A study of 227 individuals who experienced neuro cognitive difficulties post COVID-19 infection – such as headaches, vertigo, balance dysregulation, changes in taste/smell, and brain fog – displayed a significant increase in their blood plasma of a crucial protein called tau, which is found in nerves and especially in the brain. Excess levels of tau are linked to neurodegenerative diseases and found in many Alzheimer’s patients.
Read more about this study HERE
Our circadian rhythms, the internal body clock that determines when we are most active and alert and when we wind down and go to sleep during a typical 24-hour day, may play a role in our risk of dementia, according to a new report. The study found that people with less regular circadian rhythms, as well as those whose activity levels peaked later in the afternoon, were at increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
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Researchers are investigating a “potentially scary” link between nose picking and Alzheimer’s disease.
Dirty fingers introduce bacteria into the nose, resulting in infections that could lead to crusting, tissue damage and nosebleeds and now scientists are testing the theory that trauma to the nasal lining may transmit germs to the brain, possibly resulting in inflammation and amyloid plaques being formed, in line with the progressive neurodegenerative condition. Researchers have never been able to pinpoint the exact cause of Alezheimer’s which gradually impairs various brain function such as memory, thinking, reasoning and judgment, and some have shifted their focus to the crucial nose-brain axis, the pathway between the nasal cavity and central nervous system.
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This study explored whether early signs of Alzheimer’s disease could be detected in routine medical records. We analyzed the health records of over 295,000 people from the U.S. Veterans Health Administration. We focused on words in doctors’ notes that reflect a wide range of early symptoms, including changes in memory, speech, cognition, mood, physical functioning, and daily activity needs. These signs appeared more frequently and increased more rapidly in people who were later diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. A computer model built on these words was able to predict who might develop the disease years in advance. These findings suggest that ordinary clinical notes could help doctors notice early warning signs of Alzheimer’s and support earlier care and planning.
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What if Alzheimer’s didn’t just erase memories — but also broke the brain’s sense of time? A team of American scientists has discovered that the disease throws off the brain’s internal clock, disrupting the rhythm of the cells responsible for clearing toxic amyloid plaques.
Read all about this new study HERE
In October, Caring—an organization supporting caregivers of people with dementia—released its rankings of the most dementia-friendly states. Such reports are issued occasionally by various entities, and each uses its own definition of “dementia friendliness.” Caring’s rankings measure dementia’s prevalence within a state’s aging population, how many Alzheimer’s disease-related deaths occurred in the past five years, and how many memory care units a state has to place end-stage Alzheimer’s disease patients. In other words, the rankings capture the burden of disease and the availability of late-stage care—not the policies that determine whether people with dementia can access early detection, new treatments, or community services. As such, the rankings raise a bigger question: Is this definition of “dementia-friendliness” in step with the world we now live in?
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