Researchers say that eating a group of specific foods – known as the MIND Diet – may slow cognitive decline among aging adults, even those who aren’t at risk of Alzheimer’s. This finding, by researchers from Rush Medical Center, Chicago, is in addition to a previous study by the research team that found that the… Continue reading A Diet That Helps Stop Cognitive Decline
Tag: dementia
Meds for Dementia Could Cause Harmful Weight Loss
Medications commonly used to treat dementia could result in harmful weight loss, according to a study by University of California, San Francisco researchers that appears online and in the August 2015 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The team maintains that clinicians need to account for this risk when prescribing these drugs… Continue reading Meds for Dementia Could Cause Harmful Weight Loss
Preventing Apathy in Dementia Patients
Nursing home residents with dementia are less likely to be apathetic if they live in an appropriately stimulating environment, according to a multi-university study published in June 2015 in The Gerontologist. A release from Penn State notes that clear stimulus is found in an environment without competing background noise, and with a single straightforward stimulus.… Continue reading Preventing Apathy in Dementia Patients
Medical Marijuana May Not Be Effective in Treating Symptoms of Dementia
A study done in the Netherland suggests that medical marijuana pills may not help treat behavioral symptoms of dementia such as aggression, pacing and wandering. The research was published in the May 13, 2015 online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. However, researchers did find that the drug dosage… Continue reading Medical Marijuana May Not Be Effective in Treating Symptoms of Dementia
Intellectually Demanding Jobs Can Extend Life of Early-Dementia Patients
Intellectually demanding jobs may help people live longer after developing early-onset dementia, researchers say. “[Our] study suggests that having a higher occupational level protects the brain from some of the effects of this disease, allowing people to live longer after developing the disease,” said Lauren Massimo, postdoctoral fellow, Penn State College of Nursing. Degeneration of… Continue reading Intellectually Demanding Jobs Can Extend Life of Early-Dementia Patients
Behavior Changes in Dementia
So often I’ll receive a call from clients concerned about a sudden behavioral change in a memory-impaired resident. And, all too often the cause is an introduction of new medication or a change in the dosage of an existing one. Surprisingly, the first interpretation of the behavioral change is that the “dementia has advanced.” Let… Continue reading Behavior Changes in Dementia
Some Psychiatric Meds Dangerous for Dementia Patients
Psychiatric drugs prescribed to patients suffering from Alzheimer’s or other kinds of dementia appear to be riskier than previously believed, researchers say. The finding, published in JAMA Psychiatry, is adds to the growing body of troubling evidence that has been found in researching the use of antipsychotic drugs as a treatment for dementia-related hallucinations, delusions,… Continue reading Some Psychiatric Meds Dangerous for Dementia Patients
How to Handle Hallucinations and Delusions in Alzheimer’s Patients
Editor’s note: Alzheimer’s is one of the most frightening diseases in existence, and caring for a person with AD can be frustrating, heartbreaking and complicated. Here, experts from the National Institute on Aging offer coping strategies for caregivers who are dealing with a patient’s delusions, hallucinations and paranoia: As Alzheimer’s progresses, the person with AD… Continue reading How to Handle Hallucinations and Delusions in Alzheimer’s Patients
Some OTC Drugs Linked to Dementia
Researchers say that taking some commonly used drugs at a higher dose for a longer time carries a significantly increased risk for developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s. The drugs include such familiar remedies as nonprescription diphenhydramine (Benadryl). The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, is the first to show such a link. And it’s the first… Continue reading Some OTC Drugs Linked to Dementia
Many Seniors Aren’t Getting Dementia Tests
Millions of seniors with signs of cognitive impairment haven’t seen a doctor about them, according to a new study from the University of Michigan. The researchers said the findings indicate that up to 1.8 million seniors over 70 aren’t evaluated for cognitive symptoms. A failure to do that, the investigators said, could mean that some… Continue reading Many Seniors Aren’t Getting Dementia Tests
Rich Vocabulary Protects Against Dementia
Some people suffer incipient dementia as they get older. To make up for this loss, the brain’s cognitive reserve is put to the test. Researchers from the University of Santiago de Compostela have studied what factors can help to improve this ability and they conclude that having a higher level of vocabulary is one such… Continue reading Rich Vocabulary Protects Against Dementia
Glitch in “Garbage Removal” Ups Dementia Risk
An international team of researchers identified a pathogenic mechanism that is common to several neurodegenerative diseases. The findings suggest that it may be possible to slow the progression of dementia even after the onset of symptoms.
What Happens to Your Sex Life When Your Partner Develops Dementia?
What happens with sex in an established relationship — perhaps one that’s been going on for decades — when dementia enters the picture? At first glance, one might guess that the couple is likely older and sex isn’t happening anyway. Secondly, many may feel that the dementia will only push the couple further apart and therefore extinguish what glimmer of sexual activity was happening.