As more baby boomers age, deaths from Alzheimer's disease have risen 54.5%, and in many cases the heavy burden of caregiving has fallen on loved ones, according to research published in the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
This May Be the Reason Why Alzheimer's Patients Lose their Memory
Alzheimer's, a type of dementia, is a progressive disease that affects a person's memory and other important functions which are destroyed over time. It usually affects people over the age of 65 and memory loss is one of the most characteristic symptoms of the disease. But do you know why? A new study, published in the journal Neurology, reveals the reason. According to researchers, an alteration or change in the genes may hasten the process of memory loss and affect the thinking ability in people who are already at the risk of developing Alzheimer's.
Alzheimer’s Diagnosis Rarely Disclosed to Patients
A report released by the Alzheimer’s Association found that only 45% of people with Alzheimer’s disease had been told of their diagnosis. While many doctors may be trying to protect their patients from the devastating diagnosis, their non-disclosure is more harmful than good.
Simple steps to help people with dementia lead better lives
Alzheimer's disease has an unusual distinction: It's the illness that Americans fear most -- more than cancer, stroke or heart disease.
The rhetoric surrounding Alzheimer's reflects this. People "fade away" and are tragically "robbed of their identities" as this incurable condition progresses, we're told time and again.
We Know How To Curb Epidemics. Can Alzheimer’s Be Next?
I travel a lot, which means I spend much of my time in airports waiting to catch a flight. I use most of that time to work or catch up on email, but sometimes, when it’s really early in the morning or really late at night, I just sit at the gate and watch the people go by. And not too long ago I saw something that broke my heart.
The Science Of How Sleep Changes Your Brain, From Infancy To Old Age
The role of sleep changes with every stage of life, from infancy to old age. The latest neuroscience is discovering how crucial sleep is to an infant’s growing brain, while the latest epidemiology is discovering how irregular sleep doubles the risk of death as we grow older. To mark National Sleep Week, Thrive Global spoke with some of the top researchers in sleep science to give you a map of how sleep changes through your lifespan.
Sugary Drinks Tied to Accelerated Brain Aging
Drinking sugary beverages is associated with markers of accelerated aging and early signs of Alzheimer’s disease, a new study reports.
Researchers used data on more than 4,000 people over 30, examining their brains with M.R.I. and measuring memory with psychological tests. All completed well-validated food frequency questionnaires.
5 Ways to Help Patients with Dementia Enjoy Life
Alzheimer’s disease has an unusual distinction: It’s the illness that Americans fear most — more than cancer, stroke or heart disease.
The rhetoric surrounding Alzheimer’s reflects this. People “fade away” and are tragically “robbed of their identities” as this incurable condition progresses, we’re told time and again.
Family caregivers help with wider range of healthcare tasks than thought
A Yale-led study finds that while many family caregivers assist older adults with serious health problems like dementia and disability, the majority aid adults without those issues. Caregivers are also helping with a much wider range of activities than previously thought, said the researchers.
The findings, published April 20 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, highlight the need for more attention and resources for family caregivers to lessen the significant financial, emotional, and physical burdens they bear, said the researchers.
Novartis Tests New Alzheimer’s Drug on People Who Don’t Have the Disease
Novartis AG NVS +1.16% thinks its best bet for testing two new Alzheimer’s drugs is on people who don’t actually have Alzheimer’s.
The Swiss drug giant is looking for people whose genes put them at high risk of developing Alzheimer’s, but who haven’t yet fallen victim to the mind-robbing disease. It hopes such early treatment proves more successful than past efforts to tackle the disease once it has taken hold.
Electrical Stimulation To Boost Memory: Maybe It's All In The Timing
People with a brain injury or dementia often struggle to remember simple things, like names or places. In research published Thursday in the journal Current Biology, scientists have shown it may be possible to improve this sort of memory using tiny pulses of electricity — if they're properly timed.
A typical person's ability to remember things tends to vary a lot, says Michael Kahana, who directs the computational memory lab at the University of Pennsylvania.
Alzheimer’s Disease – Now You See It
The exact mechanisms underlying the devastation that is Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) are not entirely understood, but researchers do know that inflammation in the brain is related to the onset of the disease. Now, through a basic eye exam, clinicians may be able to spot AD warning signs, including inflammation, long before symptoms appear