Dementia

Dementia, Latin demens, is progressive decline in cognitive function due to disease in the brain beyond what might be expected from normal aging. Particularly affected areas may be memory, attention, language and problem solving, although particularly in the later stages of the condition, affected persons may be disoriented in time, place and person.

Dementia - most related articles:

- Dementia research funding must triple, UK - 4.5
- Diabetes increases risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease - 4.5
- Vitamin B12, folate deficiency raises dementia risk - 4.4
- Fat around the middle increases dementia risk in women - 4.1
- Structural MRI may diagnose dementia patients accurately - 4
- Stroke survivors with irregular heartbeat may have higher risk of dementia - 4
- Invest in a future without dementia, Alzheimer's disease - 4
- Depression may double risk of dementia & Alzheimer's disease - 4
- Fish and Omega 3 decreases dementia risk in older people - 3.9
- Use of atypical antipsychotics in treatment of dementia declined in US - 3.8

Dementia articles

Smoking linked to mental decline in men
Smoking in men appears to be associated with more rapid cognitive decline or mental decline. Smoking is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for dementia in the elderly and the number of dementia cases worldwide, estimated at 36 million in 2010, is on the rise and is projected to double every 20 years.

Memory, mental aging, cognitive decline can begin as early as age 45
The brain's capacity for memory, reasoning and comprehension skills (cognitive function) can start to deteriorate from age 45. But, previous research suggests that cognitive decline does not begin before the age of 60, but this view is not universally accepted.

Cognitive decline linked to brain volume decreases in parkinson's disease patients
Patients with Parkinson disease-related dementia appear to have increased brain atrophy in the hippocampal, temporal and parietal lobes and decreased prefrontal cortex volume compared to patients with Parkinson disease without dementia.

People with early Alzheimer's disease may have lower BMI
People in the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease are more likely to have a lower body mass index (BMI). A new study examined 506 people with advanced brain imaging techniques and analyses of cerebrospinal fluid to look for biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease, which can be present years before the first symptoms begin.

1 in 5 Americans has hearing loss, US
20% of Americans over the age of 12 experience hearing loss in at least one ear. Nearly a fifth of all Americans 12 years or older have hearing loss so severe that it may make communication difficult, according to a new study led by Johns Hopkins researchers and published in the Nov. 14 Archives of Internal Medicine.

Blood test may detect Alzheimer's Disease progression
Researchers found a way to predict how quickly patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) will lose cognitive function by looking at ratios of two fatty compounds in their blood.

Diabetes increases risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease
People with diabetes appear to be at a significantly increased risk of developing dementia, revealed by researchers in a recent study published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Mild memory loss and thinking problems may impact life expectancy
Cognitive impairment, especially at the moderate to severe stages has an impact on life expectancy similar to chronic conditions such as diabetes or chronic heart failure, revealed by Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University researchers in a study "Cognitive Impairment: An Independent Predictor of Excess Mortality. A Cohort Study" published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

People seek early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease
Results of an international survey reveal that over 85% of respondents in the five countries surveyed say that if they were exhibiting confusion and memory loss, they would want to see a doctor to determine if the cause of the symptoms was Alzheimer's disease. Over 94% would want the same if a family member were exhibiting the symptoms.

HIV drugs may cause premature aging
Researchers revealed that a class of anti-retroviral drugs (NRTIs) commonly used to treat HIV can cause premature ageing, as the drugs damage DNA in the patient's mitochondria. HIV-infected people treated with antiretroviral drugs sometimes show advanced signs of frailty and age-associated diseases such as cardiovascular disease and dementia at an early age.

Memory problems often not present in middle aged people with Alzheimer's disease
A new study suggests more than half of people who develop Alzheimer's disease before the age of 60 are initially misdiagnosed as having other kinds of brain disease when they do not have memory problems.

Potential Alzheimer's disease diagnostic test using spinal fluid
Researchers at the University of Kentucky are working on a potential diagnostic test for Alzheimer's disease, based on biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid.

Brain size predicts dementia in advance in Alzheimer's disease
Subtle differences in brain anatomy among older individuals with normal cognitive skills may be able to predict both the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease in the following decade and how quickly symptoms of dementia would develop.

Stroke survivors with irregular heartbeat may have higher risk of dementia
Stroke survivors who have an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation may be at higher risk of developing dementia than stroke survivors who do not have the heart condition, according to research published in the March 8, 2011, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Gene therapy clearing toxic proteins in brain may prevent Alzheimer's disease
Gene therapy that boosts the ability of brain cells to gobble up toxic proteins prevents development of Alzheimer's disease in mice that are predestined to develop it, report researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center.

Use of atypical antipsychotics in treatment of dementia declined in US
A warning issued by the Food and Drug Administration regarding the use of atypical antipsychotics for the treatment of dementia was associated with a significant decline in the use of these medications for treating dementia symptoms in elderly patients.

A new way to test blood for Alzheimer's disease
Using a new technology that relies on thousands of synthetic molecules to fish for disease-specific antibodies, researchers have developed a potential method for detecting Alzheimer's disease with a simple blood test.

Mid life cholesterol levels not linked to Alzheimer's disease
Contrary to earlier research, a new, long-term study suggests that cholesterol level in mid-life may not be linked to later development of Alzheimer's disease.

Beet juice can increase blood flow to the brain in older
Drinking beet juice can increase blood flow to the brain in older adults – a finding that could hold great potential for combating the progression of dementia.

Post traumatic stress disorder PTSD may lead to dementia
Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have a greater risk for dementia than Veterans without PTSD, even those who suffered traumatic injuries during combat, revealed by researchers in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Depression may double risk of dementia & Alzheimer's disease
A new study shows that having depression may nearly double your risk of developing dementia later in life, revealed in a research published in the July 6, 2010, issue of Neurology.

Apple juice improves behavior but not cognition in Alzheimer's disease patients
Apple juice can be a useful supplement for calming the declining moods that are part of the normal progression of moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's Disease (AD), revealed by researchers.

Mutations in presenilin gene may cause early onset Alzheimer's disease
Researchers have discovered how mutations in the presenilin 1 gene cause early-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). The finding is reported online in the journal Cell.

Protein regulates enzyme linked to Alzheimer's disease
Researchers at Tufts University School of Medicine have zeroed in on a protein that may play a role in the progression of Alzheimer's disease. The team found that increasing levels of the protein (called GGA3) prevented the accumulation of an enzyme linked to Alzheimer's.

Abdominal fat at middle age linked to dementia
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine determined that excess abdominal fat places otherwise healthy, middle-aged people at risk for dementia later in life. Preliminary findings suggest a relationship between obesity and dementia that could lead to promising prevention strategies in the future.

Eye test for early detection of Alzheimer's and Down syndrome
Researchers are going to develop an innovative eye test for early detection of Alzheimer's disease and Down syndrome. As they discovered the protein that forms plaques in the brain in Alzheimer's disease also accumulates in the eyes of people with Down syndrome.

Ablation heart procedure reduces risk of Alzheimer and stroke
Researchers found that ablation treatment can eliminate serious risks associated with atrial fibrillation. New research was presented at National Heart Rhythm Society.

Spouses who care for partners with dementia at higher risk of same fate
Husbands or wives who care for spouses with dementia are six times more likely to develop the memory-impairing condition than those whose spouses don't have it, according to results of a 12-year study led by Johns Hopkins, Utah State University, and Duke University.

New gene linked to Alzheimer's disease
Researchers have identified a gene that appears to increase a person's risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer's disease, the most common type of Alzheimer's disease.

Nuts, fish, poultry and fruits reduce Alzheimer's disease risk
Individuals whose diet includes more salad dressing, nuts, fish, poultry and certain fruits and vegetables and fewer high-fat dairy products, red meats, organ meats and butter appear less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease.

Blueberry juice improves memory in older adults
Scientists are reporting the first evidence from human research that blueberries - one of the richest sources of healthful antioxidants and other so-called phytochemicals - improve memory.

Gene variation linked to lower risk of dementia, Alzheimer's disease
Preliminary research suggests that variation of a gene for a plasma protein is associated with slower age-related memory decline and a lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer disease (AD).

Exercise may prevent, improve cognitive impairment
Moderate physical activity performed in midlife or later appears to be associated with a reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment, whereas a six-month high-intensity aerobic exercise program may improve cognitive function in individuals who already have the condition.

Testing gene therapy for Alzheimer's disease
University Hospitals Case Medical Center is one of 12 sites conducting the first Phase 2 clinical trial of a gene therapy for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The study uses a viral-based gene transfer system called CERE-110, which is designed to deliver nerve growth factor (NGF) into the brain.

Cell phone may boost memory in Alzheimer's disease patients
The millions of people who spend hours every day on a cell phone may have a new excuse for yakking. A surprising new study in mice provides the first evidence that long-term exposure to electromagnetic waves associated with cell phone use may actually protect against, and even reverse, Alzheimer's disease.

High leptin levels may protect against Alzheimer's disease, dementia
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have found that higher leptin (a protein that controls weight and appetite) levels were associated with a lower incidence of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and dementia.

Fat around the middle increases dementia risk in women
Women who store fat on their waist in middle age are more than twice as likely to develop dementia when they get older, reveals a new study from the Sahlgrenska Academy.

Action on antipsychotic drugs and dementia, UK
A tough new action plan to tackle the over prescribing of antipsychotic drugs to people with dementia was announced by Care Services Minister Phil Hope in UK.

Reduced muscle strength increases Alzheimer's disease risk
Individuals with weaker muscles appear to have a higher risk for Alzheimer's disease and declines in cognitive function over time, revealed by the researchers.

Dementia is a terminal illness - study
Patients with advanced dementia experience distressing symptoms similar to patients dying of more commonly recognized terminal conditions, such as cancer, revealed by researchers.

Extra virgin olive oil prevents Alzheimer's disease
Natural compound, Oleocanthal, in extra virgin olive oil targets toxic beta amyloid proteins in patients with Alzheimer's disease, revealed by US researchers. Extra virgin olive oil contains the highest amount of polyphenol antioxidants also.

Gene therapy may cure Alzheimer's disease
To stop the progression of Alzheimer's disease, scientists are conducting gene therapy trial on patients with a mild form of Alzheimer's Disease in US.

Poor money management indicates Alzheimer's disease
New research finds poor money management skills may indicate that a person with mild memory problems will soon develop Alzheimer's disease, revealed by researchers in a new research study.

Mediterranean diet and exercise lower Alzheimer's disease risk
Both being more physically active and adhering to a Mediterranean-type diet appears to be associated with reduced Alzheimer's risk, according to a new report in the August 12, 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Antipsychotics raise blood sugar in older diabetes patients
Older patients with diabetes who take antipsychotic medications appear to have an increased risk of hospitalization for hyperglycemia (elevated blood glucose level), especially soon after beginning treatment, revealed by researchers.

Fish and Omega 3 decreases dementia risk in older people
Experts estimate that over 24 million people worldwide suffer from dementia, and many of these people live in low- and middle-income countries. Recently, there has been growing interest in whether dietary factors, particularly oily fish and meat, might influence the onset and/or severity of dementia.

Biomarkers may help predict risk of Alzheimer's disease
Several cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers showed good accuracy in identifying patients with mild cognitive impairment who progressed to Alzheimer's disease, revealed by US researchers in JAMA.

Learning about Alzheimer's disease risk cause no distress
Disclosing genetic risk information to adult children of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) who request this information does not result in significant short-term psychological distress, revealed by researchers.

White matter changes may predict dementia risk
Elderly people with no memory or thinking problems are more likely to later develop thinking problems if they have a growing amount of "brain rust," or small areas of brain damage, revealed by researchers.

Alcohol has cognitive benefits in older adults
Moderate alcohol intake offers long-term cognitive protection and reduces the risk of dementia in older adults, revealed by researchers at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

Structural MRI may diagnose dementia patients accurately
Researchers developed STAND-Map - a framework for MRI-based differential diagnosis of three common neurodegenerative disorders: Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, and Lewy body disease using Structural MRI.

Intellectual ability test in early 20s may predict dementia risk
People who have superior language skills early in life may be less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease decades later, despite having the hallmark signs of the disease, revealed by researchers.

Dementia research funding must triple, UK
The UK's leading dementia charities united with eminent scientists to urge the government to commit to a national dementia research strategy and triple annual investment to £96 million in five years.

Coffee may reverse Alzheimer's disease
Caffeine significantly decreased abnormal levels of the protein linked to Alzheimer's disease, both in the brains and in the blood of mice exhibiting symptoms of the disease, revealed by researchers.

Test your memory test for Alzheimer's disease
UK researchers at Addenbrooke's Hospital have created a new cognitive test (TYM) that detects Alzheimer's disease quickly and accurately. The study published online on BMJ.com.

Peptide Abeta a new marker for Alzheimer's disease
Researchers in Japan have detected a peptide in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that can show whether a person is developing Alzheimer's disease. Measuring the level of this peptide could show that the disease process has started, long before any serious damage is done to the brain.

Cognitive impairment linked to reduced survival in US
Alzheimer's disease and its precursor, mild cognitive impairment, appear to be associated with an increased risk of death among both white and African American older adults according to a new, long-term research study by neurological experts at the Alzheimer's Disease Center at Rush University Medical Center.

Alzheimer's Society comment on new tau tangle research
New research published in Nature Cell Biology suggests that tangle formation can be transferred from one type of trans genetic mouse line to another.

Alzheimer's Society comment on benefits of weekly curry
Professor Murali Doraiswamy, from the Duke University Medical Center in Carolina, has suggested that curcumin, found in the popular curry ingredient tumeric, could help prevent the onset of dementia.

Heart disorder linked to Alzheimer's disease dementia
Researchers at Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City believe that they have made a breakthrough connection between atrial fibrillation, a fairly common heart rhythm disorder, and Alzheimer's disease, the leading form of dementia among Americans.

Alzheimer's disease risk index predicts Alzheimer's in elderly
A new tool can help predict whether people age 65 and older have a high risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Research on the tool is published in the May 13, 2009, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Alzheimer's disease - most expensive disease, Maria Shriver
Sargent Shriver, an advisor to two presidents and the first director of the Peace Corps, no longer remembers the name of his daughter: Maria, California's first lady and former television reporter. He has Alzheimer's disease.

Pain relievers seem not to prevent Alzheimer's disease
A new study shows that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as the pain relievers ibuprofen and naproxen do not prevent Alzheimer's disease, but they may instead delay its onset.

SAP a new therapeutic target in Alzheimer's disease
New therapeutic approaches in Alzheimer's disease are urgently needed. Work led by Professor Mark Pepys FRS over more than 20 years has identified a protein known as serum amyloid P component (SAP) as a possible therapeutic target in Alzheimer's disease.

Dementia risk rises in elderly diabetics after hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) episodes that require a visit to the hospital are associated with increased risk of dementia in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

A-beta clearance - a key to treatment or prevention of Alzheimer's disease
In Alzheimer's disease the brain accumulates a molecule called A-beta that can be quite toxic to brain cells. Many researchers believe that finding ways to clear A-beta may be a key to treatment or prevention of Alzheimer's disease.

Passive smoking linked to dementia
Researchers from the Peninsula Medical School, the University of Cambridge and the University of Michigan have published the results of the first large-scale study to indicate that second-hand smoke exposure could lead to dementia and other neurological problems.

MRI shows brain atrophy pattern that predicts Alzheimer's Disease
Researchers have identified a pattern of regional brain atrophy in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) that indicates a greater likelihood of progression to Alzheimer's disease. Researchers used special MRI methods.

Mediterranean diet improves cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease
Eating a Mediterranean diet appears to be associated with less risk of mild cognitive impairment-a stage between normal aging and dementia-or of transitioning from mild cognitive impairment into Alzheimer's disease.

Insulin may slow or prevent Alzheimer's disease
Insulin, by shielding memory-forming synapses from harm, may slow or prevent the damage and memory loss caused by toxic proteins in Alzheimer's disease, reported by researchers at Northwestern University.

Abusive behavior towards dementia patients by family carers is common
Half of family carers of people with dementia report some abusive behaviour towards the person they are caring for and one third report 'significant' levels of abuse, according to new research from UCL (University College London) published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).

Dementia not in socially active old people
A new study shows that people who are socially active and not easily stressed may be less likely to develop dementia.

NICE's decision on Alzheimer's drugs based on flawed calculations
Thousands of people with early stage Alzheimer's are being denied access to the only drugs for the disease due to fundamental flaws in the way their cost effectiveness has been calculated.

Hormone therapy HRT may shrink brain
Two new studies show that hormone therapy for women is linked to brain shrinkage, but not to the small brain lesions that are the first sign of cerebrovascular disease.

Physically fit older women are mentally fit
New research published in the international journal Neurobiology of Aging by Marc Poulin, PhD, DPhil, finds that being physically fit helps the brain function at the top of its game.

Sleep disorder - an early sign of dementia, Parkinson's disease
People with a sleep disorder that causes them to kick or cry out during their sleep may be at greater risk of developing dementia or Parkinson's disease, revealed by researchers.

Yeast to identify drugs for Alzheimer's disease
CSIRO scientists have developed a new system to screen for compounds that can inhibit one of the processes that takes place during the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

Marijuana reduces memory impairment
The more research they do, the more evidence Ohio State University scientists find that specific elements of marijuana can be good for the aging brain by reducing inflammation there and possibly even stimulating the formation of new brain cells.

Ginkgo biloba does not reduce dementia, Alzheimer's disease risk
The medicinal herb Ginkgo biloba does not reduce the risk of dementia or Alzheimer's disease development in either the healthy elderly or those with mild cognitive impairment, according to a large multicenter trial led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Education level linked to Alzheimer's disease, dementia
Individuals with higher education levels appear to score higher on cognitive tests despite having evidence of brain plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease.

$62 million settlement with drug company Eli Lilly
Attorney General Martha Coakley's office, along with 32 other attorneys general, reached a record $62 million settlement with Eli Lilly and Company (Eli Lilly) resolving allegations of improper marketing of the atypical antipsychotic drug, Zyprexa.

Antipsychotic drugs increase stroke risk
All antipsychotics are associated with an increased risk of stroke, and the risk might be higher in patients receiving atypical antipsychotics than those receiving typical antipsychotics.

PET scans useful to assess Alzheimer's disease
A type of positron emission tomography (PET) scanning may be useful in a non-invasive assessment of the formation of Alzheimer's disease–related plaques in the brain, according to small study posted online today that will appear in the October 2008 print issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Eating fish may prevent memory loss and stroke in old age
Eating tuna and other types of fish may help lower the risk of cognitive decline and stroke in healthy older adults, according to a study published in the August 5, 2008, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Living with a partner reduces Alzheimer's disease risk
Living with a spouse or a partner decreases the risk of developing Alzheimer's and other dementia diseases. This according to a study by Krister Håkansson, researcher in psychology at Växjö University and Karolinska Institutet, Sweden. The results were presented for the first time yesterday at the world's largest dementia conference.

Lazy brain - a shrinking brain
People who have been more mentally active over their lives have a larger hippocampus – which relates to memory – and critically that it shrinks at half the rate of those who have lower mental activity.

Exercise may prevent Early Alzheimer's disease
Mild Alzheimer's disease patients with higher physical fitness had larger brains compared to mild Alzheimer's patients with lower physical fitness, according to a study published in the July 15, 2008, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Invest in a future without dementia, Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's Australia released a report 'Australian Dementia Research' that recommends annual funding for dementia research be increased three-fold to $36 million in response to the growing economic and social impact of the dementia epidemic.

20 minutes of housework boosts mental health
A Scottish Survey reveals first time that just 20 minutes of any physical activity, including housework, in a week is enough to boost mental health. While regular exercise is known to be good for mental health, no one seems able to agree on how much, or what type of activity, is best.

Obesity in midlife increases dementia risk
People in their 40s with larger stomachs have a higher risk for dementia when they reach their 70s, according to a study published in the March 26, 2008, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

$1 million help to find Alzheimer's disease cure
UK's best-selling author, Terry Pratchett, has pledged $1million to leading UK charity, the Alzheimer's Research Trust, in a bid to help find a cure for the devastating disease, with which he was diagnosed in December 2007.

Improved cognitive health among older Americans
Higher levels of health education improved cognitive health among older Americans. Rates of cognitive impairment among older Americans are on the decline, according to a new study supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) comparing the cognitive health of older people in 1993 and 2002.

Memory loss, less common in older Americans
It appears that memory loss and thinking problems are becoming less common among older Americans. A new 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.

Aircraft noise raises blood pressure even whilst sleeping
Night-time noise from aircraft or traffic can increase a person's blood pressure even if it does not wake them, according to a new study published in the European Heart Journal. Scientists from Imperial College London and other European institutions monitored 140 sleeping volunteers in their homes near London Heathrow and three other major European airports.

Vitamin B12, folate deficiency raises dementia risk
Folate deficiency is associated with a tripling in the risk of developing dementia among elderly people, suggests research published ahead of print in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.

Australian health budget for a responsible long term health plan
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) Federal Budget Submission 2008-09 provides the Government with suggested health spending priorities to build a sustainable and equitable health system to serve Australians for the long term. The Submission was lodged with Treasury on 18 January in keeping with the Treasurer's deadline.

Statins, cholesterol lowering drugs may not prevent Alzheimer's Disease
Taking statins, which are cholesterol-lowering drugs, offers no protection against Alzheimer's disease, revealed by US researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

97 Dementia articles listed above.

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What is Dementia
Dementia, Latin demens, is progressive decline in cognitive function due to disease in the brain beyond what might be expected from normal aging. Particularly affected areas may be memory, attention, language and problem solving, although particularly in the later stages of the condition, affected persons may be disoriented in time, place and person.

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