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Scientists discover a surprising link between Vitamin C and brain health
17 days ago
- Higher vitamin C levels in blood correlate with healthier brain structure in older adults.
- Study involved over 2,000 Japanese adults, linking low vitamin C to reduced gray matter and weaker brain network connections.
- Observational findings suggest diet may influence brain aging, but causal relationship not proven.
- Research highlights potential role of vitamin C-rich diets in maintaining cognitive health.
- Future studies needed to explore mechanisms and include diverse populations.
Learning another language appears to slow brain ageing by up to 13 years
14 days ago
- Learning another language could slow brain ageing by up to 13 years.
- Speaking multiple languages is associated with younger-appearing brains, with more languages and earlier acquisition linked to greater benefits.
- Study of 728 people used AI and brain scans to measure connectivity, finding multilingualism delays age-related decline in memory and speed of thought.
- Higher proficiency and earlier second language learning enhance brain resilience, with effects seen as a gradient rather than a binary bilingual/non-bilingual divide.
- Researchers caution that lifestyle factors may also contribute, though findings support promoting language learning for brain health across life stages.
Popular sugar substitutes linked to faster brain aging
3 days ago
- A large study links higher consumption of several artificial sweeteners to faster declines in memory and thinking skills.
- The association was especially strong among people under 60 or with diabetes.
- Higher sweetener intake was linked to cognitive aging roughly 1.6 years faster than lower intake.
- Six sweeteners (aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame K, erythritol, sorbitol, xylitol) were associated with cognitive decline, while tagatose was not.
- The study is observational and does not prove causation; more research is needed.
Heavy TV watching associated with smaller brain structures, study finds
2 days ago
- Heavy TV watching in midlife is associated with smaller brain volumes in memory-related areas and smaller frontal and occipital lobes.
- Frequent TV viewers show more white matter damage, which is linked to cognitive decline, dementia, and stroke risk.
- The negative brain changes from TV watching persist even after controlling for factors like physical activity and smoking.
- Other sedentary activities, such as occupational sitting, do not show the same negative associations and may even benefit brain health.
- Men appear more vulnerable to brain changes from both TV watching and work-related sitting.
- The study suggests health recommendations should focus not just on reducing sitting time but also on the type of sedentary activity.

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#brain health

Scientists discover a surprising link between Vitamin C and brain health

Learning another language appears to slow brain ageing by up to 13 years

Popular sugar substitutes linked to faster brain aging

Heavy TV watching associated with smaller brain structures, study finds