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Cardiovascular health status at age 50 linked to dementia risk in later life

People with better cardiovascular health at age 50 may be less likely than those with poor cardiovascular health to develop dementia later in life. The findings, published in BMJ on Aug. 7, suggest that middle-aged adults may be able to reduce their risk of dementia by controlling high blood pressure and cholesterol and avoiding other risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

Could taking statins prevent dementia, disability?

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) has funded a major study to examine the overall benefits and risks of cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins in adults age 75 or older without cardiovascular disease. The trial will help determine whether a statin can help prevent dementia and disability in this age group, as well as heart attacks and other cardiovascular-related deaths, while not increasing risks of adverse health outcomes. Funding for the trial, called Pragmatic Evaluation of Events and Benefits of Lipid-Lowering in Older Adults (PREVENTABLE), is expected to total $90 million over the next seven years. NIA is part of the National Institutes of Health.

MRI may help doctors differentiate causes of memory loss

A UCLA-led study has found that MRI scans can help doctors distinguish whether a person's memory loss is being caused by Alzheimer's disease or by traumatic brain injury.

Dementia and Diabetes: New Research Delves into the Brain’s Metabolic Function

Type 2 diabetes is linked to a two-fold or higher increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers presented findings at Neuroscience 2019, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Chicago, that delved into the link between dementia and the metabolic system in the brain.

8 Evidence-Based Steps to Improving Brain Health (And What Your Doctor May Not Tell You)

Here’s the surprising truth about brain health: there is a lot you can do.

If your brain was like a bicep, you may exercise it everyday, rewarded by the tone and definition you were developing with each passing workout. The central command center of the body, the brain is an organ that acts much like a muscle.

Changes in Alzheimer’s Disease May Be Detectable In Blood Samples

Could our blood show signs of Alzheimer’s before the disease is properly diagnosed? One new study aimed to find out whether epigenetic changes, or modifications in gene expression, could be identified in a person’s blood to help detect Alzheimer’s.

New study shows potential link between bad quality sleep and Alzheimer’s in Hispanics

Hispanics who have trouble sleeping may be at a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias, according to a new study.

Blood test method may predict amyloid deposits in brain, potentially indicating Alzheimer's disease

A number of research projects are underway to develop a sensitive blood test that could help screen people for Alzheimer’s disease in a less invasive and costly way than current imaging and biomarker tests. NIA-supported researchers at Washington University in St. Louis reported an advance Aug. 1 in Neurology for their method of detecting amyloid protein in blood. The researchers are validating the method by showing an association between blood levels of amyloid and results from conventional biomarker tests for Alzheimer’s.

How Deep Sleep May Help The Brain Clear Alzheimer's Toxins

The brain waves generated during deep sleep appear to trigger a cleaning system in the brain that protects it against Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Why Didn’t She Get Alzheimer’s? The Answer Could Hold a Key to Fighting the Disease

Researchers have found a woman with a rare genetic mutation that has protected her from dementia even though her brain has developed major neurological features of the disease.