News

Scientific understanding of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is undergoing dramatic expansion, as researchers discover far-reaching effects that extend well beyond traditional attention and hyperactivity symptoms. A comprehensive review of twelve groundbreaking studies reveals unprecedented connections between ADHD and diverse life experiences including musical preferences, intimate relationships, brain development, memory patterns, creative expression, and most startlingly, life expectancy itself.

These emerging findings carry profound implications for Thailand’s healthcare system, where ADHD recognition and treatment remain limited despite affecting an estimated 6.5% of children in some provinces according to recent screening data. The research challenges clinicians to adopt holistic assessment approaches that examine patients’ complete life experiences rather than focusing solely on classroom behavior or workplace productivity measures.

Why 31% of Thais May Face Higher Depression Risk Than Previously Understood

In a groundbreaking discovery that could reshape mental healthcare across Southeast Asia, international researchers have uncovered compelling evidence that nearly one-third of Thailand’s population possesses heightened emotional sensitivity—a trait that significantly increases their vulnerability to depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges.

The Hidden Population at Risk

The landmark study, representing the most comprehensive analysis of its kind, examined data from 33 separate research projects spanning multiple continents. What emerged paints a concerning picture: individuals with highly sensitive personalities demonstrate measurably higher rates of mental health struggles compared to their less sensitive counterparts.

As blistering heatwaves transform Italy’s traditional tourism patterns, a fundamental shift is emerging that offers critical insights for Thailand’s tourism-dependent economy. Italian families are abandoning their beloved coastal holidays for cooler mountain retreats, creating a climate-driven tourism revolution that signals profound changes ahead for tropical destinations worldwide.

This summer’s dramatic migration from Italy’s beaches to its Alps and Dolomites represents more than a temporary preference shift—it reveals how climate change will reshape global tourism patterns, creating both challenges and opportunities for countries like Thailand that have built their economies on predictable seasonal visitor flows.

A new wave of research shows students now use generative AI as a routine tool.
The change has reshaped study habits and classroom expectations worldwide (The Atlantic).

The Atlantic reported that almost a full undergraduate cohort began college after ChatGPT launched in late 2022.
The article warned that campus life and teaching methods have shifted fast (The Atlantic).

A global academic survey confirms student uptake.
Researchers found 71 percent of surveyed higher-education students had used ChatGPT by early 2024 (PLOS ONE study).

Groundbreaking research demonstrates that just a quarter-hour of fast-paced walking daily reduces early death risk by nearly 20%, offering hope for Thailand’s busy population struggling with rising chronic disease rates.

In a nation where hectic schedules and urban gridlock make extensive exercise routines seem impossible, new scientific evidence brings welcome relief: just 15 minutes of brisk daily walking could significantly extend lifespan while dramatically improving health outcomes for millions of Thais.

A new Slate feature warns that overdrinking can cause life-threatening low sodium levels.
The piece links heavy hydration habits to exercise-associated hyponatremia and urgent medical risks (Slate).

This report explains the new findings and the risks for people in Thailand.
It shows what athletes, outdoor workers, families, and public-health planners should do now.

Hyponatremia means low sodium in the blood.
Doctors define normal sodium as 135 to 145 mmol per liter (Slate).

A single 45-minute exercise session raised cancer-fighting proteins in survivors’ blood. (Study: A single bout of resistance or high-intensity interval training increases anti-cancer myokines and suppresses cancer cell growth in vitro in survivors of breast cancer) (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12259798/).

The study tested blood before exercise, immediately after, and 30 minutes later. (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12259798/).

Researchers found short-term rises in decorin, interleukin-6, and SPARC after exercise. (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12259798/).

The conditioned blood slowed growth of aggressive breast cancer cells in the lab. (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12259798/).

A new study links 15 minutes of fast walking a day to lower risk of early death. The finding offers a simple way to improve health for busy people in Thailand. The research shows a nearly 20% lower risk of premature death for people who brisk-walked at least 15 minutes daily (American Journal of Preventive Medicine; coverage at CNN).

The study matters because Thailand faces a rising burden of noncommunicable diseases. Many Thai adults live with diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure. The World Health Organization reports high rates of insufficient physical activity in Thailand and warns about chronic disease risk (WHO country profile).

Revolutionary neuroscience research demonstrates that dopamine, a crucial brain chemical, influences both rapid problem-solving and gradual habit formation in ways that could transform how Thai educators and clinicians approach learning and attention disorders.

The Discovery That Changes Everything

A comprehensive study involving 100 healthy young adults has uncovered dopamine’s previously misunderstood dual function in human learning. The research team employed sophisticated brain imaging techniques, behavioral assessments, and controlled medication trials to map how this essential neurotransmitter shapes two distinct cognitive systems.

A recent personal report links a healthy lifestyle to a near-loss of consciousness and seizure risk from low blood sodium. The account appears in Slate and warns that excess water can harm the brain (Slate).

Hyponatremia means low sodium in the bloodstream. Low sodium can cause brain swelling. Severe cases can cause confusion, seizures, coma, and death (Mayo Clinic).

Doctors note two common hydration errors. One error is not drinking enough fluid. The other error is drinking too much plain water. The Slate report describes a case of the latter (Slate).

Italians are changing their holiday habits this summer.
They are trading long beach stays for cooler mountain breaks.

This shift matters for tourism planners in Thailand.
Thailand relies on beach tourism for jobs and revenue.

The pattern began after intense heatwaves hit Europe this year.
Tourists sought cooler air higher in the Alps and Dolomites (Euronews).

Many coastal businesses reported steep visitor drops in June and July.
Some areas saw visitor numbers fall by as much as 25 percent (Euronews).

A recent lifestyle article highlighted simple home workout items that a physical therapist recommends for older adults. The advice matters as more Thai families care for ageing relatives at home. The list includes resistance bands, light weights, a sturdy chair, balance aids, and step counters. The recommendations align with evidence that strength and balance work reduce falls and improve health. The report summarises the items and links them to recent research and Thai policy concerns (HuffPost).

A comprehensive multi-site investigation involving nearly 300 participants across six North American laboratories has delivered surprising results that challenge widespread beliefs about musical training’s effects on brain development. The findings have significant implications for Thai families, educators, and policymakers who have embraced music education based on claimed neurological advantages.

The Great Musical Brain Training Myth Examined

For years, parents worldwide—including many in Thailand—have enrolled children in music lessons partly believing that musical training enhances the brain’s fundamental sound processing abilities. This new research directly tests and challenges that assumption through rigorous scientific methodology previously unavailable to smaller studies.

Researchers report that musical training does not improve the brain’s earliest sound encoding. The finding challenges a common claim about musical benefits for early auditory processing (Large-scale multi-site study).

The result matters to parents who enroll children in music lessons. Many parents expect early music lessons to boost basic brain sound processing.

The study tested the idea that musicians have stronger early neural responses to speech sounds. The researchers used scalp-recorded frequency-following responses, or FFRs, to measure early auditory encoding (Large-scale multi-site study).

A new meta-analysis finds that people with highly sensitive personalities report more mental health problems.
The study pooled 33 studies and reported moderate, positive links with depression and anxiety (Queen Mary University press release).

Sensitivity means strong perception and deep processing of environmental stimuli.
This trait includes strong reactions to bright lights, subtle changes, and other people’s moods (Medical Xpress).

Researchers say sensitivity differs from neuroticism.
They argue clinicians often overlook sensitivity in diagnosis and treatment plans (ScienceDaily).

Protests in Mexico City reveal more than anger at foreign renters. Researchers say they show long-term inequality across Latin American cities (The Conversation).

Urban growth fuels this story. Latin America urbanised fast in the 20th century. Cities host about 80 percent of the region now (Our World in Data). Cities may host ninety percent by 2050 (Our World in Data).

Rapid urbanisation drew tourism and foreign investment. Cities rebranded areas to attract tourists and tech workers. Governments often chose growth over social inclusion (The Conversation).

A new popular analysis lists five mental tricks that justify poor purchases.
The piece traces these tricks to known cognitive biases and planning errors (VegOutMag).

The analysis matters for Thai families because household debt sits near historical highs.
Thailand recorded household debt close to 89 percent of GDP in late 2024 (IMF; TradingEconomics).

The reporter identifies five common self-justifications.
These are optimistic future use, illusion of bargains, emotion-driven rewards, promises to tighten later, and long-term savings myths (VegOutMag).

Researchers are finding ADHD affects many life areas beyond attention and impulsivity.
A recent review of 12 new studies highlights effects on music habits, sex, brain anatomy, memory, creativity and mortality (PsyPost).

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition.
It causes inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that begin in childhood for many people.

The new findings matter for Thailand.
They show clinicians must look beyond classic symptoms when they assess patients.

One study found adults with ADHD listen to stimulating background music more often.
Researchers suggest music helps people self-regulate attention during study or exercise (PsyPost).

A major new study shows dopamine helps both quick thinking and slow habit learning.
The finding may change how clinicians and educators approach attention and learning.

The research tested two core brain systems for learning.
Those systems are working memory and reinforcement learning.

Working memory holds small amounts of information for short times.
Reinforcement learning builds habits through repeated feedback over time.

Dopamine is a key brain chemical for reward and movement.
Researchers measured how dopamine affects each learning system.

Sexually transmitted infections are rising among older Europeans. This trend could affect Thailand through travel and ageing demographics.

Health authorities report rising diagnoses of gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and syphilis in people aged 45 and older. The trend appears across the UK, France, Denmark, and the EU (ECDC, UKHSA) (ECDC syphilis report 2023; UKHSA STI data tables 2014-2023).

The number of common bacterial STI diagnoses in Britons aged 65 and over rose sharply from 2014 to 2023. UK figures show 576 diagnoses in 2014 and 1,649 in 2023 for gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and syphilis combined (UKHSA data).

A popular parenting column described an 11-year-old girl who wants a side-shave haircut. (Slate reported the column and the family conflict.) (Slate column)

The column asked whether parents should let the child decide. (The advice columnist urged support with safeguards.) (Slate column)

The case matters for parents in Thailand. (Thai families also face school teasing and social pressure.) (UNESCO data shows peer violence in many countries.) (UNESCO report)

The central dilemma is simple to name. (Parents weigh a child’s autonomy against the risk of bullying.) (Experts call this a common parenting conflict.)

Bangkok’s office workers and rural laborers now have a powerful weapon against the nation’s back pain epidemic: a simple three-move Pilates routine that transforms spine health in just weeks.

The Hidden Culprit Behind Thailand’s Back Pain Crisis

In Bangkok’s towering office complexes, millions of Thai workers endure daily three-hour traffic commutes followed by eight-hour desk sessions. Meanwhile, in rural provinces, rice farmers and construction workers strain their backs through repetitive lifting and bending. The result? Thailand faces an unprecedented chronic back pain crisis that mirrors global statistics showing 619 million people affected worldwide.

Breakthrough research reveals how just 45 minutes of exercise triggers powerful anti-cancer molecules in breast cancer survivors’ bloodstream, offering new hope for Thailand’s growing survivor community.

A groundbreaking medical discovery is transforming how healthcare professionals understand exercise’s role in cancer care, with potentially life-saving implications for Thailand’s expanding community of breast cancer survivors. Scientists have documented that a single 45-minute exercise session dramatically increases production of specialized cancer-fighting proteins called myokines, while simultaneously slowing aggressive cancer cell growth in laboratory studies.

A social media trend encourages people to add sea salt to their morning water.
The trend claims better hydration, glowing skin, and faster recovery.

A recent first-person report explored the practice and asked if it helps.
The reporter tested the ritual and interviewed a registered dietitian (Business Insider).

The idea rests on electrolytes.
Sodium acts as a main electrolyte that controls fluid balance in the body.

Athletes and heavy sweaters often lose sodium through sweat.
Loss of sodium can reduce plasma volume and cause cramps or dizziness.