News

Sign up for the FAB Update - our free regular newsletter

Brain iron accumulation linked to cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients

Iron accumulation in the outer layer of the brain is associated with cognitive deterioration in people with Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers find on-off switch for inflammation related to overeating

Researchers have identified a molecule that plays a key role in the body's inflammatory response to overeating, which can lead to obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic diseases. The finding suggests that the molecule could be a promising therapeutic target to control this inflammation and keep metabolic diseases in check.

Antioxidant cocktail key to preventing Alzheimer's

Diet rich in nutrients and antioxidants may prevent or even reverse the effects of Alzheimer's disease

24 June 2020 - MedicalXpress - Addressing the safety of high folate levels in the older population and implications for fortification in Ireland

A new study led by researchers from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) at Trinity College Dublin challenges claims from some international scientific circles, that having high blood levels of folate (folic acid) increases the risk of poor cognition in older adults, especially in those with low levels of vitamin B12.

24 June 2020 - MedicalXpress - Medicinal cannabis may reduce behavioral problems in kids with intellectual disabilities

Cannabidiol, a type of medicinal cannabis, may reduce severe behavioural problems in children and adolescents with an intellectual disability a new study has found.

18 June 2020 - MedicalXpress - Creating a new paradigm for understanding the individual effects of diet

Researchers have made a major breakthrough in understanding how individuals can have different reactions to the same diets.

Stem cell study shows how fish oil may help with depression

A stem cell study into the effectiveness of different antidepressants has concluded fish oil creates an antidepressant response similar to that seen from prescribed medicines.

15 June 2020 - Karolinska Institute - New findings explain how 'indigestion' medications can increase dementia risks

Millions of people around the world use proton pump inhibitors for conditions like heartburn, gastritis and stomach ulcers. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden now report that the long-term use of these drugs could increase the risk of developing dementia.

People born small for gestational age have a lower IQ throughout development from infancy to adulthood

People born small for gestational age (SGA) have a lower IQ throughout development, however the differences in IQ to those born appropriate for gestational age (AGA) reduce by adulthood. The effects of SGA on IQ are nearly as large as being born into lower socio-economic status or receiving poor parenting in infancy.

9 June 2020 - MedicalXpress - Antioxidants in brain linked to improved psychosis treatment

Patients with higher levels of an antioxidant called glutathione respond more quickly to medication for psychosis and have improved outcomes. It is estimated that a 10 percent increase in antioxidants could lead to a reduction in length of hospital stay by at least seven days.

4 June 2020 - MedicalXpress - Temperament affects children's eating habits

Children who are what we often think of as temperamental, are particularly vulnerable to developing eating habits that can lead to unhealthy weight gain and difficulties with food and eating.

New gut-brain link: how gut mucus could help treat brain disorders

Mucus is the first line of defence against bad bacteria in our gut. But could it also be part of our defence against diseases of the brain?

18th May 2020 - Gut-brain axis: Microbiome linked to neuron disease

Harvard University scientists have identified a new gut-brain connection in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neurone disease (MND), through a study in mice. The researchers found that in mice with a common ALS genetic mutation, changing the gut microbiome using antibiotics or faecal transplants could prevent or improve disease symptoms.

15 May 2020 - MedicalXpress - Chemists develop foolproof new test to track the fats we eat

A team of researchers at McMaster University has developed a reliable and accurate blood test to track individual fat intake, a tool that could guide public health policy on healthy eating.

13 May 2020 - MedicalXpress - Children with autism face higher risk of eating disorders

Autistic traits in childhood come before behaviours characteristic of eating disorders, and so could be a risk factor for developing eating disorders.

12 May 2020 - MedicalXpress - A new approach to averting inflammation caused by COVID-19

Controlling the body's inflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2 will likely be as important as antiviral therapies or a potential vaccine

12 May 2020 - The Conversation - Alzheimer’s and dementia: eating plenty of apples, berries and tea linked to lower risk – new research

Flavonoids, compounds found in almost every fruit and vegetable, can reduce your risk of developing certain cancers, heart disease and stroke. Now, recent evidence even suggests that diets high in flavonoids can actually lower your risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia as well.

7 May 2020 - MedicalXpress - Vitamin D linked to low coronavirus death rate

A new study has found an association between low average levels of vitamin D and high numbers of COVID-19 cases and mortality rates across 20 European countries.

Exercise and diet essential for healthy aging

Resistance training combined with a healthy diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids helps older women bring about gains in strength and mobility. That is researcher Peter Edholm's conclusion in his thesis, which also shows exercise in middle age is linked to healthy aging.