Category Archives: Brain Decline

Cognitive Ability is More Important than Age

In neuroscience news this week, a newly published study by Scott Huettel, Ph.D. (Associate Professor of psychology and neuroscience and director of the Duke Center for Neuroeconomic Studies) attempts to help disprove the myth that simply aging makes us inferior at financial decision making compared to our younger counterparts. Dr. Huettel’s study was published earlier [...]

The Journey Towards Alzheimer’s Prevention

On April 26-28, 2010, the National Institute for Health, hosted a conference entitled “State-of-the-Science Conference, Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease and Cognitive Decline“. It was open to both professionals and the public.
The goal of the independent panel of health professionals and public officials at the meeting was to assess whether previous research on purported risk or protective [...]

The Secret Life of the Grown-up Brain

Barbara Strauch, the Health and Science Editor for the New York Times, was a guest on NPR’s radio program Fresh Air with Terry Gross last week to discuss the topic of the aging brain and promote her new book The Secret Life of the Grown-up Brain: The Surprising Talents of the Middle-Aged Mind. During the [...]

Does Television Rot Your Brain?

I’m sure you have heard the old adage television will rot your brain. There might just be some truth to that. First, there is the obvious. Watching television is a sedentary and passive activity. Watching TV is a choice, and like most choices, there is an opportunity cost. When you watch television you forsake [...]

Hypertension and Cognitive Decline

Can Reducing Hypertension Also Reduce the Risk of cognitive decline?
The ill effects of hypertension (high blood pressure) have been well documented by the medical community. If you suffer from high blood pressure, there is a good chance you might also suffer from:

Pulsating headaches
Retinopathy or related eye damage and vision impairments
Nausea and vomiting
Chest pain and/or an [...]

Alzheimer’s Disease 2010 Facts & Figures

This week the Alzheimer’s Association issued its 2010 Fact and Figures and the numbers show no surprises. That is, we were all expecting the numbers to be on a continual increase year over year and that was pretty evident in the reading. Let’s review the basic numbers:

As the 7th leading cause of death in the [...]

Can you Walk and Chew Gum at the Same Time?

Ever heard the expression “bet you can’t walk and chew gum at the same time?” I am not sure I really appreciated the full extent of its meaning until just last week.
At the 3rd International Congress on Gait and Mental Function in Washington DC in February, a series of new research studies [...]

Alzheimer’s disease strikes Noble Prize Winner

Nobel Prize winner for physics Charles Kao Kuen said he finds communication hard because of Alzheimer’s disease. In an interview with KTSF 26, a Chinese-language TV station serving Northern California, Kao, 75, said he sometimes finds it difficult to talk…… more

Alzheimer’s Rate Higher in NFL Players

Yesterday the New York Times reported on a study commissioned by the National Football League. The findings were a big concern for NFL players.  It seems Alzheimer’s disease or similar memory-related diseases appear to have been diagnosed in the league’s former players vastly more often than in the national population — including a rate of [...]

Brain Stimulation Reduces Alzheimer’s Risk

In addition to good nutrition and regular exercise, researchers recommend that seniors also keep their minds active. According to a National Institute on Aging four year study, keeping the brain actively stimulated across a variety of areas reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Read more here….