Recent research suggests that doing even low-intensity physical activity allows older people to reduce their risk of dementia. Carrying out even basic activities in older age might help maintain brain health. Several factors can affect a person’s chance of developing dementia. Some of the factors, such as age and genetics, are unavoidable. Others, such as

Scientists have uncovered a mechanism through which a toxic brain protein that is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease can damage neurons, or brain cells. New research uncovers the mechanism that leads to the progressive loss of brain cells that characterizes Alzheimer’s disease. The team at the Grenoble Institute of Neurosciences in France that made the

A novel genetic approach that repairs broken connections between brain cells could lead to treatments that restore memory capacity in Alzheimer’s disease. By using epigenetics, it may soon be possible to reverse memory loss in Alzheimer’s disease. The new approach reverses changes to gene expression that tend to occur in the later stages of the

A blood test for a protein could identify people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease a decade or more before symptoms, such as a decline in memory and thinking, emerge. A simple blood test may soon detect Alzheimer’s years in advance. This was what an international group of scientists concluded after evaluating the simple

New research suggests that stools from so-called “super donors” have such rich microbial diversity that using them for fecal transplants could cure conditions ranging from inflammatory bowel disease to Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis. Scientists have found that stool samples from ‘super donors’ hold the potential for curing a wide range of conditions. Recently, a growing

Recent research reveals that leaky capillaries in the brain could have a role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Changes in blood vessel permeability offer new clues about the onset of dementia. Dementia, the main type of which is Alzheimer’s disease, affects about 50 million people worldwide. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, over 5 million

New research suggests that vital exhaustion, a marker of psychological distress, may raise the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Psychological distress in midlife may bring about dementia later on, suggests new research. Many factors may increase Alzheimer’s risk, including age, family history, and genetic makeup. Certain health issues, such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes, may

A drug that scientists are currently developing to treat stroke survivors might also help stave off Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers are trialing a new treatment that may help people with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 5.7 million people in the United States are living

A recent study suggests that a warning sign may come before any symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease: Adults who do not get enough deep sleep may be on their way to developing the disease. A lack of deep sleep may lead to Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO,

Scientists have discovered an unknown genetic mechanism of cell metabolism that becomes increasingly dysfunctional with aging. Is it possible to combat aging? Researchers at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland suggest that their findings could lead to new targets for treatments to combat aging and age-related conditions. Their discovery concerns a protein

Exercise is a vital element of a healthful lifestyle; it helps maintain heart health, improve mood, and fight weight gain. New research also suggests that it can protect a person’s cognitive skills, and a new study uncovers fresh information as to how this can happen. How does exercise help protect memory? According to a study

New research, published in the journal Nature Genetics, identifies new genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease. It also uncovers novel biological mechanisms that may lead to this neurodegenerative condition. Scientists have found new genetic locations associated with Alzheimer’s. About 5.7 million people in the United States are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease. A recent report

Recent research suggests that a maternal diet that is high in an essential nutrient can reduce the impact of Alzheimer’s disease on future generations. Meat, fish, eggs, and dairy are the main dietary sources of choline. In the study, scientists bred mice that were genetically predisposed to develop hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease from females whose

A new study in mice reveals that Candida albicans — a fungus largely perceived as harmless — can cause memory problems and brain abnormalities that resemble those characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease. C. albicans is the most common and best-studied cause of fungal infections in humans. Candida albicans is a species of fungus that grows naturally

Recent research into aging has challenged the notion that colder temperatures can increase lifespan simply by slowing metabolic rate. How much impact does a colder temperature really have on lifespan? Instead, it has revealed that genes determine the extent to which low temperature can influence a person’s lifespan. The research is the work of scientists

A recent study has uncovered further evidence of an association between diet and healthy brain aging. Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can promote healthy brain aging. It found links between blood markers of certain nutrients in the Mediterranean diet and mental performance and brain connectivity in older adults. Previous research suggested that

New research finds that a 6-month regimen of aerobic exercise can reverse symptoms of mild cognitive impairment in older adults. Just 6 months of exercise that raises the heart rate can reverse signs of age-related cognitive impairment. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is characterized by a mild loss of cognitive abilities, such as memory and reasoning

Alzheimer’s disease is a form of neurocognitive decline that affects millions across the world. The exact cause is unclear, but new research is uncovering the mechanisms that allow Alzheimer’s to become established in the brain. Which brain cells are the most vulnerable to Alzheimer’s? In Alzheimer’s disease, as in other forms of dementia, a defining

Women tend to live longer than men, a difference that seems to apply to female versus male individuals across the animal kingdom. Why is this the case? What gives women their longevity? Genetically, most women have two X chromosomes, and most men have one X and one Y chromosome. X chromosomes contain hundreds of protein-encoding

A widely held belief has it that the more we use our brains, the less likely it is that we will experience mental decline as we age, but to what extent is this notion true? A new study tests whether flexing your brain with problem-solving tasks can help prevent age-related mental decline. As we get

Doctors may find it hard to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease before the obvious symptoms set in, and many of the current tests for it are expensive and complicated. However, researchers recently devised a blood test that could accurately detect this condition. Recent research aimed to develop an accurate blood test to diagnose Alzheimer’s. According to the

New research looks to brain lipids to identify a new therapeutic target for Parkinson’s disease. Researchers have identified a new therapeutic target to disrupt the formation of toxic plaques in the brain. Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative condition that affects about half a million people in the United States, according to the National Institutes of

For the first time, researchers have identified two clusters of genes that appear to generate the neurological hallmarks of dementia. The discovery provides a new path toward drug discovery. Understanding the genetic mechanisms behind Alzheimer’s moves us ever closer to an effective treatment. Dementia is a growing concern throughout the Western world and beyond. According

New research, published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, suggests that nighttime exposure to artificial outdoor light, known as light pollution, may raise the risk of insomnia. A new study suggests that exposure to light pollution may cause an increase in sleeping pill use. Short-term insomnia affects approximately 30 percent of adults in the

A recent article raises important questions about the prevalence of firearms in the aging population of the United States. The authors argue that there is a vital need to discuss the relationship between dementia and guns. A recent article investigates the issue of gun ownership in an aging population. Gun ownership is a controversial topic,

In a new study involving people over 70 who have exercised regularly for years, scientists discovered that the participants’ hearts, lungs, and muscles were in equivalent shape to those of people in their 40s. Regular exercise could help keep the body young, new research shows. Researchers from the Human Performance Laboratory at Ball State University

Endurance training, resistance training, or high-intensity interval training — what type of physical exercise will help your body to stay youthful for longer? A new study aims to answer that question. What type of training should you embrace for healthy aging? New research investigates. One key factor in cellular health is telomeres, the “safety caps”

Dementia refers to a series of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, where a person’s memory and other cognitive abilities decline. A recent study may have found a new risk factor that might predispose people to dementia: lung disease. To limit the risk of dementia, people may also want to look after the health of their