October 15, 2020

Poor Brain Blood Flow Might Spur 'Tangles' of Alzheimer's

THURSDAY, Oct. 15, 2020 -- Offering fresh insight into the deep-seated roots of dementia, new research finds that diminished blood flow to the brain is tied to buildup a protein long associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Called "tau," high levels of the protein are "one of the hallmark pathologies that define Alzheimer's disease in the brain," explained study author Judy Pa. She is an associate professor of neurology with the Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute and the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at the University of Southern California.

October 15, 2020

Is Apathy an Early Sign of Dementia?

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 14, 2020 -- Older adults who aren't interested or enthusiastic about their usual activities may have a higher risk of developing dementia, new research suggests.

The nine-year study of more than 2,000 older adults -- average age 74 -- found that people with severe apathy (a lack of interest or concern) were 80% more likely to develop dementia during the study period than those with low apathy.

September 29, 2020

Fall Risk Rises Even in Alzheimer's Early Stages

MONDAY, Sept. 21, 2020 -- In older people a fall can sometimes be a sign of oncoming Alzheimer's disease, even in the absence of mental issues, new research suggests.

Although falls are common among older people, in some cases they can be a sign of hidden mental problems that can lead to dementia, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

September 8, 2020

Common Meds Tied to Faster Mental Decline in Seniors

THURSDAY, Sept. 3, 2020 -- A group of widely used medications might speed up older adults' mental decline -- especially if they are at increased risk of dementia, a new study hints.

The medications in question are called anticholinergics, and they are used to treat a diverse range of conditions -- from allergies, motion sickness and overactive bladder to high blood pressure, depression and Parkinson's disease.

September 2, 2020

Can Seniors Handle Results of Alzheimer's Risk Tests?

MONDAY, Aug. 10, 2020 -- As researchers hone in on ways to detect whether someone has a high risk of developing Alzheimer's disease before they have any symptoms, mental health professionals have worried what the psychological fallout of that knowledge might be.

But new research suggests that people can handle the truth.

September 2, 2020

Do Your Sleep Patterns Affect Your Risk of Alzheimer's Disease?

MONDAY, Aug. 24, 2020 -- Disturbed sleep doesn't cause Alzheimer's disease, but some sleep patterns may be more common in people who have a high genetic risk for it, a new study reports.

Those patterns include being a morning person, having shorter sleep duration and being less likely to have insomnia, according to findings published in the Aug. 19 online issue of the journal Neurology.