Dementia

A new study finds that self-reported loneliness predicts poorer cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults.

A study linked wildfire smoke exposure to an 18% increased dementia risk, far higher than other air pollution. Vulnerable groups and younger seniors were most affected.

Recent research found that healthy aging is associated with widespread brain network changes, some linked to preserved thinking skills. In contrast, semantic dementia is associated with more rigid brain connections, particularly in the temporal and parietal regions, along with cognitive...

Consuming unsweetened caffeinated coffee is linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and related mortality, while sweetened or artificially sweetened coffee showed no such benefits.

A small study found that focused ultrasound safely reduced amyloid plaques and improved neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer’s patients without medication, offering a promising new treatment approach by targeting the brain’s blood-brain barrier.

Hispanic older adults who frequently attended religious services experienced slower cognitive decline, unlike White or Black participants. This highlights potential cultural factors in the relationship between religious involvement and cognitive health.

Researchers used smartphone navigation data to identify older adults at risk for Alzheimer’s. Frequent pauses during wayfinding, called "orientation stops," effectively distinguished individuals with subtle cognitive decline.

Researchers found that the immune enzyme TYK2 adds a tag to tau protein, causing toxic buildup in the brain. Blocking TYK2 reduced harmful tau and neuron damage in mice, offering a potential new target for Alzheimer’s treatment.

A study found that following the Mediterranean or DASH diets is linked to better brain function and slower mental decline in older adults, while the MIND diet improved initial cognition but didn't slow cognitive decline over time.

Alzheimer’s disease and alcohol use disorder share similar gene expression changes, including increased inflammation, disrupted brain signaling, and vascular damage, suggesting alcohol use may worsen or accelerate Alzheimer’s progression through shared molecular mechanisms.

Bilingual individuals with Alzheimer’s disease showed preserved hippocampal volume compared to monolinguals, suggesting bilingualism may provide brain maintenance benefits.

A high dose of nicotinamide, tested as a treatment for early-stage Alzheimer’s, showed no significant impact on reducing harmful tau proteins in the brain.

A rare genetic variant, APOE3 Christchurch, delays Alzheimer's onset by years in high-risk individuals, offering insights into disease resilience. This discovery could guide new treatments targeting similar protective pathways for Alzheimer’s prevention and therapy.

Positive sibling relationships in childhood and frequent contact with siblings in adulthood are linked to better cognitive health in old age, according to new research.