Caffeine may boost long-term memory Numerous studies have suggested that caffeine has many health benefits. Now, new research suggests that a dose of caffeine after a learning session may help to boost long-term memory. This is according to a study published in the journal Nature Neuroscience. The research team, led by Daniel Borota of the Johns […]

Cure for baldness? Hair-follicle-generating stem cells bring hope According to the American Hair Loss Association, two-thirds of men will experience hair loss by the age of 35. But women are also affected, making up 40% of all hair loss sufferers. Affecting self-image and emotional well-being, the condition has been a difficult one to treat. But […]

New evidence has put into doubt the long-standing belief that a deficiency in serotonin – a chemical messenger in the brain – plays a central role in depression. In the journal ACS Chemical Neuroscience, scientists have reported that mice lacking the ability to make serotonin in their brains (and thus will have been “depressed” by […]

In 1971, the first email was delivered. More than 40 years on, social media has taken the world by storm. Social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, are now used by 1 in 4 people worldwide. Such activity may seem harmless, but some researchers suggest social media may affect our mental health and well-being. […]

Two new studies conclude that low protein intake may hold the key to a long and healthy life, at least until old age. They also emphasize the need to examine not only calories when deciding what constitutes a healthy diet, but also where those calories come from – such as whether protein is animal or […]

Anew study has found a significant link between high use of anticholinergic drugs – including popular non-prescription sleep aids and the antihistamine Benadryl (diphenhydramine) – and increased risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in older people. Anticholinergics are a class of drug that blocks the action of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the brain and […]

Designer protein ‘blocks all known strains of HIV’ Anovel drug candidate against HIV has been created by a joint team led by researchers at The Scripps Research Institute in Jupiter, FL. The scientists consider it to be so potent and effective that it could form the basis of a vaccine alternative. The scientists designed a […]

The chemical process during the manufacture of the caramel coloring used in soft drinks such as cola produces a carcinogen that could be raising the risk of cancer to above the accepted threshold of one extra case in every 100,000 people consuming the drinks, suggests an analysis. The coloring is not necessary for the production […]

An analysis of data provided by 135,000 randomly selected participants – including 19,000 people who had used drugs such as LSD and magic mushrooms – finds that use of psychedelics does not increase risk of developing mental health problems. The results are published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology. Psychedelics, such as LSD and magic mushrooms, do […]

Researchers investigating the way in which HER2-positive breast cancer becomes resistant to treatment have made a surprising discovery concerning how this resistance develops. However, they may have also discovered a way to prevent this resistance from manifesting entirely. HER2-positive breast cancer comprises around 15-20% of all breast cancer diagnoses. The study, published in Cell Reports reveals a […]