Physiology News

Study: Lack of Sleep Predisposes to Abdominal Visceral Obesity

Sleep restriction combined with ad libitum food promotes excess energy intake without varying energy expenditure. Image credit: Covassin et al., doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2022.01.038.
Mar 30, 2022 by News Staff

Visceral fat is deposited deep inside the abdomen around internal organs and is strongly linked to cardiac and metabolic diseases. New research from Mayo Clinic shows that lack of sufficient sleep leads to a 9% increase in total abdominal fat area and an 11% increase in abdominal visceral fat. Sleep restriction combined with ad libitum food promotes excess energy intake without varying energy expenditure. Image credit: Covassin et al., doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2022.01.038. Lack...

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Ivana Buric et al analyze how the behavior of our genes is affected by different MBIs including mindfulness and yoga. Image credit: Nato Pereira.

Meditation Enhances Immune System without Activating Inflammatory Signals, Study Says

Dec 16, 2021 by Enrico de Lazaro

Meditation is an effective behavioral intervention for treating various conditions associated with a weakened immune system, according to new research...

Redondo et al. found a greater accuracy for both the horizontal and random motion paths of DVA after caffeine ingestion. Image credit: Sci-News.com.

Caffeine Intake Improves Reaction to Moving Targets, New Study Suggests

Dec 8, 2021 by News Staff

New research suggests that caffeine intake (i.e., a capsule containing 4 mg/kg) has an ergogenic effect on dynamic visual acuity (DVA) — the ability...

Casiraghi et al. show that on nights before a full moon, people sleep less and go to bed later on average. Image credit: Florian Kurz.

Lunar Cycle’s Effects on Sleep are More Pronounced among Men: Study

Sep 14, 2021 by Enrico de Lazaro

A new community-dwelling study from Sweden suggests that the lunar cycle affects sleep in humans, with more pronounced sleep alterations in men than women. Sleep...

Exercise training rewires the enhancers in regions of our DNA that are known to be associated with the risk to develop disease. Image credit: Sasin Tipchai.

Study: Physical Exercise Improves Health of Brain and Other Organs through Epigenetic Changes

Aug 4, 2021 by News Staff

Some sections of our DNA are genes, which are instructions for building proteins, while other sections — called enhancers — regulate which...

Tyler et al. saw dramatic differences in adaptation to the one hour DST time shift between individuals genetically predisposed to a morning versus evening circadian inclination. Image credit: Gerd Altmann.

DNA Plays Role in How Much Daylight Saving Time Change Affects Us, Study Says

Jul 21, 2021 by News Staff

According to a new paper published this week in the journal Scientific Reports, people whose genetic profile makes them more likely to be ‘early birds’...

A single bout of exercise may provide a boost to the mind. Image credit: Mabel Amber.

Study: Aerobic Exercise Increases Blood Flow to Brain in Older Adults

Mar 31, 2021 by News Staff

In a new study led by scientists from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, aerobic exercise training reduced central arterial stiffness...

Theoretical structure of ghrelin. Image credit: Manuel Almagro Rivas / CC BY-SA 4.0.

Appetite-Regulating Hormone Affects Monetary Decision Making, New Study Suggests

Mar 23, 2021 by News Staff

Ghrelin, a stomach-derived hormone known to regulate appetite and other food-related functions, may play a broad role in reward-related behavior and decision-making,...

When mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) age, the transcription factor GATA6 is increasingly produced in the cell to induce aging response; by transcription factor-based cellular reprogramming, aged MSCs are rejuvenated with a reduction in GATA6 effects on cellular aging. Image credit: AlphaMed Press.

Scientists Identify Gene Responsible for Aging of Human Cells

Dec 1, 2020 by News Staff

A gene called GATA6 (GATA binding protein 6) regulates aging of human mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs), according to new research from the University...

Gratton et al. show that flavanol intake leads to faster and greater brain oxygenation responses to hypercapnia, as well as higher performance only when cognitive demand is high. Image credit: Ally J.

Study: Cocoa Flavanols Can Improve Cognition and Brain Oxygenation

Nov 30, 2020 by News Staff

In a study published in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers have demonstrated that consumption of cocoa flavanols can improve efficiency in blood...

Guarana et al. investigated the effects of blue-light filtration on broad attitudinal and behavioral outcomes, i.e. work engagement, organizational citizenship behavior, and counterproductive work behavior. Image credit: Alexandr Borecký.

Study: Blue-Light Filtering Glasses Improve Sleep Quantity and Quality, Workday Productivity

Oct 15, 2020 by News Staff

Wearing blue-light filtering glasses before sleeping creates a form of physiologic darkness, thus improving both sleep quantity and quality, and is related...

The study sheds new light on the link between sleep deprivation and obesity. Image credit: Sweet Briar College.

New Research Illuminates Dominant Functions of Sleep and How They Change Through Our Lives

Sep 22, 2020 by News Staff

Before the age of 2 or 3 years, the human brain grows very rapidly and, during REM sleep, is busy building and strengthening synapses. After 2 or 3 years,...

Humans can smell in stereo. Image credit: Petra Pezibear.

Humans Navigate with Stereo Sense of Smell

Jun 30, 2020 by Enrico de Lazaro

Humans have a stereo sense of smell that subconsciously guides navigation, according to new research from the Institute of Psychology of the Chinese Academy...

Fjaeldstad & Fernandes provide the first evidence of how coffee impacts short-term taste sensitivity and consequently the way we sense and perceive food following coffee consumption, an important insight in the context of gastronomy as well as in chemosensory testing procedures. Image credit: Katie175.

Coffee Alters Perception of Taste, New Study Shows

Apr 21, 2020 by News Staff

A new study by Aarhus University researchers demonstrates that coffee — regular or decaffeinated — alters the subsequent perception of taste,...

Edwards et al evaluated the influence of avocado consumption on cognitive function and lutein status among adults with overweight and obesity using a randomized-controlled trial with matching design for pertinent study outcomes. Image credit: Sandid.

Avocado Consumption Improves Ability to Focus Attention in Overweight, Obese Adults: Study

Mar 16, 2020 by News Staff

Daily avocado intake over 12 weeks improved the ability to focus attention and increased concentrations of lutein among adults with overweight and obesity,...

Ingestion of a prebiotic diet improves undisturbed NREM sleep, promotes REM sleep rebound after stress exposure, and prevents stress-induced reductions in gut microbial alpha diversity. Image credit: Sabrina Ripke.

Dietary Prebiotics Can Improve Sleep and Fight Stress: Study

Mar 4, 2020 by News Staff

Dietary prebiotics can improve sleep and boost stress resilience by influencing gut bacteria and metabolites (biologically active molecules) they produce,...

Tart cherry concentrate in juice or powdered form, ingested for 7 days to 1.5 hours before exercise performance testing, significantly improved endurance exercise performance. Image credit: Cherry Industry Administrative Board.

Tart Cherry Concentrate Has Significant Benefit for Endurance Exercise Performance

Feb 21, 2020 by News Staff

Tart cherry concentrate may enhance endurance exercise performance via its low glycemic index, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative capacity, and blood...

Protsiv et al determined that average human body temperature in the United States has decreased since the 1800s. Image credit: Vicki4net.

Study: Average Human Body Temperature in U.S. Has Decreased Since 1800s

Jan 16, 2020 by News Staff

Scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine have found that men born in the United States in the early 19th century had temperatures 0.59...

Wittfeld et al support the hypothesis that higher cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with larger brain volumes in several brain regions that are not primarily connected to motor-related functions. Image credit: Mabel Amber.

Study: Cardiorespiratory Exercise Improves Brain Health, Decelerates Decline in Gray Matter

Jan 3, 2020 by News Staff

A new study, published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings, provides evidence of an association between cardiorespiratory fitness — which refers to the...

Playing sports has many benefits, including boosting physical, cardiovascular, and mental fitness. Image credit: Mike Kaplan / U.S. Air Force photo.

Athletes Have Quieter Brains, New Research Shows

Dec 10, 2019 by News Staff

Playing sports — including football, soccer and hockey — increases the gain of the external sound signal by turning down the background noise...

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