Cognitive decline News

A groundbreaking study reveals that specific bacteria in the mouth and gut may accelerate cognitive decline in Parkinson's, opening doors to early diagnosis and treatment.

By adopting these lifestyle changes, individuals, particularly women, can take proactive steps to reduce their dementia risk and enhance their brain health.  

Modifying the gut microbiome through probiotics could potentially be a strategy to improve cognitive performance, say researchers The study involved 169 participants between 52 and 75 years Researchers used whole genome sequencing to gain insights into the functional roles of the bacteria identified

Brain morphology and connections change according to the environment and the experiences However, as we age, this 'brain plasticity' decreases The brain also loses grey matter, where our precious neurons are located, which gradually leads to a cognitive decline

 The team from Imperial College London in the UK and Peking University in China used data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) for their analysis.

Many risk factors for atherosclerosis can be modified by following a healthy diet, getting enough physical activity, avoiding tobacco products and other strategies.

The findings suggest that these temporary episodes – known as orthostatic hypotension – may cause lasting damage, possibly because they reduce needed blood flow to the brain.

Of particular note was that these brain abnormalities were found in a relatively young group, with the average age being 32 years old.

Parkinson's disease -- a neurodegenerative disease that impacts movement, often including tremors -- affects nearly seven to 10 million persons around the world, according to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation. 

Researchers have found that a higher body mass index can also negatively impact cognitive functioning in older adults.

Vitamin B12 deficiency is associated with an increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

The research, carried out by a team from the universities of Helsinki, Jyväskylä and Turku, was a long-term follow-up of 3050 twins from the Finnish Twin Cohort, which looked at an association between midlife moderately vigorous physical activity and cognitive function.

Researchers found that many adult Facebook and Twitter users are willing to share their social media data and medical data for research purposes.