Memory Performance Research Articles

Immune responses occurring in the central nervous system as a result of infection or exposure to toxins are referred to as neuroinflammation. It is heavily involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative conditions of the brain. In the present study, we investigated the effects of a water extract of Humulus japonicus (HJW) on neuroinflammation and its fundamental mechanisms in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated BV-2 murine microglial cells and in a mouse model. HJW inhibited LPS-induced secretion of nitric oxide, interleukin (IL)-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), as well as the mRNA expression of Il1b in BV-2 cells. In the group co-administered with HJW, 24 h after LPS administration, a significant downregulation of Il6 expression occurred in the cerebral cortex, as well as in TNF-α and IL-6 in the blood. In the group co-administered HJW, microglial activation was effectively suppressed in the cerebral cortex after 24 h of LPS injection and in the hippocampus after 24 h. LPS-induced elevation of phospho-p38 was significantly reduced by administration of HJW to the hippocampus of mice and to BV-2 cells. Furthermore, HJW effectively alleviated cognitive deficits induced by repeated LPS injections in a novel object recognition test. These findings suggest that HJW may offer therapeutic benefits as a natural extract for treating neuroinflammation, thereby enhancing memory and cognitive functions.

Whenever we work towards completing a task, such as learning some information, we are susceptible to attentional lapses where our thoughts stray from the demands of the current task to something unrelated (i.e., mind-wandering). Although prior work indicates that the presence of mind-wandering probes (used to measure task-unrelated thoughts) in a cognitive task may not impact the measurement of abilities like processing speed, there could be reactive effects involving memory. We examined whether mind-wandering probes can impact memory by having participants study lists of words to remember for later tests; at pseudo-random intervals during encoding, participants either responded to mind-wandering probes, answered math problems, had unfilled interstimulus intervals, or studied the lists without any interruptions. Results revealed that mind-wandering probes (or other interruptions) do not significantly impact overall memory performance (though there may be some impact on items immediately preceding or following a probe) or the temporal dynamics of episodic memory. Thus, the present study suggests that using mind-wandering probes introduces minimal unexpected bias into research designs such that these interruptions do not adversely affect or benefit memory performance, consistent with prior research focused primarily on other cognitive domains.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia, characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-βeta (Aβ) peptides and hyperphosphorylated tau protein. Altered sphingosine 1-phosphate(S1P) metabolism is associated with abnormal Aβ peptide accumulation in the brain. S1P receptorsare increasingly being targeted for modulating the neuroinflammatory process in AD. Wild-type male C57BL/6J mice were administered Aβ to induce the pathological state. The study included four experimental groups: (1) Control group (saline-treated), (2) Aβ group (Aβ + saline-treated), (3) Aβ + cP1P group (Aβ + cP1P at doses of 0.1 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg), and (4) Aβ+ P1P group (Aβ + P1P at doses of 0.1 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg). Behavioral experiments were conducted to assess cognitive and memory functions. Additionally, western blotting and confocal microscopy were performed to investigate molecular and cellular changes. The findings demonstrate that administration of S1P analogs cP1P and P1P at 0.1 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg significantly reduced Aβ burden by inhibiting the amyloidogenic pathway and decreasing hyperphosphorylated tau protein levels in the mouse brain. Additionally, cP1P and P1P inhibited glial cell activation, as indicated by reduced GFAP and Iba-1 expression, and modulated neuroinflammatory markers, including p-NF-κB, TNF-α, and IL-1β. Furthermore, they regulated S1PR1-mediated Akt/mTOR signaling while preserving mitochondrial function by decreasing the expression levels of p-JNK, Caspase-3, and PARP-1. Moreover, the cP1P and P1P effectively restored synaptic markers such as PSD-95, SNAP-25, and Syntaxin, and significantly improved behavioral outcomes in the Aβ-treated mice. In vitro, results also demonstrated that the novel cP1P and P1P enhanced cell viability against Aβ toxicity.

Cognitive functioning predicts vulnerability to financial exploitation in APOE e4 carriers.

Aging leads to various changes in nervous system functions. Older humans and animals exhibit altered movement patterns and experience alterations in memory and motor functions. Rodent models, particularly aged C57BL/6 mice, have been instrumental in studying behavioral and neurophysiological changes associated with aging. This study aimed to characterize age-related cognitive and motor decline and examine its association with molecular changes in a physiologically aged murine model. For this purpose, female C57BL/6Cenp mice aged 2, 20, and 26 months were used. Several behavioral tests were conducted to evaluate motor and cognitive functions. Additionally, gene expression levels were analyzed in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus samples. Twenty-month-old mice exhibited reduced muscle strength, altered gait patterns, impaired balance on the rotarod test, and deficits in spatial reference memory as assessed by the Barnes maze. Motor function further deteriorated in senescent mice (26-month-old), accompanied by spatial memory impairment as assessed using forced Y-maze test. Moreover, significant changes were observed in the expression of genes associated with synaptic plasticity (ARC, CREB1), neuronal activity (FOS), myelination (OLIG1, MAL), and oxidative stress (CYBA, CYBB, NCF1). These findings confirm that aging is a complex phenomenon marked by progressive cognitive and motor impairments, driven by molecular changes in brain regions involved in critical functions such as motor processes and cognition.

Mahjong, a traditional Chinese tile-based game, has been widely reported to be closely associated with better cognitive function. However, its effects on the cognitive function of patients with schizophrenia have not yet been studied. In a pilot study, 49 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia were randomly assigned to the intervention group (Mahjong combined with standard treatment) and the control group (standard treatment). The intervention group engaged in cognitive training through Mahjong for 2h per day, 4 days per week for 12 weeks. Primary cognitive outcomes were assessed using Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB), while secondary outcomes include quality of life, clinical symptoms, anhedonia, treat side effects, and personal and social functioning. Assessments were conducted at baseline (T0), the 4th week (T1), the 8th week (T2), and the 12th week (T3). The intervention group exhibited progressive improvements in both reaction time and movement time throughout the study. No significant differences were found between the intervention and control groups regarding visual memory, novel learning, strategy utilization, spatial memory performance or complex visual task accuracy. The intervention group demonstrated gradual improvements in quality of life, whereas no significant changes were noted in other secondary outcomes. While this exploratory study suggests that Mahjong intervention may benefit certain cognitive functions and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia, these findings should be interpreted with caution. Further research with larger, more diverse samples and longer intervention is necessary to confirm and extend these findings. The trial is registered with https://www.chictr.org.cn/ under registration number ChiCTR2400080268 on January 25th, 2024.

Large sharp-wave ripples promote hippocampo-cortical memory reactivation and consolidation during sleep.

Perceptual averaging, a fundamental mechanism of visual short-term memory (VSTM), enables automatic extraction of the ensemble mean from similar visual stimuli. While concurrent physical exertion is known to impair VSTM, its impact on this ensemble-coding ability remains unclear. To address this gap, the current study employed a dual-task paradigm combining facial expression recognition with concurrent isometric handgrip contractions. Participants memorized four facial expressions and then classified a face probe as a set member or not while maintaining either 5% or 40% of their maximum force (low vs. high physical load). Results revealed that high physical load reduced hit rate and discriminability (d') while increasing false alarm rate, indicating impaired memory performance. However, recognition accuracy for probes that were the mean of the set and the fitted Gaussian parameter (reflecting the precision of mean representation) remained unchanged across load conditions, suggesting that mean representation was unaffected by concurrent physical exertion. These findings indicate that while concurrent physical exertion disrupts item-specific memory-i.e. individual representation in VSTM-primarily due to shared attentional resource competition between physical action and cognitive processing, perceptual averaging-i.e., mean representation in VSTM-remains resilient to dual-task interference, underscoring its stability and robustness in VSTM functioning.

ABSTRACT This study presents the development of foam‐filled polylactic acid (PLA)/polycaprolactone (PCL) lattice structures fabricated via fused deposition modeling (FDM) to achieve tunable mechanical strength and thermal shape memory performance. Three lattice geometries (hexagonal, triangular, grid) were produced at 0%, 10%, and 20% infill densities and subsequently filled with polyurethane (PUR) foam. The printed lattice provided geometric stability, while the foam core enhanced damping, energy absorption, and recovery support. Mechanical tests showed that higher infill densities, particularly with hexagonal patterns, significantly increased flexural strength and impact resistance through improved foam confinement and load transfer. Shape memory tests revealed consistently high fixation ratios (> 91%) but recovery ratios ranging from 33% to 89%, with low density exhibiting faster and more complete recovery due to greater matrix mobility. PUR foam played a passive stabilizing role, aiding recovery in open architectures but slightly constraining it in dense designs. The results demonstrate that careful tuning of lattice geometry and infill density enables the design of lightweight, multifunctional composites suitable for reusable protective gear, energy‐absorbing components, and thermally responsive adaptive systems.

Remote assessment of episodic memory would be a cost-effective alternative to in-person visits for early detection of memory impairment related to Alzheimer's disease (AD), but there is a need for test development and studies in population-based samples. The aim of this study was to investigate the validity and correlates of a novel three-trial administration of 10-word list learning included in the modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status in a population-based study of 65- to 96-year-old individuals. A total of 800 participants completed telephone-administered word list learning task that yielded immediate and delayed recall measures. We compared these to corresponding measures from in-person neuropsychological assessment and tested differences between cognitively normal individuals and those with cognitive impairment or neurodegenerative disease. Furthermore, we studied the associations of age, sex, education, and genetic risk of AD with telephone-administered memory measures. Telephone-administered three-trial word list learning task yielded normally distributed immediate and delayed recall measures that performed like corresponding measures from in-person assessment. Having cognitive impairment or AD-but not genetic risk of AD-were related to poorer memory performance. Younger age, being female, and having secondary education were related to better memory performance. Our study supports the validity of telephone-administered word list task with multiple learning trials. Remote assessment of memory can be used as an alternative to inviting people to in-person assessment and is also easily accessible for people living in remote areas and for those with physical disabilities or during restrictions related to in-person contact. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the major adult-onset motor neuron disease, is preceded by an early period unrelated to motor symptoms, including altered sleep, with increased wakefulness and decreased deep NREM. Whether these alterations in sleep macroarchitecture are associated with, or even precede abnormalities in sleep-related EEG features remains unknown. Here, we characterised sleep microarchitecture using polysomnography in patients with ALS (n=33) and controls (n=32), and in asymptomatic carriers of SOD1 or C9ORF72 mutations (n=57) and non-carrier controls (n=30). Patients and controls with factors that could confound sleep structure, including respiratory insufficiency, were prospectively excluded. Results were complemented in three ALS mouse models (Sod1G86R , Fus∆NLS/+ and TDP-43Q331K ). We observed a brain-wide reduction in the density of sleep spindles, slow oscillations and K-complexes in both early-stage ALS patients and presymptomatic gene carriers. These defects in sleep spindles and slow oscillations correlate with cognitive performance in both cohorts, particularly with scores on memory, verbal fluency and language function. Alterations in sleep microarchitecture were replicated in three mouse models and decreases in sleep spindles were rescued following intracerebroventricular supplementation of MCH or by the oral administration of a dual orexin receptor antagonist. Sleep microarchitecture is associated with cognitive deficits and is causally linked to aberrant MCH and orexin signalling in ALS. This work was funded by Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR-24-CE37-4064, ANR-10-IDEX-0002, ANR-20-SFRI-0012), Fondation Thierry Latran, Association Francaise de Recherche sur la sclérose latérale amyotrophique, Association Française contre les Myopathies (#28944), TargetALS and JPND.

Background: Pediatric migraine is frequently associated with cognitive difficulties and internalizing symptoms, potentially affecting academic and social functioning. This study aimed to examine the associations between migraine frequency, age of onset, and prophylactic treatment use with cognitive and emotional functioning in children and adolescents. Methods: Fifty-two patients (mean age = 12.60 ± 2.47 years; 31 females, 21 males) with migraine were assessed using a comprehensive battery: verbal memory (Digit Span Forward/Backward, BVN 5-18), verbal fluency (BVN 5-18), attention and executive functioning (NEPSY-II: Visual Attention, Inhibition), processing speed (SDMT), intelligence (Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices), and internalizing symptoms (SAFA-A, SAFA-D). Migraine frequency was classified as high (weekly/daily) or low (≤3/month), and patients were grouped by prophylactic treatment use in the past year. Migraine onset (in months/years) was recorded. Results: Among participants completing the NEPSY-II Inhibition task, 47.7% scored below average at time 1, 43.2% at time 2, and 40.9% at time 3. No significant differences were found in visual attention or overall inhibition scores between groups (p > 0.05). However, both the high-frequency migraine group and those receiving prophylactic treatment scored significantly lower on backward digit span (p = 0.00 and p = 0.01, respectively). No group differences emerged in processing speed, verbal fluency, or Raven’s scores (p > 0.05). The high-frequency group showed significantly higher levels of generalized anxiety, school-related anxiety, and guilt (p = 0.04, p = 0.03, and p = 0.04, respectively). Conclusion: These results support two key hypotheses: (1) migraine-related fatigue may impair working memory and increase emotional vulnerability; and (2) heightened anxiety may reduce cognitive efficiency, especially in tasks requiring sustained mental effort, such as working memory.

Background and objectives: Exerkines are signalling factors that are released from organs throughout the body during physical exercise (El-Sayes et al., 2019). Some of these exerkines are thought to contribute to the well-documented benefits of exercise on brain health and cognitive function, potentially delaying age-related cognitive decline (Erickson et al., 2011). However, research is still far from establishing a mechanism-based, evidence-driven exercise programme to prevent such decline. To date, most studies have focused on endurance training, leaving other training modalities underexplored. Moreover, few studies have simultaneously examined exercise-induced effects on blood, brain, and cognitive domains, limiting more holistic understanding of the underlying mechanisms. Research has also primarily involved healthy adults, whereas older adults at risk of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) are less frequently studied. Importantly, the effects of exercise on cognition have never been investigated in persons with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), a population with an elevated risk of age-related cognitive decline and dementia. The primary objective of the dissertation was therefore to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of exercise training, specifically resistance exercise in older adults and Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) in individuals with SCI, on brain health and cognitive function, with a particular focus on the role of exerkines in (exercise-induced) neuroplasticity. Methods: Eleven studies were conducted. Study 1 was a literature review describing exerkine release following acute and chronic endurance or resistance exercise and their effects on neuroplasticity via long-term synaptic potentiation. Study 2 summarised the findings from transcriptome and secretome studies identifying muscle-derived exerkines (myokines). Studies 3 and 4 were cross-sectional studies in older adults (n = 74) investigating the relationships between participant characteristics, blood (inflammatory and neurotrophic) and brain biomarkers (neurometabolites, regional grey matter volumes), and cognitive function. Studies 5–8 evaluated the effect of a single bout (n = 37) and a 12-week resistance exercise programme (n = 74) on blood and brain biomarkers and cognitive function in older adults. Studies 6 and 7 further compared outcomes between cognitively healthy older adults and those at elevated risk of MCI (based on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment). Study 9 systematically reviewed evidence on the effects of exercise interventions on cognitive performance in individuals with SCI and highlighted factors underlying their elevated risk of cognitive decline. Study 10 tested the effect of a single bout of NMES on exerkines and cognitive performance in persons with SCI. Study 11 described the protocol of a 12-week NMES intervention in individuals with SCI to examine the effect on exerkines and cognitive outcomes. Results: Study 1 identified 16 exerkines with known (in)direct effects on long-term synaptic potentiation. Study 2 reported 1,126 putative myokines, most with still unknown effects on the brain and body. Study 3 found associations between the circulating inflammatory marker kynurenine and signs of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in older adults. Study 4 showed that older adults with normal-to-slightly-elevated body weight and greater handgrip strength maintained larger brain volumes. Study 5 demonstrated improved working memory performance in older adults immediately after a single session of resistance exercise training compared to control group. Study 6 suggested hippocampal volume preservation over time in the resistance exercise group, and Study 7 revealed executive function improvements in older adults at elevated risk of MCI after 12 weeks of resistance training compared with control group. Study 8 demonstrated neurometabolic changes in older adults who contracted COVID-19 during participation. Study 9 confirmed that no prior studies have investigated exercise effects on cognitive function in individuals with SCI. Study 10 found increases in lactate levels, but no changes in cognitive performance after a single NMES session in persons with SCI. Study 11 described the design for a future 12-week NMES intervention study for individuals with SCI. Conclusions: The dissertation advances the understanding of exercise effects on brain health and cognition in older adults and individuals with SCI, providing a neurobiological basis for future research. Kynurenine levels, handgrip strength, and a healthy body weight emerged as potential biomarkers of brain health for older adults. The findings underscore the importance of monitoring cognitive functioning in persons with SCI. Although further research is needed to clarify the effect of different exercise modalities across populations with varying cognitive risk profiles, the present evidence reinforces the notion that physical exercise benefits brain function. A multimodal, enjoyable, and sustainable exercise programme maintained throughout life is likely to be the most effective strategy to mitigate or delay age-related cognitive decline. Keywords: aging, cognition, myokines, exercise, spinal cord injury

The cryogenic neuromorphic computing (NC) system is considered a potential future of computing due to its low energy consumption and high parallel computation power when combined with quantum computing (QC). However, the electronic synapse in this system, which serves as the memory function, should be positioned as close as possible to the QC to store the information generated by the QC, and it must operate effectively at cryogenic temperatures. In this work, the properties of the LiCoO 2 (LCO) electronic synapse at both cryogenic and room temperatures have been thoroughly investigated. The Li‐ion nanoreservoir, Al‐rich LiCoO 2 (LACO), is believed to perform three major functions: stabilizing the Li ions, decreasing the interfacial electric field, and reducing the leakage current. Additionally, cryogenic temperatures slow down Li‐ion and electron diffusion, enhancing the influence of the electric field. As a result, the bottom electrode and temperature factors improve the performance of the LCO electronic synapse in terms of memory window (from ≈1.6 to ≈423), linearity (long‐term‐potentiation linearity from 3.89 to 0.97, long‐term‐depression linearity from −4.56 to −3.58), and spike‐time‐dependent plasticity (STDP) characteristics (a twofold improvement in the STDP window and a 1.5‐times faster spike response time).

Optoelectronic materials with proper charge storage play a pivotal role in the development of artificial neuromorphic devices aiming to mimic the visual, sensory, and memory functions of the human nervous system. This study presents the controllable charge storability in Indium Phosphide quantum dots through being capped with Zinc Selenide shells of different thicknesses. The organic transistors with the quantum dots integrated demonstrate shell-thickness-dependent optoelectronic memory characteristics, featuring optically programmable-electrically erasable channel states. Analysis reveals that the optoelectronic performance of the device is ascribed to the photoexcitation and the following charge storage process in the quantum dots. The device of the thickest quantum-dot-shell performs well as an optoelectronic synapse to emulate the entire human visual sensory and memory function. The frequency-dependent synaptic potentiation/depression, paired-pulse facilitation, short/long-term memory, and "learning-experience" behavior are exhibited in the optoelectronic synaptic device through optical stimuli manipulation. Moreover, the optical sensory performance of the device can be enhanced by a positive gate bias. It enables a successful emulation of Pavlov's dog classical conditioning experiments, realizing the associative learning characteristic with optical and electric signals. This work provides an effective solution for a stable and controllable charge storage medium for optoelectronic synapse applications.

This article explores the neurological impacts of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia on cognitive function in type 1 Diabetes. It reviews how fluctuating glucose levels disrupt critical brain metabolic pathways, impairing various cognitive processes such as memory, attention, and executive functioning. The authors highlight both the acute and long-term effects of glycemic variability on critical brain regions, including the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and occipital lobes. Notably, both hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia contribute to cognitive dysfunction, but through different mechanisms. Hypoglycemia induces an energy crisis in the brain, triggering increased oxidative stress and neuronal vulnerability, with repeated episodes leading to cumulative hippocampal and prefrontal damage. Hyperglycemia results in vascular compromise, disrupting cerebral blood flow and leading to various states of neurotransmitter dysregulation, with chronic exposure being associated with structural changes such as reduced gray matter volume. Diabetes technology devices such as continuous glucose monitoring systems may reduce cognitive impairments associated with glucose fluctuations, but their benefits underscore the limitations of A1C alone and the need for metrics that better capture glycemic variability. This review underscores the need to prioritize glucose control to protect cognitive health in patients with type 1 diabetes.

Cognitive impairment encompasses a spectrum of neurological deficits affecting memory, attention, executive function and other higher‑order cognitive processes. Increasing attention has been paid to modifiable lifestyle factors that influence its onset and progression. Among these, chronic high‑fat diet (HFD) consumption has emerged as a significant and potentially reversible risk factor for cognitive decline. Both epidemiological and experimental studies have consistently linked HFD‑particularly diets rich in saturated fatty acids‑to impairments in memory, attention and executive functions. Mechanistically, HFD induces neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, insulin resistance and gut microbiota dysbiosis, which collectively disrupt synaptic plasticity and neuronal survival. Individual susceptibility factors such as age, sex and the presence of the apolipoprotein E ε4 allele may further exacerbate these pathological effects. This review also highlights promising intervention strategies, including adherence to Mediterranean or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension dietary patterns, regular physical exercise, pharmacological approaches and gut microbiota modulation. A comprehensive understanding of these multifactorial pathways is essential for developing targeted preventive and therapeutic interventions to mitigate HFD‑associated neurodegeneration.

Clinical trials investigating the relationship between obesity and cognitive decline have yielded inconsistent results across various age groups. This study explored the associations of body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR) and trunk fat mass (TFM) with cognitive function using a middle-aged cross-sectional and Mendelian randomisation (MR) approach. A total of 72 899 middle-aged participants from the UK Biobank (UKB) were used to examine the association between obesity indices (BMI, WHR and TFM) and cognitive function through multivariable linear regression. MR analyses were subsequently performed to explore the potential causal relationships. For BMI, 449 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were considered (n = 532 396), for WHR, 36 SNPs (n = 210 082) and for TFM, 277 SNPs (n = 331 093), as exposure variables. Cognitive function outcomes, derived from large genome-wide association studies of European ancestry, included fluid intelligence score (FIS, n = 149 051), memory (n = 48 080) and complex processing speed (n = 114 724). MR analysis was primarily conducted using inverse-variance weighted methods, supplemented by sensitivity analyses to assess pleiotropy and exclude variants with potential pleiotropic effects. In a cross-sectional analysis of 72 899 middle-aged UKB participants, higher obesity indices (BMI and WHR) were consistently associated with poorer cognitive performance across multiple domains. After full covariate adjustment, participants in the highest BMI tertile (T3) demonstrated significant adverse cognitive declines relative to the lowest tertile (T1). Specifically, T3 exhibited inverse associations with FIS (β = -0.024, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.042 to -0.006, p-value adjusted using the Benjamini-Hochberg false discovery rate procedure [p_BH] = 0.032), memory (β = -0.111, 95% CI: -0.130 to -0.092, p_BH <0.001). Similarly, WHR tertiles 2 and 3 (both higher than T1) showed consistent adverse effects across cognitive domains, with the negative correlation observed in T3 for FIS (β = -0.072, 95% CI: -0.096 to -0.048, p_BH <0.001), memory (β = -0.116, 95% CI: -0.141 to -0.090, p_BH <0.001) and processing (β = -0.091, 95% CI: -0.115 to -0.068, p_BH <0.001). For TFM, significant consistent adverse associations were identified in tertiles 2 and 3, with the inverse relationship observed for memory performance in T3 (β = -0.075, 95% CI: -0.094 to -0.056, p_BH <0.001). Critically, these associations between BMI, WHR and FIS remained statistically significant following Benjamini-Hochberg correction for multiple testing (p_MR_BH <0.05) and were further corroborated by the Mendelian randomisation robust adjusted profile score approach, with consistent findings observed across all sensitivity analyses. This study demonstrates a negative association between BMI, WHR, TFM and cognitive function in middle-aged populations. Moreover, BMI, WHR and TFM appear to have a causal relationship with specific domain cognitive decline. Further multicentre, multiregional and large-scale studies are required to validate these findings.

Chronic stress is prevalent in most societies, impairing cognition, mood, and social functioning. Research suggests that supplements containing extracts from Scutellaria baicalensis root and Crataegus laevigata fruits may offer support in this regard. To investigate the acute and chronic effects of a S. baicalensis, C. laevigata, and magnesium/chromium containing herbal supplement on psychological well-being, cognition, and sleep in subjectively stressed but principally healthy adults. Forty-three participants (35 analysed) aged 18-75 years received the herbal supplement and a placebo for 15 days. Psychological well-being, and sleep were measured after 7 and 15 days of treatment. Cognitive performance was evaluated following a bolus dose of two tablets and after 15 days, with and without an observed multitasking stressor. The herbal supplement significantly improved performance on a task of attention and working memory (as evidenced by a reduction in serial 3's subtraction errors) following an acute dose and improved working memory performance (an increase in the number of correct serial 7's subtraction) during the stressor, irrespective of dose. Cognitive effects were less consistent in the absence of the stressor. Chronic supplementation improved mood and anxiety, reducing total mood disturbance, anger/hostility, and Trait anxiety scores. A higher proportion of subjects experienced ⩾30% gains in social satisfaction scores after 7 days. No serious adverse effects were reported. The herbal supplement is safe and enhances mood, reduces subjective anxiety, and improves cognition under stress, though cognitive effects are variable without stress exposure.The study was registered on clinicaltrials.gov (identifier: NCT05757050).

We present a nonvolatile, multilevel silicon photonic memory device that integrates a multimode interference (MMI) coupler with a micro-racetrack resonator (MRR) to enable broadband operation and wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM). To enhance light–matter interaction and reduce power consumption, high-index memory materials (BiFeO 3 , Al 2 O 3 ) and an elevated film stack (EFS) structure are employed to embed the resistive random-access memory (ReRAM) layer within the cavity. A transparent ITO electrode improves mode confinement while maintaining electrical conductivity. The MMI design not only provides low insertion loss and high fabrication tolerance but also induces stronger cavity coupling, which shortens the photon lifetime and significantly broadens the resonance linewidth (FWHM in the 1.8–11.7 nm range, corresponding to 0.22–1.47 THz). Together with enlarged free spectral ranges (FSRs) of 9.9–16.9 nm, this MMI-enabled broadening improves memory state distinguishability, channel spacing, and operational stability. Three configurations were characterized under BFO cladding (i.e., ReRAM-integrated devices at 0 V bias): a 50 µm racetrack with an FSR of 16.86 nm and an FWHM of ∼7.9 nm (Lorentzian fit), a 100 µm racetrack with an FSR of 16.40 nm and an FWHM of ∼11.7 nm, and a cascaded 50 µm + 100 µm dual-racetrack filter with an FSR of 9.91 nm and an FWHM of ∼1.8 nm (Lorentzian fit). After integrating with high-index ReRAM layers, all configurations demonstrated tunable resonance shifts and robust broadband operation; notably, the 100 µm racetrack provided the widest linewidth (∼11.7 nm, corresponding to ∼1.47 THz). Under 0 V operation , logic states L1 and L2, compared to the initial state, exhibited wavelength shifts of 4.72 nm and 5.49 nm, with extinction ratios of 6.44 dB (77.3%) and 8.73 dB (86.6%), respectively, confirming the nonvolatile, multistate capability. Overall, this CMOS-compatible architecture offers broadband, scalable memory functionality with THz-level static optical bandwidth inferred from the FWHM, indicating strong potential for high-data-rate operation. This work opens opportunities for optical storage, logic circuits, and neuromorphic computing, and shows promising potential for future implementation in reconfigurable photonic systems.