MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'gray matter'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:22:38 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159439&cid=t_158464_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2Fo71YDxEQEUA%2F We just noticed that the Alliance for Aging Research offers an excellent list of references on Brain Health Research, organized in these 10 sections below. Enjoy! #1 Nourish Your Noggin: Eat a Brain Healthy Diet #2 Use It or Lose It: Stay Mentally Active #3 Work Out for Your Wits: Exercise and Keep Fit #4 Interact with Others: Stay Social #5 Rest for Restoration: Get Plenty of Sleep #6 Unwind for Your Mind: Manage Your Stress #7 Guard Your Gray Matter: Protect Your Head #8 Think Overall Health: Control Other Conditions #9 Give Your Brain a Break: Avoid Unhealthy Habits #10 Understand Your Risk: Consider Your Genes Related articles: The Ten Habits of Highly Effective Brains Debunking 10 Brain Myths (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159439 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 14:52:32 +0100 5159439 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560440&cid=t_158464_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FQXbljhNuPqU%2F Editor’s Note: We are pleased to bring you this arti­cle by Jason Marsh, thanks to our col­lab­o­ra­tion with the Greater Good Mag­a­zine. ——————- I consider myself something of a prospective meditator—meaning that a serious meditation practice is always something I’m about to start… next week. So for years, I’ve been making a mental note of new studies showing that meditation can literally change our brain structure in ways that might boost concentration, memory, and positive emotions. The results seem enticing enough to make anyone drop into the full lotus position—until you read the fine print: Much of this research involves people who have meditated for thousands of hours over many years; some of it zeroes in on Olympic-level meditators who have clocked 1... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560440 Tue, 08 Mar 2011 15:27:50 +0100 4560440 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4419138&cid=t_158464_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmeditation-how-it-may-change-the-brain%2F2011.01.31 Meditation sounds like a great idea from the perspective of a psychiatrist: Anything that calms and focuses the mind is a good thing (and without pharmaceuticals, even better). Personally, I tried transcendental meditation as a kid (more to do with my mother than with me) and found it to be boring. I have trouble keeping my thoughts still. They wander to what I want for dinner, and should I write about this on Shrink Rap, and will Clink and Victor ever eat crabcakes with me again, and did I remember to give my last patient informed consent, and a zillion other things. Holding my thoughts still is work. The New York Times Well blog has an article on meditation and brain changes. In “How Meditation May Change the Brain,” Sindya N. Bhanoo writes: The researchers report that those ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4419138 Mon, 31 Jan 2011 19:00:00 +0100 4419138 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4074240&cid=t_158464_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FakNcK_Url9M%2F In the latest issue of Neurology a study by Erickson et al. (2010) suggests that walking regularly can increase brain volume and reduce the risks of developing cognitive impairment. The researchers stared with 2 mains facts: Gray matter volume shrinks with age, often leading to cognitive decline. Physical exercise seems to be neuro-protector (see our previous post: Fitter bodies = fitter brains. True at all ages?) They asked 2 questions: Can physical activity assessed earlier predict gray matter volume 9 years later? Is greater gray matter volume associated with reduced risks of developing cognitive impairment? The study: 299 participants, mean age: 78, 182 female. Physical activity was assessed in 1988–1989 (baseline) = total number of blocks walked over 1 week. Cognitive function... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4074240 Fri, 15 Oct 2010 19:20:44 +0100 4074240 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3858126&cid=t_158464_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fdoes-your-period-make-you-stupid%2F photo: Thinkstock Just when you think your period can’t get any worse, it does: Women who report moderate to severe menstrual cramps have irregularities in the gray matter in their brains. The changes involve an atypical decrease in volume in areas of the brain that are involved in pain processing, sensory processing, and emotional regulation. What does this mean for women with terrible cramps? According to Yahoo! Health, it’s possible that if you experience periods of extreme pain over a long time span, your brain might become extremely sensitive to pain, which would make your cramps feel worse. This is the effect chronic pain conditions have on the brain. Ugh. We wish that really bad cramps just increased your pain tolerance, rather than the complete opposite. Thanks so much,... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3858126 Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:05:52 +0100 3858126 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2376482&cid=t_158464_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Faan-conference-update-how-important-is-the-mri%2F Yesterday at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) conference, my focus was on the imaging technologies available to our neurologic team.  We all know about Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) but I had no idea of the other parts of MRI that are involved Tesla (magnetic ratings) of the MRI machines range from T-1 through experimental T-7 strengths.  Names like Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), Functional MRI (FMRI), Magnetization Transfer Ratio (MTR), FLAIR, and 3-Dimentional Double Inversion recovery (3d DIR) lead me to believe that I might be on the verge of learning loads of new information about what that MRI can tell my docs. If anything a term new to me, “MRI/Clinical Paradox” seems to be enhanced, not reduced, by these deeper more clear looks inside our brains. This parad... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2376482 Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:48:46 +0100 2376482 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1082054&cid=t_158464_117_f&fid=34612&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedoctorweighsin.com%2Fjournal%2F2007%2F12%2F9%2Flosing-your-mind-its-your-white-matter-stupid.html By Dov Michaeli MD, Ph.DWho hasn’t complained about loss of memory? With increasing frequency, I forget where I left my glasses, what’s her name? Where did I meet him? And for the hundredth time, what’s the name of this bird?No, it is not incipient Alzheimer’s. I still write blogs, although that’s no proof of a sound mind. I manage a large drug development project, read the newspapers daily and am up on the latest political twist. So what’s going on?Beware received wisdomWhen I went to medical school (UCSF) I was struck by a paper I read claiming that 50% of what we were taught would be either obsolete, or plain wrong, within 5 years; amazing, but true, and not very reassuring to both physician and patient. One of the things I was taught with great certi... The Doctor Weighs In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1082054 Sun, 09 Dec 2007 01:48:21 +0100 1082054 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1058343&cid=t_158464_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F192245831%2F I was scheduled to visit Charlie at his class at precisely that time, 1.30pm on Tuesday. I signed in the school office, put on my sticker name tag, and ended up wandering back and forth in the first floor corridor (Charlie’s school is made up of an old stone building and a much newer, very large, addition). I finally found the room and caught a glimpse of Charlie at his desk, the speech therapist sitting across from him with a stack of laminated cards. When I walked in, he eyed me for a fast moment, said an equally fast “hi Mom,” and went back to work. “Did you tell him you’d be coming?” Charlie’s teacher asked me. I said yes. “And did you tell him the time?” his teacher continued. I was semi-sure I had. “Well, five minutes befor... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1058343 Thu, 29 Nov 2007 06:47:22 +0100 1058343 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1057346&cid=t_158464_97_f&fid=35050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmaGazette%2F%7E3%2F192081162%2Fautistic_children_have_more_gr.html Results of the study conducted at the Fay J. Lindner Center for Autism, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System in Bethpage, N.Y. found that there were increased areas of gray matter in the brains of children with autism.Using a new imaging technique researchers found autistic children had increased gray matter in the parietal lobes which has previously been implicated in the mirror neuron system. Mirror neurons are brain cells that are active when an individual is performing and action and experiencing an emotion or sensation and when the person witnesses the same actions, emotions and sensations in others. This system allows humans to learn by seeing as well as by doing.The study consisted of 13 male patients with high-functioning autism or Asperger syndrome with an IQ over 70 and 1... PharmaGazette blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1057346 Wed, 28 Nov 2007 21:00:12 +0100 1057346