Marcelo Wood and Ashley Keiser
Faculty, Neurobiology and Behavior, News, Press Release, Research

Pioneering Research Unveils How Exercise Can Enhance Memory Through Genetic Pathways

Groundbreaking research from the University of California, Irvine’s Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, led by Professor Marcelo Wood and Postdoctoral Research Fellow Ashley Keiser, unveils how specific exercise patterns may significantly enhance long-term memory formation. Published in Nature Communications, their study highlights a promising avenue for combating memory-related diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Faculty, In the Media, Neurobiology and Behavior, News, Research

EPISODE 164: MICHAEL LEON ON OLFACTORY STIMULATION AS A BUFFER FOR DEMENTIA SYMPTOMS

What if the path to delaying the onset of dementia symptoms begins at the nose?
It is a doorway that the research of Dr. Michael Leon opened with a 2023 study on the power of olfaction enrichment to influence memory function and brain health. The findings drew wide acclaim and interest when his results found that stimulation of our sense of smell with essential oils had a profound impact on memory, cognition, and language recall.

Announcements, Faculty, Neurobiology and Behavior, News, Press Release

Diego A. Pizzagalli named founding director of UC Irvine depression research institute

Diego A. Pizzagalli, Ph.D. – a leading researcher into the causes, manifestation and treatment of mood disorders, particularly major depression – has been named the founding director of a transdisciplinary depression research institute at the University of California, Irvine, following a nationwide search. The institute is supported by a record $55 million estate gift from philanthropist Audrey Steele Burnand.

In the Media, Neurobiology and Behavior, News, Research

Human brains, in and out of skulls, promise to unravel Alzheimer’s mysteries

Why do some brains remain robust as time marches on, while others wither? What can be done to halt deterioration in its tracks, or even better — reverse it?
That’s the mystery that decades of work at UCI and other federal research centers are dedicated to unraveling. Some of the biggest brains in science are devoted to understanding aging, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Faculty, Neurobiology and Behavior, News, Press Release, Research

Sweet smell of success: Simple fragrance method produces major memory boost

When a fragrance wafted through the bedrooms of older adults for two hours every night for six months, memories skyrocketed. Participants in this study by University of California, Irvine neuroscientists reaped a 226% increase in cognitive capacity compared to the control group. The researchers say the finding transforms the long-known tie between smell and memory into an easy, non-invasive technique for strengthening memory and potentially deterring dementia.

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