Amy Poon Neurofeedback Therapist

21/09/2025

PSLE is round the corner. Here are some tips to stay calm and beat stress during exams:
1. Make a study plan.
2. Remember to take short breaks. After 40 mins of studying, take 10 mins break.
3. Eat brain food! Snack on fruits, nuts and berries. Drink lots of water.
4. Do continue to exercise. Skipping, jumping jacks or cycling will boost your mood.
5. Stay positive! Your brain is always listening.
6. Take long deep breaths and you will feel calmer afterwards.
7. Sleep will help improve your memory.
8. If you still feel stressed, talk to your parents, friends or teachers.
Lastly, though exams are important, they are not your whole life. Just put in your best effort.
Wishing you the very best and good luck!

10/07/2025

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-perfectionism-hurts-parents-and-their-kids/

"Psychologists define perfectionism as a personality trait that is generally stable over time—although circumstances can inflame or calm it. They have also found that perfectionism is embedded in two core personality traits: high conscientiousness and high neuroticism. These traits, in turn, are linked to the two facets of perfectionism: “strivings” for high standards and “concerns” over perceived failures. Highly conscientious “strivers” tend to seek excellence in everything. They set up unachievable goals and try to meet them. On the other hand, people high in the trait of neuroticism, who focus more on their concerns—let’s call them simply “worriers”—are likely to have anxiety or self-esteem issues. They ruminate more on the gap between their ideals and the nitty-gritty of daily parenting, berating themselves for making mistakes."

New research highlights the risks and occasional rewards of parental perfectionism

05/07/2025

https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/changes-in-brain-structure-during-teenage-years-provide-clues-to-onset-of-mental-health-problems

Adolescence is often a challenging time of change and is commonly when the first signs of mental health conditions like schizophrenia and depression appear, says Professor Ed Bullmore, Head of Psychiatry at Cambridge. This research offers insight into why that might be—during the teenage years, the brain regions most closely linked to schizophrenia risk genes are undergoing rapid development.

These regions act as central hubs that help coordinate communication between different parts of the brain. So, if issues arise in these areas, it can disrupt overall brain function. Professor Bullmore compares this to major airports in an airline network: if a key airport like Heathrow experiences problems, it can severely disrupt air traffic globally—just as interference in brain hubs can disrupt communication across the brain.

Scientists have mapped the structural changes that occur in teenagers’ brains as they develop, showing how these changes may help explain why the first signs

29/06/2025

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/15/health/autism-children-cdc.html

While the agency stressed that increased screening was most likely behind much of the increase, the health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., called it an “epidemic.”

29/06/2025

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/15/health/autism-children-cdc.html

26/06/2025

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/25/opinion/autism-rfk-parent-child.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Rk8.SCHI.ju0arAQRMIRV&smid=url-share

I don’t care if my child with autism ever pays taxes, but I do care that she may never have the opportunity to work or live independently.

27/04/2025

The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the frontal-midline theta (fmθ) activity uptraining protocol on attention and working memo…

27/04/2025

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10289680/

The present study aimed to study the impact of neurofeedback on the academic performance of nursing students with academic failure. This study was an experimental one with a pretest–posttest design with a control group. The statistical population of ...

11/02/2025

https://news.asu.edu/20241219-health-and-medicine-surprising-role-gut-infection-alzheimers-disease

"Researchers from Arizona State University and Banner Alzheimer’s Institute have found a surprising link between a common chronic gut infection and Alzheimer’s disease in some individuals.

They also suggested that in some individuals, HCMV causes a chronic gut infection, reaching the brain via the bloodstream or vagus nerve. There, microglia detect the virus, activating the CD83 gene and potentially contributing to Alzheimer’s-related changes."

The findings of the recent study raise an important question: Could antiviral medications help treat Alzheimer’s patients who have a chronic HCMV infection?"

Arizona State University and Banner Alzheimer’s Institute researchers, along with their collaborators, have discovered a surprising link between a chronic gut infection caused by a common virus and the development of Alzheimer’s disease in a subset of people.

11/02/2025

https://nypost.com/2025/01/31/health/new-study-takes-on-another-myth-about-what-causes-autism/

"New research from NYU Langone Health found “no convincing evidence” that autism can be caused by a mother contracting an infection, suffering depression or having other health troubles while pregnant.

Instead, the researchers said autism diagnoses can often be chalked up to genetics, exposure to pollution and access to healthcare.

“We saw no association between the individual [diagnostic codes on medical records] indicating maternal infection and [a child’s] autism diagnosis,” senior study author Magdalena Janecka told The Post, “however, we cannot say conclusively that maternal infection does not cause autism.”

Autism is a complex group of developmental conditions characterized by repetitive behaviors and difficulties with social interactions.

01/11/2024

https://www.labroots.com/trending/neuroscience/27927/sweet-tooth-linked-31-risk-depression

Ultimately, the researchers found that the ‘sweet tooth’ group had a 31% higher risk of depression. They also had a higher risk of diabetes and vascular heart conditions such as stroke compared to the other groups, as evidenced by higher levels of glucose in their blood and poor blood lipid profiles. The sweet tooth group also had higher levels of C reactive protein, which is a marker of inflammation.""

People with a 'sweet tooth' have a higher risk of developing depression, diabetes, and vascular issues than those who prefer healthier foods. | Neuroscience