ScienceDaily: Mind & Brain News

A team of researchers has identified the molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate selective autophagy in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. While the function of these processes is increasingly understood in mammals this is one of the first studies in insects. The study of autophagy -- the recycling and repair process within cells -- has huge potential to aid in fighting the ageing process, bacterial and viral infections and diseases including cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Children whose mothers experience rising levels of depression from prepregnancy until the months just after giving birth are at greater risk of developing emotional, social and academic problems, psychology researchers report. Their seven-year study, which tracked mothers and their offspring from preconception until the children were 5 years old, is the first to demonstrate how changes in mothers' level of depression over time may impact early childhood behavioral and emotional stability.

New research shows that the mental workload of intensive care unit nurses can successfully be evaluated using eye-movement tracking glasses.

Researchers describe biological mechanism that allows sleep to build relational memories -- associations between unrelated items.

Breathing difficulties are the main cause of death following opioid use. In the UK, the number of adults entering treatment for opioid use was 140,863 in 2020/211 and opioid use remains a significant cause of premature death, contributing to 3,726 drug-related deaths last year. Opioid misuse causes death by supressing respiratory activity. New research points to a novel treatment for respiratory depression associated with opioid use that administers electrical pulses to the back of the neck, helping patients regain respiratory control following high dosage opioid use. This could offer an alternative to pharmacological treatments, which can cause withdrawal symptoms, heart problems and can negatively affect the central nervous system.

During the first years of their lives, children develop the cognitive, social and emotional skills that will provide the foundations for their lifelong health and achievements. However, exposure to environmental stressors during critical periods of life can have negative long-term consequences for their development. One of the most critical stressors for children is maternal stress, which is known to have a detrimental effect on children's health and well-being, already in utero.

Medicare costs around the time of a dementia diagnosis are much lower for older adults screened proactively rather than those diagnosed while experiencing a health issue.

In recent years Alzheimer's disease has been on the rise throughout the world and is rarely diagnosed at an early stage when it can still be effectively controlled. Using artificial intelligence, researchers conducted a study to identify whether human-computer interfaces could be adapted for people with memory impairments to recognize a visible object in front of them.

The nervous system is known to communicate with the immune system and regulate inflammation in the body. Researchers now show how electrical activation of a specific nerve can promote healing in acute inflammation.

Older people who overestimate their health go to the doctor less often. This can have serious consequences for their health, for example, when illnesses are detected too late. By contrast, people who think they are sicker than they actually are visit the doctor more often. This is what a new study based on data from over 80,000 Europeans aged 50 and older found.

Maverick was first used as a baby name after a television show called 'Maverick' aired in the 1950s, but its popularity rose meteorically in 1986 with the release of the movie 'Top Gun.' Today, it is even used for baby girls.