(Press-News.org) ST. PAUL, Minn. – New research links 'silent strokes,' or small spots of dead brain cells, found in about one out of four older adults to memory loss in the elderly. The study is published in the January 3, 2012, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
"The new aspect of this study of memory loss in the elderly is that it examines silent strokes and hippocampal shrinkage simultaneously," said study author Adam M. Brickman, PhD, of the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain at Columbia University Medical Center in New York.
For the study, a group of 658 people ages 65 and older and free of dementia were given MRI brain scans. Participants also underwent tests that measured their memory, language, speed at processing information and visual perception. A total of 174 of the participants had silent strokes.
The study found people with silent strokes scored somewhat worse on memory tests than those without silent strokes. This was true whether or not people had a small hippocampus, which is the memory center of the brain.
"Given that conditions like Alzheimer's disease are defined mainly by memory problems, our results may lead to further insight into what causes symptoms and the development of new interventions for prevention. Since silent strokes and the volume of the hippocampus appeared to be associated with memory loss separately in our study, our results also support stroke prevention as a means for staving off memory problems," said Brickman.
###The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of 24,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, brain injury, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy.
For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit http://www.aan.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.
New clues as to why some older people may be losing their memory
2011-12-29
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Scientists fixate on Ric-8 to understand trafficking of popular drug receptor targets
2011-12-29
Half the drugs used today target a single class of proteins – and now scientists have identified an important molecular player critical to the proper workings of those proteins critical to our health.
A protein known as Ric-8 plays a vital role, according to new results from a team led by Gregory Tall, Ph.D., assistant professor of Pharmacology and Physiology at the University of Rochester Medical Center. The work was published recently in Science Signaling.
What you see, what you smell, how you feel – molecules known as G-protein coupled receptors and their prime targets, ...
Diet, nutrient levels linked to cognitive ability, brain shrinkage
2011-12-29
CORVALLIS, Ore. – New research has found that elderly people with higher levels of several vitamins and omega 3 fatty acids in their blood had better performance on mental acuity tests and less of the brain shrinkage typical of Alzheimer's disease – while "junk food" diets produced just the opposite result.
The study was among the first of its type to specifically measure a wide range of blood nutrient levels instead of basing findings on less precise data such as food questionnaires, and found positive effects of high levels of vitamins B, C, D, E and the healthy oils ...
UT Southwestern research suggests new way to ensure effectiveness of TB treatment
2011-12-29
DALLAS – Dec. 22, 2011 – A UT Southwestern Medical Center study using a sophisticated "glass mouse" research model has found that multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) is more likely caused in patients by speedy drug metabolism rather than inconsistent doses, as is widely believed.
If the study published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases is borne out in future investigations, it may lead to better ways to treat one of the world's major infectious diseases. Health workers worldwide currently are required to witness each administration of the combination of drugs during ...
Zoloft May Not be Safe for Pregnant Women
2011-12-29
Pregnant women often go to great lengths to provide a healthy environment for their developing babies. From avoiding sushi and alcohol to taking added vitamins and extra vegetables many recommendations abound for pregnant women. These lists can become overwhelming. Experts from the Mayo Clinic agree that some risks are more dangerous than others.
Common Risks Associated with Antidepressant Use During Pregnancy
Research no longer supports the theory that pregnancy protects a woman from depression. Hormones associated with pregnancy may even make coping with depression ...
FDA urges parents to read infant acetaminophen labels carefully
2011-12-29
VIDEO:
Dr. Jim Sears talks about smart, new changes to children's and infants' acetaminophen products.
Click here for more information.
IRVINGTON, NY, DECEMBER 28, 2011 – Acetaminophen is one of the most commonly used pain and fever relievers for infants and children and is safe and effective when used as directed. However, with recent dosing changes to liquid acetaminophen products for infants, the FDA last week issued a press release urging parents to know the concentration ...
Turn down the iPod to save your hearing
2011-12-29
Today's ubiquitous MP3 players permit users to listen to crystal-clear tunes at high volume for hours on end — a marked improvement on the days of the Walkman. But according to Tel Aviv University research, these advances have also turned personal listening devices into a serious health hazard, with teenagers as the most at-risk group.
One in four teens is in danger of early hearing loss as a direct result of these listening habits, says Prof. Chava Muchnik of TAU's Department of Communication Disorders in the Stanley Steyer School of Health Professions at the Sackler ...
Debris scatters in the Pacific Ocean, possibly heading to US
2011-12-29
VIDEO:
This NOAA video shows the March 11, 2011, Japanese tsunami, the debris created by its force and that debris being carried out to sea. It incorporates a NOAA ocean model...
Click here for more information.
Debris from the tsunami that devastated Japan in March could reach the United States as early as this winter, according to predictions by NOAA scientists. However, they warn there is still a large amount of uncertainty over exactly what is still floating, where it's ...
The perils of 'bite-size' science
2011-12-29
Short, fast, and frequent: Those 21st-century demands on publication have radically changed the news, politics, and culture—for the worse, many say. Now an article in January's Perspectives on Psychological Science, a journal published by the Association for Psychological Science, aims a critique at a similar trend in psychological research. The authors, psychologists Marco Bertamini of the University of Liverpool and Marcus Munafò of the University of Bristol, call it "bite-size science"—papers based on one or a few studies and small samples.
"We're not against concision," ...
Injured at the Workplace? Don't Worry: Your Job is Protected by Law
2011-12-29
Getting injured on the job is not a pleasant experience for anyone involved. It puts an employee temporarily or permanently out of work and creates paperwork and costs for employers. These inconveniences, however, never justify an employer taking retaliatory action against an injured worker. Threatening an injured worker with job loss or actually firing an employee for making a workers' compensation claim are illegal actions.
The state of Minnesota takes a tough stand against such employment practices, and employees should know that they have the support of the state ...
Not So Secret Swiss Bank Accounts
2011-12-29
In an effort to resolve a dispute with the United States government, Swiss bank Credit Suisse will lift the veil of secrecy shrouding its bank accounts. This action could result in potentially severe consequences for many Americans.
Switzerland's second largest bank is being investigated by the United States government for possibly helping U.S. citizens evade taxes through "secret" accounts. The bank will turn over previously confidential account information such as client names and account information to the Swiss Federal Tax Administration, who, at its discretion, ...