Daily digest May 12 2015

Listening to new music helps dementia patients’ memory

Music can have a profound effect on people with dementia, helping them to respond, communicate and even improve their memory, according to research.

The Times has reported on a study’s findings that music totally unrelated to patients’ lives had the power to ‘reconnect’ them to their surroundings and with other people, with lasting effects.

The findings are based on an experiment conducted by 20:20 Research and Spirit Creation, a consultancy that aims to design better public services.

(£) Read more on the Times website

Sharp increase in strokes among the middle-aged

The number of middle-aged people having strokes has risen sharply in recent years due to increasingly sedentary and unhealthy lifestyles, a charity has said.

The Stroke Association warns that the number of strokes occurring in men aged between 40 and 54 in England has gone up by nearly half in less than 15 years, while it has risen by almost a third in women.

The Telegraph reports that the charity’s analysis of hospital data shows that stroke, which occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off, does not just happen to older people.

Read more on the Telegraph website

Shortsightedness on the rise

The number of people suffering from shortsightedness is increasing across Europe, with a study finding the problem to be nearly twice as common in those aged between 25 and 29 as from 55 to 59.

Research carried out by King’s College London found that myopia was also twice as prevalent in those with a higher education as in people who left school before the age of 16.

Experts said this may reflect a number of factors, such as people who have spent more time studying, being in outdoor light less, an increase in the use of computers, a longer educational day with more after-school tuition, and being involved in less outdoor play.

Read more on the Guardian website