Harvard Health Content API

It’s easy to think that the COVID-19 pandemic has not changed life much for younger children, but it has, and they certainly notice their parents’ or caregivers’ behavior. There are no easy solutions, but there are definitely things parents can do to help their children understand what’s happening, and cope.

An analysis of multiple studies looking at the relationship between high blood pressure and cognitive health –– abilities like thinking, memory, and attention –– found that older people who lower high blood pressure are slightly less likely to develop cognitive impairment or dementia.

The brain’s neuroplasticity — its ability to adapt and change — makes it possible for us to learn new skills and solve complex problems, but it also makes some people more vulnerable to the consequences of substance use disorders. This same ability also makes it possible for a person to make cognitive modifications in order to change an addictive behavior.