TL;DR: In a tiny pilot study, a few minutes on an exercise bike boosted thinking speed scores by about 7 points in healthy adults but only about 2 points in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. With 10 people per group, it is an early clue, not a firm result. Key Findings 20 adults: 10 with …
TL;DR: In mice, a new type of gene-silencing molecule lowered levels of alpha-synuclein, the protein that clumps in Parkinson’s. Mice given it kept more dopamine-making brain cells and did better on grip and balance tests than untreated mice with the same disease model. Key Findings Two silencing molecules tested: Both cut alpha-synuclein in the brain …
TL;DR: When 60 volunteers braced for a shock they could dodge with a quick button press, their brains and bodies shifted into a focused, alert state. But they remembered faces seen during those moments no better than faces seen when they felt safe. Key Findings 60 adults, 270 trials: Each face came with a certain …
TL;DR: In a lab study of 187 UK students, a few minutes spent vividly imagining good future events made those with more low-mood symptoms feel more in control of their goals. It did not make anyone feel their goals were more likely or more important. Key Findings 187 students, 4 groups: Imagined their own goal …
TL;DR: Among 112 older adults in Spain with mild cognitive impairment, those who reported more physical activity and felt more supported by family and friends scored better on several thinking tests. The study took one snapshot, so it cannot show that activity or support protects thinking. Key Findings 112 adults, average age 71: All had …
TL;DR: In a small Spanish pilot, adults at high risk of depression got a personalized prevention plan from their family doctor plus an app. After 3 months their predicted depression risk and anxiety scores fell, but depression symptoms did not, most people barely used the app, and there was no comparison group. Key Findings 56 …
TL;DR: Pooling 59 trials, all from China, researchers found that adding acupuncture or electroacupuncture to standard rehab after a stroke was linked to better leg movement scores for people with foot drop. But the studies varied widely and many had quality problems, so the size of the benefit is uncertain. Key Findings 59 trials, 4,596 …
TL;DR: In 10 young adults with a neck-level spinal cord injury, standing upright in a frame made blood pressure drop. Wearing compression stockings and a belly binder kept blood pressure from falling, and the five people who felt faint said they felt better. Key Findings Standing lowered blood pressure: Pressure and pulse pressure fell significantly …
TL;DR: A headband sensor picked up brief bursts of force inside the head during sleep in all 45 people tested. People with neurodegenerative diseases had fewer bursts per minute than healthy volunteers, in an early, not yet peer-reviewed study. Key Findings A new sleep signal: 1- to 2-second “sleep bursts” showed up in every one …
TL;DR: At a leading London children’s hospital, 77 children with PRES, a sudden brain-swelling syndrome, were reviewed over 20 years. Nearly 4 in 5 first showed up with seizures, almost all had another serious illness, and about a third of those given seizure medicine still needed it after 6 months. Key Findings Seizures came first: …
