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.
Diabetes can double a person's chances of developing Alzheimer's. Now researchers are beginning to understand the role of brain metabolism in the development of the disease.
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.
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.
A convicted murderer developed dementia while on Death Row. The Supreme Court blocked his execution for now, asking a lower court to determine whether the man understands why he is being put to death.
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.
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.
O'Connor, the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, says she has been diagnosed with "the beginning stages of dementia, probably Alzheimer's disease."
People who suffer from prolonged delirium in the hospital are likely to develop long-term mental problems like dementia. Doctors have come up with techniques they say can reduce delirium in the ICU.
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.
Researchers found that a simple letter to doctors, focusing on their high prescribing rates, reduced their tendency to give risky antipsychotic drugs to their patients, including some with dementia.
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.
A new public health campaign says controlling high blood pressure is among the best ways to keep your brain sharp. The neurologist in charge aims to lead by example.
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.
Neuroscientist Barbara Lipska describes in a new memoir surviving 20 brain tumors, and what the eight-week nightmare of psychological symptoms taught her about mental illnesses she's long studied.
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.
Too many people with dementia are being given sedating drugs to make them easier to handle in understaffed facilities, a new study finds, despite federal warnings to stop the practice.
