Exercise may help the aging brain “take out the trash”

Regular exercise may help the brain clear away harmful waste that can build up with age. Researchers found that physical activity supports several processes linked to the brain’s glymphatic cleanup system, including better sleep, lower inflammation, and healthier blood vessels. Because this waste-removal system becomes increasingly important as we get older, exercise could play a meaningful role in protecting against cognitive decline.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/YwrZnOu

Scientists find the strength training “sweet spot” for a longer life

Just a couple of hours of strength training each week could have surprisingly powerful effects on longevity. People who lifted weights for around 90 to 120 minutes weekly had a 13% lower risk of dying early, with especially large reductions in deaths from cardiovascular and neurological diseases. Pairing strength training with regular aerobic exercise was even more impressive, lowering overall death risk by about 45%.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/ILWGmkP

Stress can scramble your brain’s internal GPS, MRI study finds

Stress may literally scramble the brain’s internal GPS. Researchers found that cortisol, a hormone released during stress, made people significantly worse at navigating a virtual environment and disrupted the precise activity of grid cells, specialized brain cells that help us understand where we are in space. When landmarks were missing, this navigation system nearly stopped functioning, while another brain region appeared to step in and compensate.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/rzmGUWv

A protein older than blood circulation could transform cancer immunotherapy

A protein that evolved long before the human circulatory system may help unlock stronger cancer treatments. When C3 is produced inside tumors, it blocks immune-suppressing cells and gives immunotherapy a better chance to work. Researchers were even able to recreate this effect in resistant tumors, significantly improving survival in mice.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/MRgsKOp

Teen cannabis use linked to slower memory and thinking growth

Teens who start using cannabis may experience slower growth in memory, attention, language, and processing speed. Their abilities often developed normally at first, then began leveling off while nonusers continued improving. THC appeared to be the most likely driver, especially for worsening memory.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/fUPbaD9

New autism therapy shows surprising benefits even in adult mice

Blocking the glycine transporter SLC6A20 restored important brain signaling and improved social, communication, and repetitive behaviors in autism-related mouse models. The treatment also worked in human brain organoids and showed lasting effects in adult mice, suggesting the brain may remain more treatable later in life than previously thought.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/L9DOKCt

Scientists discover a hidden brain shift that begins around age 50

Beginning around age 50, the brain’s memory center appears to lose many of its longtime immune cells and replace them with more inflammatory ones. This surprising shift may help explain how normal aging sets the stage for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/nHYjKhI

Nearly half of dementia cases may be linked to risks you can change

A long-term brain study found that common risks such as smoking, high blood pressure, heart disease, and high blood lipids were strongly linked to damage associated with vascular dementia. The findings suggest that healthier lifestyle choices could help delay dementia by reducing several harmful brain changes at once.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3kU72K4

THC medication made PTSD nightmares disappear for more than a third of patients

A prescription form of THC helped many people with PTSD escape recurring trauma-related nightmares, with more than one-third reporting that the nightmares disappeared completely after ten weeks. The results could point toward a long-awaited treatment for one of PTSD’s most distressing and stubborn symptoms.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/JcGAlU6

Stanford scientists discover immune cells that explode like microscopic bombs

Stanford researchers discovered immune cells in flatworms that explode within minutes, killing nearby bacteria and foreign cells before vanishing completely. Their unusually fast and localized attack could offer clues for developing targeted treatments against infections and cancer.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/cp4TYEI