Latest Article

 

My latest piece in Royal Society's Open Science is now published.  A sample:

For the past 3+ years, medical researchers, the media, the general public and policy makers have focused their idealism and imagination on managing the COVID-19 pandemic. Herter’s JAMA Address has significance for both the COVID-19 pandemic and the aspirations of medical science in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era. The latter ought to prioritize the science of healthy ageing so that older populations can enjoy more years of healthy life (healthspan) versus making incremental increases invlifespan by extending the period of time managing multi-morbidity, frailty and disability.

Cheers, 

Colin

Music and Aging

The International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry has this interesting study on how music can help protect brain health as we age.  Some details:

This study found that playing a musical instrument was associated with improved working memory and executive function in older adults, while singing and overall musical ability was also associated with more favourable performance. Continuing engagement with music into later life is also associated with better working memory function. Although more research is needed to investigate this relationship, our findings suggest that promoting the exposure to music during life can increase cognitive reserve and reduce the risk of cognitive impairment in older age. 

Cheers, 

Colin

Royal Society Open Science Paper Accepted

The Royal Society (UK) dates back to the 1660s, and the Society has published science articles for over 350 years. I was thrilled to receive the news that my Science, Society and Policy article submission has been accepted for publication in the Society’s Open Science journal.  The article addresses the role of idealism and imagination in the medical sciences in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era of today’s aging world.  I will post the link to the paper once it comes out in a few weeks. 

Above is a brief video about the Royal Society, including details of their Open Science journal.

Cheers, 

Colin

Psychedelics and PTSD in Soldiers

Nature news has this interesting story about using psychedelic drugs to enhance the emotional resilience of soldiers to blunt the trauma of conflict. A sample from the report on the study (published in Nature Medicine):

The researchers found that one month after treatment, participants had average reductions of 88% in PTSD symptoms, 87% in depression symptoms and 81% in anxiety symptoms. On average, participants had mild-to-moderate disability before treatment and no disability one month after treatment, as assessed by a survey about their cognition, mobility and other functions.

None of the participants experienced cardiac side effects. The study is a “proof of concept” that proper screening and administration can lower the risk of harmful side effects, Steenkamp says. Williams and his colleagues are now looking to study whether the drug can confer a long-term benefit and are using neuroimaging and biomarkers to assess how the drug works.

The news item notes that the study builds on mice research into expanding the neural plasticity period of the brain. Ethics must keep up with science. I addressed these issues in this book chapter. This topic raises many interesting issues in ethics and psychology.

Cheers, 

Colin