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Related terms: Presenile Dementia, SDAT, Senile dementia Alzheimer's Type, Alzheimers
1 in 6 Younger Americans Wants to Die Before 80
Posted 1 Sep 2016 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 31, 2016 – The fear of growing old may be stronger than the fear of death among many Americans, a new survey suggests. About one in six young and middle-aged adults in the United States wants to die before age 80, according to researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health in New York City. And negative views of old age are a key reason, the study authors said. The telephone survey of more than 1,600 people aged 18 to 64 also found: One-third hope to reach their 80s (which is close to the current average life expectancy in the United States). One-quarter hope to live into their 90s. The rest hope to reach 100 or older, with blacks more likely to say they hope to live a century or more. Hispanics, and those who did not identify as white, black or Hispanic, were more likely to say they hope to die before reaching their 80s. People with negative ... Read more
Related support groups: Cancer, Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment
Fallout From 9/11 May Include Early Dementia
Posted 30 Aug 2016 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, Aug. 30, 2016 – The 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center continues to the ravage the minds of those who responded to the Twin Towers collapse, new research shows. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experienced by many rescuers and other first responders now appears linked to mental decline and dementia, the study authors found. "People with PTSD, regardless from where they get it, are more likely to have cognitive impairment earlier," said lead researcher Sean Clouston, referring to memory and thinking abnormalities. About one-fifth of the World Trade Center responders developed PTSD, according to background notes with the study. "World Trade Center PTSD is associated with potential cognitive impairment, and cognitive impairment is a risk factor for dementia," said Clouston, an assistant professor of family population and preventive medicine at Stony Brook University in ... Read more
Related support groups: Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment, Diagnosis and Investigation, Lewy Body Dementia, Drug-Induced Dementia
Even a Little Exercise May Help Stave Off Dementia
Posted 26 Aug 2016 by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, Aug. 26, 2016 – Couch potatoes have a higher risk of developing dementia in old age, a new study reports. Seniors who get little to no exercise have a 50 percent greater risk of dementia compared with those who regularly take part in moderate or heavy amounts of physical activity, the researchers found. Moderate physical activity can include walking briskly, bicycling slower than 10 miles an hour, ballroom dancing or gardening, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "It doesn't require intensive physical activity to decrease risk of dementia," said senior researcher Dr. Zaldy Tan. He is medical director of the Alzheimer's and Dementia Care Program at University of California, Los Angeles. "Even moderate amounts are fine." Study participants aged 75 or older gained the most protective benefit from exercise against the onset of dementia, the findings ... Read more
Related support groups: Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment, Arteriosclerotic Dementia, Drug-Induced Dementia, Lewy Body Dementia, Dementia with Depressive Features
Calcium Supplements Might Raise Older Women's Dementia Risk
Posted 18 Aug 2016 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 17, 2016 – Taking calcium supplements with the hope of keeping osteoporosis at bay may raise an older woman's risk of dementia, a new study suggests. And that seems particularly true if a woman has already sustained an event causing poor blood flow to the brain (cerebrovascular disease), such as from a stroke, researchers said. The study can't prove cause-and-effect. However, dementia risk was seven times higher in female stroke survivors who took calcium supplements, compared to women with a history of stroke who didn't use the supplements, the findings showed. The risk of dementia also was three times higher in women with white matter brain lesions who took calcium supplements, compared to women with white matter lesions who didn't take the supplements. Lesions in white matter tissue are evidence of a mini-stroke or some other problem impeding blood flow within the ... Read more
Related support groups: Osteoporosis, Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, Fracture, bone, Prevention of Osteoporosis, Mild Cognitive Impairment, Caltrate 600 with D, Calcium/Vitamin D, Oysco 500 with D, Citracal + D, Citracal Creamy Bites, Oyster Shell Calcium, Calcet, Calcium 600 D, Calcarb with D, Citracal Petites, Calcio Del Mar, Dical-D, Focalgin-B, Caltrate Colon Health
Healthy Diet, Exercise May Help Keep Alzheimer's at Bay
Posted 17 Aug 2016 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 17, 2016 – A healthy diet and regular exercise might be the keys to keeping your brain free of changes that lead to Alzheimer's disease, a small study suggests. Researchers studied 44 patients between the ages of 40 and 85 who had mild memory problems. The investigators found that the brains of those who followed a Mediterranean diet and were physically active had fewer plaques and tangles, a hallmark of Alzheimer's, than those whose diet was less healthy and who were less active. "Alzheimer's disease is known to be incurable, but it was not thought until recently that it can be preventable," said lead researcher Dr. David Merrill. He is an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine in Los Angeles. Numerous studies have suggested that a healthy lifestyle is related to reduced brain shrinkage and lower ... Read more
Related support groups: Alzheimer's Disease, Diagnosis and Investigation
Fewer Advanced Alzheimer's Patients on Feeding Tubes
Posted 16 Aug 2016 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, Aug. 16, 2016 – The use of feeding tubes for nursing home patients with advanced dementia – a practice increasingly discouraged by some national organizations – is declining, a new study finds. One Alzheimer's expert who reviewed the new findings was heartened by the news. "When we are looking at someone in the advanced stages of a terminal illness, a feeding tube doesn't make a lot of sense for families," said Beth Kallmyer, a social worker and the vice president for constituent services at the Alzheimer's Association. Between 2000 and 2014, the proportion of residents in U.S. nursing homes with advanced dementia and feeding tubes declined from 12 percent to 6 percent, said study leader Dr. Susan Mitchell. She's a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a senior scientist at Hebrew Senior Life Institute for Aging Research. Although the study doesn't delve into ... Read more
Related support groups: Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment, Arteriosclerotic Dementia, Lewy Body Dementia
Underweight Seniors May Have Added Alzheimer's Risk
Posted 5 Aug 2016 by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, Aug. 5, 2016 – Having a lower weight may increase older adults' risk of the memory-robbing disorder Alzheimer's disease, new research suggests. The study included 280 healthy people aged 62 to 90 with normal mental function. The participants underwent physical exams, genetic testing and brain scans. According to the researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, there was a link between lower body weight and more extensive deposits of Alzheimer's-related beta-amyloid protein in the brain. This link was particularly strong in people with the APOE4 gene variant, which is known to increase the risk of Alzheimer's, the study authors reported. "Elevated cortical amyloid is believed to be the first stage of the preclinical form of Alzheimer's disease, so our findings suggest that individuals who are underweight late in life may be at ... Read more
Related support groups: Weight Loss, Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment, Cachexia
Acupuncture May Slow Pre-Dementia Memory Loss: Study
Posted 5 Aug 2016 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, Aug. 4, 2016 – Acupuncture may benefit people who have memory loss, but don't yet have dementia, suggests a review by Chinese researchers of five earlier studies. Nothing has yet been proven to halt the progression to dementia in those who are destined to progress. But, acupuncture used alone or along with another treatment, such as the medication nimodipine, might help retain some memory function, the researchers said. But several doctors not involved with the review said it was too soon to say that acupuncture might be effective against dementia. For the study, Min Deng and Xu-Feng Wang, from Wuhan University in China, reviewed five previously published studies done in 2012 and 2013. The trials included nearly 600 people with mild cognitive impairment, a type of memory loss that's considered pre-dementia. About 5 percent to 10 percent of people with mild cognitive ... Read more
Related support groups: Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment, Arteriosclerotic Dementia, Lewy Body Dementia, Alcoholic Dementia, Drug-Induced Dementia, Arteriosclerotic Dementia w/ Depressive Features, Dementia with Depressive Features
Deep Brain Stimulation Tested for Early Alzheimer's
Posted 28 Jul 2016 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, July 28, 2016 – Deep brain stimulation appears safe for people with early Alzheimer's disease – and might even slow down memory loss in some, a preliminary study suggests. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is already used to treat some cases of Parkinson's disease and certain other brain-based disorders. It involves implanting electrodes in specific areas of the brain, then connecting them to a pulse generator placed under the skin of the chest. Once the generator is programmed, it delivers continual electrical pulses that alter the activity in specific brain "circuits." While it's far too early to know whether deep brain stimulation helps those with early Alzheimer's, the initial findings suggest the technique is worth further study, said lead researcher Dr. Andres Lozano. He is a neurosurgeon at Toronto Western Hospital, in Canada. In his small pilot study of people with early ... Read more
Related support groups: Parkinson's Disease, Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment, Diagnosis and Investigation, Parkinsonism, Lewy Body Dementia, Drug-Induced Dementia
2 in 10 Alzheimer's Cases May Be Misdiagnosed
Posted 26 Jul 2016 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, July 26, 2016 – Alzheimer's disease is often misdiagnosed, possibly causing undue stress for those who don't have the disease but are told they do, and delays in treatment for others, two new studies reveal. Although no cure or effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease exists, a correct diagnosis is essential because some drugs can delay its progress and help preserve quality of life for as long as possible. An early diagnosis also gives patients time to plan for their end-of-life care, experts say. "There are drugs that are beneficial for at least a short amount of time that can be given at a very early stage and possibly boost memory," said Dean Hartley, director of science initiatives, medical and scientific relations at the Alzheimer's Association. "Planning your care and finances is extremely important," he said. "With a correct diagnosis people can also be put into a ... Read more
Related support groups: Parkinson's Disease, Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment, Arteriosclerotic Dementia, Diagnosis and Investigation, Lewy Body Dementia, Alcoholic Dementia, Arteriosclerotic Dementia w/ Depressive Features, Drug-Induced Dementia, Dementia with Depressive Features
Does Dementia Diagnosis Have Silver Lining for Some?
Posted 26 Jul 2016 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, July 26, 2016 – Is it possible that a diagnosis as devastating as dementia could have some positive effects? Yes, a small study suggests. Researchers asked 48 people with early dementia or mild cognitive impairment to complete a questionnaire that measured their quality of life and personal outlook after getting their diagnosis. The "Silver Lining Questionnaire" was designed to measure how much patients believe their illness has a positive impact in areas such as: relationships, appreciation for life, positive influence on others, inner strength and life philosophy. The questionnaire has been used before with cancer patients. But, this was the first time it was used with dementia/mild cognitive impairment patients, the researchers said. "The overall assumption is that this diagnosis would have a uniformly negative impact on a patient's outlook on life, but we were surprised to ... Read more
Related support groups: Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment, Arteriosclerotic Dementia, Diagnosis and Investigation, Dementia with Depressive Features, Arteriosclerotic Dementia w/ Depressive Features, Lewy Body Dementia, Alcoholic Dementia, Drug-Induced Dementia
'Managing' Elderly Patients Without Powerful Antipsychotics
Posted 26 Jul 2016 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, July 25, 2016 – About 25 percent of dementia patients in U.S. nursing homes are still quieted with risky antipsychotic medications. Now, a small study suggests that managing these difficult patients, instead of medicating them, could obtain better results. "Drugs have a place, but should not be first-line treatments. They don't work well, and there are side effects," said study author Dr. Henry Brodaty, a professor of aging and mental health at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. Antipsychotic drugs such as Risperdal (risperidone), Abilify (aripiprazole) and Seroquel (quetiapine) are approved to treat serious psychiatric conditions such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. But in seniors, they're often used to calm aggressive or violent behavior linked to dementia. "They're basically a sedative," said Dean Hartley, director of science initiatives with the ... Read more
Related support groups: Bipolar Disorder, Seroquel, Abilify, Schizophrenia, Mania, Latuda, Risperdal, Zyprexa, Schizoaffective Disorder, Risperidone, Dementia, Geodon, Saphris, Quetiapine, Seroquel XR, Alzheimer's Disease, Olanzapine, Invega, Clozapine, Rexulti
1 in 10 Alzheimer's Patients at Risk for Avoidable Hospital Stays
Posted 25 Jul 2016 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, July 25, 2016 – Some people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias may often land in the hospital simply because of poor management of other health problems they have, a new study suggests. One in 10 people with Alzheimer's disease or dementia had at least one hospital stay in 2013 that may have been preventable, the researchers reported. "We found a lot of patients who go to the hospital for things that should not have happened, and this is costing a lot of money," said study first author Pei-Jung Lin, an assistant professor of medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston. More than 369,000 potentially avoidable hospitalizations involving patients with Alzheimer's or other dementias were recorded, costing Medicare upwards of $2.5 billion in 2013, the report found. The study doesn't pinpoint exactly what went wrong for these patients. Rather, the findings ... Read more
Related support groups: Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment
Behavior Changes May Be First Signs of Alzheimer's
Posted 25 Jul 2016 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, July 25, 2016 – Certain behavior changes may be a harbinger of Alzheimer's disease, and researchers say they've developed a symptom "checklist" that might aid earlier diagnosis. Experts have long focused on so-called mild cognitive impairment as an early warning sign of Alzheimer's disease. That refers to problems with memory and thinking that may or may not progress to full-blown dementia. But now some researchers are zeroing in on a new concept they call "mild behavioral impairment." The term is meant to describe persistent changes in an older person's normal behavior. The changes include problems like social withdrawal, angry outbursts, anxiety and obsessiveness. "We're not talking about a blip in someone's behavior," said Dr. Zahinoor Ismail, of the University of Calgary's Hotchkiss Brain Institute, in Canada. "It's a sustained change from their former ways of functioning." ... Read more
Related support groups: Anxiety and Stress, Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment
People-Oriented Jobs May Help Lower Alzheimer's Risk
Posted 24 Jul 2016 by Drugs.com
SUNDAY, July 24, 2016 – Brain-challenging jobs – especially ones focused on people – may help shield a person's mind against the ravages of age-related dementia, a new study finds. People who work in jobs that task the intellect are better able to withstand the effects of brain lesions commonly associated with Alzheimer's disease, report researchers from the University of Wisconsin's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. That's particularly true if you have a job requiring complex social interactions, as opposed to working on your own analyzing data or working complicated apparatus, said lead researcher Elizabeth Boots. She's a research specialist and Ph.D. candidate at the center. "People are just more complex than data or things," Boots explained. So, she reasoned, "human interactions require much more brain power than working with data on a computer or working with machinery." The ... Read more
Related support groups: Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment
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