Articles related to ALZHEIMER'S/DEMENTIA

Scientists have made a breakthrough when it comes to triggering lucid dreams. Building on their previous work, researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Lucidity Institute in Hawaii wanted to investigate how acetylcholinesterase inhibitors might promote lucid dreaming. A common drug used to treat memory decline in Alzheimer’s disease – galantamine – is a fast-acting AChEI with only mild side effects, so researchers recruited 121 participants to see what effect the drug had on their ability to have and recall lucid dreams. The findings were surprising.

“MB” is a frail, wheelchair-ridden, nearly blind, and mostly deaf woman living with early dementia and neglected lung cancer. What this oncologist thought MB wanted and needed was a lot different than what MB actually wanted and needed after discussing various options with her and talking to her family on numerous occasions. A humbling, honest view of an oncologist’s biases.

This CME program from the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine explores a patient with a history of major depressive disorder, progressively worsening altered mental status, intermittent blank staring, blurred vision, bilateral incoordination of the upper and lower extremities, difficulty following commands, and decreased verbal communication. Would you rule out stroke? Serotonin syndrome? Earn some credits while discovering the diagnosis.

More than half of adult Americans (60%) have at least one chronic condition that eventually lead to disability, mortality, and reduced quality of life. And chronic conditions account for 90% of America’s $3.8 trillion in annual healthcare costs. The CDC says these are the eight most expensive.

According to Daniel A. Nation, PhD, associate professor of psychological science at University of California, Irvine: “Studies of angiotensin II receptor blockers and ACE inhibitors have suggested these medicines may confer the greatest benefit to long-term cognition, while other studies have shown the benefits of calcium channel blockers and diuretics on reducing dementia risk.”

We’ve all experienced a memory blip now and then, but these so-called “senior moments” could actually be signaling a bigger problem. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is not a normal part of aging even though aging ups the risk for developing the condition. Here are 10 warning signs you can share with patients if they’re questioning what’s normal memory behavior and what’s not.