Dementia

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.

A study has found that having two APOE4 genes may not just be a risk factor in Alzheimer's disease, but a driver of it. Nearly all carriers' brains showed key disease biomarkers by age 65, suggesting it may instead be a type of inheritable Alzheimer's.

In the human species, bigger brains suggest better brain health and cognitive function. And since the 1930s, our brains have been growing. Now, a new study shows how this is affecting our risk of developing dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers have discovered that limiting a certain enzyme can have a dramatic impact in protecting against the effects of Alzheimer's disease. The finding could lead to a new class of drugs that fight the disease.

Using an AI-based approach, researchers found a better way to create the drug galantamine, commonly prescribed to people suffering from Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. The fermentation-based technique could boost the drug's availability.

In 2016 researchers found unusually high levels of magnetite in a number of human brain samples. The tiny toxic particle can be found in modern urban air pollution and is now suspected to be one environmental contributor to Alzheimer's disease.

Even mild cases of COVID cause significant, measurable cognitive deficits compared to those never infected with the virus, according to one of the largest studies of its type. COVID brain fog is real, and it can sap up to six IQ points for at least a year.

Infection with the virus that’s the main cause of cold sores may double a person’s risk of developing dementia. Adding to growing evidence of a link between the herpes virus and dementia, the findings in a new study may lead to new vaccines.

In yet another surprise attribute of the new class of obesity drugs, scientists have found that GLP-1 receptor agonists can also subdue brain inflammation, giving them a potential ‘superpower’ in the fight against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

A team has reported the first-ever evidence of human-to-human transmission of Alzheimer’s disease, demonstrating how a human growth hormone treatment transplanted toxic proteins into children and caused the development of early-onset Alzheimer’s.

Researchers have identified an accurate ‘signature’ that may signal a person’s risk of dementia five to 10 years before symptoms appear. The biomarker could provide an early diagnosis, allowing therapeutic interventions to slow the disease’s progress.

Scientists have, for the first time, identified five distinct subtypes of Alzheimer’s disease, each with different neurodegenerative behaviors, survival rates and medical interventions. It could be a game-changer for research and therapeutic success.