The use of technology has become a hot topic when it comes to its effects on the brain. With many people now reaching old age having grown up with technology, researchers wanted to see how it affects their mental sharpness. They dug into 57 studies involving over 400, 000 older adults. The results were surprising: using tech like computers, smartphones, and social...
People who are 60 or older are more likely to develop epilepsy. This is especially true for those who are experiencing some form of cognitive decline. This decline can range from mild issues, like forgetting where they put their keys, to more serious problems, such as dementia. When epilepsy strikes this age group, it can make their cognitive problems worse and even ...
Understanding how weight changes over time can be crucial for brain health. Many studies have shown that being overweight in midlife can lead to thinking problems later on. However, there is a gap in knowledge about how weight changes from early adulthood to midlife impact cognitive decline. This is where the ELSA-Brasil study comes in. It looked at how weight ch...
Dementia is a scary word. It's a condition that affects how we think, remember, and even who we are. But here's something interesting: how much schooling we have can make a big difference in how likely we are to get it. Schooling isn't just about getting a job or making money. It's also about keeping our brains sharp. People with more education tend to have brains t...
Ever felt like you're dragging even after a full night's sleep? Your phone might be the sneaky culprit. But here's a surprising twist: by turning off your phone's internet connection, you might actually boost your sleep and keep your brain feeling younger. Let's break this down. First, let's talk about the brain's built-in cleaning system, called the glymphatic s...
Fatty acids, specifically those that are not attached to other molecules, can be harmful to various organs in the body. These acids, known as non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs), have the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. This raises an important question: Can NEFAs affect cognitive decline or dementia? To explore this, researchers looked at data from two lar...
Everyday choices matter! They matter a lot. They can make a big difference in how our brains work as we get older. Researchers took a close look at how certain habits and life factors affect our brains. They looked at folks with different levels of brain problems. They found two big groups of people. The first group had good habits and the second group had bad ...
People often struggle to recognize Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. But, there are tiny hints in the blood that could help doctors. These are called blood-based biomarkers, or BBMs. They act as signals that something might be wrong in the brain. But what happens when someone has other health problems, like diabetes or being overweight? Can these blood clues...
In the quest to understand what the brain has in store for people with feeling they are having early signs of mental decline, neurologists came up with an idea. They called it amyloid PET scans. These tests help doctors understand the amyloid protein building up in the brain that could lead to more brain damage. The scientists decided to observe how doctors a...
Have you ever thought about how exercise could help improve your memory? Scientists have been exploring a gentle form of exercise called "Yoga-like" to see if it can slow down the effects of Alzheimer's disease. You might know that running or other aerobic exercises can help with brain health, but these aren't always possible for people with certain disabilities. So,...