Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Folic Acid Might Fortify Memory

Dutch scientists said Monday that large quantities of folic acid sharpened the memories of seniors, the Associated Press reported.

The researchers announced their findings at an Alzheimer’s Association meeting in Washington, D.C. The latest news adds to evidence that has suggested a diet high in folate — which is found in dark-hued fruits and vegetables — may fight a variety of diseases. The B vitamin has been shown to prevent birth defects of the brain and spinal cord, and to ward off heart disease and strokes.

The Dutch researchers divided 818 people, aged 50 to 75, and had them take either 800 micrograms of folic acid or a placebo for three years. That amount of folic acid is twice the recommended daily U.S. dose of the vitamin. On memory tests, those taking the supplements had scores that were comparable to people 5.5 years younger. On cognitive speed tests, they performed as well as those 1.9 years younger.

Scientists have suspected that folic acid may play some part in dementia, although whether it can actually stave off the symptoms of Alzheimer’s is unknown since this latest research involved only healthy seniors.

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Embryonic Stem Cell Research Offers New Possibilities

Stem cells extracted from human embryos and grown in the laboratory can develop into early forms of cells that become sperms or eggs, says a British study.

This finding suggests it may eventually be possible to grow sperm and eggs in a laboratory dish for use in infertility treatment. The technique may also be used to create a supply of eggs for cloning, the Associated Press reported.

The British scientists also said this method may provide more information about why some women and men are unable to create their own eggs or sperm and whether toxic chemical pollutants may be a factor in such problems.

“It may allow us to investigate the very earliest processes of how a human (ovary and testis) develops,” Harry Moore, a professor of reproductive and developmental medicine at Sheffield University, told the AP.

The findings were to be presented Monday in Copenhagen, Denmark, at the annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology.

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Women’s Fear Center Shuts Down During Orgasm: Study

The part of a woman’s brain that processes fear, anxiety and other stress-related emotions effectively shuts down during orgasm to produce a trance-like state, Dutch researchers say.

This deep-relaxation state — identified using brain imaging technology — appears key to female arousal, according to scientists at the University of Groningen. In contrast to male orgasm, direct sensory input from the genitals appears to play a less critical role in women, the Times of London reported Monday.

The male brain was more difficult to study during orgasm, the researchers said, because of its shorter duration in men. But the physical aspects of sex appear to play a more important role than in women.

While companies women may be able to fake orgasm and fool their partners, a true orgasm sent clear, distinguishing signals that were identified in the brain scans. Parts of the brain that identify conscious movement were activated during fake orgasms, but not during real ones, the Times reported. Also, the fear and anxiety center of the brain doesn’t shut down during a fake orgasm, the researchers said.

In seo services an odd footnote, the scientists said both men and women found it easier to have an orgasm when they kept their socks on. In the study, 50 percent of the 24 men and women analyzed were able to achieve orgasm w