A weekly recap of the latest news about Alzheimer’s and dementia
Alzheimer’s Orange County compiles a weekly roundup of the latest news stories and developments about Alzheimer’s and dementia to keep you updated on what’s happening locally and all around the world. Check out this week’s headlines below:
Stimulating activities are necessary to avoid cognitive decline
A new study finds that to help avoid cognitive decline in old age, people need to engage in two or more mentally stimulating activities like reading, working on a computer, playing games, and other activities. Read more here.
Languages affected differently by brain disease
A small study suggests that there are differences in the way English and Italian speakers are affected by dementia-related language problems. Read more here.
Study links Alzheimer’s disease with circular RNA
Certain loops of RNAs —the molecules that carry instructions from genes to create proteins in the body— are associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study. Read more here.
Possible missing link in Alzheimer’s Pathology Identified
Alzheimer’s disease has long been characterized by the buildup of two distinct proteins in the brain: first, beta-amyloid, which accumulates in clumps, or plaques, and tau, which forms toxic tangles that lead to cell death. Until now, exactly how beta-amyloid leads to the devastation of tau has not been clear. A new study at the University of Alabama at Birmingham describes that missing mechanism. Read more here.
Losing Even Just One Night of Sleep May Trigger Alzheimer’s Biomarker
According to a new small study, losing just one night of sleep may increase a biomarker associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The study, published in Neurology, found that tau protein — considered to be one of the main marks of Alzheimer’s — became more prevalent in the brains of young men who lost one night of sleep. Read more here.
