If you feel very sleepy during the day, you might be at risk of getting Alzheimer’s

People who feel very sleepy during the day are nearly three times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those who do not, a long-term study has found. The study, published in the journal SLEEP, found that adults who reported being very sleepy during the day were thrice more likely to have brain deposits of beta amyloid, a protein that is a hallmark for Alzheimer’s, years later. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University in the US suggest that getting adequate nighttime sleep could be a way to help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.…

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Taboo topic: Reducing stigma attached to Alzheimer’s is crucial for prevention

Reducing stigma attributed to Alzheimer’s disease is vital for prevention research, a new study suggests, adding that the stigma associated with the disease may be an obstacle for individuals to seek information about their risk of developing it. The survey focused on what beliefs, attitudes and expectations are most often associated with the disease. “We found that concerns about discrimination and overly harsh judgments about the severity of symptoms were most prevalent,” said co-author of the study, Shana Stites from the University of Pennsylvania. “By understanding what the biggest concerns…

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Study Shows Education Can Reduce Risk Of Alzheimer’s Disease

According to the Centers for Disease Control, over 5.4 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease. As a result of the country’s aging population, this progressive brain disorder has grown to be the the sixth leading cause of death among all adults and the fifth leading cause for those aged 65 or older. Although there is no cure for this debilitating disease, a new study has found a way to reduce the risk of developing it: education. A Cambridge University study of over 54,000 people found that every year spent in school reduces the chances of…

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Forgetting things but unaware of it? You may be at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease

Canadian researchers have found that although memory loss is an early symptom of Alzheimer’s disease, it is those who are unaware of the problem that are more likely to go on to develop the condition. Carried out by researchers at Ontario’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), the new study is believed to be the largest of its kind on illness awareness, looking at data on 1,062 people. Earlier research said that menopause could trigger Alzheimer’s, but a diet rich in antioxidants could help. Participants were aged 55 to 90,…

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This May Be the Reason Why Alzheimer’s Patients Lose their Memory

Alzheimer’s, a type of dementia, is a progressive disease that affects a person’s memory and other important functions which are destroyed over time. It usually affects people over the age of 65 and memory loss is one of the most characteristic symptoms of the disease. But do you know why? A new study, published in the journal Neurology, reveals the reason. According to researchers, an alteration or change in the genes may hasten the process of memory loss and affect the thinking ability in people who are already at the risk…

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Defective Brain Cells Are Spreading Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s

Brain is the most important organ of the human body yet most of its functioning is still unknown to doctors and scientists. We humans use merely five per cent of the brain’s total functioning throughout our life. The full potential of a human brain’s working has yet not been completely figured out. Neurons are the building blocks of the nervous system which includes the brain and the spinal cord. Neurons normally don’t reproduce or replace themselves, so when they become damaged or die they cannot be replaced by the body…

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