Research from Professor Yvonne Nolan’s group features in the New Scientist magazine.

27 Nov 2024

Research from Professor Yvonne Nolan’s group features in the New Scientist magazine. PhD student Sebastian Dohm-Hansen who researches the middle-aged brain under the supervision of Professor Nolan, Dr Jane English and Dr Aonghus Lavelle, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, was interviewed by David Robson to contribute to the feature article in the New Scientist issue on 20 July 2024.

The article, which was highlighted on the cover of the magazine, leveraged current research on the middle-aged brain published in a recent article in Trends in Neurosciences led by Professor Nolan, who is an SFI-funded Investigator and PI at APC Microbiome Ireland, with collaborators Professor Paul Lucassen and Dr Carols Fitzsimons at the University of Amsterdam.

Middle age is a transitioning time and may predict future cognitive health. The brain starts to lose its ability to form new neurons during middle age, which may impede the ability to distinguish between memories. Lifestyle habits such as exercise, diet and social dynamics, however, are particularly influential on the brain during this period of life, and may stave off the development of dementia in later life.

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News and Events: Middle-aged brain can predict your future brain health, new review finds

UCC Research: Middle-aged brain can predict your future brain health, new review finds

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News item: Professor Yvonne Nolan

Photograph Bereniece Riedewald