_ A Possible Cause of Age-Related Memory Decline By article Research done at the Lieber Institute for Brain Development in Baltimore, MD and the National Institute of Mental Health suggests that one cause of age-related memory decline is a protein called KIBRA and the gene responsible for its production is WWC1. KIBRA is known to play a role in human memory. The study was published in the May 2014 issue of Biological Psychiatry.
_ Widowhood Mourning the Death Of A Spouse By Jane Farrell article Losing a spouse is one of life’s most heartbreaking events. You may react in a number of different ways: sorrow, fear, even anger (that your husband didn’t look after his health, for example). You can also feel guilty that you have survived, while he hasn’t. You may even feel a certain sense of relief, especially if you have been an in–home caregiver or your spouse has been in a nursing home.
_ Medical Care The Right Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Hepatitis C By Sondra Forsyth article By Sondra Forsyth The Centers for Disease Control has designated May as Hepatitis Awareness Month. One goal of that campaign is to let Boomers know that of the more than three million Americans infected with hepatitis C, over 75% are in their 50s and 60s. You can find out the extent of your risk with this 5-minute online assessment from the CDC.
Detecting Diabetes Eye Damage Early By article Indiana University researchers have detected new early-warning signs of the potential loss of sight associated with diabetes. This discovery could have far-reaching implications for the diagnosis and treatment of diabetic retinopathy, potentially impacting the care of over 25 million Americans. The study was published in April 2014 in the journal Biomedical Optics Express.
_ It Makes You Feel Like Dancing! By article If you’ve ever started to sway or tap your foot when you hear certain musical selections, you’re in good company. Rhythmic drum patterns with a balance of rhythmic predictability and complexity seem to influence our desire to, according to researchers at the University of Oxford in the UK and and Aarhus University in Denmark.
_ Google Glass Helps Parkinson's Patients By article Experts at Newcastle University in the UK are investigating Google Glass, the next generation of wearable computing, as an assistive aid to help people with Parkinson's retain their independence for longer. The device has been likened to the kind of technology fictionalized in the Hollywood Blockbuster “Minority Report”. At first glance, Google Glass appears to be no more than a pair of designer glasses. But the system works like a hands-free smartphone, displaying information on the lens. The technology is voice-operated and linked to the Internet.
_ Green Tea Boosts Your Brain By article Green tea is said to have many positive effects on health. Now researchers at the University of Basel in Switzerland are reporting the first evidence that green tea extract enhances cognitive functions, in particular the working memory. The findings, published in April 2014 in the journal Psychopharmacology, suggest promising clinical implications for the treatment of cognitive impairments in psychiatric disorders such as dementia.
_ How You Can Help a Spouse With Cancer By article By Nurse Practitioner Jamie Kabat, BSN, MSN, CNP and Clinical Nurse Specialist Josette Snyder, RN, MSN, AOCN One of the most frequent – and touching – questions we get on the Cleveland Clinic’s Cancer Answer Line is from people whose spouses or partners have been newly diagnosed with cancer. They want to know how they can help and support their spouses through this life-changing diagnosis and the ensuing treatment.
Contagious Yawning Decreases With Age By article If you’ve noticed that you’re less likely now to start yawning when someone else does, you’re not alone. A study from Duke University that was published in the journal PLoS ONE found that “contagious yawning” may decrease with age.
_ Reducing Falls Among the Elderly By article A low-cost program reduced falls in the elderly by 17 percent statewide in Pennsylvania, according to a study done at University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health available online in March 2014 and slated to be published in the May 2014 issue of the American Journal of Public Health The researchers demonstrated the value and effectiveness of using existing aging services such as senior centers in preventing falls.
5 Steps to Get Out of Your Rut By blog The more I talk to women from all walks of life, the more I hear “I feel like I am stuck in a rut, spinning my wheels with no way to get out.” Too many women over 50 feel like they are driving aimlessly through life with no purpose or plan. Loneliness, depression and a sense of hopelessness take over, and instead of enjoying the freedoms of life after 50, they sink deeper into the quicksand of despair.
_ Mental & Emotional Health Fighting Mild Forgetfulness By Jane Farrell article Editor’s note: Dementia, including Alzheimer’s, is one of the most frightening health problems, especially as we age. It cannot be prevented or cured, and it is marked by a humiliating mental decline. Because it affects primarily older people, many of us are frightened by signs of forgetfulness or memory loss. Here, the experts from the National Institute on Aging explain the issue of mild forgetfulness and how you can handle it: What is mild forgetfulness?
Men's Health Vitamin E, Selenium Linked to Increased Prostate Cancer Risk By Jane Farrell article Selenium or Vitamin E can sharply increase the risk of prostate cancer, according to a new study from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. Taking Vitamin E can raise the chances of getting prostate cancer by as much as 63 percent in some men. Taking selenium can double the risk of getting a high-grade form of the same illness. The findings, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, are the latest to show that supplements don’t always have a positive effect.
Men's Health Declining Happiness for Men 70+ By article Research done at Oregon State University and Boston University found that perceptions of unhappiness – or dealing with “hassles” – tends to get worse for men once they are over 70. The study was published in the journal Psychology and Aging. Reasons vary, the investigators say, but may be because of health issues, cognitive decline, or the loss of a spouse or friends.
_ Poor Sleep = Better Dream Recall By Jane Farrell article Researchers have pinpointed an area in the brain that may be linked to why some people recall more dreams than others. In a study published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, investigators linked the difference between “high dream recallers” and “low dream recallers” to an area of the brain called the temporo-parietal junction. Increased activity in that area, which acts as an information-processing hub, might promote intermittent waking throughout the night. And that, in turn, makes dreams easier to recall.
_ Meds That Fight Fever May Spread the Flu By article Better not reach for the Advil or some aspirin when you have the flu. You may end up infecting others. Research done at McMaster University in Ontario showed that the widespread use of medications containing fever-reducing drugs may lead to tens of thousands more influenza cases and more than a thousand deaths attributable to influenza, each year across North America. These drugs include ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and acetylsalicylic acid. The study was published in January 2014 in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
_ Chocolate, Tea & Berries May Prevent Diabetes By article Chow down on chocolate, sip some tea, and eat lots of berries if you’re hoping to avoid being diabetic. That’s the advice of researchers at the University of East Anglia and King's College London who found that high intakes of phytochemicals called flavonoids and pigments called anthocyanins are associated with lower insulin resistance and better blood glucose regulation.