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18 Headlines Switzerland Researchers fromtheUniversityof Basel and theUniversityPsychiatric ClinicsBasel (UPK) have shown that probiotics can support the effect of antidepressants andhelp to alleviatedepression. "Withadditional knowledgeof the specific effect of certainbacteria, itmaybepossible to optimize the selectionof bacteria and touse thebestmix inorder to support treatment for depression," explains Anna-ChiaraSchaub, oneof the lead authors of the study – although she is keen toemphasize that probiotics are not suitable as a sole treatment for depression. UK Researchers fromImperial College LondonandGreatOrmondStreet Hospital havediscovered that injury can result in some children’s brain volumes being smaller thanexpected and found that this canbe linked to learningandbehavioural problems. Professor DavidSharp, study author, adds, “This couldhelpus identify why some childrenandyoungpeople are at riskof learningor behavioural difficulties andprovide themwith additional support or rehabilitation.  Researchers from the University of Birminghamhave found that nightmares could be an early warning of Parkinson’s disease. The results suggest that older adults who will one day be diagnosed with Parkinson’s are likely to begin experiencing nightmares a few years before developing the characteristic features of Parkinson’s. The study also shows that our dreams can reveal important information about our brain structure and function and may prove to be an important target for neuroscience research. Neurological research from around the globe  USA Researchers fromBoston University have developed a new tool that can detect cognitive impairment by analysing voice recordings – a potential gamechanger for dementia diagnosis. “This approach brings us one step closer to early intervention,” says Ioannis Paschalidis, a co-author on the paper. Early diagnosis of dementia is not only important for patients and their caregivers to be able to create an effective plan for treatment and support, but it’s also crucial for researchers working on therapies to slow and prevent Alzheimer’s disease progression. Researchers fromthe University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston have found that people who received at least one influenza vaccinewere 40% less likely than their non-vaccinated peers to develop Alzheimer's disease over the course of four years. “The strength of this protective effect increasedwith the number of years that a person received an annual flu vaccine – in other words, the rate of developing Alzheimer's was lowest among thosewho consistently received the flu vaccine every year," says lead researcher, AvramBukhbinde.