Dementia News and Research

Latest Dementia News and Research

Blood marker linked to Alzheimer’s also found in systemic amyloidosis

A certain blood protein regarded as an early indicator of Alzheimer's disease also appears to play a role in other disorders.

11 Mar 2026

Wegovy linked to higher risk of eye stroke and vision loss

Wegovy, a GLP-1 agonist for weight loss, may carry the highest risk of 'eye stroke' (ischemic optic neuropathy) and sudden sight loss of the semaglutide drugs, finds an analysis of unintended side effect reports published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

10 Mar 2026

Study links p-tau217 levels to long-term dementia risk in women

Researchers from the University of California San Diego have found that a novel blood-based biomarker can predict a woman's risk of developing dementia as many as 25 years before symptoms appear.

10 Mar 2026

Air pollution may be lowering global IQ and widening inequality, researchers warn

Researchers argue that exposure to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) may affect cognitive function and intelligence, potentially causing large population-level losses in global IQ. Using modelling based on published exposure–response data, the authors estimate that pollution could be associated with tens of billions of IQ points lost worldwide, with the largest impacts in lower-income regions.

10 Mar 2026

How social and environmental exposures across life influence mental health risk

Researchers outline how the exposome framework, which captures the totality of environmental exposures across the lifespan, can help explain how non-genetic factors shape mental health risk and resilience. The perspective highlights how integrating environmental, biological, and social data could improve prevention strategies, research models, and personalized mental health care.

10 Mar 2026

Immune cells found to actively promote plaque formation in Alzheimer’s disease

A new study led by researchers from VIB and KU Leuven shows that immune cells called microglia can actively promote the formation of plaques in Alzheimer's disease, challenging the long-standing view that these cells serve only as defenders against plaque buildup.

10 Mar 2026

Researchers develop DNA aptamer to detect Alzheimer's biomarkers

With aging populations on the rise, the need for better tools to diagnose and monitor Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia, has never been more urgent.

10 Mar 2026

Banks are becoming bulwarks against scams for vulnerable seniors

The first call came just before Thanksgiving last year. She didn't recognize the phone number, but she answered anyway.

10 Mar 2026

Spiritual care should be routine for patients with neurological diseases

People living with neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease, dementia and epilepsy face not only physical decline, but also profound questions about identity, purpose, and meaning.

9 Mar 2026

Unmasking the hyperactive circuitry of early Alzheimer’s

Neuroscientists at King's College London have pinpointed a mechanism behind the increased neural connectivity observed in the very early stages of Alzheimer's disease.

9 Mar 2026

Redefining the "aging brain" through diverse data

Age is more than just one number. While neuroscientists used to think of cognitive aging as a single trendline, they now realize that vast individual differences require a more predictive and personalized approach. As they uncover more factors that affect cognition over time, they are realizing that modeling the aging brain requires more diverse data than traditionally captured.

9 Mar 2026

Brain cells amplify important signals to guide focus and navigation

Nerve cells in the brain are constantly bombarded with information from different senses simultaneously. How can the brain prioritize what is most important?

6 Mar 2026

New report shows primary care readiness for digital cognitive assessment tools

A new Gerontological Society of America (GSA) report summarizes survey findings on the readiness of the primary care workforce to adopt digital cognitive assessments (DCAs) for use in the diagnostic process for cognitive impairment and dementia.

6 Mar 2026

New study shows the brain reactivates memories without reaching conscious thought

Researchers have used brain imaging to show how memories can be reactivated in the brain without them reaching conscious awareness, showing that these memories persist even when we think they have been forgotten.

6 Mar 2026

Drug combination shows greater weight loss while preserving muscle mass

A recent research study found that a combination of the GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide and bimagrumab, an antibody that blocks activin signaling pathways, results in greater weight loss while also preserving lean mass, such as skeletal muscle and connective tissue.

5 Mar 2026

New microscope captures 3D blood flow and oxygenation at single-cell resolution

The brain relies on real-time delivery of oxygen and nutrients through its microvasculature, which threads through neural tissue like electrical wires.

5 Mar 2026

Protein linked to Parkinson's may drive faster Alzheimer's disease progression in women

Alzheimer's-related brain changes progressed up to 20 times faster in women who also had abnormal levels of a Parkinson's-related protein, according to a Mayo Clinic study published in JAMA Network Open.

4 Mar 2026

Study links gut microbiome health directly to ovarian aging processes

A new study details how fecal transplants from older female mice significantly improve ovarian function and fertility in young mice. The surprising results reveal a direct link between the microbiome (the collection of all bacteria and other microbes present) of the gut and ovarian health and function.

3 Mar 2026

Can brain training prevent dementia? Long-term trial shows speed training with boosters makes a difference

A 20-year follow-up of older adults in the ACTIVE randomized trial linked to Medicare claims found that speed of processing cognitive training with booster sessions was associated with a significantly lower risk of diagnosed Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Memory and reasoning training did not show comparable long-term reductions in dementia risk.

2 Mar 2026

Investigating microglia’s role in Alzheimer’s pathology

Announcing a new article publication for BIO Integration journal. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder and the leading cause of dementia worldwide. Microglia, as central nervous system (CNS) resident macrophages, are key to AD pathology. Indeed, microglia aggregation around amyloid-β (Aβ) deposits is an AD hallmark.

1 Mar 2026