Brain Health & Aging

Lack of Sleep May Be a Risk Factor for Dementia

Recent research supports the belief that sleep deprivation leads to the accumulation of substances in the brain which trigger and/or exacerbate Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and dementia. While scientists have long known that sleep is critical to well-being, new studies confirm the vital link between sleep and brain health. Recent research, featured in Psycholog...

Three Conditions that Could Be Mistaken for Alzheimer’s Disease

Most older Americans with loss of cognitive function get a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.  However, in actuality, a host of other brain disorders may be to blame. To complicate matters further, more than one disease may be present in any given patient.In the 1980s and ‘90s, doctors were taught that almost all dementias were Alzheimer’s disease, in ...

In-Home Tools Can Help Researchers Assess Cognitive Decline in Older Adults

Promising new research offers a way to broaden clinical trials focused on dementia risk and development, while also saving time and money. A recent study addresses the long-standing problem of getting older adult patients, who often have significant mobility and health challenges, into traditional clinic-based studies staffed by trained personnel. A multi...

Mobile Game Helps Detect Alzheimer’s Risk

A specially designed mobile phone game called Sea Hero Quest can detect which people are at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease much sooner than memory tests. The game, which has been downloaded and played by more than 4.3 million users worldwide, was designed to help researchers better understand dementia by seeing how the brain works in relation to spa...

The Cardiovascular System and the Brain: How Inflammation May Be Linked to Heart Disease and Depression

Research shows that people who have a heart attack are at a significantly higher risk for experiencing depression. Scientists are further investigating whether these conditions share common genetic factors or shared environmental factors. To determine the connection between the two conditions, Dr. Golam Khandaker and Dr. Stephen Burgess led a team of resea...

Exploring New Ways to Detect the Onset of Alzheimer’s Disease

Diagnosing Alzheimer's Disease before the onset of debilitating symptoms like cognitive decline could transform the lives of millions of people worldwide. However, researchers are faced with a major challenge: To develop viable treatments, they need to study patients who are in the early stages in order to determine the efficacy of a proposed intervention. Ho...

How Light and Sound Therapy May Reverse Signs of Alzheimer’s

Given that the burden of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) in the U.S. is expected to double by 2060, many scientists are trying to find ways to reverse the key signs of Alzheimer’s in the brain. Researchers at MIT are exploring how a noninvasive treatment that induces brain waves known as gamma oscillations might help. At MIT’s Picow...

Mediterranean-Style Diets and Cognitive Function in Older Adults

Researchers consider the Mediterranean diet and the MIND diet (Mediterranean‐DASH diet Intervention for Neurodegeneration Delay), two of the healthiest choices for older adults due to their connection with enhanced cognitive function. A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society compared the cognitive performance of those who ate the ...

Can Kirtan Kriya Meditation Improve Memory and Cognitive Function in Older Adults?

Some people believe that forgetfulness is a part of the aging process, while others think it could be a sign of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) disproves the myth that memory loss is a normal part of aging and the National Institute on Aging (NIA) confirms that not all people with memory problems have ...

Minorities are expected to have the largest increase in Alzheimer’s disease, related dementias by 2060

The burden of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) is expected to double by 2060, with minorities having the largest projected increase, according to a new study from the Center for Disease Control (CDC). ADRD affected 5 million people as of 2014 in the U.S., which was 1.6 percent of the population. By 2060, this figure is projected to grow ...