Alzheimer's & Other Dementias

Research Topics

Latest news

Alzheimer's gene linked to worse cognition
  • Review found APOE4 carriers scored lower on IQ tests during childhood and adolescence.
  • A large internet-based study found that adults with a first-degree relative with Alzheimer's performed worse on a paired-learning task.

Alzheimer's gene affects IQ from childhood

Analysis of some old longitudinal studies has found that those carrying the APOE4 gene scored lower on IQ tests during childhood and adolescence. The effect was much stronger in girls than in boys, and affected reasoning most strongly.
Genes help explain why Alzheimer’s drugs have been so unsuccessful
  • A gene present in 75% of the human population may be a key reason why a class of drugs for Alzheimer’s disease seem promising in animal studies but fail in human studies.
  • Cell study finds APOE4 protein is slightly misshapen, causing it to break down into disease-causing fragments. But APOE4 doesn't affect amyloid-beta in mice.

Data from a ten-year study involving 345 Alzheimer's patients has found that

Poor sleep drives Alzheimer’s progression
  • Getting a good night’s sleep is given greater importance with the discovery that sleep deprivation appears to rapidly increase the spread of tau tangles.

Poor sleep has been associated with the development of Alzheimer's disease, and this has been thought to be in part because the protein amyloid beta increases with sleep deprivation. A new study explains more.
Exercise improves brain function in older adults with MCI
  • A short exercise program improved cognition and brain blood flow in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.

A small study has found that a 12-week exercise program significantly improved cognition in both older adults with

Gut microbiome a risk factor for dementia
  • Preliminary research suggests that microbes in the gut directly affects dementia risk.

A Japanese study looking at 128 patients' fecal samples, found that fecal concentrations of ammonia, indole, skatole and phenol were higher in dementia patients compared to those without dementia, while levels of beneficial Bacteroides were lower in dementia patients.
Intensive hypertension treatment reduces risk of cognitive impairment
  • A large clinical trial comparing the effects on cardiovascular disease of standard blood pressure control vs stricter control, has found that stricter control significantly reduced the risk of mild cognitive impairment.

A clinical trial involving 9361 older adults (50+) with hypertension but without diabetes or history of stroke has found that intensive control of blood pressure significantly reduced the risk of developing mild cognitive impairment.
Psychological distress a risk factor for dementia
  • A large Danish study has found that the greater number of symptoms of distress in late midlife, the more likely the individual was to develop dementia later in life.

Survey data from 6,807 Danish older adults (average age 60) in the Copenhagen City Heart Study, has found that being distressed in late midlife is associated with a higher risk of dementia in later life.
Poor sleep in older adults may increase Alzheimer’s risk
  • Older people who spend less time in slow-wave sleep (deep sleep) have higher levels of the Alzheimer’s brain protein tau.

Poor sleep has been associated with Alzheimer's disease risk, but a new study suggests a specific aspect of sleep is important.
Cholesterol genes link risk of heart disease & Alzheimer’s
  • A very large genetic study provides evidence that cardiovascular disease risk and Alzheimer's risk are related because of one shared element: genes involved in cholesterol and lipid metabolism.

The APOE gene, the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, is known to be involved in cholesterol and lipid metabolism.
Lower tau levels may obscure early Alzheimer’s in black patients
  • Two large studies show an association between the Alzheimer's protein tau and the Alzheimer's gene APOE4, but the association varies across race and gender.

Data from 1,215 older adults, of whom 173 (14%) were African-American, has found that, although brain scans showed no significant differences between black and white participants,

Pages

more

Articles on Mempowered