Older news items (pre-2010) brought over from the old website
Mental & Social Stimulation
Cognitive activities may delay memory decline in dementia
A 5-year study involving 488 people age 75 to 85 found that, for the 101 people who developed dementia, the more stimulating activities they engaged in, the longer rapid memory loss was delayed. Participants reported at the beginning of the study how often they participated in six activities: reading, writing, doing crossword puzzles, playing board or card games, having group discussions, and playing music. For each activity, daily participation was rated at seven points, several days a week was rated at four points, and weekly participation was rated at one point. The average was seven points total for those who later developed dementia, meaning they took part in one of the six activities each day, on average. Ten people reported no activities, and 11 reported only one activity per week. Accelerated decline was delayed by more than two months for each activity, so for example a person participating in 11 activities per week put off rapid decline by 1.29 years compared to a person participating in only four activities per week.
Hall, C.B. et al. 2009. Cognitive activities delay onset of memory decline in persons who develop dementia. Neurology, 73, 356-361.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-08/aaon-em072809.php
Some activities associated with less memory loss
A study involving 1321 randomly selected people aged 70 to 89, of whom 197 had mild cognitive impairment, has found that reading books, playing games, participating in computer activities or doing craft activities such as pottery or quilting was associated with a 30 to 50% decrease in the risk of developing memory loss compared to people who did not do those activities. Also, those who watched television for less than seven hours a day were 50% less likely to develop memory loss than people who watched for more than that. Other activities in later age were not significantly associated with a reduced chance of having MCI. Only two activities during middle age (50-65) were significantly associated with a reduced chance of later memory loss: participation in social activities and reading magazines.
Geda, Y.E. et al. 2009. Cognitive Activities Are Associated with Decreased Risk of Mild Cognitive Impairment: The Mayo Clinic Population-Based Study of Aging. Presented April 28 at the American Academy of Neurology's 61st Annual Meeting in Seattle.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-02/aaon-cey021009.php
No support for 'brain exercise' software for healthy elderly
A review of research on the impact of cognitive training on the healthy elderly (not those with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease), has found no evidence that structured cognitive intervention programs affects the progression of dementia in the healthy elderly population. This is not to say that it doesn’t; the fault lies in the quality of the research. The researchers found only a very small number of studies that met their criteria. Those that did meet the criteria were mostly found to be limited in their methodologies or lacking in follow-up. They concluded that more random clinical trials in cognitive training need to be conducted with sufficient follow-up time that can actually measure changes in daily functioning.
Papp, K.V., Walsh, S.J. & Snyder, P.J. 2009. Immediate and delayed effects of cognitive interventions in healthy elderly: A review of current literature and future directions. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 5 (1), 50-60.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-02/l-sqe020909.php
Mental and physical exercise delays dementia
A study using genetically engineered mice has found providing the mice with an enriched environment that enhanced their mental and physical stimulation improved performance on memory tests at an early stage of Huntington's disease, when memory impairment has begun. Specific molecular changes were also observed at the synapses in the hippocampus. Those without increased mental and physical activity showed decreased levels of specific proteins that are expressed at the synapse, but those exposed to stimulation didn’t. The finding offers hope for slowing the progression of the disease, as well as other dementias.
Nithianantharajah, J., Barkus, C., Murphy, M. & Hannan, A.J. Gene–environment interactions modulating cognitive function and molecular correlates of synaptic plasticity in Huntington’s disease transgenic mice. Neurobiology of Disease, Published online ahead of print 24 November 2007
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-01/ra-map012308.php
Mental stimulation in old age reduces Alzheimer's risk
Post-mortem analysis of participants in a large, long-running study has provided more support for the idea that mental stimulation protects against Alzheimer’s. The study found a cognitively active person in old age was 2.6 times less likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease than a cognitively inactive person in old age. This association remained after controlling for past cognitive activity, lifetime socioeconomic status, and current social and physical activity. Frequent cognitive activity during old age was also associated with reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment.
Wilson, R.S., Scherr, P.A., Schneider, J.A., Tang, Y. & Bennett, D.A. 2007. The relation of cognitive activity to risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Neurology, published online ahead of print June 27
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-06/aaon-fbs061907.php
Enhanced environment restores memory in mice with neurodegeneration
Research involving genetically engineered mice has found that mice whose brains had lost a large number of neurons due to neurodegeneration regained long-term memories and the ability to learn after their surroundings were enriched with toys and other sensory stimuli. The same effect was also achieved through the use of a drug that encourages neuronal growth. The findings suggest not only new approaches to treatment for those with Alzheimer's or other neurodegenerative diseases, but also supports recent suggestions that "memory loss" may be an inaccurate description of the kinds of mental deficits associated with neurodegenerative diseases. The memories are still there; they are simply inaccessible.
Fischer, A., Sananbenesi, F., Wang, X., Dobbin, M. & Tsai, L-H. 2007. Recovery of learning and memory is associated with chromatin remodelling. Nature, 447, 178-182.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-04/hhmi-eer042507.php
Learning slows physical progression of Alzheimer's disease
A mouse study has found that short but repeated learning sessions can slow the development of two brain lesions that are the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease —beta amyloid plaques, and tau tangles. The researchers are now investigating whether more frequent and vigorous learning will have bigger and longer benefits.
Billings, L.M., Green, K.N., McGaugh, J.L. & LaFerla, F.M. 2007. Learning Decreases Aß*56 and Tau Pathology and Ameliorates Behavioral Decline in 3xTg-AD Mice. Journal of Neuroscience, 27, 751-761.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-01/uoc--lsp011807.php
How mental and physical stimulation slows Alzheimer's
A new study reveals how mental and physical activity slows the cognitive decline seen in Alzheimer’s. In the study, genetically engineered mice were housed in either standard cages or ones with access to an enriched environment. After five months, the mice housed in the enriched environment had fewer Ab plaques, smaller plaque size, and reduced amyloid angiopathy compared to mice housed in standard cages. However there were no differences in the levels of soluble Ab peptide or the expression levels of its precursor protein (APP). Further investigation revealed differences suggesting that an enriched environment elicits protection via pathways that prevent Ab accumulation and enhance its clearance. The data confirm that an environment rich in mental and physical stimulation slows the progression of Alzheimer-like brain pathology.
Ambrée, O. et al. 2006. Reduction of amyloid angiopathy and A² plaque burden after enriched housing in TgCRND8 mice: involvement of multiple pathways. American Journal of Pathology, 169, 544-552.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/07/060724002331.htm
Social networks protect against Alzheimer's
Previous studies have found that older people with more extensive social networks are less likely to suffer cognitive impairment. Now a new study provides evidence that social networks, like education, offers a 'protective reserve' capacity that spares them the clinical manifestations of Alzheimer's disease. 89 elderly people without known dementia participating in the Rush Memory and Aging Project underwent annual clinical evaluation and cognitive tests. To determine social network, participants were asked about the number of children they have and see monthly; about the number of relatives, excluding spouse and children, and friends to whom they feel close and with whom they felt at ease and could talk to about private matters and could call upon for help, and how many of these people they see monthly. Their social network was the number of these individuals seen at least once per month. Brain autopsy was done at the time of death. It was found that, as the size of the social network increased, the same amount of Alzheimer’s pathology in the brain (i.e., extent of plaques and tangles) had less effect on cognitive test scores. In other words, for persons without much pathology, social network size had little effect on cognition. However, as the amount of pathology increased, the apparent protective effect on cognition also increased.
Bennett, D.A., Schneider,J.A., Tang,Y., Arnold,S.E. & Wilson,R.S. 2006. The effect of social networks on the relation between Alzheimer's disease pathology and level of cognitive function in old people: a longitudinal cohort study. Lancet Neurology,5, 406-412.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-04/rumc-snp042106.php
Use your brain, halve your risk of dementia
In the first comprehensive review of the research into 'cognitive reserve', which looks at the role of education, occupational complexity and mentally stimulating activities in preventing cognitive decline, researchers concluded that complex mental activity across people’s lives almost halves the risk of dementia. All the studies also agreed that it was never too late to build cognitive reserve. The review covered 29,000 individuals across 22 studies.
Valenzuela, M.J. & Sachdev, P. 2006. Brain reserve and dementia: a systematic review. Psychological Medicine, In press
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-01/uons-uyb012406.php
Enriched environment delays onset of Alzheimer's in mice
A study of genetically engineered mice has found that an enriched environment, with more opportunities to exercise, explore and interact with others, can dramatically reduce levels of beta-amyloid peptides, hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. The mice also showed greater activity for several genes involved in memory and learning, the growth of new nerve cells, cell survival, and the growth of new blood vessels within the brain. As with humans, mice in the enriched environment showed varying levels of activity. The most active were found to have the least beta-amyloid. Researchers suggested the reason may simply be a matter of blood flow; physical and mental activity can stimulate growth of new blood vessels and keep existing vessels open and functional.
Lazarov, O.et al. 2005. Environmental Enrichment Reduces Aβ Levels and Amyloid Deposition in Transgenic Mice. Cell, 120(5), 701-713.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-03/uocm-eed030705.php
More evidence that mental exercise helps prevent or postpone dementia
Another study provides support for the idea that mentally demanding activities can help stave off dementia. The study involved 469 people aged 75 and older. Over the course of the study, dementia developed in 124 of the participants (Alzheimer's disease in 61, vascular dementia in 30, mixed dementia in 25, and other types of dementia in 8). Those who participated at least twice weekly in reading, playing games (chess, checkers, backgammon or cards), playing musical instruments, and dancing were significantly less likely to develop dementia. Although the evidence on crossword puzzles was not quite statistically significant, those who did crossword puzzles four days a week had a much lower risk of dementia than those who did one puzzle a week. Most physical activities, like group exercise or team games, had no significant impact. The only exception - ballroom dancing - possibly occurred because of the mental demands of remembering dance steps, responding to music and coordinating with a partner. Although the study was careful to include only those who showed no signs of dementia at the start, it cannot be ruled out that people in very early, pre-clinical stages of dementia may be less likely to participate in mentally demanding activities.
Verghese, J., Lipton, R.B., Hall, C.B., Kuslansky, G. & Katz, M.J. 2003. Low blood pressure and the risk of dementia in very old individuals. Neurology, 61, 1667-1672.
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/24/opinion/24TUE4.html?th
Mentally stimulating activities may reduce Alzheimer's risk
A study of 700 seniors over several years found that more frequent participation in cognitively stimulating activities, such as reading books, newspapers or magazines, engaging in crosswords or card games, was significantly associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Over the period, 111 participants developed AD. In comparing levels of cognitive activity with the risk of developing AD, it was found that a one-point increase in cognitive activity (on a 5-point scale) corresponded with a 33% reduction in the risk of AD. On average, compared with someone with the lowest activity level, the risk of disease was 47% lower for those whose frequency of activity was highest. General cognitive decline was also less among people who did more cognitively stimulating activities.
Wilson, R.S., de Leon, C.F.M., Barnes, L.L., Schneider, J.S., Bienias, J.L., Evans, D.A. & Bennett, D.A. 2002. Participation in Cognitively Stimulating Activities and Risk of Incident Alzheimer Disease. JAMA, 287,742-748.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-02/nioa-io020802.php
Education & IQ
Language skills in your 20s may predict risk of dementia decades later
Confirming earlier indications, autopsies of the brains of 38 Catholic nuns in the Nun Study has found that those who had no memory problems, whether or not their brains showed Alzheimer’s disease hallmarks, had higher early language scores compared to those who showed symptoms of Alzheimer’s or mild cognitive impairment. Early language was assessed in terms of the number of ideas produced every 10 words in the essays they wrote in their late teens or early 20s when they entered the Order. There was no effect in terms of grammatical complexity. Those with Alzheimer's disease hallmarks and no memory problems also had enlarged neurons in the CA1 region of the hippocampus.
Iacono, D. et al. 2009. The Nun Study. Clinically silent AD, neuronal hypertrophy, and linguistic skills in early life. Neurology, first published on July 8, 2009 as doi: doi:10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181b01077
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-07/aaon-lsi070109.php
Education may not affect how fast you will lose your memory
A study involving some 6,500 older Chicago residents being interviewed 3-yearly for up to 14 years (average 6.5 years), has found that while at the beginning of the study, those with more education had better memory and thinking skills than those with less education, education was not related to how rapidly these skills declined during the course of the study. The result suggests that the benefit of more education in reducing dementia risk results simply from the difference in level of cognitive function.
Wilson, R.S., Hebert, L.E., Scherr, P.A., Barnes, L.L., de Leon, C.F.M. & Evans, D.A. 2009. Educational attainment and cognitive decline in old age. Neurology, 72, 460-465.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-02/aaon-emn012709.php
Education protects against pre-Alzheimer's memory loss
Another study has come out supporting the view that people with more education and more mentally demanding occupations may have protection against the memory loss that precedes Alzheimer's disease, providing more evidence for the idea of cognitive reserve. The 14-month study followed 242 people with Alzheimer's disease, 72 people with mild cognitive impairment, and 144 people with no memory problems. During the study period, 21 of the people with MCI developed Alzheimer's. The metabolic changes in those with MCI who developed Alzheimer’s indicate the cognitive reserve is already in play in the pre-dementia stage.
Garibotto, V. et al. 2008. Education and occupation as proxies for reserve in aMCI converters and AD: FDG-PET evidence. Neurology, 71, 1342-1349.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-10/aaon-epa101408.php
Connection between Alzheimer's, education & head size
Earlier findings from the Nun Study have found associations with smaller head size and Alzheimer’s disease, and lower educational achievement and Alzheimer’s disease. The latest analysis clarifies these associations. It appears that a smaller head size is associated with lower educational achievement only in those who carry the “Alzheimer’s” APOE-4 gene, and those who later developed Alzheimer’s or Alzheimer’s pathology.
Mortimer, J,A., Snowdon, D.A. & Markesbery, W.R. 2008. Small Head Circumference is Associated With Less Education in Persons at Risk for Alzheimer Disease in Later Life. Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders, 22(3), 249-254.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-08/uosf-soa081108.php
Low childhood IQ linked to vascular dementia
A study of 173 people from the Scottish Mental Survey of 1932 who have developed dementia has found that, compared to matched controls, those with vascular dementia were 40% more likely to have low IQ scores when they were children than the people who did not develop dementia. This difference was not true for those with Alzheimer's disease. The findings suggest that low childhood IQ may act as a risk factor for vascular dementia through vascular risks rather than the "cognitive reserve" theory.
McGurn, B., Deary, I.J. & Starr, J.M. 2008. Childhood cognitive ability and risk of late-onset Alzheimer and vascular dementia. Neurology, first published on June 25, 2008 as doi: doi:10.1212/01.wnl.0000319692.20283.10
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-06/aaon-lci061708.php
Effect of cognitive reserve on dementia confirmed
Another study has come out confirming that people with more years of education begin to lose their memory later than those with less education, but decline faster once it begins. Researchers note that since the participants were born between 1894 and 1908, their life experiences and education may not represent that of people entering the study age range today.
Hall, C.B., Derby, C., LeValley, A., Katz, M.J., Verghese, J. & Lipton, R.B. 2007. Education delays accelerated decline on a memory test in persons who develop dementia. Neurology, 69, 1657-1664.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-10/aeco-mep101707.php
Not finishing high school may lead to memory problems
A long-running Finnish study has found that compared with people with five or less years of education, those with six to eight years had a 40% lower risk of developing dementia and those with nine or more years had an 80% lower risk. Generally speaking, people with low education levels seemed to lead unhealthier lifestyles, but the association remained after lifestyle choices and characteristics such as income, occupation, physical activity and smoking had been taken into account.
Ngandu, T. et al. 2007. Education and dementia: What lies behind the association? Neurology, 69, 1442-1450.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-10/aaon-nfh092507.php
Brain network associated with cognitive reserve identified
An imaging study involving young (18-30) and older (65-80) adults has identified a brain network within the frontal lobe that is associated with cognitive reserve, the process that allows individuals to resist cognitive decline due to aging or Alzheimer’s disease. Those with higher levels of cognitive reserve were able to activate this network in the brain while working on more difficult tasks, while participants with lower levels of reserve were not able to tap into this particular network. The network was found more often in younger participants, suggesting the network may degrade during aging.
Stern, Y. et al. 2007. A Common Neural Network for Cognitive Reserve in Verbal and Object Working Memory in Young but not Old. Cerebral Cortex, Advance Access published on August 3, 2007
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-08/cumc-cri082007.php
Bilingualism has protective effect in delaying onset of dementia
An analysis of 184 people with dementia (132 were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s; the remaining 52 with other dementias) found that the mean age of onset of dementia symptoms in the 91 monolingual patients was 71.4 years, while for the 93 bilingual patients it was 75.5 years — a very significant difference. This difference remained even after considering the possible effect of cultural differences, immigration, formal education, employment and even gender as influencers in the results.
Bialystok, E., Craik, F.I.M. & Freedman, M. 2007. Bilingualism as a protection against the onset of symptoms of dementia. Neuropsychologia, 45 (2), 459-464.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-01/bcfg-css011107.php
Alzheimer's progresses more rapidly in highly educated people
A study of 312 New Yorkers aged 65 and older, who were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and monitored for over 5 years, found that overall mental agility declined faster for each additional year of education, particularly in the speed of thought processes and memory, and was independent of age, mental ability at diagnosis, or other factors likely to affect brain function, such as depression and vascular disease. It’s suggested this may reflect the greater ability of brains with a higher cognitive reserve to tolerate damage, meaning the damage is greater by the time it becomes observable in behavior. The finding confirms earlier findings from some epidemiological studies.
Scarmeas, N., Albert, S.M., Manly, J.J. & Stern, Y. 2006. Education and rates of cognitive decline in incident Alzheimer’s disease. Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 77, 308-316.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-02/bsj-adp021506.php
Study links adolescent IQ/activity levels with risk of dementia
An analysis of high school records and yearbooks from the mid-1940s, and interviews with some 400 of these graduates, now in their 70s, and their family members, has found that those who were more active in high school and who had higher IQ scores, were less likely to have mild memory and thinking problems and dementia as older adults.
Fritsch, T., Smyth, K.A., McClendon, M.J., Ogrocki, P.K., Santillan, C., Larsen, J.D. & Strauss, M.E. 2005. Associations Between Dementia/Mild Cognitive Impairment and Cognitive Performance and Activity Levels in Youth. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 53(7), 1191.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-07/cwru-sla070105.php
Higher education or larger brain size may protect against dementia
More findings from the Nun Study, a longitudinal study of aging and Alzheimer's disease. It was found that nuns who completed 16 or more years of formal education or whose head circumference was in the upper two-thirds were four times less likely to be demented than those with both smaller head circumferences and lower education. (Head circumference is a good indicator of the volume or size of the brain.) It was not that these nuns were less likely to have the brain abnormalities characteristic of Alzheimer's disease, but that the larger brain size and more education provided extra reserve, allowing them to function normally in the presence of such brain abnormalities.
Mortimer, J.A., Snowdon, D.A. & Markesbery, W.R. 2003. Head Circumference, Education and Risk of Dementia: Findings from the Nun Study. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 25 (5), 671-679.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2003-07/uosf-heo071003.php
Effects of Alzheimer's disease may be influenced by education
New findings from the Religious Orders Study (ROS), a long-running prospective study of aging and cognitive function in Catholic clergy, provides evidence that formal education may provide a cognitive reserve or a "neuroplasticity" that can reduce the effect of AD brain abnormalities on cognitive function in later life. A post-mortem study of the brains of 130 participants who had all undergone cognitive testing some months before death, found that the relationship between cognitive performance and the number of amyloid plaques in the brain (characteristic of Alzheimer’s) changed with level of formal education. The more years education you had, the less effect the same number of plaques had on actual cognitive performance. For example, an 84-year-old woman in the most highly educated group (postgraduate work after college) might score 98.1 (on a scale where the average participant scores 100) in the absence of any plaques. The same age woman with the least education (some college attendance) would score 96.8. In the presence of about 18 plaques (more than the number required for a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s), the more highly educated woman's score would drop about two points, to 96.2, while the score of the woman with less formal education would drop more than 14 points, to 82. It’s worth noting that this considerable difference was observed in a population where even the least educated had some college attendance; presumably the difference would be even more marked in the general population.
Bennett, D.A., Wilson, R.S., Schneider, J.A., Evans, D.A., de Leon, M.C.F., Arnold, S.E., Barnes, L.L. & Bienias, J.L. 2003. Education modifies the relation of AD pathology to level of cognitive function in older persons. Neurology, 60, 1909-1915.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2003-06/rpsl-rrf062303.php
Early language ability may be linked to lower risk of Alzheimer's
The " Nun Study" has followed 678 Catholic nuns from 7 convents of the School Sisters of Notre Dame for 15 years. The stability and similarity of their lives makes them wonderful subjects, and the duration of the project means that it began when many were too young to manifest Alzheimer's or other diseases related to aging. Particularly helpful in this regard is that the sisters were required to write autobiographical essays when they took their vows in their 20's.
The research has shown that folic acid may help stave off Alzheimer's disease; that small, barely perceptible strokes may trigger some dementia; and, in an especially striking finding, that early language ability may be linked to lower risk of Alzheimer's because nuns who packed more ideas into the sentences of their early autobiographies were less likely to get Alzheimer's disease six decades later.
The latest report says nuns who expressed more positive emotions in their autobiographies lived significantly longer — in some cases 10 years longer — than those expressing fewer positive emotions.
The report was published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/07/health/07NUNS.html