Alzheimer's Disease

Jan 2020

Can Air Pollution Take a Toll on Your Memory?

Jan 2020

Can Air Pollution Take a Toll on Your Memory?

MONDAY, Nov. 25, 2019 -- Air pollution may trigger Alzheimer's-like brain changes and speed memory decline in older adults, a new study suggests.

Previous research has implied that exposure to fine particle air pollution increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia, but it wasn't clear how this type of pollution affects the brain and memory.

Jan 2020

Almost Half of Older Americans Fear Dementia, Try Untested Ways to Fight It

Jan 2020

Alzheimer's Disease

Almost Half of Older Americans Fear Dementia, Try Untested Ways to Fight It

FRIDAY, Nov. 15, 2019 -- Many Americans believe they are likely to develop dementia -- and they often turn to unproven ways to try to better their odds, a new study suggests.

In a survey, researchers found that almost half of Americans in their 50s and 60s believed they were at least "somewhat likely" to develop dementia. Yet few -- 5% -- said they had talked to their doctor about ways to lower their risk.

Jan 2020

Cards, Board Games Could Be a Win for Aging Brains

Jan 2020

Alzheimer's Disease

Cards, Board Games Could Be a Win for Aging Brains

MONDAY, Dec. 2, 2019 -- Playing cards and board games like chess, bingo and Scrabble might be the mental workout you need to keep your wits as you age, Scottish researchers suggest.

People in their 70s who regularly play board games score higher on tests of memory and thinking skills than those who don't. And 70-somethings who step up their game-playing are more likely to maintain thinking skills as they age, researchers say.

Dec 2019

Education a Buffer Against Alzheimer's Among Blacks: Study

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 6, 2019 -- Higher levels of education may counter the genetic risk of Alzheimer's disease among older black adults, a new study indicates.

"This suggests that education can buffer the effects of the APOE e4 gene on episodic memory retention and working memory, which are usually the first types of memory to be affected in people with Alzheimer's," said study first author Jet Vonk. She is a postdoctoral research scientist at the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain at Columbia University, in New York City.

Dec 2019

A Gene Kept One Woman From Developing Alzheimer's -- Could It Help Others?

Dec 2019

Alzheimer's Disease

A Gene Kept One Woman From Developing Alzheimer's -- Could It Help Others?

MONDAY, Nov. 4, 2019 -- Could one woman's rare genetic mutation one day have a global impact on dementia risk?

It's possible, say investigators who report on a potentially groundbreaking case of a woman whose genetic mutation staved off dementia for decades, even though her brain had already been damaged by Alzheimer's disease.

Dec 2019

For Seniors, Financial Woes Can Be Forerunner to Alzheimer's

Dec 2019

Alzheimer's Disease

For Seniors, Financial Woes Can Be Forerunner to Alzheimer's

TUESDAY, Oct. 29, 2019 -- Unpaid bills, overdrawn accounts, dwindling investments: When seniors begin experiencing fiscal troubles, early dementia or Alzheimer's disease could be an underlying cause, researchers say.

In the early stages of the disease, people with undiagnosed Alzheimer's are at high risk of making foolish and dangerous decisions about their finances, mostly because families may not know they need help, researchers say.