Can Alzheimer’s be prevented? A family may hold the key – 60 Minutes, CBS News
An extended family in Colombia with a genetic mutation causing Alzheimer’s may help scientists prevent the disease someday.
Stanford researchers personalize virtual reality displays to match a user’s eyesight – Stanford Report
Researchers are developing a type of virtual reality display that adapts to differences in how we see depending on whether we need glasses or how old we are. This technology could reduce headaches or nausea caused by existing VR headsets.
Extracurricular activities in youth tied to social engagement later in life – Reuters
People tend to become less involved with community work and social groups as they age, but those who were most active in their high school years are the most likely to stay engaged as they age, researchers say.
1/2/2017 – Without Any Family, Aging Adults Rely On Friends For Help – NPR
Some older people don’t have children or other family members to fall back on when they need care. Instead, they find that networks of friends can take up the slack.
Read the full article at National Public Radio.
A Gut Makeover for the New Year – The New York Times
If you’re making resolutions for a healthier new year, consider a gut makeover. Refashioning the community of bacteria and other microbes living in your intestinal tract, collectively known as the gut microbiome, could be a good long-term investment in your health.
Read the full article at The New York Times.
U.S. Dementia Rates Are Dropping Even as Population Ages – The New York Times
Despite fears that dementia rates were going to explode as the population grows older and fatter, and has more diabetes and high blood pressure, a large nationally representative survey has found the reverse. Dementia is actually on the wane. And when people do get dementia, they get it at older and older ages.
Read the full article at The New York Times.
Alzheimer’s didn’t cause memory loss for these 90-year-olds – Futurity
Scientists looked at the brains of eight people older than 90 who had superior memories until their deaths. They were surprised to find widespread and dense Alzheimer’s plaques and tangles that were, in some cases, considered full-blown Alzheimer’s pathology.
Read the full article at Futurity.
How to defeat dementia – Nature
Dementia is the fifth-biggest cause of death in high-income countries, but it is the most expensive disease to manage because patients require constant, costly care for years. And yet, research funding for dementia pales in comparison with that for many other diseases.
Experts say that the coming wave can be calmed with the help of just three things: more money for research, better diagnostics and drugs, and a victory — however small — that would boost morale.
Read the full article at Nature.
10/24/2016 – Researchers Take First Steps Toward A Preventative Alzheimer's Pill
A preventative Alzheimer’s pill is the ideal end game for researchers studying the disease from many angles. While we’re not yet close to the goal, new research shows a way that it may be possible, using an approach similar to what has worked for managing other chronic conditions.
Read the full article at Forbes.
10/20/2016 – Do brain-training exercises really work?
A battle has been brewing over whether brain training really works, leaving consumers stuck in the middle, scratching their heads.
Read the full article at CNN.