13, 2024 medical

Summary: Individuals with ADHD possess unique cognitive abilities that can make them successful entrepreneurs. The study suggests that people with ADHD excel at collecting and utilizing diverse stimuli from their environment, turning these into valuable resources for entrepreneurial ventures.

Through the development of routines and heuristics, they can efficiently process and organize information, enhancing qualities crucial for entrepreneurial success such as alertness, adaptability, and intent. This perspective challenges traditional views of ADHD as a deficit, highlighting its potential advantages in the entrepreneurial realm and beyond.

Key Facts:

Source: West Virginia University

The brains of people with ADHD function in ways that can benefit them as entrepreneurs, according to research from theWest Virginia UniversityJohn Chambers College of Business and Economics.

Associate ProfessorNancy McIntyresaid her paper in theInternational Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior and Researchbroadens the scope, in an entrepreneurial context, from if ADHD functions to how ADHD functions. The paper is based on a study demonstrating an entrepreneur with ADHD is able to use routines, patterns and habits like a big net that captures and stores stimuli from the environment for later use.

My coauthors and I are advancing the idea that ADHD is not a cognitive deficit or disability when considering entrepreneurship, she said.

Someone with ADHD and high entrepreneurial intent might go to a big event and meet person after person with knowledge, advice, contact information, venture capital or other resources to offer.

Because their mind tends to hop all over the place, theyre making lots of connections and filing them in a way that allows them to use those resources in the future. Their net becomes thicker and thicker with resources that could be used to start or support their company.

McIntyre is the former owner of an advertising agency and has ADHD herself. She said that in one-on-one conversations and larger meetings, the ADHD created a constant rattle in my brain: Boy, its cold in here. Are those new glasses hes wearing? Would our client like red on that brochure more than blue? Are the kids having fun at day care?

Like McIntyre, many people with ADHD find it especially difficult not to immediately attend to new information. Theyre predisposed to speedy cognitive processing and quick decisions, bouncing from stimulus to stimulus, continually scanning their environments and swiftly shifting their attention from old data to new.

To deal with the constant influx of information, people with ADHD often develop habits, routines, processes or shortcuts that help them assimilate all that data without becoming exhausted by it. Those routines are examples of what McIntyre calls resource-induced coping heuristics.

She has developed her own set of heuristics to help her cope with the massive quantity of information streaming into her mind.

In the morning, my executive assistant provided me with a schedule. At the end of each day, she provided me with a summary and action items. She was always at my side taking notes, or if she wasnt available, she had a recorder on the table so I could review the tape later. Those routines helped me use my resources to focus on the important information.

McIntyre explained a cognitive heuristic takes the load off your brain. A walking heuristic, for example, allows a person to walk without thinking about every step as they take it. A driving heuristic allows someone to start the car, fasten their seatbelt, step on the brake and shift into gear more or less automatically.

Everyone uses heuristic routines to perform common tasks efficiently, without thinking through or about each part of the process. But McIntyres research reveals that for entrepreneurs with ADHD, heuristics can be critical to three key qualities for their success: alertness, adaptability and entrepreneurial intent.

McIntyre identified individuals with ADHD among 581 survey respondents who answered questions about those qualities.

Alert entrepreneurs were good at recognizing the business opportunities around them, reading voraciously and interacting with others in order to have an ear to the ground. Those who were adaptable could change course when appropriate, challenging their own assumptions and double checking their comprehension about a problem or task.

And those with high entrepreneurial intent were committed to establishing their own business, searching actively for start-up opportunities. ADHD helped drive each of these positive outcomes, McIntyre found.

She said she was interested in ADHD in a specifically entrepreneurial context because , while traditional employment rarely leaves much room for running off in a lot of directions, she believes entrepreneurship can offer those with ADHD the freedom to fail and try again.

We need to get rid of the word disability and learn to value differences and adapt to them as a society, McIntyre said.

Even in the world of traditional employment, many companies Ernst & Young, Goldman Sachs, IBM, JPMorgan Chase, Microsoft are starting to look for job candidates with cognitive differences because those differences make them very skilled at certain tasks. Those with ADHD are known to be more curious, creative, imaginative and innovative.

For people with ADHD who do want to pursue entrepreneurial careers, this research shows the more they can do to strengthen their net of routines for gathering and organizing information, the better.

Author: Micaela Morrissette Source: West Virginia University Contact: Micaela Morrissette West Virginia University Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: Closed access. The effects of neurodiversity on cognitive attributes of entrepreneurs by Nancy McIntyre et al. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour & Research

Abstract

The effects of neurodiversity on cognitive attributes of entrepreneurs

This study investigates how attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in entrepreneurs functions through coping schema to affect entrepreneurship-related cognitions. It is proposed that the resource-induced coping heuristic (RICH) bridges the conceptual gap between pathological cognitive executive control/reward attributes and cognitive resources, specifically entrepreneurial alertness, cognitive adaptability and entrepreneurial intent.

With data from 581 entrepreneurs, this study utilizes partial least squares structural equation modeling for analysis. Additionally, a two-stage hierarchical component modeling approach was used to estimate latent variable scores for higher-order constructs.

Findings indicate the RICH mediates the relationships ADHD has with alertness, cognitive adaptability and entrepreneurial intent.

The RICH is introduced as a mechanism to explain how ADHD indirectly influences entrepreneurial alertness, cognitive adaptability and entrepreneurial intent.

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ADHD as an Asset in Entrepreneurship - Neuroscience News

Neuroscience

PCOS Linked to Higher Suicide Risk – Neuroscience News

February 13, 2024 medical

Summary: A comprehensive study involving over 18,000 women has uncovered a startling correlation between polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and an increased risk of suicide attempts, with PCOS patients being 8 times more likely to attempt suicide than those without the condition.

The study draws from the Taiwanese nationwide database, spanning from 1997 to 2012, to highlight the urgent need for mental health and suicide risk assessment in women diagnosed with PCOS. This endocrine disorder, affecting up to 10% of women of reproductive age, is associated with various health challenges, including infertility and obesity, which can severely impact quality of life and elevate the risk for several psychiatric conditions.

The findings emphasize the critical importance of integrated healthcare approaches that address both the physical and mental health aspects of PCOS.

Key Facts:

Source: American College of Physicians

A study of more than 18,000 women found that patients diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) were 8 times more likely to attempt suicide compared with control group.

These findings highlight the importance of routine monitoring of mental health and suicide risk in persons diagnosed with PCOS.

The study is published inAnnals of Internal Medicine.

PCOS is a prevalent endocrine disorder, affecting up 10% of women in their reproductive years. Common attributes associated with PCOS include infertility, acne, dysmenorrhea, hirsutism, and obesity, which can collectively contribute to a decreased quality of life.

In addition, a substantial body of evidence indicates that persons diagnosed with PCOS have higher risk for psychiatric conditions, such as depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, personality disorder, and schizoaffective disorder.

Researchers from Taipei Veterans General Hospital studied data from the Taiwanese nationwide database from 1997 to 2012 for 18,960 women diagnosed with PCOS to assess suicide risk, accounting for psychiatric comorbid conditions and age group.

They found that persons diagnosed with PCOS faced an 8.47-fold increase in risk for suicide attempt compared with the control group, even after accounting for demographics, psychiatric comorbid conditions, physical conditions, and all-cause clinical visits. An adolescent subgroup had a notable 5.38-fold elevated risk for suicide attempt.

The authors note that their findings remained robust when excluding the first year or the first 3 years of observation.

Author: Angela Collom Source: American College of Physicians Contact: Angela Collom American College of Physicians Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: Closed access. Suicide Attempts After a Diagnosis of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome by Mu-Hong Chen et al. Annals of Internal Medicine

Abstract

Suicide Attempts After a Diagnosis of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Limited evidence exists about suicide risk in persons with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

To assess suicide risk in persons with PCOS, accounting for psychiatric comorbid conditions and age group.

Cohort study.

Data from the Taiwanese nationwide database from 1997 to 2012.

A cohort of 18960 patients diagnosed with PCOS, each matched with control participants in a 1:10 ratio on the basis of age, psychiatric comorbid conditions, urbanization level, and income. Suicide attempts were evaluated using Cox regression models.

Suicide risk with hazard ratios (HRs).

Participants with PCOS had a notable 8.47-fold increase in risk for suicide attempt compared with the control group (HR, 8.47 [95% CI, 7.54 to 9.51]), after adjustment for demographic characteristics, psychiatric comorbid conditions, Charlson Comorbidity Index scores, and frequency of all-cause clinical visits. The elevated risk was evident across the adolescent (HR, 5.38 [CI, 3.93 to 7.37]), young adult (<40 years; HR, 9.15 [CI, 8.03 to 10.42]), and older adult (HR, 3.75 [CI, 2.23 to 6.28]) groups. Sensitivity analyses involving the exclusion of data from the first year or the first 3 years of observation yielded consistent results.

Potential underestimation of PCOS and mental disorder prevalence due to use of administrative claims data; lack of clinical data, such as body mass index and depressive symptoms; and no assessment of a confounding effect of valproic acid exposure.

This study underscores the heightened risk for suicide attempt that persons with PCOS face, even after adjustment for demographics, psychiatric comorbid conditions, physical conditions, and all-cause clinical visits. This suggests the importance of routine monitoring of mental health and suicide risk in persons diagnosed with PCOS.

Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Yen Tjing Ling Medical Foundation, and Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan.

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PCOS Linked to Higher Suicide Risk - Neuroscience News

Neuroscience

Social Media Posts: Misleading Windows to Our Personalities – Neuroscience News

January 19, 2024 medical

Summary: New research reveals that social media posts, particularly on Facebook, can lead to misconceptions about our personalities.

The study analyzed Facebook status updates and found significant differences between how users perceive themselves and how others view them. Updates with multimedia content like photos and videos provided a more accurate reflection of personality than text-only posts.

This research highlights the complexities of digital identity construction and the potential for misinterpretation in the realm of social media.

Key Facts:

Source: Cornell University

People may form inaccurate impressions about us from our social media posts, finds new Cornell University research that is the first to examine perceptions of our personalities based on online posts.

An analysis of Facebook status updates found substantial discrepancies between how viewers saw the authors across a range of personality traits, and the authors self-perceptions. Viewers rated the Facebook users on average as having lower self-esteem and being more self-revealing, for example, than the users rated themselves.

Status updates containing photos, video or links in addition to text facilitated more accurate assessments than those with just text, the researchers found. Overall, they said, the study sheds light on the dynamic process by which a cyber audience tries to make sense of who we are from isolated fragments of shared information, jointly constructing our digital identity.

The impression people form about us on social media based on what we post can differ from the way we view ourselves, saidQi Wang, professor of psychology and director of theCulture & Cognition Lab. A mismatch between who we are and how people perceive us could influence our ability to feel connected online and the benefits of engaging in social media interaction.

Wang is the lead author of The Self Online: When Meaning-Making is Outsourced to the Cyber Audience, published inPLOS One.

Prior research has focused on perceptions of personality traits gleaned from personal websites, such as blogs or online profiles, finding that readers can assess them accurately. The Cornell researchers believe their study is the first to investigate audience perceptions of social media users through their posts, on platforms where users often dont share cohesive personal narratives while interacting with friends they may know only a little or sometimes not at all.

Interestingly, the study found that Facebook status updates generated perceptions of users that were consistent with cultural norms in offline contexts concerning gender and ethnicity even though viewers were blind to their identities.

For example, female Facebook users were rated as more extraverted than male users, in line with general findings that women score higher on extraversion. White Facebook users were seen as being more extraverted and having greater self-esteem than Asian users, whose cultures place more emphasis on modesty, Wang said.

We present ourselves in line with our cultural frameworks, she said, and others can discern our cultured persona through meaning making of our posts.

The scholars said future research should explore this outsourced meaning-making process with larger samples of posts, and on other popular platforms such as Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter.

Wang said the findings could help developers design interfaces that allow people to express themselves most authentically. For users, misunderstandings about who they are on social media might not cause direct harm, she said, but could hinder their efforts to foster good communication and relationships.

If peoples view of us is very different from who we actually are, or how we would like to be perceived, Wang said, it could undermine our social life and well-being.

Author: Becka Bowyer Source: Cornell University Contact: Becka Bowyer Cornell University Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: Open access. The self online: When meaning-making is outsourced to the cyber audience by Qi Wang et al. PLOS ONE

Abstract

The self online: When meaning-making is outsourced to the cyber audience

This study examines the cyber audiences perception of social media users persona based on their online posts from a cognitive meaning-making perspective. Participants (N = 158) answered questions about their personal characteristics and provided their 20 most recent Facebook status updates.

Two groups of viewers, who viewed either the text-only or multimedia version of the status updates, answered questions about the Facebook users personal characteristics. The viewers perceptions of Facebook users deviated from the users self-perceptions, although user characteristics that serve social motives were more accurately perceived.

Multimedia viewers were more accurate than text viewers, whereas the latter showed a greater consensus. Gender and ethnic differences of Facebook users also emerged in online person perceptions, in line with gendered and cultured characteristics.

These findings shed critical light on the dynamic interplay between social media users and the cyber audience in the co-construction of a digitally extended self.

Neuroscience

Multivitamins May Slow Cognitive Aging – Neuroscience News

January 19, 2024 medical

Summary: A new study suggests that daily multivitamin supplements may help slow cognitive aging and memory loss in older adults. The study found statistically significant benefits of multivitamins for memory and global cognition, indicating a potential delay in cognitive aging by about two years compared to placebo.

This research, a part of a nationwide trial, included detailed cognitive assessments in-person and through telephone and web-based methods. The findings could have significant implications for older adults looking for accessible ways to preserve brain health.

Key Facts:

Source: Mass General

By 2060, according to the Alzheimers Association, nearly one in four Americans will be in an age bracket at elevated risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimers disease unless interventions can help preserve cognitive function before deficits begin.

The COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS) is a large-scale, nationwide, randomized trial rigorously testing cocoa extract and multivitamin supplements directed by researchers at Mass General Brigham.

Two previously published studies of cognition in COSMOS suggested a positive effect for a daily multivitamin. COSMOS researchers now report the results of a third study of cognition in COSMOS, which focused on participants who underwent in-person assessments, together with the results of a combined analysis from the three separate studies.

The results from this latest report confirm consistent and statistically significant benefits of a daily multivitamin versus placebo for both memory and global cognition.

Results are published today inTheAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Cognitive decline is among the top health concerns for most older adults, and a daily supplement of multivitamins has the potential as an appealing and accessible approach to slow cognitive aging, said first author Chirag Vyas, MBBS, MPH, instructor in investigation at the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system.

In the in-clinic study the researchers administered detailed, in-person cognitive assessments among 573 participants in the subset of COSMOS known as COSMOS-Clinic. Within COSMOS, two previous studies had tested multivitamin supplementation on cognition using telephone-based cognitive assessments (COSMOS-MIND) and online web-based cognitive assessments (COSMOS-Web).

In their prespecified analyses of data from COSMOS-Clinic, investigators observed a modest benefit for the multivitamin, compared to placebo, on global cognition over two years. There was a statistically significant benefit of multivitamin supplementation for change in episodic memory, but not in executive function/attention.

The team also conducted a meta-analysis based on the three separate studies, with non-overlapping COSMOS participants (ranging 2-3 years in treatment duration), which showed strong evidence of benefits for both global cognition and episodic memory. The authors estimate that the daily multivitamin slowed global cognitive aging by the equivalent of two years compared to placebo.

Vyas said, The meta-analysis of three separate cognition studies provides strong and consistent evidence that taking a daily multivitamin, containing more than 20 essential micronutrients, helps prevent memory loss and slow down cognitive aging.

Olivia Okereke, MD SM, senior author of the report and director of Geriatric Psychiatry at MGH, added These findings will garner attention among many older adults who are, understandably, very interested in ways to preserve brain health, as they provide evidence for the role of a daily multivitamin in supporting better cognitive aging.

The overall COSMOS trial is led by JoAnn Manson, MD, DrPH, and Howard Sesso, ScD, MPH, both of Brigham and Womens Hospital (BWH), also a founding member of Mass General Brigham. Manson, co-author of the report and Chief of the Division of Preventive Medicine at BWH, commented:

The finding that a daily multivitamin improved memory and slowed cognitive aging in three separate placebo-controlled studies in COSMOS is exciting and further supports the promise of multivitamins as a safe, accessible and affordable approach to protecting cognitive health in older adults.

The COSMOS consortium of cognitive studies represents a collaboration between MGH, BWH, Columbia University, and Wake Forest University, using both traditional and innovative approaches to assessing cognitive outcomes.

These approaches allow large numbers of participants (>5,000 in total) to be included in cognitive studies in a high-quality and cost-efficient manner. COSMOS participants are aged 60 and older and reside throughout the U.S.

Sesso, also a co-author and the associate director of the BWH Division of Preventive Medicine, added: With these three studies using different approaches for assessing cognition in COSMOS, each providing support for a daily multivitamin, it is now critical to understand the mechanisms by which a daily multivitamin may protect against memory loss and cognitive decline with a focus on nutritional status and other aging-related factors.

For example, the modifying role of baseline nutritional status on protecting against cognitive decline has been shown for the COSMOS cocoa extract intervention. A typical multivitamin such as that tested in COSMOS contains many essential vitamins and minerals that could explain its potential benefits.

COSMOS Cognition Coauthors:

Chirag M. Vyas (MGH), JoAnn E. Manson (BWH); Howard D. Sesso (BWH); Nancy R. Cook (BWH); Pamela M. Rist (BWH); Alison Weinberg (BWH); M Vinayaga Moorthy (BWH); Laura D. Baker (Wake Forest University); Mark A. Espeland (Wake Forest University); Lok-Kin Yeung (Columbia University); Adam M. Brickman (Columbia University); Olivia I. Okereke (MGH).

Disclosures:Sesso additionally reported receiving investigator-initiated grants from Pure Encapsulations and Pfizer Inc. and honoraria and/or travel for lectures from the Council for Responsible Nutrition, BASF, NIH, and the American Society of Nutrition during the conduct of the study.

Funding:COSMOS-Clinic and the cognition studies in the meta-analysis were supportedin partby investigator-initiated grants from Mars Edge, a segment of Mars Inc., and the National Institutes of Health. Multivitamin and placebo tablets and packaging were donated by Pfizer, Inc Consumer Healthcare (now Haleon).

Author: Serena Bronda Source: Mass General Contact: Serena Bronda Mass General Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: The findings will appear in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

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Multivitamins May Slow Cognitive Aging - Neuroscience News

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St. Louis All Local PM: More cold and snow, WashU neuroscience, facial recognition, Bar PM video, John Mozeliak … – KMOX

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