Search Results for: brain

High resting heart rate and blood pressure is associated with many mental health disorders. The study, published in JAMA Psychiatry, looked at data from over a million Swedish men. Heart rate and blood pressure are regulated by the autonomic nervous system which controls the body’s basic functions. Using blood pressure and heart rate measurements, the ...click here to read more

High blood pressure may impair cognitive function, increasing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. There is consistent evidence that chronic high blood pressure can impair cognitive function, affecting memory, thinking abilities, speed of processing, and executive function. According to the expert panel, the contradicting research on the link between high blood pressure and cognitive function points ...click here to read more

A new study has found there are fewer Americans living with dementia. The study analyzed the responses from over 10,000 Americans over the age of 65 and found the dementia prevalence dropped nearly 24 percent between 2000 and 2012. Researchers aren’t completely sure what has led to the declining dementia rates, but they point out ...click here to read more

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the intermediate stage between cognitive impairment associated with normal aging and dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Problems with memory, thinking, language, and judgment that occur in MCI are greater than those experienced in normal aging. In MCI, family and friends may notice cognitive changes and you, as well, may recognize that ...click here to read more

A heart attack (myocardial infarction) happens when the heart does not receive enough oxygenated blood, so parts of the heart muscle get damaged or die. The most common cause is arterial blockage due to a buildup of plaque in the arteries. When a part of the plaque ruptures inside of the artery, a blood clot ...click here to read more

This weekly health news roundup presents our latest posts on osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, diabetes, and Lewy body dementia. This week we learned that bone mineral density is impacted by quality of life, while cognition problems in Alzheimer’s disease may be improved with probiotics, we discussed balance problems in stroke, diabetes and bone loss, and ...click here to read more

Alzheimer’s disease is reaching almost epic proportions in North America. In fact, if it was infectious, it would be classified as an epidemic. ABC News recently reported an estimated 10 million baby boomers will develop Alzheimer’s disease. That’s one in every eight persons over the age of 65. The increase in prevalence rates, and the ...click here to read more

With cases of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease on the rise, it’s important to understand how these ailments affect the elderly. In light of this, we present our latest articles on dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and related conditions including diabetes, prostate cancer, urinary tract infection, and heart disease. Although dementia and Alzheimer’s disease mainly affect the ...click here to read more

Lewy body dementia (LBD) may often be misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s disease, according to research findings. Howard I. Hurtig, chair at the department of neurology, Pennsylvania Hospital warned, “While the symptoms of LBD may be similar to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, the treatment strategy is more challenging because fewer medications can be used safely. I cannot ...click here to read more

November is National Epilepsy Month, so we present our posts discussing epilepsy as well as the associated risk factors and complications, including asthma, cataracts, migraine with aura, autism, and type 1 diabetes. Epilepsy causes seizures resulting from a short change in normal brain activity. There are two main types of seizures in epilepsy: generalized and ...click here to read more

Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, is a post-stroke complication. If paralysis or loss of muscle control occurs on one side of the face, then talking and swallowing can become challenging. In some cases, patients may have difficulty speaking, understanding speech, putting speech together, or writing. A speech and language therapist can work with a patient in ...click here to read more

Sleep disorders are a common problem in Alzheimer’s disease. Because sleep is such an important aspect of overall good health, it’s important to find ways of improving sleep in Alzheimer’s patients in order to reduce the risk of other health complications. You may be wondering, why Alzheimer’s disease and sleep disorders coexist. It mainly has ...click here to read more

A new study has found that many atrial fibrillation patients are not receiving potentially life-saving blood thinners. The study found that about half of patients hospitalized for the heart condition do not receive blood thinners as a treatment. Atrial fibrillation raises the risk of blood clots, which can be reduced with blood thinners. Blood clots ...click here to read more

Balance problems are a common experience for people following a stroke. Insufficient co-ordination and stability can make people feel unsteady and lead to falls and lack of confidence. Thankfully, there are exercises that can help stroke sufferers regain balance. The impact of stroke on balance can be complex, but we know that the brain sends ...click here to read more