Acupuncture is one of the oldest systems of traditional medicine. With roots in China, this medical system is more than 2000 years old. It differs from various other medical systems as it does not involve taking any herbs or substances. Instead, it involves inserting small needles at specific predefined points. From the 20th century onwards, it has continued to gain prominence in the Western world, although many remain skeptical about efficacy. These days, researchers want to know the exact mechanism of action of any medical system. They only trust the therapy if it has been proven as effectiv ..read more

A clear association between depression, especially the major depressive disorder, oxidative stress, and accelerated aging is supported by research. Depression, major depressive disorder more specifically, is one of the most striking problems of modern society. Millions of people worldwide suffer from depression, with many patients not experiencing relief from symptoms. Depression is associated with increased mortality from age-related conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Researchers have suggested that depression is associated with increased oxidative stress and a disturbed i ..read more

Although early experiences are important for personal development and future life, as adults we recall nothing or very little of those early formative events, such as making first steps or learning first words. In fact, when adults are asked about their first memories they usually don’t recall events before the age of 2-3, with only fragmented recollection of events that happened between the age of 3 and 7. This phenomenon is often called childhood or infantile amnesia. It represents an inability of both children and adults to recall episodic memories (i.e., memories for particular events or s ..read more

Chemical weapons keep making headlines these days, be it the use of sarin in Syria or Novichok in the UK. An interesting fact hardly ever covered by the media is that the chemical structure of these compounds is relatively simple. An average, modern pharmaceutical drug tends to be much more complex and difficult to make. This is not particularly surprising, as most research into these agents was done 50 or more years ago, when the art of organic synthesis was not as advance as it is now. Nonetheless, these compounds (and nerve agents in particular) are extremely efficient. It is quite interest ..read more

Obesity is a global health burden, a serious risk factor for development of metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases and many other conditions. But some researchers believe that in addition to affecting physical health, obesity can damage the brain and compromise intelligence. Brain imaging studies have documented multiple structural and functional abnormalities in the brains of obese individuals, which are already evident in adolescence.  Moreover, research findings indicate that even obesity in childhood is associated with lower intelligence scores. But this is not all. According to some ..read more

Every year, thousands of children are born with neurodevelopmental issues. This is not just about lagging intellectual growth or autism: in fact, many of the psychiatric illnesses in later life have been blamed on neurodevelopmental problems. These conditions are more common than most people imagine. One estimate suggests that as many as 15% of people suffer from certain neurological and psychiatric issues that have to do with genetics and neurodevelopmental disorders. However, at present researchers are unable to explain the cause of many neurodevelopmental disorders based on genetic mutation ..read more

We all know that the weather can strongly influence our mood and productivity. Many people feel better when the weather is nice and sunny. It is thus not surprising that people more often feel unhappy and depressed in winter. There is even a medical condition known as winter depression. Still, some researchers believe that our brain functions better during the cold days. In this article, I’ll briefly analyze what happens in our brain in relation to weather-related mood and mind changes. Scientific studies indicate that weather conditions such as high temperature and humidity can impair mental ..read more

Dyslexia is rather common: it is estimated that around 5-10% of individuals are dyslexic. Despite an apparent disability, some are famous, like Tom Cruise or Richard Branson. Obviously, they do not suffer from a lack of intelligence and are, in fact, quite successful in the business world. So what is going on in their brains? Are they developing some compensatory mechanisms that help them to do things better? Epidemiological research studies indicate that dyslexics develop coping strategies to compensate for their weaknesses, which helps them in later life. The resilience that they acquire whi ..read more

Addictive behavior is a major global health concern. Addiction is commonly defined as the repetitive use of substances or a repetitive pattern of behaviors that are harmful. It is believed that addiction is a brain disorder, meaning that it is caused by the impact of drugs or other addictive substances/influences on the brain and it can be modified by different environmental factors. The presence of specific variants of some genes may promote or decrease the chances of developing an addiction. According to scientists, genetic factors may play an important role in determining both the vulnerabi ..read more

In humans, vision is the major channel for receiving information about the world. The same applies to the majority of animals, even those that are nocturnal and have to rely more heavily on the inputs from other senses. There are, however, exceptions: some mammals use echolocation to construct a picture of their surroundings, effectively using it instead of vision. How effective is this method of gathering information, and can it substitute vision successfully? Echolocation Echolocation is used by several kinds of animals for navigation in various environments. Whales, dolphins, and bats emit ..read more