Cognitive disorders

Our brains are in rougher shape than we might think. New research from the World Health Organization and others estimates that nearly half of people globally are living with neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, or epilepsy, just to name a few. Collectively, these neurological problems are now thought to be the single largest leading cause of disability and illness worldwide.Do We Have to Send Humans to Mars for Exploration?The findings are the latest to emerge from the Global Burden of Diseases…

When Renita Adams puts a pot on the stove in her Virginia home, she also puts a rubber band around her wrist. The 62-year-old retiree prefers a tight band that squeezes a little bit, so she won’t forget it’s there–usually one of the colorful, stretchy rings that come wrapped around produce bundles. Her years as a nurse left her a perennial multitasker. Sometimes, when she goes to boil water or stick a meal in the oven, it just makes sense to get the laundry going, too, while she waits. But the rubber band is a critical…

A bad sex life might predict memory problems in your later years. A recent study has found that middle-aged men who reported decreasing sexual satisfaction and erectile function as they got older also tended to experience greater cognitive decline at the same time. The findings suggest that our sexual health is closely tied to our brain health, though more research is needed to better understand this link, the study authors say.Spiders Catapult From SexPast studies have found a connection between sexual and cognitive…

For all its warts, being online might be an overall positive for older people, new research suggests. The study found that reported regular internet use was associated with a reduced risk of dementia in those over 50. The largest possible benefit was seen in people who reported two hours or lessof internet use compared to none.Why Hollywood Writers Are Striking Over AI | Future TechThe study was conducted by researchers from New York University. They analyzed data from the Health and Retirement Study, a government-funded…

New clinical trial data released by Eli Lilly on Wednesday has provided the most promising results of any potential Alzheimer’s disease treatment yet. In a randomized, double-blinded, controlled phase III trial, the experimental drug donanemab significantly slowed cognitive decline in patients compared to placebo, with nearly half of those on the drug experiencing no decline at all a year later. The findings will likely pave the way for approval by the Food and Drug Administration, though the drug appears to carry a risk…

Image: Shutterstock (Shutterstock)The Food and Drug Administration on Friday granted the conditional approval of a new treatment for people with early Alzheimer’s disease: the antibody-based drug lecanemab, jointly developed by the pharmaceutical companies Biogen and Eisai. In a large trial, lecanemab appeared to slow down patients’ cognitive decline relative to those on placebo. But some experts and consumer advocates have questioned the drug’s safety and real-world value.Lecanemab works by targeting amyloid beta, a…

Image: Shutterstock (Shutterstock)An experimental treatment for Alzheimer’s disease may pose a life-threatening risk of brain bleeding for certain patients, an investigative report out this week suggests. The paper, published Monday in the journal Science, details the case of a 65-year-old woman who died from massive hemorrhaging that could have arisen from taking a common blood thinner while on the experimental drug. The incident is believed to be the second similar death linked to the treatment, which will be reviewed…

Photo: Shutterstock (Shutterstock)New research this week is the latest to suggest that some drugs meant to treat type 2 diabetes might also help prevent dementia in high-riskgroups. The study found that older people who used a relatively older class of antidiabetic medication were less likely to develop dementia than those who used other common antidiabetic drugs. The findings might warrant new clinical trials to confirm the untapped potential of these drugs, the authors say.Who Wants DC’s Canceled Batgirl Movie? | New…

Image: Shutterstock (Shutterstock)An experimental drug for Alzheimer’s disease appears to have shown successful results in a major large-scale clinical trial. The drug’s makers announced Tuesday that their treatment slowed down people’s rate of cognitive decline in a Phase III trial. The findings will likely pave the way for the drug’s approval in the U.S. and elsewhere, but there are still important questions left unanswered about its practical benefits to Alzheimer’s patients.The treatment is known as lecanemab, and…

Image: Shutterstock (Shutterstock)A healthy mouth may just help keep the brain healthy as well, new research out this week suggests. The study, a broad review of the existing evidence, found that poor dental health was linked to a later higher risk of cognitive decline and dementia. This increased risk was especially apparent for those missing some or all of their teeth.Many studies have indicated that the health of our teeth and gums can influence the body elsewhere, including the brain. But other studies have been less…