Study identifies ‘top 10’ lifestyle-related risk factors for dementia
Although genetics plays a role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, lifestyle factors are also involved.
dementia
Loss of smell linked to increased risk of dementia
Declines in other sensory functions — vision, touch and hearing — were also found to be associated with an increased risk of dementia, but not nearly as strongly.
Combined 4-5 healthy behaviors linked to a 60% reduction in risk of Alzheimer’s disease
People in their 70s and 80s who adhere to four or five behaviors — a high-quality diet, regular physical activity, not smoking, light-to-moderate alcohol consumption and staying intellectually engaged — are 60 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease over the next decade of their life than others.
Keeping your heart healthy may protect against cognitive decline, study suggests
Three areas of cognitive skills showed the most decline: episodic memory, working memory and perceptual speed.
Taking heart-healthy actions at midlife linked to a lower risk of dementia
Changes in the brain associated with dementia can start 15 to 20 years before any clinical symptoms appear.
Healthy lifestyle may lower risk of dementia, even when genetic risk is high, study suggests
The study found that people with a high genetic risk were about a third less likely to develop dementia if they followed a healthy lifestyle than if they didn’t.
Many older Americans worry about dementia, but few talk with their doctors about evidence-based preventive strategies
A large majority of the adults who were polled said they take supplements or solve puzzles to keep their brains healthy — two strategies that have not been shown to be effective at enhancing memory or warding off dementia.
Poor sense of smell may be linked to higher risk of death among older adults, study suggests
A poor sense of smell is already known to be an early sign of dementia and Parkinson’s disease.
Older adults’ cognitive skills peak in late summer and early fall, study suggests
The findings held true for both the healthy adults and those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, although the seasonal differences were smaller among those with dementia.
Having a healthy heart may lower the risk of dementia, study suggests
Older adults who successfully followed seven heart-healthy actions recommended by the American Heart Association were significantly less likely to develop dementia in their later years.
Exercise does not delay cognitive decline in people with dementia, study finds
“I was disappointed by the results, although I probably wasn’t completely surprised,” said Sarah Lamb, the study’s lead author and a researcher at Oxford University.
In Hopkins, a Dementia-Friendly designation means a welcome for all
The Dementia-Friendly Community concept was developed in the UK and has spread throughout the U.S. Some 70 Minnesota communities now have earned Dementia-Friendly designation.
Minnesota-led scientific review finds no easy answers for preventing late-life dementia
“There is no magic bullet,” said Mary Butler, one of the authors of the review and co-director of the Minnesota Evidence-based Practice Center.
A third of dementia cases may be preventable, global study says
This report also marks a major change in thinking among dementia experts.
Deaths from Alzheimer’s disease up significantly in U.S. — and in Minnesota
Minnesota’s age-adjusted Alzheimer’s death rate rose from 21.1 per 100,000 people in 1999 to 24.2 in 2014 — a 14.5 percent increase.
Vitamin E and selenium supplements do not prevent dementia, study finds
“Regular physical activity, such as walking, and a heart-healthy diet have much more evidence supporting their effectiveness for reducing dementia risk,” said co-author Frederick Schmitt.
Cancer and dementia patients receive better end-of-life care than others, study finds
The rates of palliative-care consultations and do-not-resuscitate orders are higher among patients with cancer or dementia.
No association found between late-in-life surgery and long-term cognitive decline
The study, which was published this week in the journal Anesthesiology, involved more than 8,500 middle-aged and elderly Danish twins.
Dementia rates in U.S. have decreased by 44% over past 30 years, study finds
“Our study offers cautious hope that some cases of dementia might be preventable or at least delayed,” write the authors of the study.
A new blood test can tell us if we’ll get Alzheimer’s? Not so fast
The study’s findings are intriguing, but they are a long way from being translated into any practical applications, as the NHS experts point out.
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