News

News update: April 2009

Sleepy Heads Are Good For You

Dr Paul Shaw of Washington School of Medicine has conducted research into the effects of sleep on the brain and suggests, as a result of studying fruit flies, that sleep helps us to rewire the brain so that we can learn more. Our brains become saturated with information during the day and unless the synapses are trimmed back at night we lose the capacity to learn. Sleep enables some of the synapses to be cleared.

Link Established Between Anorexia And The Development Of The Brain In The Womb

A study by Sir Ian Frampton, consultant in paediatric psychology at Great Ormond Street Hospital has found that many people with anorexia predisposed to the condition because of the way their brains developed in the womb. Dr Frampton said that in some children their brain develops in a certain way that makes them more vulnerable to known risk factors for eating disorders such as social factors like the Size Zero debate, media, representations of skinny models and poor parenting.

Dr Frampton tested 200 anorexia sufferers, mainly girls aged between 12 and 25. 70% had suffered damage to neurotransmitters which help brain cells communication or had subtle changes to brain structure. Dr Frampton suggested that one in every few hundred girls may be affected by this. It has been suggested that drugs could be developed to treat some sufferers.

Water, Water Everywhere …. But Nor A Drop To Drink

Researchers from the University of East London looked at the effects of water consumption in 60 pupils aged 7 to 9. 20 minutes before a test half the group were given 250 ml of water to drink, the others were not. Those having water scored 34% better in tests to assess visual attention and memory. They also scored 23% better on a more difficult test.

Binge Drinking Teenagers 

More than 50% of British teenagers binge drink regularly according to a European study. 33% of teenagers in the survey said they had got drunk in the past month. This can lead to injuries, fall out with parents and pregnancy. The survey was conducted in 35 countries.

One Child Families 

Figures released by The Office for National Statistics (ONS) following a survey of 130 000 people found that 46% of all families surveyed now have one child. The reason for this rise is not as many people can afford to have big families, the need for mothers to work, postponement of childbearing until later (in 30s and 40s), scale of family break up and single parenthood.

The lack of siblings can result in children missing out on company and socialisation to help them prepare for life. It can lead to ‘a little emperor’ syndrome.

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