New research on alcohol dependence

Microglia are cells that act as the immune system for the brain, becoming inflamed and attacking when they detect a threat—but research suggests they also might be involved in alcohol dependence. Studies on both rodent and human brains have shown that the number of microglia in parts of the brain, as well as neuroinflammation, can […]

Getting Motivated

Why are some people better at getting (and staying) motivated to accomplish their goals than others? Scientists already knew a part of the brain called the nucleus accumbens is involved in motivated behavior, but a new study gives more information. In the study, researchers discovered that the balance of two chemicals in the brain—glutamate and […]

Taking out the neural garbage

It is a normal part of brain function for brain cells to die. What’s important for maintaining good cognitive health, though, is that the dead cells be properly disposed of. Special cells called microglia and astrocytes take on that role. Now, for the first time, researchers at Yale have recorded this process for a single […]

T8 Nangka – No classes on Tuesday 13 October!

Dear Parents and Students, Typhoon Nangka forces us to close all our centres! All classes today Tuesday 13 October are cancelled. Stay home. Be safe! –各位家長、學員: 由於颶風天鴿襲港,本中心今天(即10月13日)休息一天。

T8 – Tuesday 13 October classes

Dear Parents and Students, All our centres are closed at the moment, we are unable to answer the phone but you may contact us by email anytime. Owing to the T8 signal, all classes this morning are confirmed to be cancelled. Regarding afternoon classes (i.e. from 2pm onwards), we are waiting for further announcements from […]

Rethinking mental illness

For decades, doctors have classified mental illnesses into distinct categories, like “depression” or “obsessive-compulsive disorder.” But increasingly, psychiatrists are coming to the conclusion that categorizing mental disorders in this way doesn’t work, because the lines between the disorders are far too blurry. How are scientists rethinking the roots of mental illness for a better framework—and […]

Physical stress at work affects brain health

The average person spends a lot of life at work—so perhaps it is no surprise that the type of work we do can affect brain health. In a recent study, researchers found that physical stress at work—things like lifting heavy boxes—was associated with poorer memory and faster brain aging. Find out more here, on Medicalxpress.com