Cognition

Neurotoxicity of Pesticides: Brain Damage & Atrophy from Exposure

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Pesticides are chemicals commonly used worldwide to control unwanted organisms and disease vectors. However, research shows that chronic pesticide exposure may impair brain health and contribute to neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Key facts: Pesticides like organochlorines, organophosphates, pyrethroids, and mitochondrial complex I inhibitors can damage neurons and brain cell function through mechanisms like …

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Education Increases Intelligence? 1-5 IQ Points for Each Additional Year of Schooling

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Education has long been thought to improve cognitive abilities like intelligence. But does simply spending more years in school actually make people smarter? A new meta-analysis of quasi-experimental studies provides compelling evidence that education significantly increases intelligence test scores, by as much as 1-5 IQ points for each additional year of education. Key Facts: Education …

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Semaglutide & Empagliflozin for Obesity-Related Cognitive Impairment

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Obesity can lead to impaired learning, memory and cognitive decline, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. A new mouse study reveals how obesity disrupts key signaling pathways in the brain, and shows the potential of two diabetes drugs, semaglutide and empagliflozin, to counteract these effects. Key Findings: Obesity impaired spatial learning and memory …

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IQ Scores & Well-Being Rankings in the United States (U.S.) (2022)

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A new study has uncovered an interconnected nexus between state IQ and well-being across the 50 U.S. states. Key findings show that states with higher average IQ tend to have better well-being outcomes across areas like health, income, education and crime. Some key facts: State IQ strongly predicts well-being – they correlated 0.80 in the …

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Multitasking is Dumb: Cognitive Costs, Decreased Productivity, Brain Strain

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Multitasking requires rapidly switching between tasks and goals, taxing networks in our brains that support cognitive control and attention. Research shows multitasking leads to poorer performance, known as switch costs, compared to focusing on one task at a time. Certain types of multitasking like media multitasking are associated with reduced working memory, long-term memory, and …

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Albert Einstein’s Brain Connectivity: Corpus Callosum Significantly Thicker Than Average

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Albert Einstein’s extraordinary intelligence and genius have long intrigued scientists. Now, new analysis of photographs of Einstein’s brain reveals enhanced connections between the two hemispheres, providing clues into the neurological basis for his remarkable abilities. Key Facts: Researchers analyzed high-resolution photos of Einstein’s corpus callosum, the band of fibers connecting the brain’s hemispheres, and compared …

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Corpus Callosum Size, Thickness, & Intelligence (IQ): No Direct Link Found

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The corpus callosum is the thick band of nerve fibers that connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain, acting like a superhighway to allow communication between the two sides. Given its role in integrating information, researchers have long speculated that the size and structure of the corpus callosum may be linked to intellectual …

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Dual N-Back Training & Neuroplasticity: Robust Connectivity Changes in the Inferior Frontal Gyrus

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Working memory training has been shown to provide widespread cognitive benefits, but how exactly does it change our brains? New research reveals that a demanding “dual n-back” training program alters functional connectivity even during rest, shedding light on the neural mechanisms underlying training-induced plasticity. Key Facts: Dual n-back training increased connectivity of the ventral default …

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Dual N Back Training Improves Working Memory Function

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A new study published in Scientific Reports provides insight into which memory training techniques are most effective at improving working memory. The research compared an adaptive n-back training task to the memory palace technique over 20 days of training. Both groups improved on trained tasks, but n-back training showed greater transfer to untrained working memory …

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