Alexa, do I have dementia?
By now we are all somewhat familiar with the world of voice-activated technology. You can ask your smartphone to find the best highway route, remind you of appointments and even dictate a text. Plus, voice assistance speakers like Alexa, Siri and Google Home have become [...]
Seaweed-Based Drug Approved for Alzheimer’s
The first prescription drug since 2003 to be approved for Alzheimer's is now available at pharmacies -- but not yet in the United States. Much to the surprise of the global Alzheimer's research community, the remedy, called GV-971, has been given the go-ahead in China [...]
This Cheap Vegetable Oil May Harm Your Brain
During the past few years, medical research has been sounding a warning about the health risks linked to cheap vegetable oils used in restaurant meals, fast foods, processed foods and even in many home kitchens. These oils – soy, corn, canola – are everywhere, and [...]
Lift This “Fog” to Reverse Dementia
While the vast majority of scientists focus their Alzheimer’s research efforts on banishing plaque from the brain, others are looking at different ways to prevent and reverse dementia. One alternative is to target another factor linked to the disease -- brain inflammation. By stopping inflammation [...]
Mood Enhancing Medication Helps Save Failing Memories
It doesn’t happen often, but a simple remedy from nature sometimes gains acceptance by the medical profession. Lithium – a common mineral – is the most widely used and studied medication for treating bipolar disorder. And now it’s finally getting the attention it deserves for [...]
Is Your Smartphone Compromising Your Brain?
We are living in a smartphone world. Take a look around. Almost everywhere you go, folks are staring at their phones like zombies. These little devices are obviously addictive. And too many people can’t seem to put them down or stop peering at their screens. [...]
The Bionic Era of Medicine Draws Near
For the last several decades medicine has made great strides using artificial devices to replace damaged organs and body parts. From artificial hips and knee joint replacements, to pacemakers and breast implants, these devices are commonly used to fight the diseases of aging and, well, [...]
Can Traditional Games Preserve Memory and Thinking Speed?
In the last few years, there’s been a lot of buzz about improving your mind and memory through playing games, and a few enterprising companies have cashed in with various computer games to give your brain a workout. They purport to keep you mentally fit [...]
How “Memory Style” Impacts Your Dementia Risk
There are scores of studies exploring the roots of dementia; why some folks get it and others don’t, and what lifestyle advice we can glean from this data. Now here’s a new factor: Some of the latest research reveals that each of us have different [...]
Serious Questions About What Statin Drugs Do to Your Brain
Sales of statin cholesterol-lowering drugs produce huge profits for drug companies. Global sales this year alone are expected to hit about a trillion dollars. But as a report from Australia published in the journal the British Journal of Sports Medicine warns, “There are concerns that [...]
Core Ingredient of the Mediterranean Diet Keeps Dementia at Bay
The traditional diet of people living on the Greek island of Crete is well-known for its ability to promote a healthy and long life. One element of their diet counts for as much as a third of an individual's daily need for energy. This culinary [...]
Bad Dreams Serve a Useful Purpose
Ancient Greeks and Romans believed dreams predicted the future. Sigmund Freud thought they expressed repressed conflicts or desires and could help people unravel the reasons for mental illness. I take a dim view of both theories, but a new study now shows bad dreams do [...]
Clearing Away Toxic Alzheimer’s Proteins in the Brain Using Genes
When it comes to memory-robbing brain proteins, amyloid and tau top the list. Lately, scientists are investigating how these can be removed from the brain once they've grown out of control, or better still, how their formation can be prevented in the first place. In [...]
New Research Links Mid-life Heart Health to Dementia Risk
Nearly a decade ago the American Heart Association began to promote seven targets to shoot for to achieve ideal cardiovascular health. They hoped the strategy, called “Life's Simple 7,” would reduce the incidence of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. This could be achieved, they said, [...]
New Study Reveals You Can Beat the “Alzheimer’s Gene”
Your height, eye color and wavy hair can all be linked to your DNA. However, the development of Alzheimer’s disease may not be determined by your genetics to the extent some experts think, according to a recent Canadian study.1 Let’s take a closer look at [...]
The Nutrients that Get Together to Boost Your Brain Power
The neurons in your brain need a lot of nutritional support to do their jobs, because they never stop working. They need a steady stream of nutrients to protect them from destructive oxidation and keep their cellular structures intact. And research into brain health shows [...]
“The Wonder Drug of Neurology”
To keep our memory and learning abilities strong we need an abundance of dendrites on our brain cells. Good sized dendritic networks indicate a healthy, well-functioning brain. Disrupted dendrite growth is seen in the brains of people with autism and schizophrenia. So it’s pretty clear [...]
Do This to Reduce the Mistakes You Make in Daily Life
Raymond Dalio is an American investor. Jack Dorsey is the founder of Twitter. Both have something in common -- apart from being billionaires that is. They both take time out to meditate each day. And they're not alone. Many successful people practice meditation. In fact, [...]
When Friends Leave After an Alzheimer’s Diagnosis
Long-time readers know that we strive to offer the latest research on brain health, as well as lifestyle tweaks proven to cut the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. However, in this article I’d like to delve into a troubling facet of this misunderstood disease. Here’s a [...]
Does a Colombian Woman Hold the Key to an Alzheimer’s Cure?
Some people have the misfortune of experiencing a rare mutation in a gene called presenelin 1, which causes early memory loss. Presenelin 1 triggers memory loss in people as young as 40 and develops into full blown Alzheimer's by the late 40s, inflicting death by [...]
