Study by researchers at Rush University Medical Center finds adding more foods that are part of Western diet may reduce cognitive benefits of Mediterranean diet.
Tag: Dementia
Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center Holds Ribbon Cutting for Center for Memory Loss and Brain Health
On January 6, 2021, Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center’s Neuroscience Institute held a ribbon-cutting for its new Center for Memory Loss and Brain Health. The center will offer integrated, high-quality screening, diagnostic and treatment services for adults living with cognitive or memory impairment caused by conditions such as various types of dementia including Alzheimer’s disease.
Study Finds Little Progress in Addressing Racial Disparities for Dementia Risk
While rates of dementia for the U.S. population have been relatively stable or in decline since 2000, rates for Black Americans remain disproportionately high, according to a new study published in JAMA Neurology. Melinda C. Power, ScD, director of the…
Am I Losing My Sense of Smell or Is It COVID-19
Do I have COVID-19 or is it something else? Bobby Tajudeen, MD, director of rhinology, sinus surgery and skull base surgery at Rush University Medical Center explains the differences between common smell loss and smell loss as a COVID-19 symptom and when to see a specialist.
Could chatbot be a lifeline for dementia carers?
A new project led by the University of South Australia will develop a virtual assistant tool to support around two million dementia carers in the Asia Pacific.
How Caregivers of People with Dementia Can Navigate Holidays During the Pandemic
As COVID-19 cases increase across the nation, many caregivers are trying to navigate the holidays for relatives with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that people not travel to limit the potential spread of the coronavirus.
Mary Catherine Lundquist, program director of Care2Caregivers, a peer counseling helpline (800-424-2494) for caregivers of people with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease operated by Rutgers Behavioral Health Care, discusses how families can stay connected with their loved ones.
Tackling Ethics Concerns Regarding Use of ‘Carebots’ to Assist Older Adults
A new analysis assesses how emerging artificial intelligence technologies can help older adults preserve their autonomy, and addresses ethical concerns that have been raised about the use of AI in so-called “carebots.”
Older Adults with Dementia Exhibit Financial “Symptoms” Up To Six Years Before Diagnosis
A new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Federal Reserve Board of Governors found that Medicare beneficiaries who go on to be diagnosed with dementia are more likely to miss payments on bills as early as six years before a clinical diagnosis.
Alzheimer’s Association should reveal financial conflict of interest in urging FDA to approve Biogen drug, says Dr. Leslie Norins, CEO of Alzheimer’s Germ Quest
Biogen tried, and failed, to win FDA committee approval for its anti-amyloid Alzheimer’s drug. The Alzheimer’s Association supported the application but did not reveal significant monies received from the firm.
Married, Single, Kids or Not, Participating in Workforce May Protect Women’s Memory
Women who work in the paid labor force in early adulthood and middle age may have slower memory decline later in life than women who do not work for pay, according to a new study published in the November 4, 2020, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Researchers found an association between working for pay and slower memory decline regardless of a woman’s marital or parenthood status.
Alabama Symphony Orchestra musicians perform virtual concerts for sickest COVID-19 patients at UAB Hospital
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the sickest patients at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital have had their troubles eased, however briefly, thanks to an innovative musical project. Helping those patients recover — and keeping their spirits up amid the isolation the virus requires — is the motivation for the project, an effort between UAB health care staff and the Alabama Symphony Orchestra.
Cognitive disorders linked to severe COVID-19 risk
Dementia and other cognitive disorders now appear to be risk factors for developing severe COVID-19, according to research from the University of Georgia.
“WHITE MATTER LESION” MAPPING TOOL IDENTIFIES EARLY SIGNS OF DEMENTIA
A new tool for analyzing tissue damage seen on MRI brain scans can detect with more than 70 percent accuracy early signs of cognitive decline, new research shows.
“Research Radar” to focus on mild cognitive impairment, says Dr. Leslie Norins, CEO of MCI911.com
MCI911.com had added a new department, Research Radar, to focus exclusively on advancements to aid fighting MCI
Bacterial Metabolism of Dietary Soy May Lower Risk Factor for Dementia
A metabolite produced following consumption of dietary soy may decrease a key risk factor for dementia – with the help of the right bacteria, according to a new discovery.
‘Use it or Lose it’: Regular Social Engagement Linked to Healthier Brain Microstructure in Older Adults
Older people who report greater levels of social engagement have more robust gray matter in regions of the brain relevant in dementia, according to new research. The findings matter during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Could Loss of Interest Be Sign of Dementia Risk?
Older adults with severe apathy, or lack of interest in usual activities, may have a greater chance of developing dementia than people with few symptoms of apathy, according to a study published in the October 14, 2020, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT COUNTERATTACK
Battling the mild cognitive impairment stage of Alzheimer’s may disease may “nip it in the bud”.
Alzheimer’s book offers updated resource for patients, care partners
Misplacing keys, forgetting the way to a doctor’s appointment, trouble recalling a neighbor’s name: Are these examples of typical aging? What’s the difference between Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia? What’s actually happening to the brain, and how can you keep it healthy?
Researchers receive more than $53 million to study role of white matter lesions in dementia
A $53.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health will aid brain scientists, including a researcher from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), in studying the role of incidental white matter lesions, or WMLs, in dementia among diverse people with cognitive complaints.
$5.5 million NIH grant supports new tests to diagnose dementias earlier and easier
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine seek to optimize emerging methods of diagnosing two common neurodegenerative diseases—dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson’s disease dementia—which affect 1.4 million in the United States
NIH Awards $13.8 Million for Studies on the Prevention and Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease
Joe Verghese, M.B.B.S., M.S., an international leader in aging and cognition research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health System, has received two grants from the National Institutes of Health totaling $13.8 million to conduct studies on pre-dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
FAU Receives $5.3 Million NIH Grant to Detect Cognitive Change in Older Drivers
Testing a readily and rapidly available, discreet in-vehicle sensing system could provide the first step toward future widespread, low-cost early warnings of cognitive change in older drivers. The use of an advanced, multimodal approach involves the development of novel driving sensors and integration of data from a battery of cognitive function tests, eye tracking and driving behaviors and factors. These in-vehicle technologies could help detect abnormal driving behavior that may be attributed to cognitive impairment.
Insomnia, sleeping less than six hours may increase risk of cognitive impairment
Middle-aged adults who report symptoms of insomnia and are sleeping less than six hours a night may be at increased risk of cognitive impairment, according to a study by Penn State College of Medicine researchers.
Move More or Sit Less: How to Maintain a Healthy Brain
Worldwide, a person is diagnosed with dementia every three seconds. Regular physical activity and limited sedentary behavior (i.e., time spent sitting or lying down) are two important lifestyle strategies for maintaining good brain health. However, we do not know which…
Concussion discovery reveals dire, unknown effects of even mild brain injury
Even mild concussions cause severe and long-lasting impairments in the brain’s ability to clean itself, and this may seed it for Alzheimer’s, dementia and other neurodegenerative problems.
Sanders-Brown Study Leads to Potential for a New Treatment Approach to Alzheimer’s Disease
The paper explains that current therapeutic approaches to the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease focus on the major pathological hallmarks of the disease which are amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. They are the requirements for a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. However, the authors say there has been an explosion of genetic data suggesting the risk for sporadic Alzheimer’s disease is driven by several other factors including neuroinflammation, membrane turnover and storage, and lipid metabolism.
University of Kentucky, Penn Researchers Provide Insights into Newly Characterized Form of Dementia
Working with their colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania, researchers at the University of Kentucky have found that they can differentiate between subtypes of dementia inducing brain disease. “For the first time we created criteria that could differentiate between frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and a common Alzheimer’s ‘mimic’ called LATE disease,” explained Dr. Peter Nelson of the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging at the University of Kentucky.
Dementia education
School-based dementia education could deliver much needed empathy and understanding for older generations as new research from the University of South Australia shows it can significantly improve dementia knowledge and awareness among younger generations.
These drugs carry risks & may not help, but many dementia patients get them anyway, study finds
Nearly three-quarters of older adults with dementia have filled prescriptions for medicines that act on their brain and nervous system, but aren’t designed for dementia, a new study shows. That’s despite the special risks that such drugs carry for older adults — and the lack of evidence that they actually ease dementia-related behavior problems.
Schooling Is Critical for Cognitive Health Throughout Life
New research suggests that education provides little to no protection against the onset of cognitive declines later in life. It can, however, boost the cognitive skills people develop earlier in life, pushing back the point at which age-related dementia begins to impact a person’s ability to care for themselves.
People Who Feel Dizzy When They Stand Up May Have Higher Risk of Dementia
Some people who feel dizzy or lightheaded when they stand up may have an increased risk of developing dementia years later, according to a new study published in the August 12, 2020, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The condition, called orthostatic hypotension, occurs when people experience a sudden drop in blood pressure when they stand up.
Important Dementia Studies Continuing at UK Despite Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic brought many things to a screeching halt and continues to impact our daily lives. However, important research at the University of Kentucky’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging (SBCoA) is continuing under extreme caution and deep dedication.
A monumental study in the field of dementia research is set to get underway in the coming weeks at UK.
Baby boomers show concerning decline in cognitive functioning
In a reversal of trends, American baby boomers scored lower on a test of cognitive functioning than did members of previous generations, according to a new nationwide study.
Forty percent of dementia cases could be prevented or delayed by targeting 12 risk factors throughout life, experts say
Twenty-eight world-leading dementia experts added three new risk factors in the new report — excessive alcohol intake and head injury in mid-life and air pollution in later life. These are in addition to nine factors previously identified by the commission in 2017.
Are Your Gums Saying Something About Your Dementia Risk?
Gum disease, especially the kind that is irreversible and causes tooth loss, may be associated with mild cognitive impairment and dementia 20 years later, according to a study published in the July 29, 2020, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Researchers make significant step toward blood test for Alzheimer’s disease
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have developed a technique to detect minute amounts of a protein fragment linked to Alzheimer’s disease in the blood. The study, which will be published July 28 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM), shows that levels of p-tau-217 are elevated during the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease and could lead to a simple blood test capable of diagnosing the neurodegenerative disorder years before any symptoms begin to appear.
Study Reveals How Renegade Protein Interrupts Brain Cell Function in Alzheimer’s Disease
Dozens of molecules may tangle up with rogue bundles of tau, a protein that normally gives nerve fibers structure, to cause brain cell damage that contributes to neurodegenerative diseases, a new study shows.
UChicago Medicine selected as Chicago’s only official NIH network site researching stroke and dementia
About 30% of stroke patients develop dementia, yet researchers understand very little about why. UChicago Medicine joins a NIH-led national network of institutions working to better understand the risk factors that lead to vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID), early stroke recovery and approaches to prevention.
Aging experts call for more dementia care training
New recommendations call for more evidence-based workforce training to meet the growing demands for dementia care.
A Feasibility Study of a Multifaceted Walking Intervention to Maintain the Functional Mobility, Activities of Daily Living, and Quality of Life of Nursing Home Residents With Dementia
Abstract Purpose The aim of the study was to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of a multifaceted walking intervention (MWI) aimed to maintain the functional mobility, activities of daily living function, and quality of life of long-term care home residents with dementia.…
What Factors Help Predict Who Will Keep Their Memory into Their 90s?
Why do some people stay sharp into their 90s, even if they have the amyloid plaques in the brain that are associated with Alzheimer’s disease? And why do others reach their 90s without ever developing any plaques? These questions are explored in a new study published in the July 22, 2020, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
University of Kentucky’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Facilitates First Participant in Worldwide Drug Study
Researchers at the University of Kentucky’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging (SBCoA) recently screened the first participant in the world for what is known as the AHEAD 3-45 study. This work is looking at a study medication, BAN2401, to determine if it can help prevent worsening memory and thinking among individuals who might be at risk for future decline. They are hoping this study finds that BAN2401 does just that and will ultimately help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
Does Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson’s Increase Risk of Dementia?
There’s good news for people with Parkinson’s disease. A new study shows that deep brain stimulation may not increase the risk of developing dementia. The study is published in the July 1, 2020, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
It’s not just Alzheimer’s disease: Sanders-Brown research highlights form of severe dementia
The long-running study on aging and brain health at the University of Kentucky’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Alzheimer’s Disease Center has once again resulted in important new findings – highlighting a complex and under-recognized form of dementia.
Robotic Cats Are ‘Purr-fect’ Companions for Seniors Isolated Due to COVID-19
Researchers provide the “purr-fect” solution to comfort and engage older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias (ADRD) during the pandemic – interactive robotic cats. Designed to respond to motion, touch and sound, these robotic pets offer an alternative to traditional pet therapy. Robotic pets are usually given to people with ADRD, but data has shown that using them to decrease social isolation for older adults is highly successful.
The Johns Hopkins School of Nursing Receives $4.3M Grant to Launch National Center to Improve Care for People with Disabilities
Through a $4.3 million grant, the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing (JHSON) will become a national center dedicated to improving health and function of people with disabilities and their caregivers.
More berries, apples and tea may have protective benefits against Alzheimer’s
Older adults with low intake of foods and drinks containing flavonoids, such as berries, apples, and tea, were more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias over 20 years, compared with people who consumed more of those items, according to a new study.
Research News Tip Sheet: Story Ideas From Johns Hopkins
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Johns Hopkins Medicine Media Relations is focused on disseminating current, accurate and useful information to the public via the media. As part of that effort, we are distributing our “COVID-19 Tip Sheet: Story Ideas from Johns Hopkins” every Tuesday throughout the duration of the outbreak.
Rutgers Expert Available to Comment on COVID-19 Neurological Effects in Seniors
Dr. XinQi Dong, MD, MPH, director of the Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, is available to comment on the importance of further research into neurological effects of COVID-19 that may be related…