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​Can drinking beer actually boost your memory?

Researchers believe alcohol may reduce the formation of new memories, but protect existing ones, leaving them less vulnerable to interference.

That’s a whole lot of science to wade through—but don’t fret. We’ll do the legwork for you, each and every morning.

Here’s your daily dose of the latest discoveries from journals, research institutions, and news outlets from around the world.

Boost Your MemoryThink alcohol wipes away your memory? That might not always be the case, researchers from Scotland say.

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After participants watched a simulated crime video, some were given beer, others were told they were given alcohol but actually received non-alcoholic beer, and a third group wasn’t given beer but didn’t expect any, either.

Afterwards, they were all told information that contradicted the video they had seen earlier.

The groups that were given beer—and thought they were given beer—were more able to identify false information than the non-drinking group.

Praise ParenthoodHere’s a silver lining to all those sleepless nights: Parenthood may help you live longer, new research in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health suggests.

And the benefit grows the older you get. For instance, by the time a man is 80, his chance of dying within the year is 7.4 percent if he has a kid, but 8.3 percent if he’s childless.

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Protect Against PollutionExposure to fine particles in air pollution can cause a host of health problems, including sparking inflammation throughout your body. But taking your vitamins can help: Folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 may protect against the harmful effects of air pollution, researchers from Columbia University discovered.

Still, since it was a very small pilot study—with only 10 participants—more research on a larger is needed to develop clinical implications, the BBCsays.

Check Your Blood Pressure

If your blood pressure spikes when you enter your doctor’s office, you might have white-coat hypertension—but your doc may treat you for high blood pressure anyway, leading to overtreatment.

Now, researchers from the Netherlands discovered that in-office, automated BP monitoring over 30 minutes could cut down on that overtreatment.

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The BP readings taken this way were significantly lower, leading doctors to recommend treatment in 25 percent of the cases, compared to 79 percent when the docs only looked at traditional readings.

Beat DepressionCan the key to treating depression really be as simple as changing the way you think?

According to a new study out of Norway, learning how to reduce persistent ruminations may help relieve symptoms of depression.

It’s called metacognitive therapy, and it’s focused on helping adjust your thinking process.

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