Spotlight on dementia and Alzheimer's disease
In recent years, new knowledge has improved the care of people with dementia. The progress is based on an interdisciplinary collaboration between different research areas and professional groups in healthcare. However, the care of dementia patients is extremely resource-intensive, and more research is needed to find better ways to help patients and their loved ones.
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Higher risk of dementia in Swedish top-division football players
Men who played football (soccer) in the Swedish top division until the mid 1900s had a higher risk of dementia than men from the general population, a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in The Lancet Public Health reports.
Simple tool shows life expectancy after dementia diagnosis
Researchers have developed a simple tool that shows the survival probability of a person with dementia disease over three years. This, they hope, help doctors and others plan the necessary care.
Newly discovered mechanism can explain increased risk of dementia
Millions of people around the world use acid suppressants called proton pump inhibitors for conditions like heartburn, gastritis and stomach ulcers. Researchers in Sweden now report how the long-term use of these drugs could increase the risk of developing dementia.
Everyday technology is hard for dementia patients to use
Not being able to use a mobile phone or forgetting how to withdraw money from an ATM can make life very difficult. cientists at Karolinska Institutet are investigating what it is like to live with dementia in a society that requires a certain degree of technological competence.
Genetic differences important for Alzheimer's diagnosis
The two used methods for detecting amyloid pathology in Alzheimer's disease give ambiguous results. KI researchers have found genetic explanations for the differences that may be important for individual diagnostics and the development of future drugs.
Target protein for diabetes drug linked to reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease
Mechanisms associated with a particular diabetes drug can also help to protect against Alzheimer’s disease, a study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and published in Neurology reports. The results indicate that the drug’s target protein can be an interesting candidate for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
Brain imaging can predict Alzheimer’s related memory-loss
In a study published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, Professor Agneta K. Nordberg and colleagues have imaged tau protein in the brains of living patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The amount and spread of tau proved a predictor of future memory loss.
Air pollution linked to dementia
People continuously exposed to air pollution are at increased risk of dementia, especially if they also suffer from cardiovascular diseases, according to a study in JAMA Neurology. Heart patients who live in polluted environments may require additional care to prevent dementia.
Common Alzheimer’s treatment linked to slower cognitive decline
Research from Karolinska Institutet shows persisting cognitive benefits and reduced mortality for up to five years after diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in patients treated with cholinesterase inhibitors.