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Artificial neural networks help identify predisposing factors for conversion of mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is often considered an early symptom of Alzheimer's disease. An analysis of genetic risk factors predisposing to MCI is critical for accessing individual predisposition and reliably evaluating the effectiveness of early treatment. In a groundbreaking study, researchers successfully used artificial neural networks to help understand the causal relation between multiple factors ...
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Prenatal cocaine exposure not severely damaging to growth, learning, study suggests

Children exposed to cocaine in the womb face serious consequences from the drug, but surprisingly not in certain critical physical and cognitive areas such as growth, IQ, academic achievement and learning ability, according to a new comprehensive review of research. The review found that cocaine-exposed, school-aged children suffered deficits in more subtle areas such as ...
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Violent video game play makes more aggressive kids, study shows

Exposure to violent video games is a causal risk factor for increased aggressive thoughts and behavior, and decreased empathy and prosocial behavior in youths, a new study finds.
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Community-Based Theater Offers Potential For Promoting Individual Recovery AndCommunity Integration

Community-based theatre involving people with psychiatric disabilities offers much potential as a catalyst for personal recovery, growth, and social connection, as well as for societal change, according to the authors of an article in the March issue of Psychiatric Services, a journal of the American Psychiatric Association. The article authors, ...
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Schizophrenia Gene Network Analysis Identifies Age-Associated Defects

The underlying causes of the debilitating psychiatric disorder schizophrenia remain poorly understood. In a study published online in Genome Research, scientists have performed a powerful gene network analysis that has revealed surprising new insights into how gene regulation and age play a role in schizophrenia...
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Researchers Take Next Step In Developing Parkinson’s Disease Vaccine

Researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center have taken a significant step forward in developing a vaccination approach to reverse the neurological damage seen with Parkinson's disease. The findings appear in the March 1 issue of the Journal of Immunology, a leading scientific journal in the field of immunology...
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Test of implantable cardioverter defibrillator linked to cognitive problems

A standard test of the implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is linked to significant thought-processing problems that improve for most patients within a year after the device is inserted, according to new research.
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Gene may be among most influential factors in Down syndrome

Research undertaken in recent years on Down syndrome has focused on the DYRK1A gene. The super-expression of this gene affects transmission in the neurons, according to a new study.
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New ways to diagnose and treat Alzheimer’s, findings suggest

Researchers have found a new mechanism by which a key protein associated with Alzheimer's disease can spread within the human brain. The study provideas a new explanation of how the protein tau, a normal human protein that becomes toxic in Alzheimer's patients, can appear in their cerebrospinal fluid.
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Teens With More Screen Time Have Lower-Quality Relationships

Teens who spend more time watching television or using computers appear to have poorer relationships with their parents and peers, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals...