Memory Archives

Brain Training Games: Mind-Strengthening Exercises Can Stave Off Dementia

May 26, 2017 · Susan Jimison Vitek · Memory

Brain-training games and exercises, studies show, may help stave off dementia. Spend just a few hours engaging in exercises that teach the aging brain to increase processing speed, new research suggests, and you could dramatically reduce an older adult’s vulnerability to dementia. A slowing of processing speed—the ability to attend … Read More

Brain Vitamins: Do They Work?

May 25, 2017 · Helen Boehm Johnson, MD · Memory

The statistics on vitamin and other dietary supplement use in the United States are staggering, and the numbers appear to be on the rise. A 2016 CRN Consumer Survey showed the percentage of Americans taking dietary supplements—everything from multi-vitamins to "brain vitamins" to calcium pills to weight-loss supplements—to be at … Read More

Dementia Test: Sorting Out Options

Apr 17, 2017 · Helen Boehm Johnson, MD · Memory

What is dementia? The word refers to a mental decline in two or more core areas of brain function—including memory, judgment, communication, or language—that interferes with a person’s ability to function in daily life. Dementia can be caused by a number of different diseases ranging from Alzheimer’s disease (AD) to … Read More

Risk Factors for Alcohol-Induced Dementia

Mar 21, 2017 · Susan Jimison Vitek · Memory

Up to 17 percent of Americans age 60 and over (3 million people) have serious alcohol problems, and the number is climbing as the baby-boom generation reaches its 60s. Already, statistics indicate that more seniors are admitted to hospitals for alcohol-related medical problems than are admitted for heart attacks. Both … Read More

Memory Loss Test Options: Looking for Signs of Cognitive Impairment

Mar 6, 2017 · Susan Jimison Vitek · Memory

Most of the time, memory blips are due to normal age-related changes, but sometimes memory complaints can herald the development of mild cognitive impairment (MCI)—a stage of memory loss that represents the first signs of dementia in many individuals. Taking a memory loss test can help determine whether you or … Read More

The Gut-Brain Connection: Gut Health Powerfully Influences Brain Health and Mood

Feb 5, 2017 · Kathleen Jade, ND · Memory

Things that are happening in our gut directly affect how we think and feel. Similarly, how we think and feel directly affects the health and function of the gut. This is the gut-brain connection. Also called the gut-brain axis, this bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain matters greatly … Read More

Dementia Stages: What to Expect at Each Stage

Feb 2, 2017 · Helen Boehm Johnson, MD · Memory

Many people answer the question “What causes dementia?” by linking it to Alzheimer’s disease. Others ask the question, “Is dementia a disease?” The better question is really, “What does dementia mean?” The term is used to describe the decline in memory and thinking skills seen in many different diseases ranging … Read More

What Is Sundowner’s Syndrome?

Jan 25, 2017 · JoAnn Milivojevic · Memory

“Sundowning” is a type of agitation that increases in the evening and at nighttime. Why sundowner’s syndrome happens is a mystery, but we do know that it’s common among people with Alzheimer’s disease. We also know that people with this disturbance can experience increased confusion, anxiety, agitation, and disorientation beginning … Read More

An Overview of Dementia Medications

Jan 20, 2017 · Susan Jimison Vitek · Memory

Alzheimer’s disease treatment is, in many respects, still a question in search of a definitive answer. No Alzheimer medication can halt the forward progress of the disease or prevent its ultimate devastation on the lives of those who have it. Yet Alzheimer dementia medications are available that can help relieve … Read More

Early Signs of Dementia

Dec 14, 2016 · Helen Boehm Johnson, MD · Memory

It is well documented in scientific literature that aging is associated with certain cognitive changes. As we get older, we experience some gradual decline in conceptual reasoning, memory, and processing speed, but these changes don’t keep us from going about our normal activities. Dementia, on the other hand, can significantly … Read More

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