In case you missed last week’s news:
Researchers from Northwestern University found that a lifetime of musical training can offset aging processes. Researchers looked at the brains of old and young musicians, as well as non-musicians. The researchers found that the older musicians had quicker neural timing than both non-musicians and young musicians.
University psychologist Jon Davies created the nation’s first-run college men’s center 10 years ago at the University to try to change the negative stereotype of college males.
In the past decade, more college students reported having moderate to severe depression. To address this growing trend, the University Counseling and Testing Center and University Housing took steps last fall to help students with depression.
Other noteworthy news:
The New York Times reports on a new application available for smartphones — a therapy app. These apps would give smartphone users the ability to speak with a therapist anytime and anywhere.
Scientists discovered one of the world’s smallest lizards in Madagascar. The chameleon, called Brookesia micra, only grows to 29 millimeters. The researchers said they conducted field work at night to find the small lizards, which stay in leaf litter during the day. Their work was published this week in the journal PLoS ONE.
Although Americans may be going through what NPR calls a “fiber craze,” scientists don’t quite know whether high-fiber foods are as healthy as food companies and nutritionists claim. Some people believe that eating high-fiber foods will protect them from colon cancer, but that link has not been proven. Fiber is also said to prevent heart disease, but again scientists aren’t sure whether it’s fiber or other vitamins in the foods.