Alzheimer's & Dementia

What happens in your brain when you listen to your favorite music? Can hearing a nostalgic song from your youth actually improve your cognitive health and help fight off conditions like Alzheimer's? Several neuroscientists are trying to find out.

Researchers have devised a biomarker test that can spot small amounts of clumping tau protein in the brain and cerebrospinal fluid, which lead to Alzheimer's Disease. This test can help detect the tangled proteins years early, enabling intervention.

Every couple of years we see a wave of stories claiming picking your nose is a causal factor in the onset of Alzheimer's disease. So where does this story come from and why is it, according to neuroscientists New Atlas contacted, "extremely unlikely."

In a bid to revolutionize Alzheimer’s detection, scientists have examined the brain’s neurovascular unit. The research revealed not only how this system is altered by the disease, but also found distinctive breathing patterns in affected individuals.

Individuals who suffer head trauma from sports, accidents, or other causes often go on to develop neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's or Alzheimer's. A new study sheds light on why that might be and offers a way to prevent it.

Binge-drinking in early adult years fundamentally changes how brain neurons communicate, in what scientists equate to a faulty gas pedal in a car that needs more pressure applied to "go." This type of dysfunction is also seen in Alzheimer's disease.

While growing evidence suggests that there’s a link between blood iron levels and the development of Alzheimer’s disease, new research investigating the effects of an available iron-reducing drug has raised concerns about its use as a treatment for the condition.

By obtaining high-resolution images of Alzheimer’s disease-affected brain cells as the condition progresses, researchers have identified the specific neurons that are damaged. The information the ‘cell atlas’ provides highlights potential new treatment targets.

Consuming an extra six serves of foods and drinks high in flavonoids – such as berries, tea, dark chocolate and, yes, red wine – could safeguard your brain in older age, with researchers finding a link between this plant component and dementia risk.

A new study has somewhat redeemed the tau protein, which up to now has been associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Turns out, the protein has a ‘good guy’ role, helping to protect against harmful free radicals in the brain.

In a medical emergency, quick treatment is critical. But a widely used drug could be repurposed to induce a hibernation-like state, to slow down organ damage and save lives by giving patients more time to reach a hospital.

A drug used to induce labor in pregnant women has been shown to reactivate tiny waste-clearing pumps in the brains of old mice. The finding could hold promise for fighting Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases and overall cognitive decline.

Instead of focusing on fighting the plaques linked to Alzheimer's, researchers took a look at boosting electrical oscillations in the brain. The molecule they invented got the job done in mice, offering hope for a new treatment path for humans.

A new report by world-leading experts lists 14 modifiable risk factors associated with 40% of all dementia cases that, if addressed by people across their lifespan, could reduce the likelihood of developing the condition or delay its onset.

Brain parasites are something that most people would naturally want to avoid, but maybe they can be used for good. A new study has found that a common brain parasite could be engineered to deliver drugs past the blood-brain barrier.