Latest news with #cognitiveFunction
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
ChatGPT could be silently rewiring your brain as experts urge caution for long-term use
Using ChatGPT on a long-term basis could have negative effects on brain function. That's according to a study led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which found that using a large language model (LLM) to write multiple essays over a four-month period could hamper cognitive abilities. In the study, 54 participants were divided into three groups. Woman Says Chatgpt Saved Her Life By Helping Detect Cancer, Which Doctors Missed One group used ChatGPT, an LLM product made by OpenAI, to write an essay. The second group used only a search engine, and the third group used only their own brains, according to a press release from MIT. Read On The Fox News App The participants underwent three sessions where they completed the same assignment. Then, in the fourth session, the LLM group was asked to write an essay without any tools, and the "brain-only" group was asked to use an LLM for assistance. During each session, the researchers recorded the participants' brain activity using an EEG monitor to assess their "cognitive engagement and cognitive load" and to determine their neural activity, the release stated. Brain Implant Breakthrough Allows Paralyzed Patients To 'Speak' With Their Thoughts The participants also provided their own individual feedback during interviews. Human teachers and an artificial intelligence agent scored the assessments. "EEG analysis presented robust evidence that LLM, search engine and brain-only groups had significantly different neural connectivity patterns, reflecting divergent cognitive strategies," the researchers wrote. Participants showed less brain connectivity when they used the tools to help write their essays, the study found. "The brain‑only group exhibited the strongest, widest‑ranging networks; the search engine group showed intermediate engagement; and LLM assistance elicited the weakest overall coupling," the researchers wrote. In the fourth session, the participants who switched from LLM to brain-only showed "weaker neural connectivity" and less cognitive engagement. The LLM group also had less ability to recall information from the essays they had just written. Those who switched from brain-only to LLM had "higher memory recall" and greater cognitive engagement. Based on these findings, the researchers said there could be a "possible decrease in learning skills" among LLM users. "The use of LLM had a measurable impact on our participants, and while the benefits were initially apparent, as we demonstrated over the course of four sessions … the LLM group's participants performed worse than their counterparts in the brain-only group at all levels: neural, linguistic [and] scoring," they wrote. The findings have been uploaded to Arxiv, a preprint service, but have not yet been peer-reviewed, as the researchers noted that "all conclusions are to be treated with caution and as preliminary." There were also a limited number of participants who were all from the same geographical area. Ai Tool Scans Faces To Predict Biological Age And Cancer Survival "For future work, it will be important to include a larger number of participants coming from diverse backgrounds, like professionals in different areas and age groups, as well as ensure that the study is more gender-balanced," the researchers noted. Only ChatGPT was used in the study; future research could incorporate other LLMs. The EEG technology used to analyze brain connectivity could also have some limitations, as the researchers shared plans to use fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) in future studies. "Our findings are context-dependent and are focused on writing an essay in an educational setting and may not generalize across tasks," they also stated. "Future studies should also consider exploring longitudinal impacts of tool usage on memory retention, creativity and writing fluency." Dr. Harvey Castro, an ER physician and "AI futurist" based in Texas, said he sees this study as a "neuro-wake-up call," especially for younger brains. "ChatGPT can make you 60% faster, but that speed comes at the price of neuro-engagement," Castro, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. "Brain connectivity collapses from 79 neural links to just 42, and 83% of users can't quote their own essays minutes later. Neuroplasticity research tells us developing brains will feel this hit hardest." In emergency medicine, Castro said, doctors call this "failure to encode." "The brain isn't processing and storing information," he said. "When neural connectivity drops by nearly half, we're looking at what researchers call 'cognitive debt.'" For medical students, an inability to encode and recall information under pressure could have serious implications for clinical decision-making, Castro noted. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter "The same neural networks that consolidate essay information are involved in diagnostic reasoning," he said. Using LLMs for extended periods can be convenient, but could cause cognitive muscles to "atrophy" over time, the expert cautioned. There was one encouraging finding, however. "When people with strong foundational skills later used ChatGPT, they showed enhanced connectivity," Castro said. "The key isn't avoiding AI — it's building cognitive strength first." In education, he emphasized the need for periods of "AI-free cognitive development." For more Health articles, visit "Sometimes you act on preliminary data when the stakes are high enough, and an entire generation's brain development is high stakes." Fox News Digital reached out to OpenAI for article source: ChatGPT could be silently rewiring your brain as experts urge caution for long-term use
Fox News
3 days ago
- Science
- Fox News
ChatGPT could be silently rewiring your brain as experts urge caution for long-term use
Using ChatGPT on a long-term basis could have negative effects on brain function. That's according to a study led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which found that using a large language model (LLM) to write multiple essays over a four-month period could hamper cognitive abilities. In the study, 54 participants were divided into three groups. One group used ChatGPT, an LLM product made by OpenAI, to write an essay. The second group used only a search engine, and the third group used only their own brains, according to a press release from MIT. The participants underwent three sessions where they completed the same assignment. Then, in the fourth session, the LLM group was asked to write an essay without any tools, and the "brain-only" group was asked to use an LLM for assistance. During each session, the researchers recorded the participants' brain activity using an EEG monitor to assess their "cognitive engagement and cognitive load" and to determine their neural activity, the release stated. The participants also provided their own individual feedback during interviews. Human teachers and an artificial intelligence agent scored the assessments. "EEG analysis presented robust evidence that LLM, search engine and brain-only groups had significantly different neural connectivity patterns, reflecting divergent cognitive strategies," the researchers wrote. Participants showed less brain connectivity when they used the tools to help write their essays, the study found. "The brain‑only group exhibited the strongest, widest‑ranging networks; the search engine group showed intermediate engagement; and LLM assistance elicited the weakest overall coupling," the researchers wrote. "The key isn't avoiding AI — it's building cognitive strength first." In the fourth session, the participants who switched from LLM to brain-only showed "weaker neural connectivity" and less cognitive engagement. The LLM group also had less ability to recall information from the essays they had just written. Those who switched from brain-only to LLM had "higher memory recall" and greater cognitive engagement. Based on these findings, the researchers said there could be a "possible decrease in learning skills" among LLM users. "The use of LLM had a measurable impact on our participants, and while the benefits were initially apparent, as we demonstrated over the course of four sessions … the LLM group's participants performed worse than their counterparts in the brain-only group at all levels: neural, linguistic [and] scoring," they wrote. The findings have been uploaded to Arxiv, a preprint service, but have not yet been peer-reviewed, as the researchers noted that "all conclusions are to be treated with caution and as preliminary." There were also a limited number of participants who were all from the same geographical area. "For future work, it will be important to include a larger number of participants coming from diverse backgrounds, like professionals in different areas and age groups, as well as ensure that the study is more gender-balanced," the researchers noted. Only ChatGPT was used in the study; future research could incorporate other LLMs. The EEG technology used to analyze brain connectivity could also have some limitations, as the researchers shared plans to use fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) in future studies. "Our findings are context-dependent and are focused on writing an essay in an educational setting and may not generalize across tasks," they also stated. "Future studies should also consider exploring longitudinal impacts of tool usage on memory retention, creativity and writing fluency." Dr. Harvey Castro, an ER physician and "AI futurist" based in Texas, said he sees this study as a "neuro-wake-up call," especially for younger brains. "ChatGPT can make you 60% faster, but that speed comes at the price of neuro-engagement," Castro, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. "Brain connectivity collapses from 79 neural links to just 42, and 83% of users can't quote their own essays minutes later. Neuroplasticity research tells us developing brains will feel this hit hardest." In emergency medicine, Castro said, doctors call this "failure to encode." "The brain isn't processing and storing information," he said. "When neural connectivity drops by nearly half, we're looking at what researchers call 'cognitive debt.'" For medical students, an inability to encode and recall information under pressure could have serious implications for clinical decision-making, Castro noted. "The same neural networks that consolidate essay information are involved in diagnostic reasoning," he said. Using LLMs for extended periods can be convenient, but could cause cognitive muscles to "atrophy" over time, the expert cautioned. There was one encouraging finding, however. "When people with strong foundational skills later used ChatGPT, they showed enhanced connectivity," Castro said. "The key isn't avoiding AI — it's building cognitive strength first." In education, he emphasized the need for periods of "AI-free cognitive development." For more Health articles, visit "Sometimes you act on preliminary data when the stakes are high enough, and an entire generation's brain development is high stakes." Fox News Digital reached out to OpenAI for comment.
The Independent
04-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Does methylene blue really have health benefits? Pharmacologist gives verdict
The internet is abuzz with tributes to a liquid chemical called methylene blue that is being sold as a health supplement. Over the past five or 10 years, methylene blue has come to be touted online as a so-called nootropic agent – a substance that enhances cognitive function. Vendors claim that it amps up brain energy, improves memory, boosts focus and dispels brain fog, among other supposed benefits. Health influencers, such as podcaster Joe Rogan, have sung its praises. In February 2025, shortly before he was confirmed as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared in a video squirting a blue liquid widely presumed to be methylene blue into a glass, though he never verbally endorsed the substance. As a researcher studying inflammation and cancer, I investigate how dyes affect human health. Claims about methylene blue are alluring, and it's easy to buy into its promise. But so far, evidence supporting its health benefits is scant, and there are some serious risks to using the substance outside of medical practice. What is methylene blue? Methylene blue is a synthetic dye that exists as a dark green powder and takes on a deep blue colour when dissolved in water. My work and that of others suggest that many synthetic dyes widely used in foods and medicines can trigger potentially harmful immune system reactions in the body. But unlike commonly used food dyes – one of which was recently banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration – methylene blue is not derived from petroleum, also known as crude oil. Instead, it comes from a different family of dyes, which isn't thought to have these health concerns. Methylene blue was first synthesised in 1876 as a dye for textiles and was valued for its intense colour and ability to bind well to fabrics. Soon after, German physician Paul Ehrlich discovered its ability to stain biological tissues and to kill the parasite that causes malaria, making it one of the first synthetic drugs used in medicine. The chemical didn't gain widespread use as a malaria treatment because it was no more effective than quinine, the standard therapy at the time. But in the 1930s, the dye found a new use in testing the safety of raw or unpasteurized milk. If its blue colour faded quickly, the milk was contaminated with bacteria, but if it remained blue, the milk was considered relatively clean. This safety test is now largely obsolete. But it works thanks to methylene blue's chemical superpower, which is that its molecules can swap electrons with other molecules, like a tiny battery charger. How do doctors use it today? That same chemical superpower enables some of methylene blue's medical uses. Most significantly, doctors use it to treat a rare blood disorder called methemoglobinemia, in which haemoglobin, an iron-rich protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen, takes on a different form that can't do the job. Methylene blue restores haemoglobin's function by transferring an electron. Doctors also sometimes use methylene blue to treat the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning, septic shock or toxicities from drugs such as chemotherapy. It is also used as a surgical dye to highlight specific tissues, such as lymph nodes, or to identify where tissue is leaky and therefore may be damaged. How does methylene blue affect the brain? Methylene blue can enter the brain by crossing the protective tissue barrier that surrounds it. Researchers have also found that the chemical can protect and support mitochondria, cell structures that are often described as the powerhouses of the cell. Methylene blue may help mitochondria generate energy for cells to use. For these reasons, researchers are studying methylene blue's effect on the brain. So far, most of what's known about the substance's effects on the brain comes from studies in rats and in cells grown in a lab dish, not in people. For example, researchers have found that methylene blue may improve learning, boost memory and protect brain cells in rats with a condition that mimics Alzheimer's disease. Studies in rodents have also found that methylene blue can protect the brain from damage from brain injury. Other studies showed that methylene blue is useful in treating ischemic stroke in rats. However, no research to date has examined whether it protects people's brains from traumatic brain injury or stroke. A handful of clinical trials have investigated the effects of methylene blue in treating aspects of Alzheimer's disease in people, but a 2023 review of these trials notes that their results have been mixed and not conclusive. A small study of 26 people found that a single low dose of the chemical boosted memory by about 7 per cent and increased brain activity during thinking tasks. Another study by the same researchers found that methylene blue changed how different parts of the brain connected, though it didn't improve thinking skills. Although some studies in people have shown hints that methylene blue may be beneficial for some brain-related issues, such as pain management and neuropsychiatric disorders, such studies to date have been small. This suggests that while there may be patient circumstances where methylene blue is beneficial, researchers have not yet pinned down what those are. Is methylene blue safe? Methylene blue is generally safe when used under medical supervision. However, the chemical has some serious risks. For one thing, it can interact with widely used medications. Methylene blue inhibits a molecule called monoamine oxidase, whose job is to break down an important brain chemical, serotonin. Many commonly used medications for treating anxiety and depression target serotonin. Taking the supplement along with these medicines can cause a condition called serotonin syndrome, which can lead to agitation, confusion, high fever, rapid heart rate, muscle stiffness and, in severe cases, seizures or even death. In people with a rare genetic deficiency of an enzyme called G6PD, methylene blue can cause a dangerous condition in which red blood cells break down too quickly. At high doses, the chemical can also raise blood pressure or cause heart problems. Also, it's considered unsafe for pregnant or breastfeeding women because it may harm the fetus or baby. Overall, while scientists have found hints of some fascinating properties of methylene blue, much larger, longer trials are needed to know if it truly works, what the right dose is and how safe it is over time.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
This Common Supplement Shows Early Potential in Alzheimer's Treatment
Creatine is one of the most well-studied supplements out there. While it's best known for helping beginners boost strength and build muscle, that's just scratching the surface of what it can do. Research shows creatine also increases energy stores in the brain and may enhance cognitive function. Even more exciting? A recent study suggests it might reduce symptoms associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The study, published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, followed 20 patients with Alzheimer's for eight weeks. Each participant was given 20 grams of creatine (Cr) per day for the duration of the two months to see if the regimen was practical, safe, and whether it would make any noticeable difference in brain function. To determine the effects of high-dose creatine intake, researchers used a combination of standardized cognitive assessments and blood tests. Blood tests revealed that creatine levels in the patient's blood serum increased significantly by week four and remained raised through week eight. Overall, brain creatine increased by 11%. Remarkably, participants showed measurable improvements in several areas of cognition—including global cognition, working memory, and oral reading—suggesting that creatine has potential brain-boosting benefits beyond the isn't the first time creatine has been used to improve brain function. A different study stated that "creatine has also been shown to have antioxidant properties, reduce mental fatigue, protect the brain from neurotoxicity, and improve facets/components of neurological disorders like depression and bipolar disorder." Research also shows that supplementing creatine can increase brain creatine stores, which is shown to enhance brain function and improve cognition. This may help explain some of the positive effects on cognition and memory shown when creatine was used by Alzheimer's patients. Although the study published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions was small, the results suggest that creatine could play an important role in supporting brain health, especially in older populations. "Determining whether AD patients benefit from CrM supplementation will require further investigation," the study authors state. "The study design limitations prevent the ability to make conclusions of efficacy; thus, we urge caution when interpreting these results. Nonetheless, our study provides the first evidence in humans that CrM supplementation is feasible and may increase brain Cr and offer cognitive benefits to patients with AD." This Common Supplement Shows Early Potential in Alzheimer's Treatment first appeared on Men's Journal on May 23, 2025
ABC News
24-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Creswell Eastman remembered for identifying health risks of iodine deficiency
He was dubbed "the man who saved a million brains" after discovering the critical link between iodine deficiency and cognitive function. World-renowned endocrinologist, Creswell 'Cres' Eastman died peacefully at home last Saturday. He was 85. Professor Eastman's life work was the prevention of iodine deficiency, especially in pregnant women, which leads to intellectual and physical disabilities in children. It followed his discovery that the trace element in minuscule but daily doses was crucial to healthy brain function. "You could put the whole amount of iodine you need for a lifetime into a teaspoon," Professor Eastman told Richard Fidler on Conversations in 2015, "so long as you don't take it all at once". "It's absolutely essential for a normal life." Friend and colleague Graeme Stuart said the significance of Professor Eastman's work improving the lives of millions of people could not be overstated. "How many people in medicine and medical science could claim to have such an extraordinary impact? He would be there with a very small number, both in Australia and globally," Professor Stuart said. "He was one of the most compassionate physicians that I've ever known, and an outstanding clinician in his ability to look after the whole patient." Professor Stuart and other colleagues remembered the oft-quoted mantra he lived by: "The most basic human right you've got is the chance to fulfil your genetic potential". Professor Eastman spent his career ensuring that potential was realised in people across Australia and Asia. During a visit to Sarawak in Malaysia in the early 1980s to study people with goitres, a swelling of the thyroid gland, Professor Eastman discovered a widespread deficiency of iodine in the diet. While helping to fix the plumbing at one village, he facilitated the addition of iodine to the water supply. Twelve months later, goitres had all but disappeared in the village's young children. This led the Malaysian government to legalise the importation of only iodised salt to Sarawak. In China in the 1980s, Professor Eastman found one quarter of the population of more than a billion people had goitres, and of those, he estimated tens of millions had some form of brain damage. "I went through some form of epiphany here, I thought, 'what's the point of just doing research here? We've got to translate that research into public health'," he said on Conversations. "We've got to change the world. "We've got to change what's happening in China. So I then started on a totally different mission." Professor Eastman lobbied the Chinese government, resulting in a national law that salt for human consumption in China must be iodised. The incidence of iodine deficiency dramatically reduced. Getting salt iodised in Tibet proved a bigger challenge than in China; communities there traded crude salt, making it difficult to introduce an iodised product. Instead, Professor Eastman worked on giving pregnant women an iodised oil capsule that reached 95 per cent of the population, resulting in no new cases of children with health defects. This work in China and Tibet led him to be dubbed "the man who saved a million brains". The professor's research also benefited Australians. Professor Eastman identified that dietary iodine in Australians was high in the 1950s and 60s through seafood and milk consumption. He said milk was an unexpected source of iodine, "an accidental health triumph". The dairy industry used iodine as a sanitiser to clean equipment, and people received trace elements of iodine in milk. When the industry switched to chlorine in the 1990s, health experts noticed an increase in goitres. "We were shocked to find the iodine levels in people we had been monitoring for 20 years had dropped dramatically," Professor Eastman said. The National Iodine Nutrition Survey, Professor Eastman helped conduct from 2003 to 2005, confirmed iodine deficiency had re-emerged in Australia. This study led to the mandatory inclusion of iodised salt in most bread made from 2009. However, with the rising popularity of gourmet salts, Professor Eastman remained concerned that pregnant women in Australia were not eating enough iodised salt. His daughter Kate Eastman said her father was renowned for pulling the iodised salt to the front of supermarket shelves and hiding the non-iodised product. "I was pregnant with my daughter, who is now 20. At that time, pink salt was very fashionable. I did not hear the end of it," Ms Eastman said. "He accused me and my sister of our love of pink rock salt and fancy gourmet salts as being 'an aberration' … and his grandchildren were not suffering from any iodine deficiency. "My father's message, if you had his words ringing in your ears, it's use iodised salt. So if you're in the supermarket … always get the iodised salt." Creswell Eastman was born in Narrandera on March 30, 1940, to Albert and Margaret Eastman. Just after World War II, the family moved to Evans Head, where they lived in a tent, before moving to Lismore. Such was the housing shortage, the family lived in a fully furnished tent until a house became available. Always a bright student, a young Creswell won two scholarships from the New South Wales government and the board of education to further his studies. Legacy also helped pay for his education after his grandfather died when he was 11. He married Annette Delaney, also from Lismore, and the couple had four children; Kate, Damien, Pip, and Nick. Kate Eastman said her dad was dedicated to his wife and Lismore was close to their hearts. "He spent his childhood in Lismore, going to school and to church in Lismore," Ms Eastman said. After leaving the area, the family would regularly return to the region to holiday with Professor Eastman's sister, Margaret Rix and her husband Len, at their Ballina home. Professor Eastman worked at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, was a clinical professor of medicine at Sydney University Medical School, principal of the Sydney Thyroid Clinic, and consultant emeritus to the Westmead Hospital. He received multiple awards, here and overseas and was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2018. As family and friends farewell Professor Creswell Eastman, his daughter said the family was proud of their father's legacy, which he continued working on to the end. "When he passed away, on his bedside table was an article on neo-natal health and iodine, and his little green marker was there — working till the end," she said. "His life was devoted to the service of the health of others."
