Alzheimer's Disease Archive

Blood pressure medications might lower your risk for Alzheimer's and other types of dementia.

Cancer is associated with a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, especially among people treated with chemotherapy.

Many online tests for Alzheimer's disease are inaccurate, unscientific, and unethical, according to a study presented at the recent Alzheimer's Association's International Conference in Boston.

Researchers at the University of British Columbia in Canada evaluated online tests that claim to determine if a person has signs of Alzheimer's disease. They scrutinized a representative sample of 16 websites, which the researchers did not name. A panel of experts rated most of the sites "poor" or "very poor" in their ability to diagnose Alzheimer's disease based on current scientific understanding. The tests also fell short on ethical measures, such as explaining the site's privacy policy or disclosing that companies were using the tests to market products. However, the tests did a pretty good job of presenting the material in a usable, understandable form for older people.

It appears older adults with diabetes who experience at least one severe bout of low blood sugar may have double the risk for developing dementia. It also appears that low blood sugar occurs more often in people with dementia.

What you need to know about the link between cognitive decline, Alzheimer's, and clogged arteries.

When memory and thinking skills begin to fade, Alzheimer's disease is often fingered as the culprit. But it's often something else: atherosclerosis (the buildup of fatty plaque in the arteries) and arteriosclerosis (the stiffening of arteries with age). Both can kill brain cells by preventing them from getting the oxygen-rich blood they need.

New studies show resolving heart problems now may preserve brain function later.

The heart and brain occupy different spaces within our bodies, but they have strikingly similar needs—including a steady supply of oxygen-rich blood and a network of open, unobstructed blood vessels to deliver it.

How to tell the difference between typical forgetfulness and something more serious, and when to see a specialist.

Do you walk into a room only to forget what brought you there? Have you ever run into someone you know and his or her name slipped your mind? Do you often engage in a frantic search for misplaced car keys, glasses, or other everyday items?

Keeping blood pressure under control might be one way to slow the formation of plaque deposits in the brain that are the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, according to a study published this March in the journal JAMANeurology. This is especially true for people who have a genetic variant called apolipoprotein E4, which increases Alzheimer's risk. The study of almost 120 adults (ages 47 to 89) found that people with high blood pressure and this gene variant had more beta-amyloid plaques in their brain than those with just one—or none—of these risk factors. Participants with the highest blood pressure plus the gene mutation tended to have the most plaque in their brain.

More research is needed to determine exactly how blood pressure might influence Alzheimer's development. However, unlike genetic factors, high blood pressure is something you can control by eating a healthy diet, exercising, losing weight, and taking blood pressure medicines if your doctor recommends them.

Researchers have long suspected that the atrial fibrillation, a heart rhythm disorder, might be linked to declines in memory and thinking skills. Atrial fibrillation is a big cause of stroke, which can harm memory and thinking skills. But can it cause those troubles in someone who hasn't had a stroke?

Researchers at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital tried to answer that question by reviewing 21 studies reporting this association. In 14 studies, people with atrial fibrillation had approximately a 30% increase in the risk of cognitive impairment or vascular dementia. In the seven studies that examined individuals after a stroke, those with atrial fibrillation had twice the risk of developing cognitive impairment or dementia.

The best time to treat brain plaques may be the 15-year period when they are first developing. These plaques are found in Alzheimer's disease and are linked to a decline in memory and thinking abilities.