Articles tagged with Memory Disorders
Cognitive impairment can lead to population declines, particularly for species relying on learning and memory. Infections can impact cognitive abilities differently across animals, depending on their survival strategy and pathogen manifestation.
Salk researchers identify neurotensin as a key molecule in the brain's valence assignment process, which associates good or bad feelings with memories. The discovery could lead to a better understanding of why some people retain more negative emotions than positive ones, and may pave the way for new therapeutic targets.
A world-first study has confirmed the link between Alzheimer's Disease and multiple gut disorders, revealing shared genetic architecture. The study suggests that abnormal cholesterol levels play a key role in both conditions, and may lead to new potential treatments for Alzheimer's and gut disorders.
A new imaging technique allows scientists to study mRNA molecules in the brains of living mice, revealing insights into how memories are formed and stored. The research could provide new information about diseases like Alzheimer's and help understand the process of memory generation and retrieval.
A Flinders University study reveals how a protein called tau transforms into a disease state, providing hope for preventing this process and reducing toxic effects on brain cells. The researchers identified 'master sites' in tau that govern subsequent modifications, leading to a similar state seen in Alzheimer's patients.
A comprehensive survey of scientific literature suggests that nearly all known biological pathways are linked to Alzheimer's disease. The study found that immune, metabolic and depression-related pathways were consistently cited as major mechanisms contributing to the disease.
Researchers are developing a health scorecard to predict dementia risk using brain scans, genetics, and biomarkers. The study will analyze diverse populations between ages 65-90, providing insights into contributing factors like diabetes or hypertension that can be addressed to modify the risk.
A recent study published in eLife has revealed that high levels of soluble tau protein impair signaling between neurons, leading to cognitive decline. The research suggests that targeting the binding site of dynamin, a protein that binds to microtubules, may rescue synaptic transmission and prevent memory impairment.
Researchers discovered a link between the astrocytic urea cycle and Alzheimer's disease memory loss. The study found that the urea cycle helps clean up toxic amyloid-beta aggregates, but its activation also causes the production of harmful byproducts, leading to neuronal death.
A new approach uses a single magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scan to diagnose Alzheimer's disease with high accuracy, identifying changes in regions not previously associated with the condition. This method has the potential to revolutionize diagnosis and treatment, allowing for early intervention and improved patient outcomes.
A study published in JMIR Formative Research reveals that automated analysis of a common clinical drawing task can be used to estimate cognition in older adults from Japan and the USA. Researchers found that people with lower cognitive scores had more variability in their drawing speed, angle, and time spent paused during the task.
Research suggests that during deep sleep, neurons representing related items fire in close temporal order, triggering synaptic plasticity and forming strong connections. This process strengthens or creates new relational memories, which can be essential for learning connections between objects or people.
A study conducted by Kaunas University of Technology researchers analyzed how people with Alzheimer's disease process visual information from faces. The study found that brain signals in patients are significantly noisier, making it harder for them to focus and be attentive.
Researchers at UCLA have discovered a key molecular mechanism behind memory linking and identified an FDA-approved drug that can restore this brain function in middle-aged mice. The study suggests a potential early intervention for dementia and strengthening human memory in middle age.
Researchers at West Virginia University are studying the mechanisms behind Alzheimer's disease and PTSD, using animal models to investigate how stressful events affect brain cells. They aim to understand the role of estrogen and high-cholesterol diet in developing the disease.
A new study has found that a one-off treatment with senolytics can prevent premature ageing and frailty caused by cancer radiotherapies. The treatment was tested in mice and showed improved health conditions, providing new hope for cancer survivors.
Neuroscientists at Johns Hopkins University have pinpointed a mechanism in the brain responsible for age-related memory loss. The hippocampus' CA3 region plays a critical role in pattern separation and completion, which become imbalanced with aging, leading to impaired memory.
A new study suggests that oxidative stress overactivates a glucose metabolism enzyme in the developing hippocampus, impairing learning and memory. However, inhibiting this enzyme can reverse cognitive deficits, paving the way for treatment of neonatal brain injuries.
A randomized controlled trial found that consuming cranberries for 12 weeks improved participants' memory of everyday events and neural functioning. The study also showed a significant decrease in LDL or 'bad' cholesterol levels, contributing to improved vascular health and brain perfusion.
Researchers discovered a strong link between subjective cognitive impairments and elevated beta-amyloid protein levels, indicating early-stage Alzheimer's disease. The study suggests that combining these two factors can help identify individuals at risk for developing dementia.
A study found a connection between learning and memory deficits in children with Joubert Syndrome and defects in the hippocampus. The researchers used animal models to create a genetic mutation that mimicked the human disease, revealing key findings about the role of primary cilia in brain development.
A new study suggests that supplementing a diet with Ascidiacea, also known as sea squirts, reverses some main signs of aging in animal models. The researchers found that plasmalogens, vital to body processes, decrease with age and contribute to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
A study of 4,177 Black women found that higher education levels were associated with lower allostatic loads, indicating reduced chronic stress. Women with college degrees had lower rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine developed an AI training strategy to capture images of mouse brain cells in action, allowing scientists to understand how the brain functions and is affected by disease. The technology combines ultra-small microscopes with AI to enhance image resolution up to 52 frames per second.
Researchers from Indiana University School of Medicine identify a key brain receptor that leads to a loss of neurons and synaptic structure in Alzheimer's disease models. The study found that targeting this receptor could prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer's-related neuropsychiatric symptoms and cognitive deficits.
Researchers at Tokyo University of Science identify brain regions and signaling pathways involved in fear extinction via delta receptor activation. The study suggests a potential therapeutic agent for post-traumatic stress disorders by suppressing fearful memories.
Research presents a promising path forward for early identification and intervention of Alzheimer's disease through the study of executive function and biomarkers. A link to genetics research is also being explored to better understand genetic and environmental factors that influence cognitive and brain aging.
Researchers found a strong association between subjective memory complaints and larger white matter hyperintensity volumes, indicating abnormal brain structure. The study also showed faster cognitive decline among those with subjective memory complaints, highlighting their importance as an early sign of cognitive impairment.
Researchers have identified a key protein molecule that plays a major role in the accumulation of brain cholesterol, triggering Alzheimer's disease. The peptide inhibitor ATAD3A oligomerization promotes neuropathology and cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease models.
A study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease Reports suggests that damage to the blood-brain barrier is the determining cause of Alzheimer's disease. The Lipid Invasion Model proposes that lipids entering the brain due to barrier damage lead to brain shrinkage, amyloid plaques, and tau tangles, characteristic of the disease.
A new study from the University of Eastern Finland found that frontotemporal dementia patients with extrapyramidal symptoms have significant brainstem atrophy and reduced metabolism, facilitating differential diagnostics for FTD. This can help distinguish between FTD and other diseases causing extrapyramidal symptoms.
Researchers developed a novel delirium severity score to assess its impact on patient outcomes. The DEL-S score is associated with longer hospital stays, increased costs, and mortality in older patients with delirium.
A new study shows that a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease, sargramostim, improves cognitive function in people with Down syndrome and normal aging mice. The drug reverses learning and memory deficits, nerve cell loss, and brain abnormalities in mouse models of Down syndrome and aging.
A telephone survey called Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS) was found to be effective in detecting dementia in primary care patients. TICS scored well as a low-cost diagnostic tool, with a score of less than 30 indicating a positive screen for dementia.
A recent study found that approximately 1 in 3 heart attack survivors experience significant mental decline in the days and months following their heart attack. Cognitive deficits can impact quality of life and treatment adherence, emphasizing the need for cardiologists to monitor patients regularly.
Researchers at the University of Iowa have identified a fundamental biochemical mechanism underlying memory storage, which is impaired in Alzheimer's disease models. The study reveals that restoring this protein folding mechanism reverses memory impairment in mouse models.
Researchers have identified a novel drug candidate, lonafarnib, that improves neuronal morphological defects, abnormal function, and memory impairments in a mouse model of tuberous sclerosis complex. The study suggests that reducing the levels of active Rheb is crucial for normalizing memory in TSC mice.
The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center has received a five-year, $1.87 million NIH grant to investigate the role of vitamin A depletion in Alzheimer's disease. The research aims to test the hypothesis that a lack of antioxidant all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) promotes reactive oxygen species toxicity.
Researchers at LSU Health New Orleans and Karolinska Institutet found that intranasal application of pro-resolving lipid mediators arrested memory loss and brain degeneration in an experimental Alzheimer's model. This discovery opens up new possibilities for therapeutic interventions for Alzheimer's disease.
When the eyes land on a face, certain cells in the amygdala react and trigger memory-making activity. Theta wave activity is also reset or restarted, preparing the hippocampus to receive new socially relevant information.
A study of 181 long COVID patients found that seven in ten experience concentration and memory problems, with many performing worse than their peers on cognitive tests. Cognitive symptoms were more pronounced in people whose overall ongoing symptoms were more severe.
Researchers found that brains from patients with Alzheimer's disease had higher levels of the protein Fli-1 and fewer pericytes lining their smallest blood vessels, leading to leakage. Blocking Fli-1 improved memory in mice, suggesting a promising new approach to treating the disease.
A Baycrest-led study found that point-of-care screening for hearing loss in memory clinic patients increased physicians' awareness and led to more frequent referrals for hearing help. The study demonstrated the feasibility and value of hearing screening for older adults at risk for dementia.
A NIH-funded study identifies two types of brain cells involved in organizing discrete memories based on when they occurred. The study found that the creation of a new memory occurs when there is a peak in the activity of both boundary and event cells, following a hard boundary.
Cedars-Sinai researchers identified two types of brain cells that divide continuous human experience into distinct segments, enabling the brain to recall memories. The discovery provides new hope for treatments of memory disorders like dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
A new UCLA study has found that hippocampal neurons in rats accurately map the position of a moving object even when stationary, challenging prevailing hypotheses about brain function. The findings open up new research avenues into memory disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.
A new study led by the University of Pittsburgh psychologists has found that regular exercise can help older adults prevent declines in episodic memory. The research pooled data from dozens of studies to show that exercising about three times a week for at least four months is effective in improving memory.
Researchers found that repetitive exposure to environmental hypoxia prevented memory loss and reversed impairments in nerve-to-nerve communication. Adult offspring also inherited this protection against dementia.
A study using an Alzheimer's disease mouse model found that female brains experience a faster decay in information processing ability compared to male mice. This results in weaker memory formation and increased memory loss, contributing to the increased vulnerability of females to Alzheimer's disease.
A study tracking 425 patients post-COVID-19 found high prevalence of cognitive deficits, psychiatric impairments, and significant memory decline. Researchers observed no correlation between the severity of the disease or socio-economic factors with psychiatric alterations, suggesting a possible link to delayed inflammatory processes.
A new study has discovered that as brains mature, the precise ways in which two key memory regions communicate make us better at forming lasting memories. The findings also suggest how brains learn to multitask with age, with slower oscillations in older participants and faster oscillations in younger ones.
A recent study found that using personal assistant applications on smartphones can significantly improve memory in older adults with dementia. The researchers trained participants to use the technology to receive reminders about daily events and activities, resulting in improved memory performance.
A study found a three-fold increase in dementia risk among lonely Americans younger than 80 who didn't carry the APOE ε4 allele. Loneliness was associated with poorer executive function and changes in brain structure indicating vulnerability to Alzheimer's disease.
A study published in Science Advances reveals that individuals with less memory loss in old age tend to gain more knowledge, contrary to the previously assumed compensatory power of crystallized abilities. The findings suggest a strong dependency between changes in fluid and crystallized abilities.
Researchers found that moderate aerobic cycling improved auditory verbal learning and processing speed, as well as increased volumes of the hippocampus and cerebellar cortex. The study suggests exercise interventions may be an attractive option for improving cognitive function in individuals with traumatic brain injury.
A recent study published in Experimental Neurology suggests that the accumulation of a fragment of the synaptic protein neurexin in the adult brain causes specific losses of memory. The researchers observed that this accumulation triggers defects in associative memory and presynaptic plasticity, particularly affecting the amygdala.
New research published in JNeurosci reveals that impaired cognition can be part of normal aging, rather than an early sign of Alzheimer's. Cognitively frail adults showed brain structure and activity similar to healthy controls, suggesting lifestyle factors like physical activity and education may play a role.
Automated brain volumetry in memory-impaired patients shows significant differences and systematic biases between conventional and ultrafast 3D T1-weighted MRI sequences. Most regions demonstrated substantial agreement but also significantly different mean values and consistent biases.
A new clinical trial is enrolling young people with rare genetic mutations that cause early-onset Alzheimer's disease. The study will test gantenerumab to prevent the buildup of toxic protein amyloid beta, which can slow or stop the disease.
Researchers have discovered the Apterous protein's crucial role in retaining memories through its interaction with the Chi cofactor and regulation of neurotransmitters. In fruit flies, Ap plays a double role in long-term memory consolidation, highlighting potential new treatment approaches for memory-related disorders.