Alzheimer's Disease Archive

A 2025 study of 250 people found that the brain can tell the immune system to prepare for impending infection even before a microbe enters the body. Scientists asked volunteers to don virtual reality headsets that showed various virtual people approaching them. Some of those approaching appeared to be healthy and others appeared to be sick. Brain scans and blood tests showed that participants' brains activated their immune systems when a virtual sick person simply came near them.

Researchers have found that high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking had the greatest association with the likelihood of a dementia diagnosis as people age. Managing these issues could offer protection.

Being mindful of how various factors affect blood sugar levels can help people avoid fatigue, curb cravings, boost mood, and manage weight. Blood sugar spikes after people eat carbohydrate-heavy foods, soon dropping again. Eating balanced meals and snacks that include protein, fat, and carbohydrates can maintain more stable blood sugar levels. People can keep blood sugar levels consistent by timing meals, practicing portion control, prioritizing healthy foods, staying active, avoiding smoking, and keeping a food log.

A 2025 study suggests that owning a dog or cat may help slow cognitive decline as people age.

People have a 50% chance of developing at least one mental health disorder by age 75, according to some research. Among men, the most common are alcohol use disorder, depression, and anxiety disorders, with social anxiety disorder being the most prevalent of those. Many men miss the early warning signs of these disorders, or when they do, they often try to push through, which can worsen the symptoms. But identifying when they might have a problem is the first step toward seeking help.

Light therapy uses light boxes that emit a bright, white light. Exposure to this light can control a person's circadian rhythm-the body's internal 24-hour sleep-wake clock-and help manage and prevent seasonal affective disorder.

A 2025 randomized trial of people with carpal tunnel syndrome found that 57% of those who had surgery as a first-line treatment recovered within 18 months, without additional treatments, compared with 13% of people who received steroid injections instead.

Same-day bilateral cataract surgery removes cataracts in both eyes in one surgical session, instead of two surgeries that are a few weeks apart. The approach has many benefits, such as convenience, but it has risks, too. Vision clarity might not be as good as it is when the procedures are done separately. Some doctors fear that vision loss (which is a low risk for any cataract surgery) could possibly occur in both eyes at the same time.

In a 2025 study of nearly a million people with diabetes, those who took GLP-1 drugs had a reduction of 10% to 20% in heart failure, cardiac arrest, lung failure and pneumonia, and dementia, compared with people who took other diabetes medications.

People with prediabetes may be able to reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes with 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, says a 2025 study. Exercise can help lower blood sugar and excess weight, the main risk factors for progression of prediabetes to type 2 diabetes.