MediQuest Society

Live well, think well: Research shows healthy habits tied to brain health

In middle-aged people, having risk factors like blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol that are not well-controlled combined with not following certain healthy habits including exercise, diet and sleep, are linked to a higher risk of stroke, dementia or depression later in life, according to a study published in the October 23, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. These results do not prove that not having healthy habits increases the risk of these conditions, they only show an association.

The eight cardiovascular and brain health factors, known as the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 are: being active; eating better; maintaining a healthy weight; not smoking; maintaining a healthy blood pressure; getting enough sleep; and controlling cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

"Brain health is paramount for the optimal well-being of…

What animal societies can teach us about aging

Red deer may become less sociable as they grow old to reduce the risk of picking up diseases, while older house sparrows seem to have fewer social interactions as their peers die off, according to new research which shows humans are not the only animals to change our social behaviour as we age.

A collection of 16 studies, including six from the University of Leeds, have been published today as part of a special issue of the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, investigating ageing and society across the natural world.

One study into red deer shows that as older female deer become less and less social with age, cutting down on competition and reducing their risk of parasite infection. The study used data from a long-running project tracking a wild herd on the Scottish island of Rum.

Dr Josh Firth from…

Positive thinking: Stop negative self-talk to reduce stress

Positive thinking helps with stress management and can even improve your health. Practice overcoming negative self-talk with examples provided.

Is your glass half-empty or half-full? How you answer this age-old question about positive thinking may reflect your outlook on life, your attitude toward yourself, and whether you're optimistic or pessimistic — and it may even affect your health.

Indeed, some studies show that personality traits such as optimism and pessimism can affect many areas of your health and well-being. The positive thinking that usually comes with optimism is a key part of effective stress management. And effective stress management is associated with many health benefits. If you tend to be pessimistic, don't despair — you can learn positive thinking skills.

Understanding positive thinking and self-talk

Men and Women Use Different Biological Systems to Reduce Pain

Men and women experience pain relief differently; new study may help explain why women have more chronic pain and are less responsive to opioid treatments

The experience of pain is a unique combination of physical sensation, state-of-mind, and neurological activity. The brain also helps mediate pain relief, and UC San Diego researchers have found that pain relief processes in the brain differ between men and women. Photo credit: iStock/peterschreiber.media

In a new study evaluating meditation for chronic lower back pain, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have discovered that men and women utilize different biological systems to relieve pain. While men relieve pain by releasing endogenous opioids, the body's natural painkillers, women rely instead on other, non-opioid based pathways.

Synthetic opioid drugs, such as morphine and fentanyl, are the most powerful class of painkilling drugs available.…