Dementia News and Research

Latest Dementia News and Research

Ecstasy may cause long-term brain damage

Ecstasy - the illegal "rave" drug that produces feelings of euphoria and emotional warmth - has been in the news recently as a potential therapeutic. Clinical trials are testing Ecstasy in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder.

4 May 2011

Obesity during middle age may increase risk of developing dementia

According to a new study, being overweight or obese during middle age may increase the risk of certain dementias.

3 May 2011

Investigators to advance research and care of the elderly

The demographics are dauanting: between 2005 and 2030, the number of adults 65 and over in the United States is expected to nearly double.

2 May 2011

PET-CT exams can diagnose 'cognitive reserve' in early-onset AD

A recent study revealed that the "cognitive reserve" in early-onset Alzheimer's disease and PET-CT examinations can be used to effectively to identify early-onset AD patients.

2 May 2011

Hartford credits NICHE with hospital's success in improving older patients' care

"On the Front Line of Change" was the theme of the 14th annual conference of NICHE, held last month in Las Vegas, Nevada. The conference brought together hundreds of nurses, nursing administrators, educators and other healthcare professionals from across the US and Canada, whose shared passion and purpose is to improve the quality of care for hospitalized older adults.

2 May 2011

Penn State launches unique oral hygiene approach for dementia patients

Nurses who care for patients with dementia now have a tailored approach to dental hygiene for their charges, thanks to a pilot study by a team of nurses.

2 May 2011

Researchers discover two mutations responsible for neurological condition

Mayo Clinic researchers have discovered two mutations responsible for a devastating neurological condition they first identified 15 years ago. The researchers say their study -- appearing in Nature Genetics -- has revealed a new neural pathway that may help understand a variety of similar conditions.

2 May 2011

Sleep deprivation leads to decreased cognitive abilities: Study

A new study has shown that poor sleep as a person reaches middle age could mean that the brain is prematurely ageing, equivalent to a decline of up to seven years.

1 May 2011

State news highlights: Texas Senate approves Medicaid savings bill

The Senate unanimously approved Sen. Jane Nelson's bill to find extensive cost savings in Texas' Medicaid program, the primary health care provider for children, the disabled and the very poor. ... The measure expands Medicaid managed care into South Texas, where it has long been carved out — expected to save the state $290 million over the biennium.

30 Apr 2011

Lithium shows hope for Alzheimer’s disease

According to scientists Alzheimer’s disease, a progressively damaging motor neuron condition, could be treated by lithium, a naturally occurring element that is extremely inexpensive and already in use for other psychiatric disorders.

29 Apr 2011

Belmont Village to inaugurate senior housing in Thousand Oaks

Belmont Village Senior Living will officially open its 20th community in August 2011 at 3680 N. Moorpark Road in Thousand Oaks. The company has opened an on-site Information Center to provide details about leasing and the care and amenities that will be available for residents.

29 Apr 2011

Experts to teach athletic trainers, medical providers on sports head injuries

Top experts from around the country will be at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill later this week to teach athletic trainers and medical providers how to prevent deaths and serious injuries among high school and college athletes.

28 Apr 2011

Cotinine can reduce plaques linked with dementia and prevent memory loss

Cotinine, a compound derived from tobacco, reduced plaques associated with dementia and prevented memory loss in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, a study led by researchers at Bay Pines VA Healthcare System and the University of South Florida found.

28 Apr 2011

Baby doll can serve as effective therapy for geriatric patients

What parent hasn't watched their young child in amazement as they pick up a baby doll, tenderly cradling and stroking it as though the child were mimicking the way their own parent held them? As quintessential as these toys are for young children, research has found that baby dolls are also effective tools in soothing geriatric patients.

28 Apr 2011