Welcome to Checking in from the “Field” with Dr. A., a new monthly blog post on Alzheimer’s Insights. For the last 14 years, in addition to evaluating patients at the Rush Memory Clinic, I have been the “MD in the Field” for many of our community based participatory research studies conducted at the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center and the Rush Institute for Aging in Chicago, Illinois.
Over the years performing study related home visits or community presentations, [...]
Readers, Another important finding from the ICAD meeting last week revolves around the relationship between cognitive decline and vitamin D. Several high-profile studies have suggested that high levels of vitamin D lower the risk of developing multiple sclerosis and accumulating evidence suggests previously unsuspected roles for vitamin D in brain development and neuroprotection. Now, a new study shows that low Vitamin D levels may be related to cognitive decline and dementia. Researchers have in fact [...]
Readers, A relationship between vascular risk factors and Alzheimer disease has been considered for over 20 years. In fact, it was widely accepted that “a hardening of the arteries” was to blame for senile dementias. There is also evidence that vascular diseases such as stroke, atherosclerosis, and hypertension are associated with an increased risk of dementia and AD, and that an abnormally elevated level of fibrinogen, the protein critical for blood clot formation, is correlated [...]
Increasing evidence indicates that there are reductions in testosterone and estrogen levels in older men and women. These hormonal reductions may be risk factors for cognitive impairment and the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). As testosterone levels decline as men age, there is an urge to treat this natural process with hormone replacement, just as it is done for many women undergoing menopause. The enzyme aromatase in the male brain converts some of the testosterone [...]
Readers, Two of the key elements when taking a history from a patient include smoking tobacco and alcohol consumption. Both of these activities have been shown to affect general health. Now, in a recently published study from Barcelona, Spain, it appears that they may be important risk factors in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but in a unique way. Knowledge regarding environmental factors influencing the risk of AD is surprisingly scarce, despite substantial research in this area. [...]
Based on current evidence, the recent conclusion reached by a National Institute of Health panel of experts, is statistically sound. They concluded that we do not yet have proof that the progression of Alzheimer’s disease pathology can be slowed by actively reducing known risk factors and by adopting certain lifestyle changes such as smoking cessation, intellectual stimulation, and physical exercise. This is a case where I think it is worthwhile to translate the panel’s conclusion. [...]
Readers, A recent paper published in the journal Nature looked at whether six weeks of online brain training would improve the cognitive performance of 11,430 healthy adults. What’s intriguing about this paper, besides the sheer size of the study, is that it was published in such a prestigious journal despite essentially having a null result. To examine the effects of brain training on cognitive functioning, Owen Adrian of the Medical Research Council in the United [...]
