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Senior Journal
Alzheimer's,
Parkinson's, Dementia and Mental Health
Today's Dementia, Alzheimers, Parkinson's and Mental Health News for Senior Citizens
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Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Mental Deficits Appear Early in Diabetes Patients;
Last Into Old Age
 Confirms previous reports that diabetes impairs
mental process
Jan 5, 2009 - Adults with diabetes experience a
slowdown in several types of mental processing, which appears early in
the disease and persists into old age, according to new research. Given
the sharp rise in new cases of diabetes, this finding means that more
adults may soon be living with mild but lasting deficits in their
thought processes.
Read more...
Two Cardiovascular Proteins Pose a Double Whammy in
Alzheimer's Disease
Fuel AD by reducing blood flow to brain, slowing
rate of amyloid beta removal
 Dec. 22, 2008 - Scientists were surprised at their
discovery that puts two proteins known for their role in the
cardiovascular system front and center in the development of Alzheimer's
disease. The two proteins which work in tandem in the brain's blood
vessels present a double whammy in AD. Not only do the proteins lessen
blood flow in the brain, but they also reduce the rate at which the
brain is able to remove amyloid beta, the protein that builds up in
toxic quantities in the brains of patients with the disease.
Read
more...
Mental Confusion in Elderly May Be Due to High Blood
Pressure Rather than Aging Brain
Stressful situations may make it
more difficult for some seniors to think clearly
Dec. 15, 2008 – When struggling with a memory lapse
or mental confusion, most senior citizens are quick to blame it on their
“aging brain.” A new study, however, says seniors should not jump to
conclusions. The mental challenge may be due to high blood pressure.
Read more...
Alzheimer’s Foundation Calls for Congressional
Policy on Dementia Screening
New report ‘shatters unsubstantiated criticism’ and
emphasizes safety and cost-effectiveness of screening
 Dec. 9, 2008 - As the nation faces a public health
crisis related to Alzheimer's disease, a new report released today by
the Alzheimer's Foundation of America (AFA) disputes an ongoing
controversy over the value and utilization of memory screenings. The
report, according to AFA, “shatters unsubstantiated criticism and
instead emphasizes the safety and cost-effectiveness of these tools and
calls on Congress to develop a national dementia screening policy.”
Read more...
Dementia Delayed by Mixing Taiji, Gigong, Cognitive
Therapy and Support Groups
Researchers are discovering multi-disciplinary
approaches have the most promise in treating people with dementia
Dec.
5, 2008 - Those diagnosed with early stage dementia can slow their
physical, mental and psychological decline by taking part in therapeutic
programs that combine counseling, support groups, Taiji and qigong,
researchers report. Some of the benefits of this approach are comparable
to those achieved with anti-dementia medications.
Read
more...links to other associated stories
Studies on How to Keep an Aging Mind Healthy are
Pointing to Three Key Steps
It’s not a stretch to think we may begin hiring brain
coaches in addition to physical fitness trainers
Dec. 2, 2008 - Think of it as a recipe for brain
boosting: Researchers are beginning to believe in a three-pronged
strategy for keeping a mental edge and retaining memory. It is the 1-2-3
of maintaining a health mind, according to a specialist in cognitive
aging. Read
more...
Elderly with Depression Tend to Develop Pot Bellies
but Little Fat Elsewhere
 Depressive
symptoms are associated with fat gain in the
visceral region: could help explain why depression is often followed by
diabetes or cardiovascular disease
Dec. 1, 2008 - Older adults in their seventies with
symptoms of depression appear more likely to “pot bellies” (abdominal
fat), but not overall fat, over a five-year study period, according to a
report in the December issue of Archives of General Psychiatry,
one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Read
More...
Common Epilepsy Drug Found to Reduce Plaque
Associated with Alzheimer’s Disease
Small clinical trial with humans has begun, could
lead to major new treatment of AD
Oct. 27, 2008 – An honored and experienced
Alzheimer’s researcher released a study today showing a common drug used
to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder – Valproic Acid (VPA) – can
reduce brain plaque in mice with Alzheimer's disease and prevent brain
cell death.
Read
more...
Forgetting an Appointment or Name of Friend is Not
Necessarily the Beginning of Dementia
Maybe there are just too many things to remember for
the size of your brain
Oct. 8, 2008 – Most older
people that
occasionally struggle to remember the name of a friend or totally forget
an appointment are quick to conclude this embarrassment is caused by
aging - the early signs of dementia. They may be wrong, according to a
study published yesterday in Neurology, the medical journal of the
American Academy of Neurology, which finds this happens to people without
dementia, too.
Read
more...
Death from Depression Growing Concern: Now Linked to
More Deaths Among Older Diabetics
 Patients with both diabetes and depression had
increased risk of about 36% to 38% of dying from any cause
Oct. 1, 2008 – Depression is rapidly becoming the
suspect in many deaths, particularly among older people, who are
suffering with a severe physical malady. There was a call just this week
for all heart patients to be tested for depression and, today, a new
study finds depression associated with a higher death rate among
Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes.
Read
more...
Mental Health, Alzheimer's, Dementia
Heart Patients Should be Screened and Treated for
Depression, Says Heart Association
No evidence that treating depression improves
coronary heart disease outcomes, but plenty shows depression worsens
outcomes
Sept.
30, 2008 - Heart patients should be screened for depression - a common
condition that can profoundly affect both prognosis and quality of life
- according to the American Heart Association's first scientific
statement on depression and coronary heart disease. The statement was
published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Read
more...
Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Monitoring the Brain’s Memory-Making Cells
Exactly how memories are recorded and recalled
remains a mystery but they are often processed and retrieved by the
hippocampus
By Vicki Contie, National Institutes of Health
Sept.
22, 2008 - The brain cells that fire when a person watches a brief film
clip are triggered again when the person thinks back on that imagery a
few minutes later, a new study shows. The research offers insights into
how the brain summons up past experiences and may also provide clues to
brain disorders, like Alzheimer’s disease, that harm short-term memory.
Read more...
Drugs for Alzheimer’s Disease Found to Slow
Cognitive Decline: Benefits Last Years
‘The results of this study should change the way we
treat patients with Alzheimer's disease’ - treatment might even protect
brain cells from further damage
Sept.
22, 2008 – In what some may call a “game changing” discovery,
researchers report today their testing shows that the advance of
Alzheimer’s disease can be significantly slowed by the extended
treatment with available drugs. They have also found a combination
therapy with two different classes of drugs is even better at helping
patients maintain their ability to perform daily activities.
Read more...
First Study Using Exercise to Slow Cognitive Decline
in Older Americans Finds Success
Slowing Alzheimer’s by a year could prevent 9.2
million cases, as world prepares for 106 million victims by 2050
Sept.
2, 2008 – A study to be reported in the Journal of the American Medical
Association tomorrow says testing of older Americans with memory
problems, who participated in a home-based physical activity program,
shows they experienced modest improvement in cognitive function.
Read
more...
Physical Activity Slows the Progress of Parkinson’s
in Study
U. of Michigan programs promote strengthening and
conditioning of patients
Aug.
11, 2008 - Parkinson’s, another of those diseases that primarily
strike senior citizens, is known as a disease that causes the
progressive decline of physical and cognitive function, but recent
research suggests that regular exercise may impede the progression of
this incurable disease.
Read
more...
Senior Citizens Reduce the Risk of Dementia by 50
Percent by Taking Statins, Says Study
Disputing previous study, this one says Cholesterol
drug lowered the risk of dementia in all study participants, but most
impact on high risk group with metabolic syndrome
July 28, 2008 - People at high risk for dementia –
in this study, older Mexican-Americans - who took cholesterol-lowering
statins are half as likely to develop dementia as those who do not take
statins, a new study shows. These results challenge a 2005 study that
reported statins did not reduce the risk of dementia in older people
(See link in sidebar).
Read
more...
Mayo Clinic Finds More Seniors With Mild Cognitive
Impairment Than Assumed
Another study finds help for these pre-Alzheimer's
patients; another finds diabetes treatment seems to fight brain-damaging
plaque associated with AD
July
29, 2008 – Mayo Clinic researches have found more cases of mild
cognitive impairment among older senior citizens than expected, but the
good news from another study reports a compound called AL-108 appears to
improve memory for these MCI patients. There was also good news on
reducing the plaques associated with Alzheimer’s with insulin and
anti-diabetes medicine. The studies were among those presented yesterday
at the 2008 Alzheimer's Association International Conference (ICAD 2008)
in Chicago.
Read more...
Senior Citizens with Problem Processing Sounds More
Likely to Have Dementia
Central auditory processing tests were significantly
lower in the group with dementia
July 22, 2008 - Mild memory impairment may be
associated with central auditory processing dysfunction, or difficulty
hearing in complex situations with competing noise, such as hearing a
single conversation amid several other conversations, according to a
report in the July issue of Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck
Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Read more...
Tweaking Score on Dementia Test Improves Risk
Assessment for Educated Senior Citizens
Mini-mental state examination cut score of 27 changed
the sensitivity to 89%, specificity to 78%, correctly classifying
90 percent of the participants
July 14, 2008 – Changing the score necessary to be
found at high risk of dementia on the most commonly administered
screening test of cognitive function, known as the mini-mental state
examination (MMSE), may improve the effectiveness when testing highly
educated older adults, according to a report in the July issue of
Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Read more...
Women Much More Likely Than Men to Have Dementia
Among Those Age 90 Plus
Findings from 90+ Study suggest changes are
needed to provide adequate healthcare resources for the 'oldest old'
July
3, 2008 - Women over 90 are significantly more likely to have dementia
than men of the same age, according UC Irvine researchers involved with
the 90+ Study, one of the nation’s largest studies of dementia
and other health factors in the fastest-growing age demographic.
Read more...
Older Adults with Diabetes Experience Memory
Declines Immediately after Unhealthy Meal
Can be offset by taking antioxidant vitamins with
meal, but healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables is best defense
June
26, 2008 – Older adults with type 2 diabetes who eat unhealthy, high-fat
meals may experience memory declines immediately afterward, according to
new research. But, the study found this can be offset by taking
antioxidant vitamins with the meal.
Read more...
Those Treating Diabetes More Likely Get Depressed
Than Those Who Ignore It
Research also suggests possibility of depression
increasing risk of type 2 diabetes
June 17, 2008 – Researchers have found a link, or maybe
two, between type 2 diabetes and depression. It is not too surprising
that they found people with treated type 2 diabetes are at increased
risk for developing depression. It is surprising, however, that those
not treating their diabetes are less likely to get depressed. More
surprising is a modest association between persons with depression and
the risk of developing diabetes.
Read
more...
Adding Bright Light in Long-Term Care Setting Seems
to Improve Dementia in Elderly
Adding melatonin also helps these senior citizens
sleep better
June 10, 2008 - The use of daytime bright lighting
to improve the circadian rhythm of elderly persons resulted in modest
improvement in symptoms of dementia, and the addition of melatonin
resulted in improved sleep, according to a study in the June 11 issue of
the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Read more...
Middle-Age Smokers Have Worse Memory Than
Non-Smokers but Many Die Before Final Test
Those that stopped smoking also experienced more
improvement in health habits, such as drinking less alcohol, being more
physically active, eating more fruits and vegetables
June
9, 2008 – The researchers found it difficult to gather research on
middle-age smokers as they age because, for one thing, so many died.
They also appeared to be reluctant to return to have their memory and
cognitive ability tested. Nevertheless, the research has concluded that
smoking does appear to cause an increased risk of poor memory among
those in their middle years – younger boomers, basically.
Read
more...
Aging News & Information
Study of Former World’s Oldest Woman Proves Dementia
Not Inevitable with Aging
Woman, 115, had normal brain and remained mentally
alert throughout life
June 9, 2008 – The theory that proposes dementia is
an inevitable result of a long life was refuted by a reality test
reported in the August issue of Neurobiology of Aging. Researchers that
interviewed the world’s oldest living person and examined her brain
after death have found she had a normal brain with little or no evidence
of Alzheimer’s disease, and say she remained mentally alert throughout
her life. Read
more....
New Evidence that Active Social Life Delays Memory Loss for Elderly
Seniors with highest social activity had the slowest
rate of memory decline
June 4, 2008 – The evidence from respected
researchers continues to mount showing that senior citizens can preserve
their memory and cognitive abilities longer if they keep their minds and
bodies active. The latest is a new study by Harvard School of Public
Health (HSPH) researchers providing evidence that elderly people in the
U.S. who have an active social life have a slower rate of memory
decline. Read
more...
Antipsychotic Drugs Appear to be Potential Killers
for Senior Citizens with Dementia
They are frequently prescribed around the time of
nursing home admission
May 27, 2008 - Older adults with dementia who
receive short-term treatment with antipsychotic medications are more
likely to be hospitalized or die than those who do not take the drugs,
according to a report in the May 26 issue of Archives of Internal
Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Read
more...
Justice O'Connor, Newt Gingrich Draw Aging Committee
Focus to Fight Against Alzheimer's
Both testify at Senate hearing as members of
Alzheimer's Study Group
May
14, 2008 - Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and former
Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Newt Gingrich were the
headliners today at a hearing by the Senate Special Committee on Aging
on Alzheimer's disease. Chairman Herb Kohl (D-WI) opened the hearing by
declaring AD a "growing national crisis" that America must "commit to
addressing."
Read more...
Senior Citizens With Most Education Live Longer
Without Cognitive Loss but Die Faster
As education levels increase, time with cognitive
impairment declines
May 12, 2008 - Those with at least a high school
education spend more of their older years without cognitive loss –
including the effects of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and dementia -- but
die sooner after the loss becomes apparent, reveals a new study
appearing in the June 2008 issue of the Journal of Aging and Health.
Read more...
Obesity Clearly Linked to Dementia But Risk Also
Found to Increase if Underweight
Obesity increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by
80 percent
May 7, 2008 - Obesity may increase adults’ risk for
having dementia, according to researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg
School of Public Health. Their analysis of published obesity and
dementia prospective follow-up studies over the past two decades shows a
consistent relationship between the two diseases.
Read more...
How Diabetes Links to Alzheimer's Found in Salk
Institute Study
Recent studies show diabetics have a 30 to 65% higher
risk of Alzheimer’s
April 30, 2008 – Recent studies have consistently
associated diabetes with a significantly higher risk of developing
Alzheimer’s disease but the actual molecular connection between the two
has been a mystery. Now, researchers at the Salk Institute for
Biological Studies report they have identified the probable molecular
basis for the diabetes – Alzheimer’s interaction.
Read more...
Senior Dementia Patients in Nursing Homes See Faster
Decline if Given Incontinence Drugs
Significant problem because about 33% with dementia also take a drug for incontinence
April 30, 2008 – Older nursing home residents who
took medications for dementia and incontinence at the same time had a 50
percent faster decline in function than those who were being treated
only for dementia, according to a study from researchers at Wake Forest
University School of Medicine and colleagues.
Read more...
Parkinson's Community Steps Out to Find a Cure at
the 14th Annual Parkinson's Unity Walk
Second most common chronic neurological disorder in
senior citizens after Alzheimer's
April 23, 2008 - The Parkinson's disease community
will unite on Saturday April 26, in New York City's Central Park, in an
effort to raise awareness and funds for Parkinson's disease research.
The 14th annual Parkinson's Unity Walk, a two-mile walk and educational
community day, will provide an opportunity to celebrate the more than
one million Americans - primarily senior citizens - that, along with
their friends and families, fight this condition everyday.
Read
more....
Diabetes
in Mid-Life Linked to Increased Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease as Seniors
Follows study saying diabetes is one-third of risk
for dementia in senior citizens
April
10, 2008 – Men who develop diabetes in mid-life appear to significantly
increase their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a
long-term study published in the April 9, 2008, online issue of
Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Another study reported yesterday in SeniorJournal.com indicates that
diabetes accounts for one-third of the risk for dementia.
Read
more...
Small
Vessel Injury from Hypertension or Diabetes May Lead to Dementia
One-third of risk for dementia attributed to small
vessel disease in autopsy study
April
9, 2008 – A large autopsy study of senior citizens who had lived in the
Seattle area has found that as many as one-third of those who had
dementia before they died also had small vessel damage in their brains –
the type of cumulative injury that can result from hypertension or
diabetes. The researchers say it suggests this accounts for a third of
the risk for dementia.
Read
more...
Rush Researcher Continues to Prove Depression is
Alzheimer's Risk Factor
Latest of multi-year studies says depression does not
increase in early dementia
By
Tucker Sutherland, editor & publisher
April 8, 2008 – Different looks at the same study
group with the same Alzheimer's question has been producing the same
result for years and seems to grab headlines every time. The finding is
that depression is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, not a result
of the disease. Dr. Robert S. Wilson, Ph.D., of Rush University Medical
Center, Chicago, lead author of the study, has come to this conclusion
repeatedly for years.
Read more...
Parkinson’s Patients Play Nintendo to Test Occupational Therapy
Foul ball and improved walking ability brings a cheer
for Ingrid Bell
April 7, 2008 - It’s Ingrid Bell’s turn at bat. She
steps up to the plate, awaiting the pitch. A 70-mph fastball soars
toward her. She swings and connects with the ball. Foul ball! Everyone
cheers for her anyway.
Read
more...
Pittsburgh Compound-B Confirmed in Identifying
Alzheimer’s Brain Toxins
Significant step in enabling a definitive diagnosis
of Alzheimer’s in living patients
March 26, 2008 – A new study confirms that
Pittsburgh Compound-B (PiB) binds to the telltale beta-amyloid deposits
found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The finding by
University of Pittsburgh Alzheimer’s disease researchers is a
significant step toward enabling clinicians to provide a definitive
diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease in living patients.
Read
more...
Five Million Senior Citizens With Alzheimer’s, 10
Million Baby Boomers to Join Them
New report by Alzheimer’s Association says disease to
hit 1 of 8 boomers
March 18, 2008 – While many of the diseases that
strike senior citizens are declining, the most feared – Alzheimer’s
Disease – is increasing at an accelerating rate, according to the latest
report on the disease released today by the Alzheimer’s Association.
About five million elderly have the disease now, the organization says,
but it projects 10 million Baby Boomers will join these dreaded ranks in
the U.S.
Read more...
Broken Switch in Aging Brain May Cause the Darkness
of Alzheimer’s
Paradoxical Alzheimer's finding may shed new light
on memory loss
March 13, 2008 – Do you remember the seventh song
that played on your radio on the way to work yesterday? Most of people
don’t, even if they are not senior citizens, thanks to a normal
forgetting process that is constantly “cleaning house” – culling
inconsequential information from our brains. Researchers at the Buck
Institute now believe that this normal memory loss is hyper-activated in
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and that this effect is key to the profound
memory loss associated with the incurable neurodegenerative disorder.
Read more...
Senior Citizens’ Greatest Fear – Alzheimer’s – More
Likely if Both Parents Have It
Risk of AD increased with age – affected 31% of
those over age 60
March 10, 2008 - When it comes to disease, most
Americans fear cancer the most, but not senior citizens. Many older
people have witnessed the damage of brain-killing Alzheimer’s Disease in
a friend or relative and it has become their number one fear. New
research out today says adults whose parents - both parents - are AD
victims appear to have as high as almost four times the risk of
developing the disease.
Read
more...
Depression Raises Risk of Death for Heart Attack
Victims for Years After Attack
Only about 25 to 30% of these patients receive
antidepressant drugs, treatment
By Jim Dryden
March 3, 2008 -- Depressed heart attack patients
have a higher risk for sudden death in the months following a heart
attack. Now a team led by researchers from Washington University School
of Medicine in St. Louis has found that the risk continues for many
years.
Read more...
Senior Citizen Men Get Depressed from Low Free
Testosterone Level
Testosterone supplement may contribute to successful
treatment
March 3, 2008 – Women have a greater tendency than
men to become depressed – at least until the members of both sex become
senior citizens. At age 65 men catch up with women and scientists have
long suspected it has something to do with testosterone. A new study
pins the cause clearly on lower levels of free testosterone.
Read
more...
Antibiotic Use for Dying Nursing Home Patients with
Advanced Dementia Raises Questions
Frequent use two weeks before death may
endanger other patients
Feb. 25, 2008 - Antibiotics appear to be frequently
prescribed to individuals with advanced dementia in nursing homes,
especially in the two weeks before death, according to a report in the
February 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives
journals. An editorial in the issue asks if this is really good for the patients and if it
does not increase risk for the other patients.
Read more...
Memory, Cognitive Loss Decreasing in Older
Americans: Great News for Seniors, Boomers
Better education, finances and cardiovascular care
may be boosting brain health for elderly
Feb. 20, 2008 - Although it’s too soon to sound the
death knell for the “senior moment,” it appears that memory loss and
thinking problems are becoming less common among older Americans,
according to researchers at the University of Michigan. The new
nationally representative study shows a downward trend in the rate of
“cognitive impairment” - the umbrella term for everything from
significant memory loss to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease - among
people aged 70 and older.
Read
more...
Discovery in Diabetic Rodents May Help in Fight Against Cognitive
Impairment
Increased stress hormone from adrenal gland disrupts healthy
hippocampus
Feb.
18, 2008 - Diabetes, common among senior citizens, is known to impair the cognitive health of people.
But now scientists have identified one potential mechanism underlying
these learning and memory problems. Although the current study used
diabetic rodents, the researchers see a potential for new approaches in
preventing and treating cognitive impairment.
Read
more...
Folate Deficiency Triples Risk of Alzheimer’s and
Other Dementia in Senior Citizens
New study supports others on importance of B vitamins
in fighting dementia
Feb. 5, 2008 - Folate deficiency is associated with
a tripling in the risk of developing dementia among elderly people, says
research published in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and
Psychiatry. This supports several studies published in SeniorJournal.com
over the years suggesting that folate - also known as B9, seems to offer
senior citizens protection from Alzheimer’s and other dementia.
Read more...
Older Women More Likely Than Older Men to Remain
Depressed
Researchers have been unable learn why the
difference in sexes
Feb. 4, 2008 – Older women are more likely than
older men to get depressed, and more likely to stay depressed. But,
elderly women are less likely than men to die while depressed, according
to a report in the February issue of Archives of General Psychiatry,
one of the JAMA/Archives journals. There is, however, no
explanation for the difference between sexes.
Read more...
Portable Device Quickly Detects Early Alzheimer's
Disease for Faster Treatment
Detects mild cognitive impairment - earliest stage of Alzheimer’s
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Jan. 16, 2008 - The latest medications can delay
the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, but none are able to reverse its
devastating effects. This limitation makes early detection the key to
Alzheimer’s patients maintaining a good quality of life for as long as
possible. Now, a new device developed by the Georgia Institute of
Technology and Emory University may allow patients to take a brief,
inexpensive test that could be administered as part of a routine yearly
checkup at a doctor’s office.
Read more...
Many
Senior Citizens Fall Prey to Fraud Due to Neuropsychological Deficit
This medical problem leads to poor decision-making by
elderly
Jan.
14, 2008 - We often read or hear stories about older adults being conned
out of their life savings, but are older individuals really more
susceptible to fraud than younger adults? And, if so, how exactly does
aging affect judgment and decision-making abilities?
Read
more...
Lack of Imagination in Senior Citizens Indicates
Declining Memory
To create imagined future events, seniors must be
able to remember details of past events
Jan 8, 2008 - Most children are able to imagine
their future selves as astronauts, politicians or even superheroes;
however, many older adults find it difficult to recollect past events,
let alone generate new ones. A new Harvard University study reveals that
the ability of older adults to form imaginary scenarios is linked to
their ability to recall detailed memories.
Read
more...
How Fish Oil Helps You Avoid Brain Damaging
Alzheimer’s Plaque
UCLA study finds anti-Alzheimer's mechanism in
omega-3 fatty acids
Dec. 26, 2007 - It's good news that we are living
longer, but bad news that the longer we live, the better our odds of
developing late-onset Alzheimer's disease. Many Alzheimer's researchers
have long touted fish oil, by pill or diet, as an accessible and
inexpensive "weapon" that may delay or prevent this debilitating
disease. Now, UCLA scientists have confirmed that fish oil is indeed a
deterrent against Alzheimer's, and they have identified the reasons why.
Read more...
Hypertension in Elderly Appears to Cause Mild
Cognitive Impairment that Leads to Alzheimer's
How high blood pressure increases the risk of
cognitive impairment or dementia in senior citizens is not unclear
Dec.
10, 2007 – Researchers just cannot seem to find enough bad to say about
high blood pressure. A new study being released tomorrow finds that
hypertension in senior citizens – people age 65 and older - can lead to
mild cognitive impairment, a condition that involves difficulties with
thinking and learning.
Read
more...
Depression is a Killer for Heart Attack Victims,
Study Finds
'There is a whole series of factors that link
depression and heart disease'
Dec. 8, 2007 – Dying from depression may be a
bigger threat that many thought, particularly for older people. Depression nearly triples the risk of
death following a heart attack, even when accounting for other heart
attack risk factors, according to research presented today at the
American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) annual meeting.
Read more...
Elderly with Mild Memory Problems Benefit from
Cognitive Training Not Relying on Memorization
The participants averaged 74 years of age and 14
years of education
Nov. 30, 2007 - Older adults with pre-existing mild
memory impairment benefit as much as those with normal memory function
from certain forms of cognitive training that don’t rely on
memorization, according to a study published this week in the Journal of
the International Neuropsychological Society. These findings, the
researchers say, could indicate the ability for older adults to maintain
skills that allow them to carry out daily tasks and lead a higher
quality of life.
Read more...
Osteoporosis Gets an Early Start for Depressed
Younger Women
Depression linked to bone-thinning in premenopausal
women, immune system involved
Nov. 29, 2007 - Osteoporosis is almost always
linked to aging – half the women and one-fourth the men over 50 will
break a bone due to the bone-thinning disease. But new research shows
some younger women are getting an early start - premenopausal women with
even mild depression have less bone mass than their depression-free
peers and the level of bone loss is at least as high as that associated
with established risk factors for osteoporosis, including smoking, low
calcium intake, and lack of physical activity.
Read
more...
Hormone Therapy Drug Progesterone Doesn't Prevent
Alzheimer's in Older Women
Progesterone actually inhibits some of estrogen's
beneficial effects
Nov. 28, 2007 – Bah, humbug, say researchers
exploring the theory that progesterone can prevent Alzheimer's disease
for the millions of older women who take it with estrogen in hormone
replacement therapy. The study funded by the National Institute on Aging
found no clear evidence the widely prescribed hormone stops AD, at least
in female mice.
Read more...
Parkinson's, Dementia & Mental Health
Researchers Claim Omega-3 Fatty Acids Protect Brain
from Parkinson's
Protection may come from DHA omega-3 eating up
dangerous omega-6 fatty acid in brain
Nov.
26, 2007 – A new study claims to be the first evidence that omega-3
fatty acids protect the brain from Parkinson's disease. Researchers say
the omega-3 fatty acids - in particular DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), a
specific type of omega-3 - replaced the omega-6 fatty acids already
present in the brains of mice in their study. A brain with a lot of
omega-6 fatty acids may be a fertile ground for Parkinson’s disease,
they write.
Read more...
Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
PET Scans Show
Gene Therapy Normalizes Brain Function in Parkinson’s
Study focuses on power of modern brain scans
to show that gene therapy altered brain activity in a favorable
way
Nov. 20, 2007 - Brain scans used to track
changes in a dozen patients who received an experimental gene
therapy show that the treatment normalizes brain function - and
the effects are still present a year later.
Read more...
Senior Citizens Improve Memory, Mental Abilities
with Right Brain Exercises
Presentation today to Gerontological Society says
'Brain Fitness Program' does trick
Nov. 19, 2007 - The right kind of brain exercise
enhances memory and other cognitive abilities of older adults, according
to researchers presenting today at the 6oth annual meeting of the
Gerontological Society of America, a gathering of 3500 aging experts
held this week in San Francisco.
Read
more...
Senior Citizens Significantly Lower Dementia Risk
Eating Fish, Omega-3 Oils, Fruits, Veggies
Watch for omega-6 oils – they can increase your
chances of memory problems finds study of older people
Nov. 13, 2007 – A study of senior citizens – 8,085
men and women over age 65 – has determined that a diet rich in fish,
omega-3 oils, fruits and vegetables may lower your risk of dementia and
Alzheimer’s disease, whereas consuming omega-6 rich oils could increase
chances of developing memory problems. This is certainly not the first
research to reach this conclusion.
Read
more...
Promising Plaque-Clearing Alzheimer's Drug
Caprospinol Heads to Clinical Trial
Rats treated with SP-233 perform as well or better in behavioral
tests than healthy animals
Prepared by Samaritan Pharmaceuticals
Nov. 13, 2007 - A 2006 study by MetLife found that
adults over age 55 fear Alzheimer’s disease more than cancer, and with
good reason. Alzheimer’s creeps up on patients and their families,
robbing more than half of all Americans over age 85 of their memory and
ability to care for themselves. But what is perhaps most frightening is
that available treatments for the disease are by and large ineffective.
Read more...
Prize-Winning Alzheimer's Researcher on the Trail of
Immunization that Works
A vaccination - getting the immune system to clean up
the plaques - has been considered a promising approach for AD
Nov.
12, 2007 - A new study led by one of the most respected researchers of
Alzheimer's disease has found an immunization that could offer a way to
blunt or even prevent the deadly, memory-robbing disease. Jordan Tang,
Ph.D., who led the study at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation,
has already won the most prestigious research award given by the
Alzheimer’s Association.
Read more...
High Blood Pressure, Irregular Heartbeat Appear to
Speed Progress of Alzheimer’s
Treating hypertension or atrial fibrillation may slow
memory loss
Oct. 30, 2007 – High blood pressure (hypertension),
which is common among senior citizens, or a form of irregular heartbeat,
atrial fibrillation, appear to speed up the progress of Alzheimer’s
disease, according to results of a Johns Hopkins study published in the
Nov. 6, 2007, issue of Neurology.
Read
more...
Almost 14% of Senior Citizens over 70 Have Dementia,
10% have Alzheimer’s
Dementia escalates rapidly for the elderly, passes
37% at age 90
Oct. 30, 2007 - One in seven Americans over the age
of 70 suffers from dementia, About 3.4 million people, or 13.9 percent
of the population age 71 and older, have some form of dementia – that’s
one out of seven – says a new study noting that the prevalence of
dementia increases dramatically with age. Just about 5% of those aged 71
to 79 are afflicted but that jumps to 37.4% after reaching age 90.
Read more...
SORL1 Gene Becomes Second Firmly Linked with
Late-Onset Alzheimer’s
Joins ApoE4 in list of key suspects for devastating
disease
Oct. 30, 2007 – Scientist have been feverishly
testing the 30,000 genes in the human genome searching for any that may
link to the risk of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. They had confirmed
only one, until a new find was announced by the National Institute of
Health. A study funded the NIH’s National Institute on Aging supports
earlier findings that a variation in the sequence of the SORL1 gene is
the second association with AD.
Read more...
Ten Minutes of Conversation Improves Memory as Much
as Games
A friend may help you stay sharp just as much as a
daily crossword puzzle
Oct. 29, 2007 – Senior citizens concerned about the
loss of their mental abilities – and that is about everyone – are mostly
aware of abundant "use it or lose it" research results advising them
that to avoid dementia and Alzheimer’s they should exercise their
brains. The suggested games, particularly electronic games and puzzles, often appear
too daunting to many older people. There is new hope, however, from a
University of Michigan study that tested people as old as 96 and found it only takes about 10 minutes of
talking to someone else to improve your memory.
Read more...
High Blood Pressure Drugs May Prevent Alzheimer’s
Disease Says Study
'Significantly' effective in preventing
beta-amyloid development
Oct. 26, 2007 - A new study published in the
Journal of Clinical Investigation reports several drugs used to treat
hypertension appear to be capable of preventing Alzheimer’s disease and
cognitive deterioration. The study found these drugs “significantly”
effective in preventing beta-amyloid development in the brain, a key
element in Alzheimer's disease.
Read more...
Dementia Destroys Memory of Better Educated at
Faster Rate
Rate of cognitive decline accelerate 4% faster for
each year of education
Oct. 23, 2007 - People with more years of education
lose their memory faster than those with less education in the years
prior to a diagnosis of dementia, according to a study published in the
October 23, 2007, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the
American Academy of Neurology.
Read more...
Brain Fitness Program Clinical Trial Attracts 500
Senior Citizens
Program is designed to address the root causes of
age-related cognitive decline
Oct. 18, 2007 – More than 500 senior citizens, age
65 and over, have enrolled in a clinical trial of an innovative
computerized training program designed to enhance memory. These older
Americans are seeking to improve their cognitive health and contribute
to scientific research, according to Posit Science Corporation, sponsor
of the trial.
Read
more...
Life Expectancy Cut 25 Years for Patients with
Mental Illnesses Due to Poor Care, Cardiovascular Disease
Medicare patients hospitalized for heart attacks had
19% increase in mortality for patients with any mental disorder, 34%
increase with schizophrenia.
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Up
to 80% of patients with mental illness are smokers and
consume up to 44% of all cigarettes in the U.S. |
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Oct. 17, 2007 - While death from cardiovascular
disease (CVD) has markedly declined in the U.S. during the past several
decades, a commentary by a researcher at Florida Atlantic University (FAU)
published in today’s Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)
shows that patients with severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia,
bipolar disorder and depression lose an average of 25 years or more of
life expectancy due largely to CVD and disparity in care.
Read
more...
Blood Test Coming Very Close to Predicting
Alzheimer’s Risk
Tests reaching above 90 percent in accuracy
Oct. 15, 2007 - One of the most distressing aspects
of Alzheimer's disease is the difficulty in determining whether mild
memory problems, which seem to plague most senior citizens, are the
beginning of an inevitable mental decline. Researchers at the Stanford
University School of Medicine have developed a blood test that is a step
toward giving people an answer two to six years in advance of the onset
of the disease.
Read more...
Unique Community-Wide Approach Confronting Dementia
in Indianapolis
Discovery Network building efficient, effective,
locally sensitive solutions for dementia care
Oct. 11, 2007 – Dementia, the ailment most senior
citizens fear most, is a growing burden for society as longevity
increases, propelling patients and caregivers to increasingly use the
health-care system. A year ago, local researchers, health-care
professionals, and community advocates came together to form the
Indianapolis Discovery Network for Dementia (IDND) to enhance dementia
care in the nation’s twelfth largest city.
Read more...
Researchers Tie Tooth Loss to Dementia in Very Old
People
Impossible to say if tooth loss has any real role in
bringing about the dementia
Oct. 10, 2007 – Although no one has the
explanation, researchers have found that tooth loss may predict the
development of dementia late in life, according to a report published in
the October issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA).
Read more...
Protein Injection Reverses Alzheimer's Brain Damage
in Lab Mice
Findings could lead to new approach to fight
Alzheimer's Disease
Oct. 8, 2007 – Getting an injection to erase the
brain damages of Alzheimer’s disease is a possibility raised by a new
experiment. Mice with an induced animal version of Alzheimer’s regained
their mental abilities after being injected with a special protein.
Read more...
Most Conscientious People Are Least Likely to Get
Alzheimer's Disease
Also experience slower rate of cognitive decline,
lower risk of mild cognitive impairment
Oct. 1, 2007 - Individuals who are more
conscientious - in other words, those with a tendency to be
self-disciplined, scrupulous and purposeful - appear less likely to
develop Alzheimer's disease, according to a report in the October issue
of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Read
more...
Senior Citizen Health & Medicine
Older Women Twice as Likely to Die in Five Years
After Having Panic Attack
Panic attack also makes them four times as likely to
suffer heart attack
Oct.
1, 2007 - Older women who experience at least one full-blown panic
attack may have an increased risk of having a heart attack or stroke and
an increased risk of death in the next five years, according to a report
in the October issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the
JAMA/Archives journals.
Read more...
Theory That Alzheimer’s Disease is ‘Type 3’ Diabetes
Supported by New Discovery
Toxic protein found Alzheimer’s brains removes
insulin receptors from nerve cells making them insulin resistant.
Sept. 26, 2007 – Is Alzheimer’s Disease actually
“type 3” diabetes? That has been the basis for a growing hypothesis in
recent years as research finds that insulin may be as important for the
mind as it is for the body. Now, scientists at Northwestern University
have discovered why brain insulin signaling - crucial for memory
formation - would stop working in Alzheimer’s disease.
Read more...
Smokers in Study Were 50 Percent More Likely to Get
Alzheimer’s or Dementia
Study of 7,000 people 55 and over for seven years
Sept. 4, 2007 – A study that followed 7,000 people
age 55 and older for seven years has determined that people who smoke
are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease or dementia than
nonsmokers or those who smoked in the past.
Read more...
Experimental Drug Ketasyn Improves Memory in
Age-Associated Memory Impairment
Earlier found to improve memory for Alzheimer's
patients
Aug. 29, 2007 – Encouraging news about the ability
of Ketasyn (AC-1202) to prompt a positive and meaningful effect on
memory in older adults was released today by Accera, Inc. The results
are from a Phase II study of the company’s lead product in fighting
age-associated memory impairment (AAMI).
Read more...
Are We Ready for 60 Second Test that Determines if
We Have Alzheimer’s?
Current early diagnosis is based on study of
patient’s behavior
Aug. 22, 2007 – Are we ready for this? Do we really
want to know? Engineers say we could soon be able to diagnose the onset
of many brain diseases, like Alzheimer’s, with a quick analysis of the
tiny magnetic fields produced by neuron activity in the brain.
Read more...
Must-See Documentary on Dementia, Alzheimer’s Comes
to Public TV
There is a Bridge reveals how to
communicate with victims; begins Sept. 1
Aug. 15, 2007 – A “must-see” documentary for those
touched by dementia or Alzheimer’s disease is coming to public
television stations beginning September 1. There is a Bridge
explores different ways of communicating successfully with those who
have dementia and how these emotionally profound relationships can
change our lives.
Read
more...
Aging Adults Have Choices in Confronting Perceived
Mental Decline
Minor glitches in cognitive system can loom larger
than needed
Aug. 8, 2007 - Aging adults may joke about memory
lapses and “early Alzheimer’s.” They may worry when they can’t
understand a drug plan or lose track of the characters in a novel. But they have more control over their “cognitive
vitality” than they may realize, says Elizabeth Stine-Morrow, a
professor of
educational psychology at the University of Illinois, who has spent
20 years studying learning throughout the lifespan.
Read
more...
It's How Amyloid Fiber is Built that May Set Stage
for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's
Study of bacteria’s role in forming fibers leads to
new theory
July 13, 2007 - New insights into how bacteria form
fibers called curli offer intriguing clues to the formation of harmful
protein tangles in diseases such as Alzheimer's, Huntington's and
Parkinson's, University of Michigan researchers report.
Read more...
Exelon Patch is First Approved by FDA to Treat
Alzheimer’s Disease
Patch also approved to treat Parkinson's disease
dementia
July 9, 2007 – Exelon Patch (rivastigmine) has
received the first worldwide approval in the United States by the Food
and Drug Administration of an innovative way to deliver an effective
medicine for mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease patients through a
skin patch instead of an oral capsule, according to a news release by
the drug company Novartis. The FDA also approved it to treat Parkinson’s
disease dementia, which strikes two out of five patients with
Parkinson’s. Read
more...
Alzheimer’s Risk Seven Times Greater with Damaged
Temporal Lobe, Brain Blood Vessels
New risk factors to add to worries of senior
citizens about AD
July 6, 2007 – Senior citizens
fear Alzheimer’s
disease more than any other of the afflictions that strike older adults.
Now, they can add a new risk to that worry. Researchers have found the
risk of AD is seven times greater in cognitively normal adults with
damage to blood vessels in the brain and shrinkage or damage (atrophy)
of their temporal lobe.
Read more...
Large Study Proves Antidepressants Lower Suicide
Risk for All Adults
National Institute of Mental Health funds study of
226,866 patients
July 6, 2007 - Another red flag turns green.
Antidepressants do not increase the risk of suicide in adults with
depression, as many had warned. An extremely large study of over 200,000
patients has found antidepressants actually lower the risk of suicide
attempts, even in the youngest adults age 18 to 25.
Read more...
Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
New Treatment in Battle Against Parkinson’s May Come
from Discovery
New protein appears to protect and rescue damaged
dopamine neurons
July 5, 2007 - A new drug to effectively treat the
debilitating effects of Parkinson’s disease may emerge from the
discovery of a new protein that appears to protect and even repair
damaged dopamine neurons in an experimental model. Parkinson's disease
is a degenerative brain disease striking primarily older people and
characterized by the loss of dopamine neurons in the midbrain-area
called Substantia Nigra.
Read more...
Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Senior Citizens with Problems Identifying Smells may
begin Cognitive Decline to Alzheimer’s
Other researchers developing medical device to sniff
out olfactory disorders
July 3, 2007 – In an update on earlier research, a
study has found that older people who have difficulty identifying common
odors may have a greater risk of developing problems with thinking,
learning and memory, or mild cognitive impairment. Previous research had
found a smell test could help identify which people with MCI are most
likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.
Read
more...
Team that Inspired 'Use it or lose it' Confirms
Mental Activity Protects Against Alzheimer's
Frequent brain stimulation by senior citizens reduces
risk of Alzheimer's disease
June 27, 2007 – It is unclear when the old adage
"use it or lose it" first became associated with the idea that by
keeping your mind active you could ward off dementia and Alzheimer's,
but it probably began with research by Robert S. Wilson, who has just
released new scientific evidence that it is true. The latest research in
Neurology Journal says it does not have to be activity as complicated as
computer games. Simply reading the daily paper can help keep the mind
stimulated and lower the risk of Alzheimer's, and even mild cognitive
impairment.
Read more...
Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Parkinson’s Disease Risks Lower with High Levels of
Urate in Blood
Large Harvard study finds potent antioxidant works
against oxidative stress
June 22, 2007 - A large study at Harvard School of
Public Health has that found high levels of urate in the blood appear to
reduce the risk of getting Parkinson’s disease. Urate (or uric acid) is a normal component of blood, and although
high levels can lead to gout, urate might also have beneficial effects
because it is a potent antioxidant.
Read
more...
Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Parkinson’s Disease Treatment with Gene Therapy
Shows Promise
First such clinical trial may lead to effective
management of disease that hits mostly senior citizens
June 22, 2007 – It was just a phase 1 clinical
trial and it included only a few patients but the medical researchers
think they may have made a significant breakthrough using gene therapy
in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease – one of the most feared of the
diseases that primarily attack senior citizens. This may also work in
the treatment of other neurological diseases, the report says.
Read more...
Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Best Computer ‘Brain Games’ for Senior Citizens to
Delay Alzheimer’s Disease
Professor says these will maximize your cognitive
function
June 21, 2007 - Responding to a study estimating a
quadrupling of individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease by 2050,
George Mason University professor Andrew Carle has released a list of
what he considers the best “Brain Games” available to consumers seeking
to maximize cognitive function.
Read more...
Dementia Less Likely with Improved Efforts to
Prevent Vascular Disease
Study finds mix of disease in dementia
brains, often Alzheimer’s and stroke
June 14, 2007 - Few older people die with brains
untouched by a pathological process, however, an individual’s likelihood
of having clinical signs of dementia increases with the number of
different disease processes present in the brain, according to a new
study. Alzheimer’s disease and stroke are the most common mix.
Read more...
Memory Problems More Likely for People Most Easily
Distressed
Earlier study found it may also lead to Alzheimer’s
disease
June 14, 2007 - People who are easily distressed
and have more negative emotions are more likely to develop memory
problems than more easygoing people, according to a study by researchers
at Rush University Medical Center published in the June 12 issue of
Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Read more...
Daily Yoga Meditation Shown to Improve Memory, May
Prevent Alzheimer’s
Older participants not only gained better memory but
their brains worked better
June 12, 2007 – Your memory getting faulty?
Cognitive ability not what it used to be? New research with older
people finds stopping other activity for a daily meditation session can
improve your thinking and your memory. The leader of the study thinks
these daily 12-minute Yoga sessions may even prevent Alzheimer’s
disease. Read
more...
Alzheimer’s
Experts Focus on Report of Anti-Amyloid Drug Clinical Trial
Four trials on different approaches offer some
encouragement
June 11, 2007 – Although no one has found a magic
bullet, there was some encouragement about possible Alzheimer’s
therapies from reports on four clinical trials presented today at the
2nd Alzheimer’s Association International Conference on Prevention of
Dementia in Washington, D.C. Much of the attention was on the results of
the first Phase III trial of an anti-amyloid treatment using
tramiprosate (Alzhemed, Neurochem).
Read
more...
Treating Heart Disease Risk Factors - Hypertension,
Diabetes - May Slow Alzheimer’s
Late-life weight loss and “motivational reserve”
may also affect AD risk
June 11, 2007 - A new study suggests that treating
risk factors for heart disease and stroke, such as high blood pressure
and diabetes, may slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, according
to research reported Sunday at the 2nd Alzheimer’s Association
International Conference on Prevention of Dementia in Washington, D.C.
Two new studies further confirm the close relationship between heart
health and brain health.
Read more...
Delay of Alzheimer’s by One Year Would Reduce Cases
in 2050 by 12 Million
26.6 million had AD in 2006; predicted to pass 100
million by 2050
June 11, 2007 – If Alzheimer’s disease could be
delayed by just one year in those who develop this mind-destroying
ailment, it would reduce the number of Alzheimer's cases in 2050 by 12
million. The latest worldwide estimate of Alzheimer’s disease shows that
26.6 million people were living with the disease in 2006, according to
research reported Sunday at the 2nd Alzheimer’s Association
International Conference on Prevention of Dementia in Washington, D.C.
Read more...
Dementia in Older People Can Be Accurately Predicted
by New Tool
Some surprising risk factors: slim, non-drinkers,
artery bypass, moving slowly, 70 or older, poor cognitive scores
June 11, 2007 - Researchers say they have developed
a test that can predict a person’s risk for developing dementia within
six years. The test, which can be administered by any physician, has
proven to have an accuracy rate of 87 percent, say researchers at San
Francisco VA Medical Center (SFVAMC).
Read more...
Antipsychotic Drugs Increase Risk of Death in Senior
Citizens with Dementia
Widely prescribed to manage behavioral symptoms of
dementia in older people
June 5, 2007 - A new study shows that use of
antipsychotic drugs is associated with an early and sustained increase
in risk of death when used to treat disruptive behavior of older adults
with dementia. This is not, however, the first warning of the dangers of
these drugs – the Food and Drug Administration issued an advisory in
April of 2005 on the death risks.
Read more...
Nuclear Medicine Confirms Beta Amyloid Link to
Alzheimer’s, Plus Brain Dysfunction in Senior Citizens
Researchers report Alzheimer’s detection long
before dementia begins
June 4, 2007 – Researchers have found how to use
new technology to clearly link the accumulation of the toxic brain
protein beta-amyloid to Alzheimer's disease. They also say beta amyloids
are associated with brain dysfunction in even normal senior citizens and
the early pathological changes of Alzheimer's disease can be detected
long before the development of dementia.
Read more...
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