Born Barbara Elaine Smith, she began her career as a model and went on to gain fame and influence as a restaurateur, celebrity chef, lifestyle doyenne and entertainer.
A woman had become barely verbal, an effect of dementia. Her daughter, an opera singer, decided to try singing Christmas songs with her, and they reconnected.
Black and Hispanic people often don't volunteer for studies of Alzheimer's disease, despite their risks for developing it. Researchers are working to make studies more inclusive, but it's not easy.
A study of 11 sleeping brains sheds some light on the mysterious link between sleep problems and Alzheimer's disease. The flow of cerebrospinal fluid through the brain appears to be the key.
Researchers are testing exercise in people at high risk for Alzheimer's. The goal of a federally funded study is to learn whether aerobic physical activity can protect the brain.
Research presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Convention found that LGBTQ Americans are three times more likely to experience cognitive decline than their non-LGBTQ counterparts.
Scientists are gaining insights into why Alzheimer's is more common in women. The answer involves genetics, hormones and sex-related brain differences.
Genetic tests can now tell us a lot about our risk for developing Alzheimer's disease. But that doesn't mean people are prepared to receive the information.
Researchers are using brain scans, blood and spinal fluid to detect early signs of Alzheimer's disease. These "biomarkers" may also offer a quicker way to test new Alzheimer's drugs.
Now that so many experimental drugs targeting amyloid-beta have bombed, scientists are looking for different approaches for treating Alzheimer's, including a drug that failed as a cancer treatment.
A brief cognitive test can detect signs of Alzheimer's in older patients. Only half of primary care doctors routinely give one, despite coverage by Medicare as part of annual wellness visits.
Whether it's exercise or housework, older Americans who move their bodies regularly may preserve more of their memory and thinking skills, even if they have brain lesions and other signs of dementia.
Black Americans are more likely than whites to develop Alzheimer's. Yet black people studied appeared to have lower levels of a toxic substance associated with the disease, researchers say.
They had always been partners, in a way — artists who connected through their work. So, when Gene DiRado began withdrawing from the world, his son rushed toward him — and brought along a camera.
It's estimated that nearly half of all Americans over 65 own a gun or live with someone who does. And 7 million in the U.S. have dementia, a number that's expected to double within two decades.
In the U.S., Alzheimer's clinical trials are largely limited to fluent English speakers, which leaves millions of patients without the opportunity to participate and scientists without diverse data.
Up to half of all patients who survive emergency medical treatment in the intensive care unit have mental problems when they return home. Doctors studying the problem say it starts with delirium.
A new approach to helping Alzheimer's and dementia patients starts with training caregivers, teaching them to respond to their loved ones' needs with insight and creativity.
Money has poured into Alzheimer's research, but until very recently not much of it went toward investigating infection in causing dementia. A million dollar prize may lead more scientists to try.
Scientists are taking a second look at the idea that hormone replacement therapy could reduce a woman's risk of dementia. New research suggests the key may be in giving it at the right time.
Only about half the people with Alzheimer's symptoms get a diagnosis, partly out of fear of an incurable decline, doctors suspect. But Jose Bolardo says facing the future allows him to plan for it.
As the number of people with Alzheimer's climbs, so does the number of loved ones caring for them. The health of 16 million unpaid U.S. caregivers has become a focus for Alzheimer's advocacy groups.
Diseases like cancer involve changes that occur inside a cell — and usually out of sight. A new technology can reveal a cell's inner workings, using inexpensive graphics processors from video games.
Supporters call this right-to-die proposal the strongest move yet to document a person's advance wishes in cases of severe dementia. Critics say it would deny basic care to society's most vulnerable.
Their first epiphanies came during musings over beer, and evolved into a decade of teamwork. Two Harvard researchers explain why they think Alzheimer's disease may be traced to an immunity glitch.
