What we know as anxiety is often misinterpreted as referring to the diagnosis of an anxiety disorder. Whilst some might use the word to refer to an abnormal state of anxiety, generally the word anxiety refers to the body’s natural response to stress. As humans, we are prone to feel anxious in ‘threatening’ situations – […]

It has long been thought that the Mediterranean diet (consisting of fish, vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, cereals, and a higher ratio of monounsaturated to saturated fats) may reduce the risk of developing dementia or experiencing cognitive decline. Previous studies have demonstrated that this diet is actually associated with individuals retaining more brain volume and cortical […]

As global populations and life expectancy continue to rise, there is increasing concern about the occurrence of neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, etc.). For most of these diseases, there is no cure, and so it is key to understand what affects and influences cognitive function over an individual’s lifetime, with a specific focus […]

It’s a well-known fact that exercise improves health. Whilst decreasing the risk of basically all chronic illnesses – including type 2 diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological conditions – exercising also improves our mood, helps us better manage stress, leads to better mental health, lowers our overall risk of mortality, and the list of the […]

You might recall, we have introduced some of the concepts underlying the effects of childhood trauma or adversity on the adult brain in the past. However, there is (like most literature on this subject) more to learn! In a recent cohort study at King’s College London, the researchers investigated whether different types of traumas imply […]