Articles tagged with Dementia
Researchers discovered how anesthesia, surgery, and intensive care stress alter gene activity in the brain, leading to cognitive impairment and delirium. A new drug, vorinostat, reversed these changes, restoring memory formation and regulating the internal biological clock.
According to a national survey commissioned by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, most U.S. adults believe brain health habits should begin before age 40. Regular exercise, quality sleep, healthy eating, and strong social connections can help support long-term brain health.
A large prospective cohort study found that daytime light exposure is associated with a lower risk of dementia, with participants exposed to bright light levels above 1,000 lux having a 16% reduced risk. Longer durations of bright light exposure also showed significant reductions in dementia risk.
A study by Stanford Medicine scientists reveals that wayward tau molecules can gum up mitochondria's internal energy-production lines, initiating a vicious cycle of pathological events. This discovery provides a new mechanism driving tauopathies and renders these disorders amenable to new therapeutic interventions.
According to the study, people with none of these risk factors lived nearly 13 years longer without dementia than those with all three. Women and white participants also had longer survival times without developing dementia. The study highlights the importance of preventing these vascular risk factors in midlife.
A new study found that avoiding three risk factors in middle age is linked to nearly 13 more years without dementia. Participants who had no risk factors lived without developing dementia an average of 30 years, compared to 17 years for those with the three risk factors.
The Boston University-Quantitative Population Science and Healthy Cognitive Aging Research Program (BU-SHARP) aims to better understand how and why Alzheimer's disease manifests among certain populations. The center will fund pilot studies, provide technical assistance, and facilitate access to underutilized datasets.
A new report finds that delayed discharges and poor hospital environments keep people with dementia in hospitals unnecessarily, costing £328 million annually. The study suggests community-centric approaches can reduce hospitalisations and improve care.
The LifeAfter90 study found that women 90 and older are at two-fold greater risk for dementia, while Black participants have a 75% greater risk than Asian participants. APOE2's protective effects continue past age 90, reducing risk by 60%, but APOE4 increases the risk among men and Black participants.
A study published in Molecular Psychiatry found that about 65% of patients who developed psychosis after age 40 showed abnormal tau buildup, compared to 15% of healthy older controls. The findings suggest diverse tau-related brain changes may be involved in late-onset psychosis.
A new study from UT Health San Antonio found that any degree of physical activity can slow cognitive decline in Hispanics. The research, which included 402 participants, also showed that controlling blood sugar levels and cardiovascular health are associated with a slower rate of cognitive decline.
A new USC study uses AI to generate detailed maps of brain aging, revealing distinct patterns of neurodegeneration in specific regions. The approach sheds light on how local brain age correlates with changes in cognitive function across the lifespan.
University of Rhode Island researcher William Van Nostrand will study cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) using a $1.5 million grant, aiming to elucidate disease mechanisms and identify early-stage biomarkers for this prevalent disease in the elderly population and Alzheimer's patients.
A study of over 64,000 people found that those born before and during World War II sugar rationing had a lower risk of developing dementia. Those with lower sugar levels in early life also experienced a delay in dementia development, on average by 2.6 years.
A Phase 2 clinical trial shows that a THC/CBD combination significantly reduces agitation in hospice-eligible people with dementia. The study, conducted across multiple US sites, achieved its primary and key secondary endpoints, demonstrating the efficacy of this treatment approach for end-of-life agitation.
A Canadian pilot study examined ways to link dementia patients' medical records with those of their caregivers. The report highlights critical gaps in clinical application due to EMR incompatibility, varying provincial privacy rules, and consent requirements.
A comprehensive review of dementia prevalence and risk factors in India reveals unique health outcomes for South Asian populations. The study sets the stage for the SAMARTH initiative, tracking brain health in South Asian Americans to identify modifiable risks and protective factors.
A new $3.3 million study aims to investigate how people perceive cognitive changes as they age, with a focus on identifying predictive markers for dementia. The 'worried well' - individuals with cognitive complaints but normal test results - may hold clues to early disease detection.
A new study from UT Health San Antonio found that Hispanic populations experience higher rates of frontotemporal dementia, with significant delays in diagnosis due to educational disparities. The research highlights the importance of culturally sensitive diagnostic tools and interventions for equitable dementia care.
A small clinical trial found that time-restricted eating improved spatial planning and problem-solving skills, reducing errors related to memory and learning. After six months, participants who limited their daily eating window showed significant cognitive improvements compared to those maintaining a standard eating window.
A new study by University College London researchers found that people who experienced persistent money struggles in early and middle adulthood performed less well in cognitive tests at age 53. They also found worse brain health, including more brain shrinkage, in later life, particularly for men and those with childhood disadvantage.
A study found that brain immune cells undergo substantial remodeling in midlife, leading to chronic neuroinflammation and potential dementia risk. The research used advanced single-cell analysis techniques to analyze postmortem hippocampal tissue from 40 healthy adults.
Researchers found no correlation between SuperAgers' exceptional memory and low inherited Alzheimer's disease risk. Instead, they identified unique biological and psychosocial characteristics associated with SuperAging.
A study published in PLOS Medicine found that people with dementia, mild cognitive impairment, alcohol addiction, or psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia show increased brain aging patterns. The researchers analyzed MRI data from over 45,900 controls and compared them to 2,698 patients with different brain conditions.
The Biggs Institute is leading a $2.5 million national, multi-site study to improve detection and diagnosis of dementia with Lewy bodies. The study will enroll 125 participants and evaluate multiple possible new tools and methods to accurately identify individuals who have accumulated abnormal alpha-synuclein in the brain.
A cohort study in Taiwan found that spouses of individuals with dementia had a significantly higher risk of developing dementia compared to unexposed spouses. The association varied depending on the family context and socioeconomic status, highlighting the importance of considering household factors in dementia risk assessment.
A new paper reveals a live concert and lecture series improves emotional well-being, intellectual stimulation, and social interaction among dementia patients. Participants reported high satisfaction and improved mood following sessions.
Researchers found that tau buildup in PSP affects brain networks involved in thinking, including the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex. The study suggests that symptoms arise from both local tau-related damage and remote disruption of a broader cognitive network.
Research found reduced volume in areas of the brain connected to memory formation, indicating a potential link between TV watching and cognitive decline. Heavy TV viewing was associated with smaller frontal and occipital lobes and more white matter damage, even after controlling for physical activity.
A new study by Sanford Burnham Prebys found that bolstering the SORLA protein can reduce tau tangle toxicity, a common culprit in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. This suggests potential as a therapeutic strategy for treating these conditions.
Researchers at Texas A&M University have found a way to intervene early in traumatic brain injuries using a natural, gut-derived chemical that prevents post-traumatic epilepsy from taking root. The treatment reduced brain inflammation, improved memory and mood, protected brain cells, made seizures both rarer and harder to trigger.
A study analyzing 30,527 English dementia patients found hospital readmissions associated with multiple factors including sex, health conditions and post-discharge care. The research highlights the importance of monitoring and managing these risk factors to prevent hospital readmissions.
The University of Cincinnati launches the Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research (CANDR) to improve dementia prevention and treatment outcomes. CANDR aligns with UC's mission to innovate and engage locally while addressing one of the region's most pressing public health challenges.
A recent clinical trial found that a combination of THC and CBD significantly reduced agitation in people with late-stage dementia. The study, which enrolled 120 participants, showed a 6.27-point reduction in mean agitation scores after 2 weeks and a sustained reduction at 12 weeks.
A new GSA report emphasizes the critical role of primary care providers in detecting and managing cognitive decline, with a focus on actionable insights for clinicians. The report highlights advances in diagnostic technology and modifiable lifestyle factors linked to brain health outcomes.
A study from Binghamton University found that poor sleep quality is connected to hyperarousal in young people and neurodegenerative patterns among older women. Research analyzed brain scans from over 1,300 participants to see how brain networks connect at rest in those with poor sleep.
The study reveals a growing dementia burden in Latin America and the Caribbean, contrasting with declining trends in high-income countries. Strengthened surveillance and investment in dementia care infrastructure are needed to address this uneven distribution of disease.
A new study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease estimates that dementia-related costs across 30 high-income European countries total €221 billion annually. Family caregivers carry a significant portion of this burden, providing an estimated €128 billion in unpaid care.
A multidecade study found dementia prevalence significantly increased in Mexico, Peru and Puerto Rico from 9.6% to 14.5%, 7.6% to 11.7% and 10.7% to 15.7%, respectively over two decades. Dementia rates remained stable in Cuba and Dominican Republic.
A digital therapy platform, iACT4CARERS, has been shown to reduce anxiety and depression in dementia carers after three and six months. The study, which involved almost 500 volunteers, found that carers using the platform had lower levels of anxiety and depression compared to those receiving usual care alone.
Research suggests alcohol interacts with Alzheimer's-related brain circuits in distinct ways, depending on the type of pathological change. Alcohol reduced communication in amyloid-beta models but increased it in tau models, highlighting an important principle in biology.
Researchers developed a human-safe drug that repairs DNA breaks and reduces inflammation in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. The approach targets multiple disease-relevant cellular pathways, providing a broader therapeutic strategy than previous approaches focused on individual disease hallmarks.
A study found people with early-onset dementia experienced reduced work productivity up to 15 years before diagnosis, with average losses of $86,000 per person. The study also revealed varying productivity losses depending on the type of dementia, highlighting a need for interventions to prevent or delay decline.
Scientists at King's College London have developed a human-safe drug that repairs DNA breaks and reduces inflammation in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. This approach targets multiple features of the disease simultaneously, providing a broader therapeutic strategy than previous approaches focused on individual disease hallmarks.
A new Virginia Tech study finds that patterns of repetitive negative thinking can carry anxiety into deeper distress among dementia caregivers, but also suggests that mindfulness training may help identify and interrupt this progression. Researchers also found that introducing mindfulness early on can aid in managing stress before it d...
Researchers at University of Arizona have found a promising new approach to slow fatal nerve disease ALS by blocking a small part of a key protein. The experimental drug XL20 protects nerve cells and reduces muscle weakness in mice and human nerve cells, representing a potential breakthrough.
A USC interdisciplinary team has identified a promising pathway to turn off brain inflammation before it does its damage, increasing the risk of late-onset Alzheimer's. The Norman and Mary Pattiz Foundation funding will support research on novel drug discovery, early detection, and prevention of Alzheimer's disease.
A cohort study found that mid-urbanicity neighborhoods had the highest dementia mortality rates, while dense urban cores and rural areas showed lower risks. The study suggests targeted improvements in neighborhood conditions could reduce dementia mortality and promote equity.
Researchers found that animal models with Alzheimer’s-related brain changes developed problems with cognitive flexibility months before showing signs of memory impairment. The study suggests that Alzheimer’s disease may affect neural circuits involved in executive function and adaptability before causing noticeable memory problems.
Nearly half of dementia cases can be prevented by addressing modifiable risk factors like physical inactivity and smoking. A new review found that large-scale awareness campaigns often lead to limited behavior change, highlighting the need for more personalized and community-driven approaches.
Research suggests exposure to extreme heat and cold increases risk of emergency department visits among people with dementia. Extreme temperatures accelerate health events that would otherwise occur later, potentially leading to increased healthcare demand.
Researchers discovered that a brain protein called Arc helps spread toxic Tau from sick brain cells to healthy ones in mice. This finding suggests that targeting the spread of Tau could be a powerful tool to stop Alzheimer's disease progression. The study also highlights the potential protective role of Arc in early stages of the disease.
Adults with both epilepsy and hearing loss who use hearing aids have a 23% lower risk of developing dementia. The association was observed consistently across all analyses, suggesting that correcting hearing impairment may have a greater impact on dementia risk in people with reduced cognitive reserve.
A cohort study found that a dietary pattern with lower inflammatory potential was associated with lower dementia risk among individuals with Alzheimer disease pathology. Targeted dietary strategies may help prevent dementia in those already at elevated risk.
Researchers identified karyoptosis as a key link between toxic protein accumulation and neuron death in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and frontotemporal dementia. The study found that targeting proteins acting as 'switches' in this pathway may slow or prevent cell death by karyoptosis.
A new study finds that Alzheimer's disease and related dementias will cost the US $818 billion this year, driven by costs associated with care and loss of productivity. The study's comprehensive model accounts for often-overlooked factors like diminished quality of life and unpaid care provided by family members.
A study of 87,577 adults found that average daytime light exposure above 1,000 lux reduced dementia risk by 16%. Longer exposure to bright light was associated with an even greater reduction in risk. Daytime light exposure was stronger predictor of dementia than established risk factors.
A new poll shows nearly all Michiganders age 50 and over value keeping their brains healthy, but less than half know daily habits can reduce dementia risk. Only half practice key brain-protecting habits.
Researchers at UC San Diego have received major grants to investigate the relationship between menopause and hormone therapy on dementia risk in women. The studies aim to develop a clinical tool for earlier dementia detection and improve prevention and treatment strategies.
A new study investigates whether obesity contributes to faster brain aging and earlier memory decline. Researchers found that high K63 polyubiquitination levels in young obese rats matched those seen in older brains, suggesting a connection between obesity-induced and age-related memory loss.