brain volume tagged posts

The Mediterranean diet includes large amounts of fruits, vegetables, olive oil, beans and cereal grains such as wheat and rice, moderate amounts of fish, dairy and wine, and limited red meat and poultry. Credit: © marrakeshh / Fotolia

A new study shows that older people who followed a Mediterranean diet retained more brain volume over a 3 year period than those who did not follow the diet as closely. But contrary to earlier studies, eating more fish and less meat was not related to changes in the brain. The Mediterranean diet includes large amounts of fruits, vegetables, olive oil, beans and cereal grains such as wheat and rice, moderate amounts of fish, dairy and wine, and limited red meat and poultry.

“As we age, the brain shrinks and we lose brain cells which can affect learning and me...

Aerobic exercise preserves brain volume and improves cognitive function

Using a new MRI technique, researchers found adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) who exercised 4 times a week over a 6-month period experienced an increase in brain volume in specific, or local, areas of the brain, but adults who participated in aerobic exercise experienced greater gains than those who just stretched. The study included 35 adults with MCI participating in a randomized, controlled trial of exercise intervention. Individuals with MCI are at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) which affects >5 million Americans today.

The participants were divided into two groups...

Auriel Willette used data from brain scans and memory tests to track the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Photo by Blake Lanser

Iowa State University researchers have identified a protein essential for building memories that appears to predict the progression of memory loss and brain atrophy in Alzheimer’s patients. The findings also suggest there is a link between brain activity and the presence of the protein neuronal pentraxin-2, or NPTX2. The research, published in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity, found a correlation between higher levels of NPTX2 and better memory and more brain volume. Lower levels of the protein were associated with diminished memory and less volume.

“NPTX2 seems to exert a protective effect,” Swanson said...