Alzheimer’s Disease
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 …
Do Older People Improve Their Memories with Exer…
Exercise can make your muscles stronger. Research indicates that people who stay active may also improve their memories. Most of the relevant research considers physical activity such as walking, runn…
Rediscovering Low-Dose Lithium for Mood Disorder…
Lithium is a chemical element that is widespread in nature. You can find it in the earth's crust, in water and even in the food you eat. Depending upon where you live, there is a good chance that ther…
Are My Medications Causing Me Memory Problems?
Most people assume that if they begin to have memory problems, it is either "natural" aging or bad luck. If a relative had Alzheimer's disease, forgetfulness and dementia are blamed on genetic factors…
Why Have I Lost Faith in the FDA?
I started writing about prescription drugs, home remedies and over-the-counter medications over 50 years ago in my first book, The People’s Pharmacy (St. Martin’s Press). Back then, I was a big fa…
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…
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…
Can a Mediterranean-Style Diet Protect Your Brai…
How can you protect cognitive function as you age? In countries like Spain and Greece, people who follow a traditional Mediterranean diet appear less likely to develop dementia. New research from Euro…
Another Huge Anti-Amyloid Drug Failure Against A…
Have you ever heard the term “dry hole”? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary it means: “a well (as for gas or oil) that proves unproductive.” People who drill for oil or water know tha…
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? Analyses show that following a diet loaded with plants might help some of…
Reduce Your Risk of Dementia with Physical Activ…
Older people who would like to stay sharp can take one simple step: keep moving! Research from Rush University Medical Center suggests that physical activity can reduce elders' risk of dementia ( Neu…
Is a Rapid Heart Rate a Risk for Dementia?
There are lots of things that put people at higher risk for cognitive decline and dementia. Traumatic brain injury puts veterans at increased risk of dementia. Boxing and blows to the head can also in…
Calculating the Burden of Dementia in Dollars an…
Dementia takes a devastating toll on people’s ability to organize, learn or even manage ordinary activities of daily life. It often places a huge strain on family members, both physically and emotio…
Show 1359: Is the Food on Your Plate Real or Fak…
This week’s radio show features two of the country’s leading nutritional epidemiologists, Dr. Walter Willett of Harvard and Dr. Barry Popkin of the University of North Carolina. They discuss some …
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 …
Can Your Medicine Cause Confusion or Memory Loss…
Have you ever experienced trouble finding the right word? What about forgetting someone’s name you should know? How about having a hard time finding your car at the supermarket or airport? Most of t…
Show 1356: Looking Through the Windows to the Br…
Since at least the 16th century, people have suggested that the eyes are the windows to the soul. In the 21st century, ophthalmologists have developed technology that allows them to assess our health …
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 …
Adult Education Courses Help Seniors Reduce thei…
There is a popular saying “Use it or lose it!” Does it apply to your brain? A new study of approximately 280,000 volunteers in the UK Biobank suggests that it does. People who participate frequent…
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…
Shocking Conflicts of Interest in Nonprofit Pati…
Americans are big boosters of patient advocacy organizations (PAOs). They contribute hundreds of millions of dollars to nonprofits like the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society and …
Aduhelm for Alzheimer’s: Breakthrough or Boond…
The FDA created a firestorm of controversy on June 7, 2021. That's when it announced it was approving Aduhelm (aducanumab) "...for the treatment of Alzheimer's, a debilitating disease affecting 6.2 mi…
Are Your Drugs Raising Your Risk for Dementia?
Ask people who have lost a family member to dementia if they would like to avoid a similar fate and you will get an unequivocal answer: YES! Although the FDA recently approved two new drugs, aducanuma…
Will Sleeping Pill with Diphenhydramine Lead to …
Do you ever forget the names of people you should remember? What about dates like birthdays or anniversaries? How about pass codes? Is it just a benign "senior moment," or something more insidious? Me…
Alcohol for Longer Life? How Much Is Enough and …
The benefits and risks of alcohol consumption have been controversial for decades. Some studies have suggested that “moderate” amounts of alcohol have health benefits. In other words, people who d…
Could Research in Mice Change How We Look at Alz…
A study in mice suggests that the usual way neuroscientists look at Alzheimer disease might be wrong. What's more, recent research suggests that a supplement available without a prescription might off…
Who Should Take Leqembi (lecanemab) for Dementia…
Have you read the headlines about Leqembi? They’ve been hard to miss! The New York Times announced: “New Federal Decisions Make Alzheimer’s Drug Leqembi Widely Accessible.” The Washington Pos…
Can You See Alzheimer Disease with Retina Scan?
Technology allows for non-invasive imaging of the retina. Now, such a retina scan may allow eye doctors to diagnose Alzheimer disease (see below). If doctors could diagnose neurological dysfunction ea…
YIKES! FDA Approves Lecanemab Against Alzheimer&…
For decades the news about Alzheimer’s disease [AD] has been dismal. No medication has been shown to actually delay or reverse the symptoms of AD. On July 6, 2023 the FDA gave the latest anti-amyloi…
Low Vitamin D Levels Linked to Risk of Alzheimer…
Most vitamins must come from our food (or supplements) because we don't make them ourselves. Vitamin D is an exception, because our skin makes the precursor to this hormone when we expose ourselves to…