Deep Brain Stimulation Helps Those With Advanced Parkinson’s

The largest study of its kind finds that deep brain stimulation improves both physical function and quality of life after six months in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) performed better than currently available drug treatments, but it did carry some risks, including one death, according to a study in the Jan. 7 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. “This... Read more

Diabetes Epidemic Now Poses Challenges for Nursing Homes

More and more people with diabetes are living to older ages, thanks to medical advances. But the long-term facilities, such as nursing homes, that care for aging Americans may not be ready for the additional challenges that come with treating patients with diabetes. “We need to spend appropriate time to think of a way to successfully provide care for people with diabetes as they enter their elder... Read more

Poor blood flow to brain may provoke Alzheimer’s: study

A slow, chronic reduction of blood sugar to the brain could trigger some forms of Alzheimer’s disease, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday. The study of human and mice brains suggests a reduction of blood flow deprives energy to the brain, setting off a process that ultimately produces the sticky clumps of protein researchers believe is a cause of the disease, they said. The finding could lead... Read more

Study Shows Exercise Shields Against Osteoporosis

Doing weight-bearing exercise during adolescence may help women maintain their bone strength in old age, a new study says. Published online Dec. 22 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the Japanese study drew its conclusions by looking at the teenage exercise habits of 46 postmenopausal women, now aged 52 or older. Those who had participated in low-impact, weight-bearing exercise, such as swimming,... Read more

Rules Change Could Increase Hospice Use

More people with life-threatening illnesses would seek hospice care if Medicare and other health insurers dropped the requirement that they give up aggressive treatment of their ailments, a new study finds. That was especially true of blacks, but the issue was one of money, not race, said Dr. David Casarett, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and leader of a group... Read more

2 Cardiovascular Proteins Tied to Severity of Alzheimer’s

U.S. researchers have spotted two proteins that deliver a double hit to the brain function of Alzheimer’s disease patients. The proteins — SRF (serum response factor) and myocardin — lessen blood flow in the brain and reduce the rate at which the brain is able to remove amyloid beta, the protein that accumulates in damaging quantities in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, say... Read more

Not All Dementia Is Called Alzheimer’s

A common form of dementia often mistaken for Alzheimer’s can be prevented with good health habits, a new report says. Vascular cognitive impairment (VCI), the second most common cause of dementia, occurs in up to 4 percent of Americans over age 65 and up to 20 percent of those with some form of dementia. Brain damage from multiple small strokes, which can occur from narrowing or blocked arteries... Read more

The best exercise programs benefit the elderly

Older adults who regularly take part in top-rated, low-cost physical activity programs offered by their local senior center or YMCA can see noticeable improvement in physical functioning and lower their risk of becoming disabled, research shows. “Older adults can benefit greatly from these programs,” Susan L. Hughes told Reuters Health. Hughes, co-director at the Center for Research on... Read more

Hypertension Might Hinder Thinking

Sudden surges in blood pressure could make seniors with chronic hypertension a little less smart, new research suggests. “If you have high blood pressure, on days when your blood pressure spikes higher than normal, cognitive ability is worse than normal,” concluded lead researcher Jason Allaire, an assistant professor of psychology at North Carolina State University, in Raleigh. Whether... Read more

Scientists ID Enzyme Causing Brain Cell Death

An enzyme believed to play a role in the death of neurons in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases has been identified by U.S. researchers. The finding could help in the development of new drugs to treat these debilitating conditions. The scientists focused on an enzyme called HDAC1, which configures chromatin, the structural component of chromosomes. Tests... Read more

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