Welcome to the July 2026 Learning Brain News.

As always, it is packed with ideas and links that you may find interesting.
Here are some that especially caught our attention:

• Reading - the old fashioned way to improve cognitive ability

• Education conferences in Australia, Denmark and Kenya

• How to encourage your child to do new, scary things

Enjoy,
The Learning Brain News Team

Reading Is the Ultimate Cognitive Enhancer

As AI and digital media reshape how we consume information, this article highlights the enduring power of reading as a tool for improving memory, attention, reasoning, and brain function. It explores why reading may be one of the most effective, and overlooked, ways to support cognitive health in the digital age.

Scientists Discover Why Some Brains Resist Alzheimer's

Some brains appear to fight back against Alzheimer's by helping immature brain cells survive damage instead of succumbing to it. Understanding this natural resilience could point researchers toward entirely new ways to protect memory and slow dementia.

Students in Distress Turning to AI for Mental Health Support

A new study demonstrates that 18% of college students use generative AI for mental health support, with usage rates doubling among students suffering from severe anxiety, depression, and suicidality.

Study Reverses Structural Autism Deficits in Brain Cells

Researchers have uncovered a key change in brain cell communication linked to autism-like behaviours in mice. By restoring normal function in these cells, they improved social behaviours and reduced repetitive behaviours, offering new insights into how brain circuits may be altered, and potentially repaired in the future.

Authoritative Parenting Less Common in ADHD Families

Children with ADHD experience fewer positive, authoritative parenting interactions and more negative, highly punitive approaches compared to their neurotypical peers, finds a new meta-analysis published in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.

Poor Listening Skills - Could it be Auditory Processing Disorder?

Do you have a child or student with poor listening skills? Auditory processing disorder may be the cause. How do you know & how can you help them?

14 Ways to Improve Working Memory eBook

How often do you have to remind your child to do something? Has anyone ever suggested they might have a working memory problem?

There are activities you can do at home to help.This helpful e-book has 14 ways for you to help a child who struggles with memory, especially working memory.