Sleep less to Appear Unattractive
New research says people are skilled at recognising faces as tired. Compared to well-slept subjects, the sleep-deprived were perceived as having “darker circles under the eyes, paler skin, more wrinkles/fine lines, and more droopy corners of the mouth.” In 2010, researchers at the University of Stockholm found that people who appear tired are also more likely to be perceived as unhealthy and less attractive. (So, yes, “You look tired” is an unambiguous insult.) The Sweden-based research team published even more specific details in the academic journal Sleep this week to help us sort the inexorable facts on the link between how we sleep and how we appear.
Alzheimer’s Stress protein links
A stress-related protein genetically linked to depression, anxiety and other psychiatric disorders contributes to the acceleration of Alzheimer’s disease, a new study has found. Researchers led by the University of South Florida found when the stress-related protein FKBP51 partners with another protein known as Hsp90 it prevents the clearance from the brain of the toxic tau protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Under normal circumstances, tau helps make up the skeleton of our brain cells. The study was done using test tube experiments, mice genetically engineered to produce abnormal tau protein like that accumulated in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease, and post-mortem human Alzheimer’s brain tissue.
Epilepsy risk reduces with exercise
Young male adults who exercise vigorously could reduce their risk of developing epilepsy later in life, according to a study published online in the journal Neurology. Researchers from Sweden analysed the fitness of 1.17 million Swedish military servicemen, who were required to carry out cycle tests that measured their cardiovascular fitness when they enlisted for service at the age of 18. The participants were then assessed for the prevalence of epilepsy for an average of 25 years. During this period, 6,796 men were diagnosed with the condition. Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes recurring seizures as a result of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 million people in the US suffer from the disease.