Clues to a degenerative disease could be showing up sooner than we realize. Alzheimer’s disease primarily affects people over the age of 65, but a couple of subtle signs could come up to two decades before. And both could provide insight into how and when the disease develops over our lifetimes. While many aren’t diagnosed … Read more
Something fishy may be going on with a daily pill trusted by millions of Americans. Across the country, older adults have embraced a popular supplement often touted as a way to support brain health and possibly even help ward off dementia. But new research is turning that idea on its head, suggesting people who regularly … Read more
Age is the greatest known risk factor for dementia — though it seems to go beyond the number of candles on the birthday cake. New research out of the UK reports that biological age, the age of our organs, tissues and cells, plays a major role in dementia risk. “Our findings suggest that biological aging … Read more
Don’t sleep on good sleep. Recent research suggests skipping shuteye can cause issues that are shockingly similar to those found in Alzheimer’s disease patients. A team of researchers from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria analyzed sleep-centric medical studies published over the last quarter century to better understand how a lack of sleep affects the … Read more
Incredible, edible, scientifically credible? A humble food, once thought to be bad for the heart, has now been linked to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease. For decades, eggs have been divisive, with protein proponents praising ova and cholesterol-conscious maligning them. Now, new research in The Journal of Nutrition suggests that those who routinely eat eggs … Read more
Pinkies up for brain health! A TikTok demonstrating “pinky time” has gone viral with the promise that this simple daily digit exercise can stave off cognitive decline. In the clip, creator Daniela Paez-Pumar films herself and friends as they wrap their middle and pointer fingers together, touch their ring fingers to their thumbs and move … Read more
A glimpse into the future may already be flowing through our veins. In a major breakthrough, researchers have developed a simple blood test that may one day help doctors predict how fast early-onset dementia will progress. “[It] can give us a window into how aggressively the disease is likely to behave — and that’s information … Read more
DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have been married for 59 years. As he has gotten older, he has less to do to keep himself busy, and he no longer drives due to Alzheimer’s. He is now doing things inside the house without asking my opinion, including moving things around. Abby, as the woman of … Read more
Feeling lonely may take a toll on older adults’ memory — but it may not speed up cognitive decline, according to a new study. Researchers from Colombia, Spain and Sweden analyzed data from more than 10,000 adults ages 65 to 94 across 12 European countries and found those who reported higher levels of loneliness did … Read more
It’s time to iron out the details of your brain health. New findings show that a condition that affects 10% of US adults over 65 is likely increasing their risk of dementia by more than half. The good news, though, is that the condition is mostly treatable. A significant percentage of adults over 65 are … Read more
We’ve long been told that vegetarianism can improve heart health, nutrient intake and digestion while lowering the risk of chronic disease and certain cancers — but some plant-based diets may do more harm than good. Case in point: A new study in the scientific journal Neurology finds that high-quality, vitamin-rich plant-based diets go a long … Read more
What’s in the past doesn’t always stay buried. A new study suggests that a hormone therapy harvested from human corpses may be linked to a rare, controversial form of Alzheimer’s disease. Though the drug was discontinued more than 40 years ago, researchers are urging doctors to watch for signs of cognitive decline in the thousands … Read more
This might make you think twice about skipping your annual shot. A new study suggests older Americans who get a high-dose version of a common vaccine may face a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s dementia than those who stick with the standard jab. The protective effect appears strongest in women — who are about twice … Read more
The future just got brighter, thanks to the sunshine vitamin. Scientists in Ireland have added to a growing stack of research on the relationship between vitamin D levels in the blood and a possible lower risk of dementia. A 16-year study found that higher vitamin D intake during middle age could have something to do … Read more
Talk about a brain drain. Several diets have been shown to have brain-boosting effects, from the Mediterranean diet’s gut-brain connection to reduced blood pressure effects from the DASH diet. But one health food staple surprised researchers by being linked to faster cognitive decline, even despite being part of a popular and well-backed healthy diet. One … Read more
Scientists have long been racking their brains to crack the mechanism behind Alzheimer’s disease progression. They may have finally found a crucial clue. A research team from Heidelberg University in Germany recently uncovered a hidden “switch” that acts like a death trigger for brain cells and plays a key role in cognitive decline. The study … Read more
Scientists may have sniffed out a breakthrough when detecting Alzheimer’s. The degenerative disease, which affects millions of Americans and gradually destroys memory, thinking skills and the capacity to perform basic tasks, is still notoriously difficult to detect, especially in its initial stages. But researchers have created a breakthrough nasal swab test that can pick up early signs, … Read more
A steak a day may keep the forgetfulness away. New research suggests that a meat-heavy diet may help ward off dementia, but don’t go switching to the carnivore diet just yet — this protein-packed advice is only for a select group of people with a genetic risk factor tied to Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists say the … Read more
Scientists have long searched for ways to treat Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. Chief among these strategies has been targeting amyloid beta, a toxic protein that forms plaque-like deposits when it accumulates abnormally in the brain. This accumulation is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s. Now, scientists say a smaller peptide, a “cousin” of amyloid beta, … Read more
A simple blood test could predict not only a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, but also the year symptoms will begin. Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis set out to determine if levels of a specific protein in the blood could be used as a “biological clock” to predict when … Read more