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Image copyright GETTY IMAGES Physical and mental exercise has been found to be beneficial for our brains, but scientists have now found it could also improve the learning ability of our children. In a mouse study, researchers found the benefits gained from these activities were passed on to their offspring, despite not altering their DNA. Further research is needed to see if this replicates in humans. The German study is being published in the journal  Cell Reports. Exercise is recommended to keep the mind sharp in the over-50s and doing puzzles and brain training exercises has been found to delay the onset of dementia and reduce the risk of diseases such as Alzheimer's. Researchers from the German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) found that when they exposed mice to a stimulating environment in which they also had plenty of exercise, their offspring which they had later also benefitted. The younger mice achieved better results in tests that evaluated the...

« Previous | Main | Next » A spoonful of sugar helps wounds heal faster Post categories: Pain ,  Sugar David Gregory Can sprinkling sugar into a wound speed up the healing process? The papers are today reporting on some new research we touched on back in August . When Moses Murandu was a child in Zimbabwe and gashed his leg his father sprinkled sugar into the wound when dressing it. Well now Moses is a senior nurse and lecturer at the University of Wolverhampton and he's been conducting clinical trials to see the impact sugar has when used as a dressing on infected wounds. He funded the initial study at Selly Oak on a few patients himself. Treating problems like open infected wounds and bedsores. And the results were so promising he's now been awarded £25,000 to expand the trial with up to 300 patients in different hospitals across the Midlands. His initial paper has also just been accepted for publication in the N...

Spending time with loved ones with dementia is important even after they fail to recognize the faces of friends and family, a dementia charity says. A survey found that 42% of the public think there is no point in keeping up contact at this stage. But the Alzheimer's Society said family visits stimulated feelings of happiness, comfort and security. Even as the condition progresses, it said people with dementia can still hold an "emotional memory". This means they continue to feel happy long after a visit or experience that they may have forgotten. The charity is calling on people to visit friends and relatives with dementia regularly and help them take part in activities they enjoy. In a separate survey by the charity of 300 people affected by dementia, more than half said they were no longer taking part in any, or hardly any, social activities. And 64% said they felt isolated following their diagnosis. 'Bleak and lonely' Jeremy Hughes, chief ex...