Researchers have found a way to design an antibody that can identify the toxic particles that destroy healthy brain cells — a potential advance in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. Their method is able to recognise these toxic particles, known as amyloid-beta oligomers, which are the hallmark of the disease, leading to hope that new […]
Everyday challenges are part of the bargain when you care for someone with dementia. Throw in a pandemic on top of that and you may have to manage more than you ever thought possible. The world is full of what ifs right now. Still, there are lots of things you can control and prepare for if you care […]
As the COVID-19 outbreak has unfolded, the advice I’ve been giving everyone is ‘stay informed’, ‘keep your daily routine as close to normal as possible’, and ‘stay connected’. But how do you talk to your elderly relatives or parents about coronavirus? And if your parent has dementia, how do you inform them about coronavirus without frightening them? We […]
A healthy diet is essential to living well, but as we age, should we change what we eat? UTS research fellow Dr Luna Xu has studied data from 139,000 older Australians and found strong links between certain food groups, memory loss and comorbid heart disease or diabetes. Dr Xu found high consumption of fruit and […]
Dementia makes it difficult to think clearly, to remember things, and to communicate with others. Early-onset, or young-onset, dementia refers to changes that begin before age 65. It can start as early as age 30 but usually happens around age 50. Because it starts at an earlier age, there are unique challenges to consider when caring […]
These “animals” may be little more than toys, but the soothing effect they have on many people living with dementia offers new insight into our need to give affection and receive it. There are more than 100,000 people living with dementia in residential aged-care facilities in Australia, along with 280 robot seals. They are joined […]
Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia among the elderly, is characterized by plaques and tangles in the brain, with most efforts at finding a cure focused on these abnormal structures. But a University of California, Riverside, research team has identified alternate chemistry that could account for the various pathologies associated with the disease. […]
Good cardiovascular health at age 50 is associated with a lower risk of dementia later in life, finds a study of British adults published by The BMJ today. The researchers say their findings support public health policies to improve cardiovascular health in middle age to promote later brain health. Dementia is a progressive disease that can start […]
Stereotypically viewed as passive and immobile, older adults with dementia seem to have experienced an improved quality of life after exposure to music and dance through a University of Otago, New Zealand, pilot study. Researchers from the Department of Dance and Department of Psychological Medicine used familiar, reminiscent music and the natural gestures of a […]
Reduced blood capillaries in the back of the eye may be a new, noninvasive way to diagnose early cognitive impairment, the precursor to Alzheimer’s disease in which individuals become forgetful, reports a newly published Northwestern Medicine study. Scientists detected these vascular changes in the human eye non-invasively, with an infrared camera and without the need […]