Research shows teenagers may exert more effort to achieve goals than adults do

Teenagers are more willing to do physical work than adults, a new study from UCLA psychologists suggests. In a study published in April and led by UCLA professor of psychology Adriana Galván, researchers determined teenagers may be more willing to exert more physical effort to accomplish a task or goal than young adults. Holly Sullivan-Toole, […]

UCLA study suggests vitamin D may be a safe, seizure-minimizing epilepsy treatment

Vitamin D may help reduce the frequency of seizures in epilepsy patients, according to a recent study from UCLA. Researchers in the lab of Christopher DeGiorgio, a professor of neurology, found that epilepsy patients experienced moderately fewer seizure episodes after taking vitamin D pills. The study serves as the first step toward assessing whether vitamin […]

Lowered brain cell growth may lead to poor sleep patterns in elderly, study shows

Poor sleep among the elderly may be a result of declining brain cell growth and development, according to UCLA researchers. Researchers in the lab of Noor Alam, an adjunct professor of medicine at UCLA and a research physiologist in the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, described how declining neural development may cause difficulty […]

UCLA study on worms lends insight into decision-making by people

Studying neural circuits in worms might give researchers insight into human decision-making, according to a paper published by UCLA researchers. Researchers in the lab of Elissa Hallem, a UCLA professor of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics, published a study in January on how chemical signaling molecules affect how worms behave when they are hungry. They […]

Study finds connection between effects of exercise, levels of particular protein

UCLA researchers uncovered a link between mitochondrial health and exercise, offering a new explanation for the causes of some metabolic disorders. In a study published in December, UCLA researchers in the lab of Andrea Hevener, a professor of medicine, characterized how mitochondria change in response to both short- and long-term exercise. Researchers found that mitochondrial […]

Study finds stimulating region of the brain during sleep may affect memory formation

UCLA researchers identified a region of the brain necessary for learning and memory formation in rats, furthering researchers’ understanding of how memories are formed and stored. In a study published in November, UCLA researchers in the lab of Gina Poe determined that changing the activity of an area of the brain known as the locus […]

Innovation in microscopes lets UCLA lab make new findings about sperm movement

UCLA researchers determined sperm carrying a Y chromosome swim differently than sperm carrying an X chromosome. In a study published October, Aydogan Ozcan, professor of electrical and computer engineering, and his lab constructed a microscope that allows for the 3D tracking of small moving cells like sperm cells. Using the microscope, they found that bull […]