17 Jun
Causes
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clinical trial
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Forms of treatment
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Prävention
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prevention
You go to a doctor - usually a neurologist - ask about natural or lifestyle-oriented therapeutic methods for dementia - and you often look into blank eyes, at worst into an aggressively wrinkled forehead "Don't give me that, all dangerous nonsense, there are only a few pharmacological approaches that may really work!"
29 Apr
Causes
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clinical trial
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nutrition
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Prävention
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prevention
A study published in The American Journal of Medicine 2018, has demonstrated that maintaining a healthy diet in midlife is independently associated with a larger hippocampus years later and may protect against cognitive decline. The hippocampus is a structure located in the temporal lobe of each brain hemisphere and is directly involved in the process of memory. The volume of the hippocampus can be determined by brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Decreasing of its volume is related to cognitive impairment and is used in clinical practice for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (hippocampus atrophy).
08 Apr
Causes
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Infections
The American researcher Dr. Pat McGeer researched whether viruses could possibly cause the alteration of brain cells. He stained brain cells of patients who died with AD using a different staining method. Although he found no evidence of a virus, he found vast amounts of certain brain cells (so-called microglia). These cells only appear in such big amount under certain condition: inflammation! Dr. McGeer researched that microglia had already been discovered in the brain of dementia patients in 1919. However, this theory was not further investigated by that time, but is currently receiving new attention.
18 Mar
Forms of treatment
Lithium is probably best known as a treatment for bipolar disorder but a very small dose of this element has been recently studied to prevent and slow the progress of AD. However, effective doses can sometimes cause negative side effects.
Trans-fats are on the retreat in Germany, but unhealthy food can promote their formation in the body
04 Mar
nutrition
The negative effects of trans fats (also known as trans fatty acids, TFA) on our cardiovascular health have been known for a long time, they are among the most unhealthy food components of all.
29 Jan
Causes
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Prävention
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prevention
Although known to be essential for all animals with nervous system, the main cellular function of sleep is still unknown. Prolonged sleep deprivation can be lethal, and sleep disturbances are associated with various deficiencies in brain performance.
08 Jan
clinical trial
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nutrition
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plant substances
Red wine drinkers are generally good-natured people and known for mastering life with pleasure and relaxation. These alone are two protective factors against dementia, because stress is poison for the brain (but more about this later on). In addition, a secondary plant substance present particularly in red wine is increasingly attracting the interest of research and prevention in Alzheimer's disease: resveratrol.
18 Dec
clinical trial
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Forms of treatment
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medication
Lanabecestat is a potent inhibitor of Amyloid beta (Aβ) formation – the main component of amyloid plaques. Aβ is formed through cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP) by proteases known as secretases (β and γ). The Beta-site-APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) cleaves APP at the β-secretase site, after which APP is cleaved by γ secretase to generate Aβ peptides. Lanabecestat inhibits BACE1 and was able to reduce levels of Aβ1-40 and Aβ1-42 in the brain, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and plasma in several animal models, as well as in human CSF and plasma. Besides that, Lanabecestat is brain permeable meaning that an adequate amount of this substance is able to reach the brain after oral intake.
27 Nov
Causes
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Forms of treatment
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micronutrient deficiencies
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nutrition
This descriptive documentation of the Arte TV channel shows very clearly the connections between an unbalanced diet, the resulting micronutrient deficiencies and the effects on the brain. Various experiments have shown that mice that grow up with a deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids have deficits in the formation of their neurons and are much more anxious.
13 Nov
Causes
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periodontosis
The association between cognitive function and oral health has been well documented so far by some observational studies. On the one hand it has been reported that periodontal disease and tooth loss are associated with increased risk of dementia. On the other hand, improved memory after dental intervention has also been observed.
25 Oct
medication
Several million patients in Germany are treated with statins. In 2004, the consumption of lipid-lowering drugs throughout Germany amounted to around 856 million defined daily doses (DDD). In 2011 the amount increased to: 1.718 million DDD.
With the target to lower cholesterol levels, this doubtful strategy is still being mistakenly promoted to reduce heart disease risk. As a side effect, doctors and patients are accepting a possible cognitive decline.
These are the results of a study published in 2018 in the journal Frontiers in Neurology, which looked into the relationship between cholesterol and cognitive function [1]. While cholesterol is still largely vilified, and statin use still heavily promoted, the study found that having lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is linked to a higher risk of dementia.
04 Oct
Causes
The focus of Alzheimer’s research has been, so far, the molecular process which leads to a change in the brain structure, above all and first in the hippocampus. Here, an increased formation of amyloid beta (Aß) plaques is observed in the brains of Alzheimer patients. These protein adhesions impair the communication between nerve cells. Such alterations are attributed to ageing and genetic predisposition. As a result, Alzheimer’s research has been searching for years (but without any success) for a drug therapy to eliminate or at least reduce plaque formation. A very monocausal view of the problem.
25 Jul
nutrition
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plant substances
The benefits of curcumin in different organ systems have been extensively documented in the past in several neurological diseases and cancer. Curcumin has received worldwide recognition for its potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and antimicrobial activities. Curcumin has been successfully used to treat diabetes and arthritis, as well as liver, kidney and cardiovascular diseases. Recently, attention has focused on the use of curcumin to prevent or delay the onset of neurodegenerative diseases.
26 Jun
Forms of treatment
Despite the significant health problem posed by the disease, only five medical treatments are approved for Alzheimer's disease (AD), which are intended to control symptoms rather than change the course of the disease. By understanding the overlapping mechanisms of AD pathology, it is possible to get an idea of the complexity of this problem.
11 Jun
Prävention
The World Health Organization has recognized that dementia is a rapidly growing public health problem affecting some 50 million people around the world. There are nearly 10 million new cases per year, and this number is expected to triple by 2050.
Dementia is a major cause of disability and need for care among older people and can destroy the lives of those affected and their families. In addition, the disease places a heavy economic burden on society as a whole, with the cost of caring for people with dementia estimated to rise to $2 trillion annually by 2030.