Tag

Alzheimers Disease

All articles tagged with #alzheimers disease

health19 hours ago•4 min saved

Three-Move Hand Test Gives Quick Clue to Dementia Risk

A neurologist highlights the Luria (Three-Move) hand test—three simple gestures that assess motor function, sequencing, and executive function—as a quick at-home screen for cognitive issues. While not diagnostic, poor performance is linked to higher dementia risk (over half of Alzheimer’s patients and many with frontal-temporal dementia struggle), and results can prompt further screening (like SAGE) and exploration of emerging blood biomarker tests for early detection.

via New York Post|

#alzheimers-disease #cognitive-assessment #dementia

health22 hours ago•4 min saved

Cary teen uses AI to advance Alzheimer’s detection, wins national scholarship

Cary Academy graduate Kenna Zhang, who will attend MIT this fall, won the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s 2026 Teen Alzheimer’s Awareness Scholarship Contest in the video category, earning a $5,000 scholarship. Zhang’s high-school research focused on AI-driven approaches to earlier and more accurate Alzheimer’s diagnosis, including handling biases and merging multiple data types for diagnosis, with an emphasis on improving screening in underserved communities. She presented at the International Science and Engineering Fair and plans to continue this work at MIT to broaden access to early detection tools, honoring her grandmother’s memory.

via ABC11 News|

#alzheimers-disease #artificial-intelligence #early-detection

health2 days ago•5 min saved

Alzheimer’s and gender: different risks, shared call for support

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia and typically presents with memory and cognitive changes. Women are more likely to develop Alzheimer's—partly due to longer lifespans and related social factors—while men are more prone to vascular dementia. Symptoms vary by the type of dementia rather than by gender, and there is no cure. Treatments can ease symptoms and support, with a focus on social engagement, healthy living, and caregiver assistance.

via AOL.com|

#aging #alzheimers-disease #caregiving

health4 days ago•20 min saved

Brain health hinges on where you move: work vs leisure activity

A Lancet Public Health review of 74 studies (over 4.2 million participants) finds that leisure-time physical activity lowers dementia risk, but physically demanding jobs may increase it due to chronic stress and low personal agency; the article discusses how workplace conditions and public health strategies could mitigate this risk and better protect workers in manual labor.

via The Washington Post|

#alzheimers-disease #brain-health #dementia

health5 days ago•7 min saved

Screen Time and Brain Health: TV Linked to Shrinkage, Desk Work Not

A 22-year study of 1,712 adults found frequent TV viewing linked to smaller brain regions vulnerable to Alzheimer’s and more white matter damage, independent of exercise or other health factors. In contrast, those who sat at work (desk sitting) showed larger brain volumes and less internal damage, suggesting cognitive engagement may matter in sedentary behavior. The associations were stronger in men, but causality can’t be established from this observational study.

via studyfinds.com|

#alzheimers-disease #aric-study #brain-health

health7 days ago•3 min saved

Map-Based Thinking: Learning Local Environments May Protect Your Brain

A new study suggests that people who rely less on GPS and actively learn their surroundings can strengthen the hippocampus and may lower Alzheimer's risk; building mental maps is linked to brain health, with prior London taxi driver research showing larger posterior hippocampus from route-learning, and a 2024 Harvard-led analysis finding that taxi and ambulance drivers had Alzheimer's death rates under 1%—far lower than the overall rate—compared with other transportation jobs. The takeaway isn’t to abandon GPS entirely but to exercise spatial navigation in daily life to potentially protect the brain as you age.

via Jalopnik|

#alzheimers-disease #brain-health #health

science7 days ago•6 min saved

Lithium in the Brain: New Clues on Dementia Risk but No Proven Remedy

Harvard researchers analyzing metals in brains found lower lithium levels in the prefrontal cortex of people with cognitive impairment and dementia. In mice with Alzheimer’s-like symptoms, lithium—especially lithium orotate—appeared to reduce pathology by interacting with amyloid beta, but this does not translate to proven benefits in humans. Lithium supplementation for dementia prevention remains unproven and could carry toxicity risks, so more research is needed. In the meantime, brain health is best supported by Mediterranean/MIND-style diets, ensuring vitamin D and B12 sufficiency, and considering multivitamin supplementation for potential cognitive decline risk reduction.

via BBC Science Focus Magazine|

#alzheimers-disease #brain-health #dementia

science8 days ago•5 min saved

Alzheimer’s Research Cited in NIH Cancellations Amid DEI Debates

Two leading U.S. universities say about $15 million in NIH grants studying how racism and discrimination affect brain health and Alzheimer’s risk were canceled as part of a broader DEI-tied effort. Researchers warn the moves disrupt scientifically valid epidemiological work, delay funding and pay, and follow a pattern of politically motivated interference. NIH maintains the projects no longer align with its priorities, while experts describe the strategy as a test case for defensible political action.

via The Guardian|

#alzheimers-disease #dei #funding-cuts

science8 days ago•7 min saved

Gut Metabolite From Microbes Tied to Alzheimer’s Pathology

A new study identifies imidazole propionate (ImP), a metabolite produced by certain gut bacteria, as a potential link between the microbiome and Alzheimer's disease by weakening the blood-brain barrier and promoting amyloid beta plaques and tau changes. In humans, higher ImP levels correlate with faster cognitive decline and elevated Alzheimer’s biomarkers; in mouse models, ImP worsens disease features. ImP-producing bacteria are present in many people but not highly abundant, and susceptibility depends on multiple factors. Targeting ImP or its production could become a therapeutic strategy rather than eliminating the bacteria.

via WIRED|

#alzheimers-disease #amyloid-beta #blood-brain-barrier

health-and-medicine9 days ago•10 min saved

Blood Immune Cells Enter the Aging Brain, Reshaping Brain Immunity

Stanford researchers show that immune cells from the blood can migrate into the aging brain and become microglia, challenging the view of brain immunity as isolated and opening potential new immunotherapy avenues for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.

via ScienceDaily|

#aging #alzheimers-disease #brain-immune

health10 days ago•7 min saved

Menopause Hormone Therapy May Lower Alzheimer's Pathology, Stanford Study Shows

A Stanford Neurology study analyzing post-mortem and living participants found estrogen-only menopausal hormone therapy is associated with about a 35% lower risk of Alzheimer's pathology and 39% lower odds of dementia, with living users showing better memory and function. The work suggests possible neuroprotective effects of estrogen and potential greater benefit if started near menopause, but as an observational study it cannot prove causation, and randomized trials are needed to confirm brain-health benefits.

via Fox News|

#alzheimers-disease #estrogen #health

health10 days ago•5 min saved

Estrogen-Only Menopause Therapy Linked to Lower Alzheimer's Risk, Study Finds

A Stanford-led analysis of brain autopsies from about 21,000+ women found that estrogen-only menopause hormone therapy was associated with roughly a 35% lower lifetime risk of Alzheimer's disease compared with non-users, suggesting a modest protective brain effect for some women. The study notes this is associative, not proof of causation, and results do not necessarily apply to estrogen-plus-progestin or topical forms; benefits may be most relevant to women who started therapy near menopause and who had hysterectomies.

via New York Post|

#alzheimers-disease #brain-health #estrogen

health12 days ago•10 min saved

Estrogen-only HRT linked to lower dementia risk in older women, study finds

A study of more than 20,000 women found that oestrogen-only hormone replacement therapy used later in life was associated with significantly lower odds of a clinical dementia diagnosis (about 39% reduced risk) and 33% lower odds of memory/functional decline, with post-mortem data showing 35% fewer biological signs of Alzheimer’s in users. Experts caution the findings show association, not causation, and the results largely reflect women who had a hysterectomy around age 70—not representative of current HRT use—so larger, more diverse studies are needed. In the meantime, general dementia prevention steps (regular exercise, not smoking, limiting alcohol) remain important.

via independent.co.uk|

#aging #alzheimers-disease #brain

health12 days ago•5 min saved

estrogen-only therapy linked to lower dementia signals in menopause women

A retrospective analysis across two datasets (21,462 records, including nearly 3,000 brain donors) found that estrogen-only hormone therapy for menopause was associated with fewer memory problems and lower Alzheimer’s biomarkers in brains. The study shows association, not causation, and could be influenced by confounding factors or missing data (e.g., hysterectomy status); more long-term randomized trials are needed to determine any protective effect.

via Scientific American|

#alzheimers-disease #biomarkers #dementia

health12 days ago•53 min saved

Iowa Dad Sets Swiss MAID Trip to Preserve His Mind Amid Alzheimer's

Rusty Martin, a 66-year-old Iowa man with early-onset Alzheimer’s, plans to travel to Switzerland to end his life with medical aid in dying because it isn’t legal in Iowa; his wife and children support his choice, citing the desire not to lose his mind to the disease, and he has urged Iowa lawmakers to adopt death-with-dignity legislation.

via Yahoo|

#alzheimers-disease #health #iowa