mild cognitive impairment Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Smartphone Memory Apps Can Help Older Adults With Mild Dementia to Complete Daily Tasks

AHA Publisher — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 08:00:58 +0000

Wiley via News-Medical – Results from a new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society show that older adults with mild dementia can learn to use smartphone memory aids to help them remember to complete everyday tasks that are important to their quality of life. In the study, 52 older adults with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia were coached on how to use a digital voice recorder app or a reminder app. After a four-week intervention, participants reported improvements in performing daily intentions. They also performed relatively well when the investigators assigned them with tasks, with performance levels favoring the reminder app in week 1, but reversing to favor the digital voice recorder app in week 4. Greater usage of the digital recorder or reminder apps was associated with better memory and greater improvements in activities of daily living. The study’s authors note that smartphone aids are free and broadly available and should be shared with patients and caregivers to support quality of life and independent functioning. “There is this pervasive notion that older adults dislike technology, but we found that participants enjoyed learning to use smartphone memory apps and were able to improve their daily prospective memory performance. Technology companies have an opportunity to improve broad adoption of smartphone memory aids in older adults and persons with mild stages of Alzheimer’s disease by tailoring the interface and user experience of their reminder apps to this demographic and by incorporating age diversity into their marketing campaigns. With the help of smart technology companies, we can make great headway on improving functioning and quality of life for families impacted by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.” (Michael K. Scullin, PhD, Lead Author, Baylor University) To read the original article click here.

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Tablet-Based Video Games Could Improve Brain Function in Older People with Mild Cognitive Impairment

AHA Publisher — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 07:00:28 +0000

University of Massachusetts Amherst via News-Medical – A University of Massachusetts Amherst biomedical informatician will use a $436,836 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to explore the use of “serious games” played independently on computer tablets to improve brain function in older people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Sunghoon Ivan Lee, assistant professor in the College of Information and Computer Sciences, aims to develop a human-centered platform that can motivate patients to stick to a therapeutic regimen of mobile game-playing at home on their own. Neuro-World, a collection of six games developed by Lee’s industrial partner in South Korea, Woorisoft, is designed to stimulate working, or short-term, memory and selective attention. People with MCI experience cognitive decline beyond what’s expected from normal aging, but not severe enough to significantly interfere with their daily activities. “There aren’t many solutions to stimulate cognitive ability in people with cognitive disabilities, especially in their homes, outside clinical settings,” says Lee, whose research focuses on designing and implementing mobile-health (mHealth) technologies that address the practical needs of people with motor or cognitive impairments. The goals of therapeutic treatments for MCI are to slow down the progression of the disease and lessen the impact of symptoms, preferably with non-pharmacological interventions like serious games because they are low cost, noninvasive, safe and without adverse side effects. Lee’s work addresses a key challenge of serious games in healthcare – developing a system that doesn’t require substantial involvement of trained caregivers and clinicians to oversee and motivate patients to follow the game protocol. Lee was introduced to Neuro-World by Hee-Tae Jung, a former post-doctoral researcher Lee had supervised at UMass Amherst. “I was intrigued by the Neuro-World concept and the science behind it,” Lee says. In a small, pilot study with stroke survivors to validate the efficacy of the system, Lee, Jung and colleagues found that Neuro-World games were capable not only of improving patients’ cognitive function but predicting the expected improvement, based on an analysis of their game performance. “We hope that knowing playing games can improve their cognitive function can further motivate patients to play more games,” Lee says. Using the NIH funding, researchers at UMass Amherst, University of Montreal and Rutgers will conduct a study with 50 people diagnosed with MCI. Half will be asked to play the video games for 30 minutes twice a week for 12 weeks. The other half will not play the Neuro-World games. Both groups will also receive conventional therapy. In addition to evaluating the ability of game-playing to improve cognitive function, researchers also aim to develop machine learning-based algorithms to predict cognitive function from the game performance. Finally, Lee and colleagues will conduct in-depth interviews with participants to understand their experiences with the games. They will use that information to optimize the system’s design in an effort to maximize patients’ participation with the game-based training. “We thought people with MCI would be the population that could really benefit from serious games – before they move into a more serious condition like dementia or Alzheimer’s.” (Sunghoon Ivan Lee, Assistant Professor, College of Information and Computer Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst) He hopes the study will advance the research and expand the options for effective, safe and low-cost mHealth therapies for people with cognitive impairments. “We believe that outcomes of this project will open a new door leading to previously unexplored datasets and understanding of patient-technology interactions to promote positive behavior changes to enable self-administered, serious game-based cognitive training,” Lee says. “And that can form the basis of a wide range of future investigations of hemiparesis rehabilitation and personalized disease management.” To read the original article click here.

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“It’s in the Diet:” How to LOWER the Risk of Cancer Cell Growth and Brain Damage

AHA Publisher — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 08:00:16 +0000

Lori Alton via NaturalHealth365 – Cancer – second only to heart disease as a leading cause of death in the United States – claimed over 600,000 lives in 2019 alone. And Alzheimer’s disease, now the sixth leading cause of death, currently affects over 5 million Americans – a number that the Alzheimer’s Association predicts will skyrocket as the population ages, potentially tripling by the year 2050. While these statistics are bleak (conventionally speaking), we are not helpless in the face of these two dreadful health conditions. In fact, scientific research supports the ability of a plant-based diet to help alleviate and even prevent both cancer cell growth and brain damage. For example, blueberries – rich in disease-fighting flavonoids called anthocyanins – could be one of the most useful weapons in this defensive natural arsenal. Let’s take a closer look at the amazing actions of anthocyanins – and the powerful health benefits of blueberries. Discover how blueberries can LOWER the risk of brain damage Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), characterized by minor problems with memory, language, thinking or judgment, is a common consequence of aging. The American Academy of Neurology estimates that MCI is present in about 8 percent of people, as early as age 65 to 69. However, in some cases, mild cognitive impairment precedes much more serious conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. And, experts generally agree that higher flavonoid intake, through dietary consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, is associated with less cognitive impairment over a ten-year period in healthy adults. In one peer-reviewed study, scientists unequivocally stated that “cognitive function is better preserved in healthy older adults with a diet rich in plant-based foods.” In a relatively recent (2017) study conducted at University of Exeter, researchers wanted to see how blueberries, specifically, fit into the picture. Blueberries, like all intensely-colored fruits and vegetables, are particularly rich in anthocyanins, a group of plant pigments which includes the compounds cyanidin and delphinidin. If “delphinidin” brings to mind the flowers known as “delphiniums,” give yourself points for intuition. Delphinidin is indeed responsible for the beautiful blue coloration of these blooms. This is how they went about it. A group of healthy volunteers aged 65 to 77 was divided into two subgroups. One group drank 30 ml a day of concentrated blueberry juice for twelve weeks, while the other group received a placebo. The blueberry juice, which contained 387 mg of anthocyanins, was the equivalent of roughly 230 grams – about a cup and a half – of fresh blueberries a day. Pre- and post-study, participants took cognitive tests which evaluated psychomotor function, visual processing, executive function, verbal memory and working memory. Meanwhile, MRI scanners monitored their brain function and brain blood flow. The researchers also measured biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress. Study leader Dr. Joanna Bowtell, head of Sport and Health Sciences at the University, noted that 12 weeks of drinking concentrated blueberry juice improved cognitive function, blood flow to the brain and brain activation in older adults. The blueberry juice’s beneficial effects were particularly associated with cognitive processes such as memory and executive function, which tend to deteriorate with age. The researchers speculated that the anthocyanins could increase antioxidant activity and promote the availability of beneficial nitric oxide – thereby reducing oxidative stress, improving vascular capacity and reducing inflammation in the brain. Key health point: It’s never too late to benefit from blueberries If you are an older adult already affected by mild cognitive decline – a slight, age-related slippage of mental capabilities coupled with an increasing number of “senior moments” and “memory glitches” – don’t stress. Blueberries may still be able to help! An encouraging study showed that 12 weeks of supplementation with wild blueberry juice (the antioxidant-rich “gold standard” of blueberry juice) improved memory function and word list recall in adults with mild cognitive impairment. Anthocyanins attack cancer on all fronts But, preserving cognitive function isn’t the only gift conferred by blueberries. In an extensive review published in the well-regarded British Journal of Pharmacology, the authors credited anthocyanins with antioxidant effects that could work against the development of cancer. Noting that “chronic inflammation is often a harbinger of a tumor,” the authors also highlighted anthocyanins’ anti-inflammatory capabilities as a weapon against cancer. Due to their high levels of folate, anthocyanins may also help prevent cancer-causing mutations in cell DNA. In addition, they stimulate apoptosis (the pre-programmed “suicide” of cancer cells) and prevent cancer cell proliferation – all without harming healthy cells. In one study, cyanidin (an anthocyanin found in good supply in blueberries) effectively inhibited the invasion and metastasis of breast cancer cells. Moreover, anthocyanins also inhibit angiogenesis, the growth of blood vessels needed to nourish new tumors. Finally, anthocyanins seem to help reverse drug resistance in cancer cells and increase their sensitivity to chemotherapy. Reap the benefits of blueberries with a daily bowl To really rack up the dietary anthocyanins, natural health experts advise opting for fresh, organic blueberries – with wild blueberries, the “high ringers” of antioxidant capacity, constituting the best choice of all. But, if fresh berries are too costly or inconvenient, no worries. Powdered blueberries and liquid extracts can also provide benefits. However, some experts advise avoiding frozen or cooked blueberries, as there is some disagreement over whether freezing and baking can reduce precious anthocyanins. Other anthocyanin-rich berry choices include blackberries, raspberries, bilberries and strawberries. If berries aren’t your “thing,” you can also obtain anthocyanins by eating red cabbage, black plums, Concord grapes, dark, tart cherries, and purple corn. In fact, here’s a sweet tidbit: anthocyanins are even found in cocoa! As if cancer – and dementia-fighting powers weren’t enough reason to include blueberries in your diet, these tasty, juicy little morsels are also packed with antioxidant vitamin C, disease-fighting manganese and beneficial dietary fiber. They can all help to lower blood pressure, discourage the development of type 2 diabetes, and combat obesity. And, at a modest 85 calories per cup, the benefits of blueberries can be enjoyed with minimal caloric investment. The scientific evidence is clear: When it comes to lowering the risk of cancer cell growth and brain damage … your first thought ought to be … “it’s in the diet.” Just because the answer may seem simple … doesn’t make it any less important. Sources for this article include: CDNSciencepub.com, NIH.gov, MedicalNewsToday.com, ClevelandClinic.org To read the original article click here. For more articles from NaturalHealth365 click here.

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