Category Archives: Brain Function

Gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD) and Barrett’s esophagus (BE) patients have higher rates of obstructive sleep apnea and poor sleep quality. Nearly 20 percent of Americans suffer from GERD, which is chronic heartburn or acid regurgitation. Numerous previous studies have explored the association between GERD and poor sleep quality and have found that GERD patients, on ...click here to read more

Meningitis and meningococcal disease are both caused by Neisseria meningitides. But although their causes are similar, there are still vast differences between the two conditions that are important to note for treatment options. Meningitis is caused by the inflammation of the protective membranes – known as meninges – covering the spinal cord and the brain. ...click here to read more

Lewy body dementia odds over Alzheimer’s disease increase with visual hallucinations. Visual hallucinations occur in 32 to 85 percent of autopsy-confirmed cases of Lewy body dementia (LBD). Alzheimer’s disease patients too can experience hallucinations, but they are less frequent and typically occur in the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease. A study examined the onset of ...click here to read more

Encephalitis (brain inflammation) patients are more likely to die if they develop seizures or low platelet count, according to research from Johns Hopkins. The researchers suggest that if practitioners are watchful of these conditions and treat them aggressively at the first sign of their presence, patient survival increases. Study lead Arun Venkatesan said, “The factors ...click here to read more

Severe asthma is linked to insomnia, sleep duration, and sleep hygiene in adolescents. The findings were published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. The researchers aimed to better understand modifiable health behaviors which may relate to asthma control. They highlighted sleep as one of those behaviors, but stated that it typically ...click here to read more

Depression among seniors increases their risk of heart disease, according to the latest findings. The researchers looked at over 7,300 seniors in France with no prior history of heart disease, stroke, or dementia. Assessments were conducted on the participants every two, four, and seven years after the study start date. Initially, 30 percent of women ...click here to read more

Suffering a traumatic brain injury (TBI) increases the buildup of Alzheimer’s plaques in the brain, as found by a new study that suggests these plaques even form in areas not typical to Alzheimer’s disease. Previous research has proposed that TBI can contribute to dementia, and this research was the premise the new study was based ...click here to read more

Memory loss and dementia are issues that plague so many of us as we age but now researchers have found having a particular blood type may determine your risk of developing such conditions. There are other factors which contribute to memory loss aside from blood type and scientists continue to point out ways to prevent ...click here to read more

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with impaired exercise capacity and poor aerobic fitness. The findings come from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, where researchers found that patients with sleep apnea intrinsically burn more oxygen during physical activity, compared to those who do not have the sleep disorder. Obstructive sleep apnea ...click here to read more

Vision disorders in Down syndrome patients prompted researchers to investigate new strategies in order to improve sight. Researchers from the University of Houston’s College of Optometry have found a new computer-simulated prescribing strategy for glasses which can improve vision in Down syndrome patients. Over 400,000 Americans have Down syndrome, which is a genetic disorder leading ...click here to read more

Schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease risk is linked to brain inflammation, according to a study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry. The researchers found that immune cells are more active in the brains of individuals in high-risk group for schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease, and who have already been diagnosed with such conditions. The findings point ...click here to read more

Common anxiety medications like Xanax and Valium are not linked to an increased risk of dementia among seniors, according to new findings. Although these medications won’t contribute to memory loss, they do, however, come with other side effects and should still be used with caution. Previous research has found a minor link between anxiety medications ...click here to read more

Multiple sclerosis patients who undergo infertility treatments have higher relapse rates. Multiple sclerosis can bring upon many health complications, infertility being one of them. Research published in Annals of Neurology found that multiple sclerosis patients who undergo assisted reproduction technology (ART) face a higher risk of disease activity and multiple sclerosis relapse. Researcher Dr. Jorge ...click here to read more

A diet rich in fish and seafood may protect the brain of people with a genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Furthermore, mercury in fish was not found to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. The researchers examined human brains and found that those who consumed seafood-rich diets had more mercury in their brains. ...click here to read more