by Alzheimer’s Research UK Two studies presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2019 have explored whether losing multiple senses, including hearing and sight, increases the risk of dementia. In 2017, an important report identified mid-life hearing loss as a major risk factor for dementia. As hearing loss is so widespread, treating hearing loss might have a large impact on the overall...
Tag: <span>Dementia</span>
Genes vs. lifestyle: Study ‘undermines fatalistic view of dementia’
By Ana Sandoiu Fact checked by Isabel Godfrey A new study investigates the effect of leading a healthful lifestyle on people who have a genetic predisposition to developing dementia. Elżbieta Kuźma, Ph.D., and David Llewellyn, Ph.D., from the University of Exeter Medical School in the United Kingdom, are the joint lead authors of the new research,...
Apathy: The forgotten symptom of dementia
by University of Exeter Apathy is the most common neuropsychiatric symptom of dementia, with a bigger impact on function than memory loss—yet it is under-researched and often forgotten in care. A new study has found that apathy is present nearly half of all people with dementia, with researchers finding it is often distinct from depression. Although common, apathy is often ignored as it is less...
Loss of multiple senses increases dementia risk
by Alzheimer’s Research UK Credit: CC0 Public Domain Two studies presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2019 have explored whether losing multiple senses, including hearing and sight, increases the risk of dementia. In 2017, an important report identified mid-life hearing loss as a major risk factor for dementia. As hearing loss is so widespread, treating hearing...
Moments of clarity in dementia patients at end of life: Glimmers of hope?
by University of Michigan It happens unexpectedly: a person long thought lost to the ravages of dementia, unable to recall the events of their lives or even recognize those closest to them, will suddenly wake up and exhibit surprisingly normal behavior, only to pass away shortly thereafter. This phenomenon, which experts refer to as terminal or...
Life isn’t over: how best to communicate with people living with dementia
Science and technology news When Sandie Read was diagnosed with dementia at 57, she felt a mixture of fear, anxiety and depression. Fifteen years later and not only is she offering support to fellow sufferers but she’s also working with researchers to improve the way people communicate and interact with those living with the condition....
When it looks like dementia but isn’t—epilepsy not just a “children’s disease”
by Laura Wright, University of Kentucky Last September, Guy Bradley began having episodes of severe and sudden confusion with night sweats and nausea. “He’d wake up and not know where he was or what day it was,” said his wife, Harriet. Also troubling: the 69-year old suddenly could not find his way around the golf course he’d played all his...
Clinical trial assesses telephone-based care program for at-risk homebound elderly
by Deborah Mann Lake, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Something as simple as a phone call could be a way to alert health care providers and caregivers that an elderly person suffering from dementia may be spiraling down to dangerous self-neglect, according to researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). To test their premise, Sabrina Pickens, Ph.D., MSN,...
Virtual reality may help stimulate memory in people with dementia
By David McNamee Fact checked by Gianna D’Emilio The results of a new study suggest that virtual reality could make life easier for people with dementia. The authors conclude that virtual reality helped the participants recall memories and contributed to an improvement in patients’ relationships with caregivers. Dementia is an umbrella term for a range of...
How do we recall the past? New mechanism revealed
By Catharine Paddock PhD Fact checked by Jasmin Collier Following their study in rats, scientists have broken new ground in memory research. The finding concerns how the brain retrieves long-term memory and should open new avenues for investigating and treating Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of dementia. Researchers at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas have discovered that two brain...