healthbriefs
T
he human brain does not function optimally in society’s noise-filled environment. The brain, like the body, needs rest to function, and that comes with silence. A recent study in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience discovered that the brain is able to integrate both internal and external information into a “conscious workspace” when resting. Constant distractions and noises can detract from the brain’s ability to process critical information. Noise also elevates stress hormone levels within the brain. Research published earlier in Psychological Science examined the effects that the relocation of the main Munich airport, in Germany, had on children’s health and cognition. Gary W. Evans, researcher and professor of human ecology at Cornell University, notes that when exposed to constant noise, children develop a stress response that causes them to ignore it. The study’s subjects tuned out both harmful sounds and stimuli that they should be paying attention to, including speech. Silence has the opposite effect, releasing tension in brain and body. Exposure to chronic noise can also hinder children’s cognitive development, according to a study from the World Health Organization and the European Commission Joint Research Centre; this includes language skills and reading ability. To help counter modern noise pollution, attention restoration theory suggests that individuals placed in environments with lower levels of sensory input can recover some of the cognitive abilities they have lost.
Gut Bacteria Linked to Toddler Temperament
O
Pressmaster/Shutterstock.com
hio State University researchers have discovered a correlation between bacteria in the gut and behavior in toddlers. Scientists studied the bacterial microbes in stool samples from 77 girls and boys between the ages of 18 months and 27 months, while mothers filled out a questionnaire describing their children’s level of emotional reactivity. The study found that positive behavioral traits occurred more frequently in children with the most diverse types of gut bacteria. These included mood, curiosity, sociability and impulsivity. The correlation was particularly strong in boys. Lisa Christian, Ph.D., a researcher with the Ohio State Institute for Behavioral Medicine research, and her co-author, Microbiologist Michael Bailey, Ph.D., plan to use the information to help uncover some mysteries related to the origin of chronic illness. “There is substantial evidence that intestinal bacteria interact with stress hormones; the same hormones that have been implicated in chronic illnesses like obesity and asthma,” explains Christian. “A toddler’s temperament gives us a good idea of how they react to stress. This information, combined with an analysis of their gut microbiome, could ultimately help us to detect and prevent chronic health issues [from developing] earlier.” Source: Ohio State University Center for Clinical and Translational Science
10
Puerto Rico
www.prnatural.com
donskarpo/Shutterstock.com
Silence De-Stresses the Brain
Exercising Women Have Fewer C-Sections
A
recent study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology reports that regular exercise during pregnancy can reduce the rate of Cesarean deliveries. Conducted by Thomas Jefferson University Medical College researchers, the study followed more than 2,000 pregnant women split into two randomized groups. Half of them exercised 35 to 90 minutes, three to four times a week, while the others did not. Just under 18 percent of the women in the exercise group ended up having Cesarean deliveries versus 22 percent in the non-exercising group. Exercising during pregnancy also appears to improve gestational health. The study participants that worked out regularly experienced a lower incidence of both hypertensive disorders and diabetes mellitus.