https://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Adults age 65 and older who completed five to six weeks of cognitive speed training—in this case, speed of processing training, which helps people quickly find visual information on a computer screen and handle increasingly complex tasks in a shorter time period—and who had follow-up sessions about one to three years later were less likely to be diagnosed with dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, up to two decades later, according to new findings published today in Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-cognitive-linked-dementia-incidence-years.html Sat, 28 Feb 2026 09:20:01 EST news689851172 Daily physical activities play a far greater role in the well-being of patients with osteoarthritis than handgrip strength or isolated motor tasks, according to new research from the University of Sharjah. The study, published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, addresses what the authors describe as an "overlooked question" in osteoarthritis research and clinical practice: the best daily physical activities that can improve the well-being and quality of life for people living with this wear-and-tear joint disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-everyday-movements-beneficial-osteoarthritis-patients.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 15:02:33 EST news689266921 More than 7 million people aged 65 and older suffer from Alzheimer's disease in the United States, according to a 2025 report from the Alzheimer's Association. More of the debilitating symptoms could be mitigated or better managed with an earlier diagnosis, said Hui Yang, Gary and Sheila Bello Chair in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering at Penn State. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-qa-ai-human-brain-humans.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 07:25:05 EST news688807442 Our thoughts are specified by our knowledge and plans, yet our cognition can also be fast and flexible in handling new information. How does the well-controlled and yet highly nimble nature of cognition emerge from the brain's anatomy of billions of neurons and circuits? https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-flexibly-thought-brain-space.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 10:33:33 EST news685708381 Frailty is a syndrome resulting from age-related decline across multiple organ systems. A new study, conducted at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, shows that slower reaction time and lower response accuracy in cognitive tasks are associated with higher levels of frailty. Notably, this association can already be detected in late midlife, among individuals aged 57 to 70 years. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-cognitive-late-midlife-frailty-older.html Thu, 18 Dec 2025 00:00:01 EST news685198671 In modern society, physical inactivity and sedentary behavior have become common issues globally. This trend is also growing among children, raising concerns for their mental and physical health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-short-intensity-boost-function-elevate.html Wed, 17 Dec 2025 11:56:27 EST news685194961 Americans may be getting older and need help doing things that were once routine, but a new survey finds only a fraction of seniors see themselves as having a disability. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-older-americans-dont-disabled-survey.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 12:10:05 EST news684763043 More than half of psychologists experimented with artificial intelligence tools in their practices in the past year, but almost all cite concerns about how the technology may affect their patients and society, according to the American Psychological Association's 2025 Practitioner Pulse Survey. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-psychologists-ai.html Tue, 09 Dec 2025 05:43:40 EST news684481382 A new finding from researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center shows that the learning process of associating cues with rewards can be altered by increased or decreased activity of a specific protein in the brain. Knowing when to respond positively to cues that result in beneficial outcomes or rewards vs. ignoring cues that result in bad habits, such as smoking addiction, is an essential part of learned behaviors. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-key-protein-brain-links-cues.html Tue, 09 Dec 2025 05:00:04 EST news684415201 A collaboration between SISSA's Physics and Neuroscience groups has taken a step forward in understanding how memories are stored and retrieved in the brain. The study, recently published in Neuron, shows that distinct perceptual biases—long thought to arise from separate brain systems—can, in fact, be explained by a single, biologically grounded mechanism. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-11-memory-perception-hebbian-recall-events.html Mon, 17 Nov 2025 15:55:04 EST news682617301 A new study by researchers at Coventry University has found a high-intensity gym workout appears to increase your ability to focus, remember and process information in your brain. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-11-tough-exam-gym-workout.html Thu, 06 Nov 2025 10:25:03 EST news681647101 Researchers have known that children often don't focus on tasks and tend to "overexplore" instead of paying attention to what they should be doing. However, why they do that has remained unknown. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-11-adult-distraction-mimics-childlike-behavior.html Tue, 04 Nov 2025 16:10:02 EST news681494515 Ever worried that skipping breakfast might leave you foggy at work? Or that intermittent fasting would make you irritable, distracted and less productive? https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-11-fasting-dull-mental-edge-crunched.html Tue, 04 Nov 2025 11:23:04 EST news681477781 As sure as the brain is prone to distraction, it can also return its focus to the task at hand. A new study in animals by scientists at the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory of MIT shows how that seems to happen: Coordinated neural activity in the form of a rotating brain wave puts thought back on track. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-10-distractions-rotating-brain-thought-circle.html Fri, 31 Oct 2025 13:17:03 EDT news681135421 When we are engaged in a task, our brain's auditory system changes how it works. One of the main auditory centers of the brain, the auditory cortex, is filled with neural activity that is not sound-driven—rather, this activity times the task, each neuron ticking at a different moment during task performance. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-10-auditory-cortex-syncs-behavior-brain.html Fri, 17 Oct 2025 14:00:05 EDT news679849741 Hearing involves more than just the ears—it's intimately connected to how we think and feel. A recent study has shed light on the possible links between hearing, emotion, and cognition by investigating misophonia, a condition where someone experiences an extreme emotional response to particular sounds. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-10-misophonia-strong-negative-reactions-linked.html Thu, 16 Oct 2025 10:58:04 EDT news679831082 When you lift weights, walk up a steep hill or ride a bike, your body is continuously sending sensory signals to your brain. These signals paint a picture of the physical sensation of what you're doing. Your brain then takes these signals and filters them through your past experience, goals, expectations and current emotional state. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-cold-ease-stress-brain-reframe.html Thu, 18 Sep 2025 12:32:04 EDT news677417521 Older individuals between the ages of 75 and 80 who are eligible for lung surgery may achieve survival outcomes comparable to younger patients following lung cancer screening, according to research presented today at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC 2025) held in Barcelona. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-lung-cancer-screening-benefits-adults.html Mon, 08 Sep 2025 04:50:04 EDT news676284981 It has long been known that the brain preferentially processes information that we focus our attention on—a classic example is the so-called cocktail party effect. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-neuroscientists-precise-nerve-brain.html Mon, 01 Sep 2025 15:11:04 EDT news675958262 A panel convened in July 2025 by the Food and Drug Administration sparked controversy by casting doubt about the safety of commonly used antidepressants during pregnancy. But it also raised the broader issue of how little is known about the safety of many medications used in pregnancy, considering the implications for both mother and child—and how understudied this topic is. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-pregnant-women-tough-choices-medication.html Thu, 28 Aug 2025 15:30:03 EDT news675613013 Tobacco smoking is the number one cause of preventable disease and death in Canada; it is highly addictive and hard to stop. Recognizing these challenges, a new guideline from the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care provides a menu of effective options to help people quit smoking, with behavioral and medication options and a natural health product that can be tailored and combined for personal choice. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-guideline-menu-options-people-tobacco.html Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:04 EDT news675073021 For many breast cancer survivors, fatigue may linger long after treatment ends, which can have a significant impact on cognitive function, ability to work, and overall quality of life. A new study from George Mason University's College of Public Health suggests that this is not just a subjective feeling but a measurable reality. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-potential-link-fatigue-breast-cancer.html Wed, 13 Aug 2025 05:21:16 EDT news674281273 If someone close to you has attempted suicide, you may be feeling scared, confused or overwhelmed. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-suicide.html Fri, 08 Aug 2025 10:50:03 EDT news673869001 The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends screening adults for unhealthy alcohol use and providing brief behavioral counseling interventions for those engaged in risky drinking. These recommendations form the basis of a draft recommendation statement published online Aug. 5. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-uspstf-screening-adults-unhealthy-alcohol.html Tue, 05 Aug 2025 14:10:02 EDT news673618481 Have you ever noticed how animals instinctively choose the ripest fruits in a tree? This behavior, of seeking out the most rewarding option, offers a fascinating glimpse into the workings of the brain. Animals not only focus their attention on the most rewarding target (the location of the ripest fruit), but they also make a rapid decision to act on that information. Interestingly, the behavioral and neural mechanisms underlying this process are relatively underexplored. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-reward-modulates-attention-humans.html Tue, 05 Aug 2025 09:23:03 EDT news673604581 In a new study aimed at identifying the best approach to promote colorectal cancer screening in adults aged 45 to 49, UCLA researchers found that simply mailing a stool-based test directly to people's homes was the most effective strategy for increasing screening rates. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-mailing-home-kits-boosts-colorectal.html Tue, 05 Aug 2025 05:55:35 EDT news673592128 When faced with difficult tasks, sometimes people hit a mental wall and make the decision to "sleep on it." Returning to the task after sleeping, they often perform better. Why? Rhythmic brain activity during sleep transforms task-related information into stronger, longer-term memory. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-memory.html Mon, 04 Aug 2025 13:00:09 EDT news673247710 U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is considering removing all 16 members of an advisory group that helps decide which preventive services, like cancer screenings and HIV medications, should be fully covered by insurance. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-rfk-jr-panel-task.html Mon, 28 Jul 2025 13:50:03 EDT news672926888 For over a century, neuroscientists and psychologists have been trying to understand the neurophysiological mechanisms underpinning the human brain's development from birth to late adulthood. While past studies have shed light on some of these mechanisms, several aspects of the brain's maturation remain poorly understood. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-brain-neural-noise-childhood-adulthood.html Mon, 28 Jul 2025 06:30:02 EDT news672650296 The number of Americans caring for an older or disabled family member has risen dramatically during the past 10 years, according to a new AARP policy report. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-family-caregivers-skyrocketed.html Fri, 25 Jul 2025 10:02:40 EDT news672656553