Alzheimer’s Disease
Nicotine Patch for Alzheimer’s—Could Nicotin…
For decades researchers have considered nicotine a serious health problem. It is, after all, the addicting compound in cigarettes and other tobacco products. Humans have apparently been using tobacco …
Could a Shingles Shot Save Your Memory? Rethinki…
For decades, neuroscientists have promoted the idea that the cause of dementia is the accumulation of amyloid plaque in the brains of patients with Alzheimer disease. Drug companies spent billions to …
What Can Help You Stay Sharp as You Age?
Do you know how to stay healthy? Chances are you are aware that exercise and diet are keystones of good health throughout your life. You and your health care provider may also be paying attention to y…
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…
Do You Have Confidence in the FDA? Has this Watc…
We used to have tremendous confidence in the FDA. When we started writing about pharmaceuticals nearly 50 years ago, the agency was highly respected. It had mostly protected American children from the…
Antidepressant Drugs and Dementia: The Link Gets…
Tens of millions of people take SSRI and SNRI-type antidepressants on a daily basis. SSRI stands for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. SNRI stands for serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhib…
Reduce Your Risk of Dementia with Physical Activ…
Older people who would like to stay sharp can take one simple step: keep moving! Numerous studies indicate that physical activity has cognitive benefits. The latest study shows that every little bit h…
Forgetfulness or Worse: Are Medications Raising …
Baby boomers are getting old. This is the generation that was born between 1946 and 1964. In five short years they will all be over 65. There are more than 70 million of them and many are starting to …
Will Gum Disease Boost Your Risk for Dementia?
If you are trying to reduce your chance of developing Alzheimer disease, you might want to schedule an appointment with your dentist. New research suggests that gum disease should join the list of fac…
Show 1416: Exposing Fraud and Arrogance in Alzhe…
This week, we explore the evidence that some respected researchers in the field of Alzheimer’s disease took shortcut or even manipulated their data to get the results they wanted. How did our guests…
Memory Makers or Memory Takers: Medications and …
Visitors to this website and subscribers to our newsletter know that we have been highly critical of the FDA’s approval of anti-amyloid drugs for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). They are expensive, ba…
Simple Steps to Stay Sharp and Prevent Dementia
Many people would like more information on how to prevent dementia. Perhaps they have taken care of a family member during a long, slow decline. Or maybe they have watched a neighbor or friend gradual…
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…
What Is the Difference Between Healthspan and Li…
Healthspan and lifespan are such similar words that it is only reasonable to wonder about their differences. In short, lifespan refers to how long you live, regardless of your state of health. Healths…
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…
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…
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 …
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…