Mind & Mood Archive

The new year is a good time to focus on cognitive fitness. Exercise, healthy eating, mental challenges, good sleep, controlling stress, and social engagement support neuroplasticity and help keep thinking and memory sharp.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) uses magnetic pulses to repeatedly activate areas of the brain involved in mood regulation. Updated protocols hold the promise of rapid relief from major depression.

Men who could benefit from therapy often resist it because it carries a negative stigma for them and they feel uncomfortable about seeking help. For these individuals, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may be an option. Many men find CBT appealing because it is short-term, structured, and focused on current issues. CBT is regularly used to treat depression and anxiety disorders, but it can help with managing other common ailments, such as insomnia, chronic pain, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and migraines.

Up to half of heart attack survivors experience some form of psychological distress after the event, including depression, anxiety, or stress, according to a 2025 statement from the American Heart Association.

Simple strategies can help someone fight age-related memory slips. Tips include repeating new information by saying it out loud or writing it down a few times; associating an image with someone's name, such as thinking of a bouquet of roses after meeting a person named Rosie; grouping information in chunks, similar to grouping digits in a phone number; and writing information out by hand (as opposed to typing), which forces the brain to process and absorb data.

Researchers have found that high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking had the greatest association with the likelihood of a dementia diagnosis as people age. Managing these issues could offer protection.

A 2025 study of 250 people found that the brain can tell the immune system to prepare for impending infection even before a microbe enters the body. Scientists asked volunteers to don virtual reality headsets that showed various virtual people approaching them. Some of those approaching appeared to be healthy and others appeared to be sick. Brain scans and blood tests showed that participants' brains activated their immune systems when a virtual sick person simply came near them.

A 2025 study suggests that owning a dog or cat may help slow cognitive decline as people age.