You know the old adage, an active body stays active? Well, what about an active mind? Will doing crossword puzzles, playing solitaire, being socially engaged, reading the newspaper, and engaging in activities that require you to “think” keep your mind healthy? According to some researchers, yes! They found that a cognitively active lifestyle in older age may delay the onset …
An estimated 47 million people worldwide were living with dementia in 2015, while in the United States, around 5.7 million people have Alzheimer’s dementia. Modifiable risk factors, including hypertension, hearing loss, depression, diabetes, and smoking, account for around 35% of dementia cases. Anticholinergic drugs are another potentially modifiable risk factor. This broad group of drugs acts by blocking the neurotransmitter …
Age and female gender are 2 major risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease (AD); two-thirds of older adults with AD are women. Even regarding the difference in longevity, studies suggest that women are still at a higher risk. Among various aging and dementia theories, altered N-MethylD-aspartate receptor (NMDAR)-related neurotransmission is involved in dementia manifestations, including cognitive and behavioral domains. NMDAR overactivation …
Dementia can arise from multiple conditions, and it is characterized by an array of symptoms including problems with memory, attention, communication, and physical coordination. The two most common causes of dementia are Alzheimer’s disease and white matter strokes, which are small strokes that accumulate in the connecting areas of the brain. “It’s a vicious cycle: the two leading causes of …
An estimated 5.8 million Americans age 65 and older and 50 million people worldwide are living with Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias. Strong risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia include cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. Many of these common comorbidities in patients with dementia are also demonstrated risk factors for COVID-19 and are associated with worse clinical outcomes. …
More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia and the “Comprehensive Care for Alzheimer’s Act” would help the 95% of individuals with dementia that have one or more other chronic conditions, such as hypertension, heart disease and diabetes. The bipartisan bill is expected to reduce medical complications for these patients by creating a …
In a recent article published in the British Journal of Opthalmology, research suggests an association between normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) and dementia. They cited a study that investigated whether cognitive impairment is more strongly associated with NTG than high tension glaucoma (HTG) using cognitive screening within an Australian Glaucoma Disease Registry. There were 290 participants in the study who completed cognitive …
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and rapidly escalated into a global pandemic. Severe illness of COVID-19 predominantly occurs in older people and in individuals with underlying medical comorbidities. Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in the aging population. The majority of people living with …
Did you know that missing payments on your monthly bills could be an early sign of Dementia? A recent study shows that those living with some form of Dementia are likely to miss bill payments up to six years prior to their official diagnosis and that adverse financial events were more common among those with lower education. Missed payments may …
Recent research has linked impaired senses to Dementia, especially the sense of smell. Does this mean if you have lost your sense of smell you have Dementia? Probably not, however, it can be an early sign. Patients participated in a study where they underwent hearing tests (with no hearing aids), vision tests with contrast (eyeglasses were permitted), vibration testing in …
