A recent study published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence found sex-related differences in the effects of cannabis use on brain activity and subjective response. Neural activity primarily underlies response to cannabis cues, with no differences between male and female users, while female users exhibit more intense subjective craving.
The Center for BrainHealth has awarded five scientists with innovative research grants to study brain health and performance. These studies aim to improve understanding of brain disorders and develop new treatments, including biomarkers for dementia and multiple sclerosis.
Recent research from Dr. Dan Krawczyk's lab at the Center for BrainHealth explored the effects of oxytocin and vasopressin on social cognition. Oxytocin consistently led a perception of greater dominance, while both hormones affected brain activity across trustworthiness and dominance.
Researchers at the Center for BrainHealth have developed a novel diagnostic method for multiple sclerosis that uses 3D images of brain lesions to determine healing capacity. The technology has the potential to help doctors tailor treatment plans and improve patient outcomes.
Researchers at the Center for BrainHealth found that combined cognitive training with Strategic Memory Advanced Reasoning Training (SMART) and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) improved executive functions, episodic memory, and subjective memory satisfaction in adults with mild cognitive impairment. However, tDCS failed to...
The Charisma for Youth program has shown strong results in improving social skills in children with autism, ADHD, and self-worth challenges. The program involves virtual sessions that teach real-world social scenarios, resulting in improved ability to understand others' points of view, start conversations, recognize emotions, and build...
The Center for BrainHealth has secured a $225,000 NIH grant to investigate how cannabis use affects motor learning and coordination. The study will examine the effects of acute, prolonged, and long-term cannabis use on motor skills and performance.
A recent study from the Center for BrainHealth at UT Dallas found that cannabis users exhibit increased synchronization and activation of brain waves during rest, compared to nonusers. This 'noisy brain' may disrupt cognitive processes.
Researchers at the Center for BrainHealth investigated concurrent cannabis and nicotine use on brain networks. The study found that combined use had greater connectivity compared to isolated use of either substance. These findings suggest unique contributions of cannabis and nicotine on brain network connectivity.
A study by the Center for BrainHealth found that cognitive processes, education, and gender affect financial decision-making. Older adults were more likely to make risky decisions with larger amounts of money, but those with better strategic learning and delayed memory skills were less likely to engage in riskier behavior.
Researchers found cognitive training reduced depressive symptoms and improved brain health in individuals with chronic traumatic brain injury. The study showed significant reductions in depressive symptoms, increased cortical thickness, and improved neural network connectivity.
Researchers at the Center for BrainHealth found that a clinician-driven virtual learning platform improves social competency and socio-emotional abilities in high-functioning adults on the autism spectrum. The study reveals increased activation in the brain's socio-cognition hub, leading to improved empathy and social interaction.
Researchers found that cognitive training improved neural activity in older adults, making their brains more energy-efficient. The study suggests that this non-pharmacological intervention could help counteract age-related cognitive decline and enhance brain health.
The NIH has awarded the Center for BrainHealth $2.5 million to examine cannabis use disorders and understand brain mechanisms behind problems related to cannabis use. The study aims to identify individual and cultural effects on severity of cannabis use disorder and inform public health policies.
A pilot study by the Center for BrainHealth found that cognitive training improved innovative thinking and corresponding brain changes in healthy adults over 55. The SMART program showed significant gains in high-quality innovation performance and increased connectivity among brain cells in the central executive network.
Researchers identified specific brain regions that correlate with improved social abilities after a virtual training program. Adults with higher brain activity in these regions showed better emotional recognition skills.
A recent study from the Center for BrainHealth found that strategic brain training positively affects neural connectivity for individuals with TBI. The research challenges the widely held belief that recovery from a TBI is limited to two years after an injury.
Scientists at the Center for BrainHealth propose a systematic model for drug addiction research, focusing on craving as an intense urge to use drugs. They plan to reanalyze brain scans to quantify craving and its effects, potentially leading to targeted treatments.
A new study from the Center for BrainHealth at UT Dallas reveals that a gist reasoning test is more sensitive than traditional tests in identifying cognitive deficits in TBI patients. The test, which requires participants to summarize complex texts, accurately identified 84.7% of chronic TBI cases.
Researchers at the Center for BrainHealth found a strong link between impulsive personality and high body mass index (BMI). Individuals with an impulsive personality were more likely to exhibit altered neural function, which may contribute to weight gain. The study suggests that addressing impulsive personality traits could be key to d...
A $2.7 million grant will fund research on veterans with traumatic brain injuries using a virtual technology platform to improve cognitive and functional deficits. The project aims to train strategies for complex real-life tasks, including money management and time planning.
Research from the Center for BrainHealth found that smokers' beliefs about nicotine content impact their brain's response to smoking. The study used fMRI scans to show that participants who believed a cigarette contained nicotine experienced different neural activity compared to those who believed it didn't.
A new study published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience found that cognitive training improves executive function and memory, while aerobic exercise increases global brain flow. The study also showed that both mental and physical exercises produce observable benefits for brain health.
A study by the Center for BrainHealth found that strategy-based reasoning training can improve executive function and memory span in individuals with mild cognitive impairment. The training focused on higher-level brain functions such as strategic attention, integrated reasoning, and innovation.
Researchers found that long-term marijuana users had more brain activity in the mesocorticolimbic-reward system when presented with cannabis cues. This disruption of the natural reward process correlates with problems associated with marijuana use and is an indicator of dependency.
Researchers at the Center for BrainHealth will investigate how changes in brain blood flow affect cognition in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). They will use fMRI to examine cerebral blood flow and neural metabolic rate, aiming to pinpoint the brain systems responsible for cognitive slowing in MS.
Researchers identified complex brain connectivity patterns in individuals with chronic TBI, explaining long-term higher-order cognitive function deficits. Interactions among networks are critical for daily life tasks like planning and problem-solving.
Research suggests that starting age of marijuana use can impact brain structures responsible for judgment, reasoning, and complex thinking. Heavy marijuana users who began using before age 16 showed arrested brain development, while those who started after 16 demonstrated accelerated brain aging.
Researchers at the Center for BrainHealth have identified a potential brain-based biomarker for depressive symptoms in individuals with traumatic brain injury. They found that those with TBI and depression exhibit increased brain connectivity between multiple regions, including the amygdala, which is responsible for emotional processin...
Researchers found that individuals with depressed mood forgot more number strings when responding to negative information, highlighting the impact of depressive thoughts on memory. The study suggests that this phenomenon may contribute to depression's effects on daily life and cognitive function.
A recent study at the Center for BrainHealth found that nicotine use alters the effects of marijuana on the brain. The researchers discovered an association between smaller hippocampal brain volume and increased memory performance in individuals who use both marijuana and tobacco compared to those who only use marijuana or tobacco excl...
Researchers identify a specific variation in brain waves of individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), which may indicate an early dysfunction related to Alzheimer's disease. The test uses electroencephalogram (EEG) technology, offering a more affordable and non-invasive alternative to other methods.
Researchers found that individuals with MS exhibit weaker connections between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and posterior brain regions, leading to slowed cognitive speed. The study suggests that therapies targeting white matter structures may help alleviate cognitive deficits.
A study by the Center for BrainHealth found that strategy-based cognitive training improved cognitive areas critical to everyday life success, as well as reduced depressive and stress-related symptoms. The training also increased brain blood flow to key regions of the brain.
A new study reveals that individuals with TBI struggle with gist reasoning, a complex cognitive capacity. The Center for BrainHealth's assessment tool shows promise in predicting daily life functionality and estimating brain health.
Researchers at the Center for BrainHealth found individuals with depressed mood experience 12% memory deficit when exposed to depressive thoughts. The study suggests therapeutic approaches teaching cognitive inhibition may be effective in treating depression-related cognitive deficits.
A study published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience found that cognitive training can improve the brain performance of middle school students from poverty-stricken backgrounds. The program, called SMART, resulted in a 25% increase in gist reasoning and an 18% improvement in fact retention among students who received the training.
Chronic marijuana users have smaller brain volume in the orbitofrontal cortex but increased brain connectivity. The study found that earlier onset of regular marijuana use induces greater structural and functional connectivity.
Researchers identified theta and beta wave activity associated with fear processing in the brain, including early increases in theta activity and a left lateralized desynchronization of the beta band. This study provides insight into how the brain prioritizes threatening information over other cognitive processes.
Researchers studied white matter damage and cognitive impairments in patients with traumatic axonal injuries. The study found that diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can detect early white matter compromise and associate it with functional outcomes.
Research at the Center for BrainHealth found that risk-taking teens exhibit hyperconnectivity between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex, indicating an imbalance in emotional regulation. This imbalance may be associated with increased activity in the nucleus accumbens, a center linked to reward sensitivity.
A new study published in Frontiers in Neurology found that eight-session gist-reasoning training can significantly improve higher-order thinking and other key frontal lobe functions in chronic recovery stages. Participants showed improved abstraction of meanings, executive functions, and memory for facts.
Strategic thinking training has been proven beneficial in normal and clinical populations, leading to improved cognitive performance and brain function. The study highlights the potential of this type of training to enhance intellect and prevent cognitive decline.
A new study found that aerobic exercise improves memory, brain health, and physical fitness in healthy aging adults. Researchers used non-invasive brain imaging techniques to detect brain changes earlier, revealing increased blood flow to the hippocampus and anterior cingulate region.