Dementia and cognitive decline have a huge impact on the overall health and activity of the ageing population and come with a substantial social and economic cost for society. But for those who have dementia…
Brains exist in a dynamic bidirectional interplay with our bodies, and this has major implications for the health of both.
Petri Damstén/Flickr
Anthony Hannan, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health
I don’t want to sound too cynical, but recent research findings in dementia seem hard to believe. A study of over 1,000 people has found people who scored higher on a measure of cynicism during late life…
We are only now realising how poor diets impact mental health and well-being.
Λ |_ ν-\ Γ Ø/Flickr
Over the last half century, the global food industry has profoundly changed the way we eat. While we understand how these dietary changes have impacted physical health, their effect on mental well-being…
With a bit of help sufferers can remain effective at work.
Helen ST
Recent figures suggest there are around 800,000 people in the UK with dementia. People usually associate the condition with later life, but around 17,000 of people with the condition are under the age…
The Longitude Prize is a challenge that offers £10m in prize money to help solve one of the greatest issues of our time. The public chooses the cause through a public vote and if a project then goes onto…
The risk of Alzheimer’s increases with age.
Shutterstock
Lauren Bartley, Neuroscience Research Australia and Yue Huang, Neuroscience Research Australia
Alzheimer’s disease causes progressive damage to the brain, resulting in problems with memory, cognition, social engagement, and, ultimately, a person’s ability to care for themselves. Alzheimer’s is the…
Three year head start.
Doctor's surgery via Shutterstock
US scientists recently announced they had developed a blood test that could predict your chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease, with 90% accuracy, up to three years in advance of other known symptoms…
Britons have been warned that they must save six times more for their pension or face poverty. The message is that it’s time to embrace deferred gratification and start saving. The average pension pot…
Taking extra care and consideration for those with dementia can make Christmas a much more enjoyable experience for all.
brutusfly/flickr
In 1980 we set up a large long-term study of 2,500 men in Caerphilly, South Wales, to monitor their health habits and work out what five forms of healthy behaviour were integral to a disease-free life…
Animal-based therapies have a positive effect but having them visit nursing homes has a number of drawbacks.
Duane Keys
Late-stage dementia is characterised by increasing agitation that can be distressing for the person with the illness and their carers. So, researchers are investigating whether robots disguised as animals…
It has been described as a historical “turning point” in Alzheimer’s treatment - the first time a chemical has been found that can halt the death of brain tissue in a neurodegenerative disease, and could…
Dementia rates may be falling but the downward trend won’t go on forever.
ColinCramm/Shutterstock
It’s rare to hear good news about dementia, so two recent reports showing it may be becoming less common created a fair amount of excitement. Not a week goes by without some new promised therapy for dementia…
We need to see old age as success and value older people as expressions of this accomplishment.
Vinoth Chandar
Cockroaches in the kitchen, kerosene in the bath, abuse and malnutrition - these are the aged-care stories that often make headlines. We, the public, respond with outrage and calls for more staff and more…
Olive oil is associated with some healthy benefits.
garryknight
As life expectancies across the world steadily increase, the world’s population is inexorably ageing. Too often, with age comes difficult health problems such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. These…