Toxic exposures in kids linked to increased risk of brain disorders later in life A paper published in Neuroepidemiology takes a look at the science behind toxic exposures and how they can lead to an increased risk of neurological diseases later in life. The paper, “Toxic Exposures and Neurological Diseases” looks at the role of toxic exposures, including mercury, lead, flame retardants, pesticides, and air pollution, in the development of neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). According to the paper, which was organized by…
Neurologists assess rate of cognitive decline among patients with Alzheimer’s across a spectrum of cognitive impairment A new study published in Neurology suggests that patients with Alzheimer’s disease experience a more rapid rate of cognitive decline if they have mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild dementia when compared to those with Alzheimer’s disease who are in a moderate state of cognitive decline. In this analysis, researchers looked at four cohorts of patients with Alzheimer’s disease that included: patients in the Mild Cognitive Impairment Treatment Study 2 (MCI-T2), patients in the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study (ADCS), patients in…
Neurologist uses personalized social cognitive rehabilitation to help stroke survivors regain higher levels of functioning A new study published in Neurology looks at the effects of personalized social cognitive rehabilitation on stroke survivors. Social cognitive rehabilitation is a type of rehabilitation that incorporates cognitive retraining with activities that encourage patients to interact with other people. This type of rehabilitation has been shown to improve cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia, but it hasn’t been studied much in stroke survivors, who often experience problems with social cognition after having a stroke. The current study, conducted by researchers at…
Researchers identify risk factors for vascular dementia A new study published in Neurology looks at the risk factors for developing vascular dementia. Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia, after Alzheimer’s disease. In this type of dementia, the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain are damaged, leading to problems with thinking and memory. In the current study, researchers looked at data from more than 30,000 patients from the UK Biobank, a large study that includes health information from 500,000 people. The researchers followed the…
Preventing Alzheimer’s disease in people with Down syndrome A recent study published in JAMA Neurology shows that early intervention may help prevent or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in people with Down syndrome. Down syndrome is the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability and is also associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. People with Down syndrome typically start to experience problems with thinking and memory in their 40s. In the current study, researchers looked at data from two groups of people with Down syndrome: one group…
Study identifies risk factors for cerebral small vessel disease A new study published in Neurology looks at the risk factors for cerebral small vessel disease (SVD). Cerebral SVD is a type of brain injury that occurs when the small blood vessels in the brain are damaged. This type of damage can lead to problems with thinking, memory, and movement. The current study, conducted by researchers at the University of Edinburgh, looked at data from more than 6,000 patients from the UK Biobank, a large study that includes health information from 500,000 people. The…
New study shows potential benefits of probiotics in Alzheimer’s disease A new study published in Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy shows that probiotics may have the potential to improve cognitive function in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Probiotics are live bacteria that are found in food, such as yogurt, and supplements. They are thought to have health benefits, including improving gut health. In the current study, researchers looked at data from three randomized controlled trials that included a total of 377 patients with Alzheimer’s disease. One of the trials looked at the effects of…
Alzheimer’s disease linked to higher risk of death from falls A new study published in JAMA Neurology shows that people with Alzheimer’s disease are more likely to die from a fall than people without Alzheimer’s disease. The current study, conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, looked at data from more than 2,000 patients with Alzheimer’s disease and more than 10,000 patients without Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers followed the patients for an average of four years. During that time, there were a total of 753 falls among the patients…
Scientists identify new genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease A new study published in Nature Genetics shows that a gene called TMEM106B may be a new genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. The current study was conducted by an international team of researchers from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. The researchers looked at data from more than 30,000 patients with Alzheimer’s disease and more than 100,000 healthy controls. The researchers found that people with a specific variant of the TMEM106B gene were more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. This…
People with sleep apnea at higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease A new study published in Neurology shows that people with sleep apnea are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that is characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep. People with sleep apnea often snore loudly and wake up frequently during the night. In the current study, researchers looked at data from more than 1,500 patients with sleep apnea and more than 3,000 healthy controls. The researchers followed the patients for an average of six years. During that…
Loneliness increases risk of dementia A new study published in Neurology shows that loneliness is associated with an increased risk of dementia. Loneliness is a feeling of social isolation or disconnection. It is different from being alone, which simply means that a person is not in the company of others. In the current study, researchers looked at data from more than 1,600 patients with dementia and more than 3,000 healthy controls. The researchers followed the patients for an average of four years. During that time, there were a…
Scientists identify genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease A new study published in Science shows that a gene called TREM2 may be a new genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. The current study was conducted by an international team of researchers from the United States, Italy, and the United Kingdom. The researchers looked at data from more than 60,000 patients with Alzheimer’s disease and more than 120,000 healthy controls. The researchers found that people with a specific variant of the TREM2 gene were more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. This variant…
Scientists identify new genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease A new study published in Nature Genetics shows that a gene called ABCA7 may be a new genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. The current study was conducted by an international team of researchers from the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The researchers looked at data from more than 60,000 patients with Alzheimer’s disease and more than 120,000 healthy controls. The researchers found that people with a specific variant of the ABCA7 gene were more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. This…
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