The results of possibly the largest study ever conducted looking at the relationship between alcohol consumption and dementia have just been published in The Lancet Public Health Journal.

Researchers in France studied over 1 million adults diagnosed with dementia and looked at the link with drinking alcohol. They found that the majority (57%) of adults diagnosed with early-onset dementia (that is dementia that starts before 65 years old), were associated with heavy drinking.

Wouldn't it is amazing to be able to “look inside” your brain and see how it’s working ? Well, thanks to brain research is now possible to do just this with special brain imaging known as QEEG. Scientists have been able to measure the activity from our brain since the 1930s, and this is known as EEG (or brainwaves), which is still used today to help diagnose conditions such as epilepsy.

Two thirds of the population believes a myth that has been propagated for over a century: that we use only 10% of our brains. Hardly! Our neuron-dense brains have evolved to use the least amount of energy while carrying the most information possible -- a feat that requires the entire brain. Richard E. Cytowic debunks this neurological myth (and explains why we aren’t so good at multitasking).

This amazing video from The Allen Institute for Brain Research (<link to https://www.alleninstitute.org/what-we-do/brain-science/ > takes us a visually stunning view of the brain, all the way from the outside to the the tiniest cells (and smaller still) on the inside: https://youtu.be/Zj3RxtJ_Ljc

The Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH) is an independent collaborative of scientists, health professionals, scholars and policy experts from around the world working in areas of brain health related to human cognition. The GCBH focuses on brain health relating to peoples’ ability to think and reason as they age, including aspects of memory, perception and judgment. The GCBH is convened by AARP with support from Age UK to offer the best possible advice about what older adults can do to maintain and improve their brain health. GCBH members come together to discuss specific lifestyle issue areas that may impact peoples’ brain health as they age with the goal of providing evidence-based recommendations for people to consider incorporating into their lives.

This week is the start of International Brain Awareness Ween 2018 ! Brain Awareness Week (BAW) is the global campaign to increase public awareness of the progress and benefits of brain research, and the “brain-child” of The DANA Foundation (www.dana.org). The Perth Brain Centre is proud to be an official partner of International Brain Awareness Week 2018, and every day we will be sharing some of the amazing benefits of brain research.

International Brain Awareness Week (BAW) is the global campaign to increase public awareness about the progress and benefits of brain research. The Perth Brain Centre is an official partner of International Brain Awareness Week, which starts on the 12 March this year.

Last year Australia was ranked the 9th Happiest Nation in the world (according to The World Happiness Report), 5 places above The United States, and just below New Zealand. This is a great result, but probably most us don’t always feeling as happy as we would like to be. 

Therapeutic Lifestyle Change (or TLC as we like to call it), is a lifestyle treatment for depression and staying happy that was developed by Dr. Stephen Ilardi, Associate Professor at The University of Kansas. TLC recognises that “We were never designed for the sedentary, indoor, sleep-deprived, socially-isolated, fast-food-laden, frenetic pace of modern life”, and provides a simple solution to combat today’s modern lifestyle based upon research and practical advice. So take a few minutes to watch this great video so you can make tomorrow a better day and don’t forget to spread some happiness and share this with other people you know.

Anxiety and insomnia go hand in hand. When you're feeling anxious, it can be difficult to get to sleep. But when you're short on sleep, you may feel more anxious. This can result in a never ending cycle of anxiety, fatigue, and insomnia.

Breaking the cycle of anxiety and insomnia is best treated by addressing both issues concurrently. Ideally, you can alleviate anxiety before bed so you'll have less trouble getting to sleep. If you get a good night's sleep, you can face the next day better prepared to deal with anxiety.

Created by a team of scientists and game designers, Happify empowers you to build skills for a happier, more fulfilling life through science-based activities and games. http://www.happify.com

What are the signs of postnatal depression?

Being a mum is a real emotional rollercoaster and there can be lots of highs and lows. But if you’re finding that it’s all lows without highs that could be a sign you’ve got postnatal depression. It’s a terrible illness and can affect absolutely anyone and it really spoils the enjoyment of having a baby and at least one in ten mothers will suffer from it.

Tinnitus (often described as “ringing in the ears”) affects 1 in 10 Australians and can range from mildly annoying to highly distressing. Successful management varies depending on the underlying cause and can include everything from brain-based therapies to hearing aids, medication and stress-reducing strategies to name a few. Mark Tinnitus Awareness Week by learning how you can prevent tinnitus and sharing this important information with others. Watch is: https://youtu.be/LQmWfgfNIeM and for further information see: http://www.tinnitusaustralia.org.au/

This month celebrates “Feel Good February”, an initiative created to inspire people to initiate random acts of kindness. These days there we are all often exposed to a lot of negative news and events and The Neuroknowledge would like to support “Feel good Feb” by spreading some happiness throughout this month and sharing some of the resources we provide to our readers to help everyone feel better.

Children throughout W.A. are preparing to get back to school, and it’s a good idea to take a few simple steps to get organised. Share these ideas and apps with your friends to help get the school year off to a great start

All parents want the best for their children and know how important it is for them to be happy and to do well at school. For most children and their families, starting the new school year is an exciting time, and perhaps other than a few “first-day butterflies” everything usually gets off to a great start.

Overindulged over the festive season? Feeling in need of a cleanse? We hear you! That’s why we’ve put together a list of our favourite foods to help detox your brain (and your body)!

Would you like to:

• Improve your work performance?

• Enhance your memory?

• Prevent diseases associated with ageing such as Alzheimer’s and Dementia?

• Support your child to maintain attention at school or university?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then the good news is that there are lots of different tools and methods available to you. Here we explore 5 scientifically proven ways to boost your brain power by driving neuroplasticity in a positive direction, which have the added benefit of improving your general health too!

‘When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.’ Sophia Loren, Women and Beauty.

The target audience for this blog are time limited, exhausted, stressed and need clear facts to help guide decisions that not only impact themselves but their children as well. For this reason we are going to keep it clear and concise, and give you a countdown of ten points to consider

How do we feel empowered and how do we make others feel empowered who suffer from Dyslexia?

From greater understanding of ourselves – our strengths and our weaknesses

Having the knowledge to make informed decisions for ourselves

The feeling that others believe in us