What do Rita Hayworth, Perry Como, Norman Rockwell, Rosa Parks, and Sandra Day O’Connor all have in common? Aside from being household names who made their mark on society, each suffered from a diagnosis of Dementia and/or Alzheimer’s Disease. Dementia is a syndrome (a symptom cluster) characterized by a decline in cognitive function (thinking and memory) beyond the degree associated with normal aging. Although it affects mostly older people — at least count, 50 million people worldwide — it is not a normal part of aging and is certainly not inevitable. Even better news for those experiencing cognitive decline and their family members and caregivers is that dementia can be prevented, and now, based on new research and clinical trials, it even reversed with proper interventions when started early enough. Symptoms of Dementia Symptoms of dementia are commonly broken down into the following three stages, as presented by the World Health […]
Alzheimer’s disease
Have you ever wondered why you felt terrible the next day when you slept poorly the night before? Or why do the same people who develop sleep issues as they age tend to be more susceptible to progressive brain disorders, such as dementia? Evidence is beginning to suggest a possible connection between poor sleep and brain health. When you’re unable to sleep soundly on a regular basis, your brain may be unable to detoxify itself fully. New research shows how the depth of your sleep can impact your brain’s ability to efficiently flush waste and toxic proteins. Because sleep often becomes increasingly lighter and more disrupted as we age, the study — co-authored by the co-director of the Center for Translational Neuromedicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center, along with Danish and Finnish researchers — reinforces and potentially explains the links between aging, sleep deprivation, and heightened risk for