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People aged 50 and over who live in rural England do better in memory tests than counterparts who live in English towns and cities, according to a new study led by UCL researchers. The study, published in the Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, looked at the results of memory tests taken by two nationally representative population samples, whose participants were aged 50 and over, in England and China.

Loyalty card data on over-the-counter medicine purchases could help spot ovarian cancer cases earlier, finds a new study involving UCL researchers. The first-of-its kind study, published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance , found that pain and indigestion medication purchases were higher in women who were subsequently diagnosed with ovarian cancer, compared to women who did not have ovarian cancer.

A survey of over 2,000 British adults, conducted in part by a UCL researcher, finds that trust in genetics is high, and went up significantly during the pandemic. The survey findings feature in a report published online by the Genetics Society and have also fed into a peer-reviewed research paper, published in PLOS Biology , which reports that people with more extreme attitudes towards science have the most self-confidence in their understanding of science.

Core symptoms of anxiety and depression were more common among younger generations compared to older age groups during the COVID-19 outbreak - with the gap between young and old widening further during the pandemic, according to a new study by UCL and King's College London. Published today in Psychological Medicine, the study explores data from 26,772 people living in the UK across five different birth cohort studies - following those born in 1946, 1958, 1970, 1989-90 and 2000-02.

Half of the world's languages are endangered and more than a thousand are expected to be lost in coming decades. A team at UCL is using animation software to preserve these languages in an entirely new way. It's estimated that there are over 7,000 documented languages spoken across the world. Yet around half of these languages are endangered.

COVID-19 is associated with higher risks of cardiovascular disease and death in the shortand long-term, according to a study in nearly 160,000 unvaccinated participants co-led by a UCL researcher. The study, published today in Cardiovascular Research , a journal of the European Society of Cardiology, investigated outcomes in a group of adults mostly aged in their 60s.

A newly-published hypothesis, led by a UCL researcher, suggests a momentary leap in a single species on a single day millions of years ago might ultimately have led to the arrival of mammals - and therefore humans. Published in the Journal of Cell Science , Professor John Martin (UCL Division of Medicine) thinks a single genetic molecular event (inheritable epigenetic change) in an egg-laying animal may have resulted in the first formation of blood platelets, approximately 220 million years ago.

A multi-disciplinary team of researchers, involving several UCL scientists, has developed a way to monitor the progression of movement disorders using motion capture technology and AI.

A free new digital tool has been launched by Alzheimer's Research UK, supported by evidence from UCL researchers, to help people keep their brain healthy and reduce their dementia risk. Only 2% of the public are doing everything they can to keep their brains healthy, according to new figures released by the charity.

A universal criteria for diagnosing the blinding eye condition, optic neuritis, has been developed by a UCL-led team of researchers. Optic neuritis is inflammation in the optic nerve and is a common cause of sudden and acute vision loss, affecting around 6 in 100,000 people. It may occur at any age with vision loss typically occurring over several hours or a few days , from onset Sometimes optic neuritis is caused by multiple sclerosis (MS), but it can also be triggered by many other conditions.

Experiencing abuse or neglect as a child can cause multiple mental health problems, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. The research, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry , seeks to examine the causal effects of childhood maltreatment on mental health by accounting for other genetic and environmental risk factors, such as a family history of mental illness and socioeconomic disadvantage.

A large-scale Phase 3 clinical trial to establish ambroxol's potential to slow the progression of Parkinson's disease, will start in early 2023. Ambroxol is a drug which is currently used to treat respiratory conditions. It promotes the clearance of mucus, eases coughing and has anti-inflammatory properties.

Women's reproductive needs should be considered holistically by considering pregnancy prevention and pregnancy preparation at the same time, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. The research, published in The Lancet Public Health , brought together a variety of different types of evidence - including previous studies, new data on women's preferences, and case studies of existing practice across the globe - to develop a model, which could be used to help design services in a way that better meets the needs of women and their partners.

Professor Ruth Mace and PhD candidate Yuan Chen (both UCL Anthropology) share their anthropological study in The Conversation examining the gender division of work and how workloads are changing across different societies. For most people around the world, physical work takes up a great amount of time and energy every day.

The skulls of early dinosaurs are helping scientists understand how some of the earliest herbivores may have evolved different ways of eating plants, reports a new study involving UCL. Most dinosaurs were plant eaters, although they are all descended from a carnivorous ancestor. Much is already known about how different dinosaurs consumed their food, but relatively little is understood about how they evolved their preferred eating styles.

Carers of people living with dementia are treated negatively by others and face discrimination, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. The research, published in BJPsych Open found that on top of known challenges experienced by carers, those who look after someone living with dementia also become stigmatised.

A new mathematical model that predicts how a tossed stone will skim across the surface of water has potential applications in aircraft design, finds a study involving UCL researchers. The mathematical model, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society A , factors together the possible shapes and weights of a stone, the different speeds and directions of a throw and the momentum and pressure of the water as the stone impacts.

People who travel more outside of their local area feel that they are healthier than those who stay closer to home, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. How often people travel and the range of places visited are important, with those who regularly travel more than 15 miles away from home more likely to report being in general good health.

Ice Age drawings and markings found in caves show that prehistoric hunter-gathers used a form of early writing to communicate essential survival information at least 14,000 years earlier than previously thought, finds a study involving a UCL researcher. Archaeologists already knew that the markings - sequences of lines, dots and other shapes - conveyed information but did not know their meaning.

A team led by UCL and UCLH researchers have mapped the parts of the brain that support our ability to solve problems without prior experience - otherwise known as fluid intelligence. Fluid intelligence is arguably the defining feature of human cognition. It predicts educational and professional success, social mobility, health, and longevity.