A new study shows that older people’s mental skills start declining years before death, even if they don’t have dementia. The study is published in the August 27, 2008, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. [continue reading…]
Dementia
A milder type of mental decline that often precedes Alzheimer’s disease is alarmingly more common than has been believed, and in men more than women, doctors reported Monday.
Nearly a million older Americans slide from normal memory into mild impairment each year, researchers estimate, based on a Mayo Clinic study of Minnesota residents.
That’s on top of the half million Americans who develop full-blown Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia – a problem sure to grow as baby boomers age. The oldest boomers turn 62 this year.
Source: American Psychoplogical Association
In an extract from his new book, Oliver James explains how we store memories in our mental photograph album.
Penny Garner uses the analogy of a photograph album to illustrate her view of how memory works and to explain why dementia is so frightening to the sufferer. Think of this imaginary album as the place where each new memory is stored. The photographs at the beginning are the oldest, those towards the back are the recent additions. Link to read more…..
Source : Telegraph, July 28, 2008
A team of London scientists have found clues for the potentially therapeutic benefits of nicotine on learning, memory and attention while minimising the risk of addiction. The research announced in Geneva today (Monday 14 July) will assist the search for new drugs for dementia. [continue reading…]
