Alzheimer’s Disease
Show 1412: Beyond Amyloid: The Science That Coul…
This week, we look at the new pharmaceuticals that the FDA has approved for treating Alzheimer disease. Although they are effective at removing amyloid plaques from the brain, they don’t seem to hel…
Microbes on the Mind: How the Brain Microbiome A…
Everyone is aware that we have a microbiome within our digestive tract. It’s a whole ecological system unto itself containing bacteria, viruses and fungi. For decades, medical students learned that …
Cannabis: New Way to Calm Patients with Alzheime…
Alzheimer's disease is one of the cruelest conditions we know of. First, it robs you of your memories. It also makes it hard to think clearly. Balancing a checkbook, for example, can become a nightmar…
Can a Mediterranean-Style Diet Protect Your Brai…
How can you protect cognitive function as you age? Several studies suggest that a Mediterranean-style diet plan can help. What does that entail? Lots of veggies, fruits and whole grains like farro, no…
New Research Confirms Link | Herpes Virus Infect…
Could Alzheimer disease (AD) be caused in part by a viral infection? Such an association seems bizarre and yet the evidence is accumulating that certain strains of herpes virus infections and Alzheime…
The Evolving Scandal Surrounding Anti-Amyloid Al…
Ever since the FDA approved the first anti-amyloid Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm (aducanumab) on June 7, 2021, there has been a firestorm of controversy. The FDA’s own expert advisory committee voted a…
Is New Schizophrenia Medicine Cobenfy a Breakthr…
Our track record for treating mental illness is abysmal. I saw that up close and personal when I worked in the Neuropharmacology Laboratory at the New Jersey Neuropsychiatric Institute outside of Prin…
Incredible Beet Health Benefits for Brain and Bl…
Red beets are known officially as Beta vulgaris rubra. Researchers generally refer to this vegetable as beetroot. Although this root vegetable is popular in Europe, it doesn't have a lot of fans in th…
Show 1402: How You Can Protect Your Precious Eye…
This week, Joe and Terry Graedon welcome your calls about how you can protect your precious eyesight. Have you been struggling with dry eyes or diagnosed with glaucoma? You can share your experience o…
Which Berries Are Best for Your Brain?
Would you like to stay sharp as you grow older? Almost everyone would. Memory lapses can be extremely frustrating as well as embarrassing, particularly when they start to become more frequent. Experts…
Will Your Diet Help You Avoid Dementia?
A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, olive oil and fish is good for the heart. Might it also be good for the brain? Evidence increasingly points in that direction. Analyses show that follow…
Can Anti-Herpes Treatments Prevent Alzheimer’s…
Does a common virus contribute to Alzheimer’s disease? The herpes theory of Alzheimer’s disease has been ignored by mainstream medicine for decades. Almost 40 years ago a pathologist suggested tha…
Show 1395: Gut Check–How Digestive Health Infl…
This week, we talk with integrative gastroenterologist Robynne Chutkan about why our digestive health is so important. Of course, our digestion provides us with the nutrients that power our bodies, in…
Could Fat from Fish Be Good for Your Brain?
The old wives used to claim that fish is brain food. Little by little, scientists are catching up to this idea. The popularity of fish oil has varied over the years, but several studies suggest benefi…
How to Eat to Maintain Your Brain
If you are an older person who wants to maintain your brain, you should be very careful about what you eat. You may feel that lifestyle changes after age 65 couldn't make much difference for your heal…
Will Benzodiazepine Use Increase Your Risk for A…
Americans love benzodiazepines (aka benzos). These anti-anxiety agents are used as all-purpose psych drugs. Millions of people take benzos to calm jittery nerves, ease anxiety and overcome insomnia. T…
Show 1394: Viruses, Vaccines and Alzheimer Disea…
This week, we explore the role viruses may play in the development of dementia. That certainly sounds like a downer, but here is the brighter side: vaccines can significantly lower the risk! Joe and T…
New Blood Tests for Alzheimer Disease
Detecting Alzheimer disease is complicated. There are no simple tests. Doctors can perform cognitive function evaluations and order brain imaging. To date, though, definitive diagnosis relies on autop…
Shingles Vaccines Against Dementia & Flu Sh…
Viral infections cause a lot of mischief! One need look no further than COVID-19 to verify that there can be long-lasting complications after such illnesses. The neuroscience community has long ignore…
Kisunla (Donanemab): Breakthrough or Boondoggle …
Two years ago we asked the question: Aduhelm for Alzheimer’s: Breatkthrough or Boondoggle? That was when the FDA announced it was approving aducanumab “…for the treatment of Alzheimer’s, a deb…
Alzheimer’s Association Downplays Cognitive Te…
The nonprofit Alzheimer’s Association mission is to end Alzheimer’s disease (AD). That is a noble goal and one we wholeheartedly support. Nonprofit organizations get tax-exempt status. That’s be…
Staying Fit Helps the Brain as Well as the Body
Most people know that staying fit is a great way to maintain health. People who are physically active are less likely to suffer cardiovascular problems such as heart attacks or strokes (Advances in Ex…
What’s In Your Armpits: Magnesium or Alumi…
Most people rarely read labels. Do you have any idea what's in your toothpaste? What about your antiperspirant or deodorant? Be honest, now. Have you ever checked your antiperspirant label? Does it c…
Healthy Lifestyle Changes Can Help Hold Off Deme…
Boomers are worried about dementia. Many have witnessed their parents suffering from Alzheimer disease or other neurodegenerative disorders. Not only do the individuals fade away in a cloud of not-rem…
How Good Is Donanemab for Alzheimer’s Dise…
The media has been hyping donanemab as a major advance against Alzheimer's disease...again. Over a year ago Time's headline read: "Eli Lilly's Alzheimer's Drug Shows Greatest Benefit Yet." On June 10,…
Where Can I Find a List of Anticholinergic Drugs…
Anything that interferes with the crucial neurotransmitter acetylcholine can be bad for the brain. A great many medications have what has been called "anticholinergic" activity. Research has verified …
How to Delay Dementia with a Mediterranean-Style…
Could a Mediterranean-style diet help preserve cognitive function in older individuals? Studies from around the world suggest that people following such a regimen may be able to delay dementia. Based …
Personalized Approach Can Lower Risk for Dementi…
Alzheimer disease and other types of dementia are among the most common and feared conditions of older people. According to the CDC, nearly six million American currently suffer from on of these disor…
Why Would the FDA Approve Ineffective Drugs?
I cannot answer that question. It mystifies me why the Food and Drug Administration allows so many worthless medications on the market. Since I cannot understand the FDA’s motivations, perhaps a mor…
Does Prevagen Help to Improve Memory?
The Federal Trade Commission and the New York Attorney General filed a consumer protection complaint against the maker of Prevagen in January, 2017. They charged the marketers of Prevagen with making…
Is It Possible to Prevent Alzheimer’s Dise…
The descent into dementia is horrific. It can creep up gradually, robbing people of their personalities as well as their memories. Friends, family and co-workers have a hard time dealing with the forg…
Could a Daily Multivitamin Help You Stay Sharp?
A common multivitamin may provide some protection against cognitive decline as we age. Findings from the COSMOS study were published last year in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia. This year th…
Amyloid or Infection Is Contributing to Alzheime…
For decades the neuroscience community has focused almost exclusively on beta-amyloid in the brain as the primary cause of Alzheimer’s disease [AD]. Billions have been spent developing dozens of dru…
Could BCG, a 100-Year-Old Vaccine, Protect You F…
Two studies published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease (Feb. 19-20, 2024) report that a 100-year-old TB vaccination may reduce the likelihood of developing dementia. Have you ever heard of Baci…
Can Sildenafil – Viagra Help Prevent Dementia?
Few drugs have captured the world’s attention like Viagra (sildenafil). It changed the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) and became a household word. Most health professionals attribute sildena…
Do Cold Sores Increase the Risk for Alzheimer Di…
Swedish researchers started wondering whether cold sores increase the risk for dementia more than a decade ago (Alzheimer's & Dementia, online, Oct. 7, 2014). They identified patients diagnosed wi…
Conflicting Results from Anti-Alzheimer’s Trea…
The Alzheimer's Association estimates that nearly 7 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease (AD)..."About 1 in 9 people age 65 and older (10.7%) has Alzheimer's." It is a crisis! That's why effecti…
The Aduhelm Boondoggle Against Alzheimer’s Goe…
When the FDA approved aducanumab (Aduhelm) on June 7th, 2021 “…for the treatment of Alzheimer’s…” it created a firestorm of controversy. That’s because a panel of highly regarded outside r…
Could Exercise Save Your Brain?
There are a couple of health problems that everyone dreads. A diagnosis of cancer is most unwelcome. Neurological conditions run a close second, though. If a doctor diagnoses Parkinson's disease or AL…
Can People Catch Alzheimer’s Disease? Is It Tr…
Let’s get one thing absolutely clear: no one knows what causes Alzheimer’s disease! Yes, we have heard a lot about amyloid beta (Aβ) plaque accumulating in the brains of patients. Drug companies …