Welcome to the March 2023 Learning Brain News.

There’s lots to read this month, including teenage brains, robots to assist people with learning difficulties, video games and ADHD, plus a short video explaining why we we like to squeeze cute things!

Kind regards,
The Learning Brain News Team

PS: Did you know you can read The Learning Brain News on Facebook and also on the website.

Bad Dreams in Children Linked to a Higher Risk of Dementia and Parkinson’s Disease in Adulthood

A recent study indicates children who have frequent nightmares at age 11 are twice as likely to develop symptoms of cognitive impairment, and seven times more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease by age 50. 

Research Spotlight: New Discoveries on How Teenage Brains Learn Best

An understanding of the adolescent brain can help educators and parents guide their teenagers through the learning and behavioural challenges of their high school years.

Read about a new article “The Adolescent Brain: Neurocognitive Risks and Educational Opportunities,” recently published in the journal CPQ Neurology and Psychology.

Get the guide to How the Adolescent Brain Learns here.

Robot Helps Students With Learning Disabilities Stay Focused

A team of researchers and experts has found that a robot may help children with learning disabilities stay focused.

Video Game Use Predicts Increase in ADHD Symptoms

Excessive video game play may be a risk factor for the development of ADHD, according to attention expert Dr David Rabiner of Duke University, USA.

Writing in his February 2023 Attention Research Update, Dr Rabiner describes the results of a study of over 1,400 youth published in the Journal of Attention Disorders. The study found that the weekly amount video game play reported at age 12 predicted higher levels of self-reported ADHD symptoms at age 13.

For more information, register for Dr Rabiner’s Attention Research Updates here.

The Brain That Changes Itself Book Review

For centuries, the brain was considered immutable: If an area of your brain was damaged, there was little hope that you could ever again perform the activities controlled by that brain region. But scientists have now discovered that the brain is capable of rewiring itself after illness or injury, a phenomenon labeled “neuroplasticity.”

Why Do You Want To Squeeze Cute Things?

Explore the psychology of the phenomenon known as cute aggression, which is the urge to squeeze, bite or pinch something cute.