neurodegenerative disease Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Protect Your Brain and Heart: Why You Should Be Eating MORE Anthocyanins

AHA Publisher — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 07:00:21 +0000

Lori Alton via NaturalHealth365 – According to recent estimates, over 5.8 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease. As the population ages, the percentage of people affected by this debilitating disease will only increase. Experts say that every five years after age 65, the risk of Alzheimer’s disease doubles. The upshot is that a shocking 14 million Americans are expected to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease by the year 2060. Keep reading to find out how consuming anthocyanins can greatly reduce the risk of brain (and heart) issues. Sadly, pharmaceutical drugs to address Alzheimer’s disease have had underwhelming results – and feature toxic side effects. Now, more than ever, scientists are racing to find non-toxic, natural interventions that can help preserve cognitive function and delay the onset of neurodegenerative diseases. The latest research reveals a “colorful” ray (or rainbow) of hope. A new review published in Nutrients details the power of anthocyanins – natural plant pigments that give blueberries their deep indigo hue – to promote cognitive and cardiovascular health. Anthocyanins Are Powerful Antioxidants That Can Battle Inflammation and Oxidative Stress Anthocyanins, which range from deep red to purplish/blue in color, exist in plants to attract insects and animals and facilitate pollination. However, these intensely-colored compounds also protect against oxidative stress, temperature extremes, and the damaging effects of UV light. It is this protective ability that has drawn researchers’ attention. In the review published in Nutrients, the authors evaluated the beneficial effects of anthocyanins on cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases and reported that anthocyanins might maintain cardiovascular and brain health by reducing oxidative stress in humans. (This type of stress is caused by harmful free radicals, which can be generated naturally in response to such normal activities as exercise. Free radicals are also created by less benign factors – such as environmental toxins, cigarette smoke, alcohol, and excessive ultraviolet light). By scavenging and neutralizing free radicals, anthocyanins can provide significant health benefits. Cyanidin-3 Promotes Heart Health Through Multiple Mechanisms The more scientists examined the effects of anthocyanins, the more benefits they discovered. For example, the team noted that an anthocyanidin known as cyanidin 3 helps to fight the endothelial inflammation that can trigger heart disease. This compound preserves the availability of nitric oxide – which has a beneficial effect on endothelial health – while appearing to make blood platelets less “sticky,” allowing for more free flow of circulation through arteries and keeping them clear and healthy. In one placebo-controlled study cited by the researchers, 150 participants with high cholesterol were given 320 mg a day of anthocyanins for 24 weeks and experienced reduced levels of C-reactive protein (an inflammatory enzyme linked to heart disease). In yet another study published in Nutrition, Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases, anthocyanins were shown to improve cholesterol levels. Other medical authorities have gone “on the record” supporting anthocyanins’ beneficial effects. The prestigious Cleveland Clinic acknowledges that anthocyanins can reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure and decrease cardiovascular inflammation. Preserve Healthy Cognition With Blueberries and Other Anthocyanin-Rich Foods Anthocyanins have now become a topic of interest as a natural preventive/therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative disease. Scientists report that they have the ability to protect neurons against oxidative stress, decrease pro-inflammatory chemicals in the brain and modulate cell signaling pathways. There is even some evidence that anthocyanins may help to inhibit acetylcholinesterase, a brain chemical that breaks down acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter needed for memory and learning. In one exciting study published in the European Journal of Nutrition, older adults with mild and moderate dementia who drank a daily dose of anthocyanin-rich cherry juice experienced improvements in memory and speech. Many natural health experts believe that blueberries and other bluish-purplish foods have the “right stuff” to help preserve cognitive function into old age – and slow the onset of devastating neurodegenerative diseases. Anthocyanins Support a Balanced Microbiome But, the benefits of anthocyanins don’t stop with the cardiovascular system and brain. When these pigments are broken down in the intestine, they release products that modulate the microbiome, or community of gut bacteria. When properly balanced, this important group of microbes plays an essential role in normal immune function, healthy metabolism, and even mood and cognition. As it turns out, anthocyanins help to produce short-chain fatty acids, which encourage the proliferation of “friendly” gut bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria. By promoting the health of the all-important gut microbiome, anthocyanins can go a long way toward supporting overall immunity, healthy, vitality, and well-being. Remember: Although most people in the United States obtain most of their anthocyanins through berries, you can also get these natural plant-based pigments through grapes, black beans, blue or purple corn, cabbage, dark cherries, plums, and eggplant skins. For maximum benefit, opt for organic produce whenever possible. As natural health experts have long advised: we should “eat the rainbow” for optimal health. Just make sure that your “rainbow” contains plenty of deep crimsons, bright blue, and rich purple. Your body will thank you for it. Sources for this article include: ClevelandClinic.org ClevelandClinic.org NIH.gov NIH.gov To read the original article click here.

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Oxidized Cholesterol and Alzheimer’s Disease

AHA Publisher — Fri, 13 May 2022 07:00:51 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM via NutritionFacts – Oxidized cholesterol can be a hundred times more toxic than regular cholesterol, raising additional concerns about foods such as ghee, canned tuna, processed meat, and parmesan cheese. Too much cholesterol in the blood “has long been considered to act as a primary risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s disease and, possibly, Parkinson’s disease.” Striking images on autopsy show that the brain arteries of Alzheimer’s victims are clogged with fat and cholesterol, compared to non-demented elderly controls, as you can see at 0:16 in my video Oxidized Cholesterol as a Cause of Alzheimer’s Disease. But “cholesterol cannot be directly exported across the blood-brain barrier,” so it can’t get directly into—or out of—the brain. What if the brain has too much cholesterol and needs to get rid of some? As a safety valve, an enzyme in the brain can oxidize cholesterol. So, in that form, it can exit the brain and eventually the body. There’s a catch, though. “Although this fact means that the brain can eliminate excess amounts of these oxidation products,” it could be a two-way street. “[I]t could conversely allow toxic amounts of oxysterols [oxidized cholesterol], present in the blood stream, to accumulate in the brain”—that is, to go the other way. This is not just a theoretical concern. An elegant study showed that by measuring oxidized cholesterol levels in the blood coming off the brain, collected from the jugular vein in the neck, compared to the levels going into the brain through the artery, you could determine the difference. The researchers found that if you have too much oxidized cholesterol in your bloodstream, it can end up in your brain. This is a problem, because research shows the accumulation of oxysterols can be “cytotoxic, mutagenic, atherogenic and possibly carcinogenic”—in other words, toxic to cells, toxic to DNA, and contributing to heart disease and maybe also cancer. Yes, samples from atherosclerotic plaques on autopsy contain 20 times more cholesterol than normal arteries, but they contain 45 times higher levels of oxidized cholesterol. Cholesterol oxidation products may be up to a hundred times more pathological, more toxic, than unoxidized cholesterol, contributing not only to heart disease, but potentially also to a variety of different major chronic diseases, including Alzheimer’s, as you can see at 2:03 in my video. How can we cut down on the amount of these oxysterols in our body? One way is by not eating them. Oxidized cholesterol is found in “milk powders, meat and meat products (including fish), cheese, eggs and egg products.” “Until recently, our understanding…has been limited by the lack of analytical procedures [testing methods] to analyse foods with sufficient sensitivity and accuracy”—until now, that is. As you can see at 2:39 in my video, oxidized cholesterol can be found throughout animal products. Canned tuna was surprisingly high, but ghee takes the cake. Ghee, clarified or boiled butter, is commonly used in Indian cooking. Its method of preparation appears to multiply oxidized cholesterol levels tenfold. This dietary exposure to oxidized cholesterol may help explain why the subcontinent of India is ravaged by such heart disease, even though a significant proportion of the population stays away from meat and eggs. (A number of Indian dairy-based desserts are also made in a similar way to ghee.) Oxidized cholesterol in the diet is a source of oxidized cholesterol in the human bloodstream, where it can readily cross the blood-brain barrier into the brain. This could then trigger inflammation inside the brain and the buildup of amyloid “years before the impairment of memory is diagnosed.” Early studies showing the buildup of oxidized cholesterol in the blood of those fed meals rich in oxidized cholesterol, causing a spike in the bloodstream a few hours after eating, as you can see at 3:45 in my video, were done with things like powdered egg, which can be found in a lot of processed foods, but you typically don’t sit down to a meal of it. You get the same types of spikes, though, from eating “ordinary foodstuff.” Give folks some salami and parmesan cheese, which are naturally rich in cholesterol oxidation products (COPs), and later that day, COP is circulating throughout their bodies, as you can see at 4:04in my video. Higher levels are not only associated with mild cognitive impairment, but they’re linked to Alzheimer’s disease as well. “Increased oxysterol concentrations in the brain may promote cellular damage, cause neuron [nerve cell] dysfunction and degeneration, and could contribute to neuroinflammation [brain inflammation] and amyloidogenesis,” the formation of amyloid plaques. You can show the boost in inflammatory gene expression right in a petri dish, as you can see at 4:30 in my video. You can grow human nerve cells in vitro and drip on a little cholesterol, which causes a bump in inflammation. According to a blog on neuropathycure.org, if you add the same amount of oxidized cholesterol, it gets much worse. What’s more, if you look at the changes in brain oxysterols at different stages of Alzheimer’s disease on autopsy, you can see how the three main cholesterol oxidation products appear to be building up, as I show at 4:48 in my video. Levels have been shown to dramatically increase in Alzheimer’s disease brains, adding to the evidence that oxidized cholesterol may be “the driving force behind the development of Alzheimer’s disease.” Cholesterol gets oxidized when animal products are exposed to heat. Are there some cooking methods that are less risky than others? Find out in my video How to Reduce Cholesterol Oxidation. KEY TAKEAWAYS A primary risk factor for the development of Alzheimer’s and possibly Parkinson’s diseases is too much cholesterol in the blood. Although cholesterol can’t be exported directly across the blood-brain barrier, it can be oxidized by an enzyme in the brain and, in that form, exit the brain. However, oxidized cholesterol present in the bloodstream may be able to enter the brain through this two-way street. Accumulation of these oxysterols can be toxic to cells and DNA, as well as contribute to heart disease and possibly cancer. Samples from atherosclerotic plaques on autopsy contain 20 times more cholesterol than normal arteries and 45 times higher levels of oxidized cholesterol, which can be 100 times more toxic than regular unoxidized cholesterol. Oxysterols are found throughout animal products, including dairy, meat (including fish), and eggs, and one way to cut down on the amount of them in our body is by not consuming them. The preparation of ghee, clarified or boiled butter that is commonly used in Indian cooking, appears to multiply oxysterol levels tenfold, which may help explain why heart disease is so rampant on the Indian subcontinent despite a significant percentage of Indians avoiding meat and eggs. The presence of oxidized cholesterol in the brain can trigger inflammation inside the brain and the buildup of amyloid, far before memory impairment is diagnosed. To read the original article click here.

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Brand-New Research Suggests High-Fiber Foods Reduce Dementia Risk

AHA Publisher — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 07:00:45 +0000

Lori Alton via NaturalHealth365 – With its disabling loss of cognition, judgment, and memory, dementia is a truly devastating condition. And it is becoming more widespread. Alzheimer’s disease – the most common cause of dementia among older adults – is currently affecting over 6.2 million Americans. Experts predict that the incidence will double by the year 2050. Many scientists believe they are getting closer to unlocking the mystery of why dementia occurs – and what can be done to help prevent it. In a new Japanese study, researchers found that the risk of dementia may be lowered with a simple intervention (one that natural health experts have been advising all along!) – a high-fiber diet. Let’s look at some of the ways in which a plant-based, high-fiber diet may help promote healthy cognition and reduce the risk of dementia in aging adults. Decades-Long Research on the Effects of a High-Fiber Diet Yields Good News Regarding Dementia Risk In a study published last month in Nutritional Neuroscience, researchers asked over 3,500 participants aged 40 to 64 years to complete surveys that reflected their dietary intake going back 15 years. The participants were then followed up for an additional 20 years. This extensive but simple research technique revealed a clear-cut result: the scientists found that people who ate the highest amount of fiber had the lowest risk of dementia. While the two types of dietary fiber – soluble and insoluble fiber – are both crucial to health, the team reported that soluble fiber from oats and legumes was more effective at lowering dementia risk. Researchers speculated that soluble fiber regulates gut bacteria, thereby helping to decrease the neuroinflammation that triggers dementia. High-fiber diets also may help decrease body weight, reduce blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and improve blood sugar control. In addition to lowering risk factors for heart disease, these changes may cut dementia risk even further. Additional Research Shows That High-Fiber Diets Reduce Production of Inflammatory Molecules This new study is not the only research showing that a high-fiber diet can benefit the brain. Another recent study published in Frontiers in Immunology suggested that eating high-fiber foods might help delay brain aging by spurring butyrate production (a short-chain fatty acid shown in animal studies) to improve memory and reduce inflammation. Fiber-rich diets also appear to cut the expression of interleukin, an inflammatory cytokine produced in the body. In addition, fiber provides fuel for beneficial gut bacteria, which researchers say can strongly influence cognition and mood. But, that isn’t all. A 2021 review published in Antioxidants showed that plant foods are associated with “significant beneficial effects on cognitive function.” The improvements occurred “across the board” in young and elderly participants alike – and benefited them regardless of cognitive status. In other words, those who were cognitively “normal,” those who had mild cognitive impairment, and those with severe dementia all received benefits from the plant-based diet – a very encouraging result. What Are the Top Fiber-Rich Foods for Cognitive Health? Green leafy vegetables – like romaine, spinach, and dandelion greens – and cruciferous vegetables, like Brussels sprouts, bok choy, broccoli, and cauliflower, appear to “rule the roost” when it comes to cognitive benefits. Dandelion greens, in particular, receive high marks for their sky-high levels of fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin A. Cruciferous vegetables contain potent anti-inflammatory compounds known as isothiocyanate. In addition, these high-fiber vegetables are all rich in folate (or vitamin B9), which can reduce levels of homocysteine, an inflammatory chemical linked with heart disease. Close behind veggies in the ability to promote cognitive health are berries. Blueberries, in particular, contain purple/blue plant pigments called anthocyanins, which have been associated with cognitive benefits. In a study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, supplementation with wild blueberry juice improved memory in older adults. As for ruby-red strawberries, these feature a compound known as fisetin, which has been linked with improvements in memory and cognition. One influential study found that subjects who ate larger amounts of strawberries were less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those who didn’t indulge in berries! Blackberries, raspberries, and mulberries are also good choices for promoting cognitive health. Other foods believed to promote healthy brain function include nuts, oats, beans, olive oil, avocados, cold-water fatty fish, poultry, and green tea. Slow Down Cognitive Decline With Proper Nutrition and Wise Lifestyle Choices Although no diet can reverse advanced dementia, many natural health experts believe that proper nutrition has the potential to slow the early stages of cognitive decline and dementia. When it comes to specific diets to combat the onset of dementia, many natural health experts advise the MIND diet, short for the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Disease. This healthy way of eating combines aspects of the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet with those of the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet. Note: Whether it’s lurking in condiments such as ketchup or hiding in plain sight on powdered doughnuts, refined sugar is truly “bad news” for cognitive health. (Likewise for fried and processed foods, which may contain harmful trans fats). Excessive sodium (salt) intake can also threaten cognitive health. Opt instead for lemon, black pepper, and spices like basil and rosemary. By the way, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics advises that adults get 25 to 38 grams of fiber a day, with 21 to 30 grams recommended for people over 50. But experts say that only a meager 5 percent of Americans meet the daily adequate dietary intake level for fiber. This is unfortunate – because when it comes to maintaining health, multiple studies have confirmed the superiority of a plant-based, high-fiber diet over the conventional Standard American Diet (aptly abbreviated as S.A.D.!) Maybe it’s time to consider phasing out the SAD-ness – and incorporating more plant-based foods into your meals. Your body – and your mind! – will thank you. Sources for this article include: ScienceDaily.com PrimeHealthDenver.com MDPI.com NIH.gov NIH.gov MedicalNewsToday.com CDC.gov To read the original article click here.

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What is Nutritional Psychiatry?

AHA Publisher — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 08:00:05 +0000

Joelle Hanson-Baiden, BSc via News-Medical – Nutritional psychiatry is the practice of using food and food supplements as alternative treatments for mental health disorders. Most current treatments for mental health disorders – from psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia to neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia – focus on treating the symptoms of the condition. Though many are effective at treating these symptoms, they are often paired with severe side effects. Over recent years, there has been a considerable increase in research surrounding links between psychiatric disorders and diet. As such, there has been an increase in research surrounding nutritional-based treatments for these disorders. From these studies, different treatment targets have been identified, including the gut biome and nutrient deficiencies. Current research is promising and provides insight into alternative interventions for treating psychiatric disorders. Potential Pathways that Link Diet and Psychiatric Disorders Diet might be associated with severe mental health disorders such as schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, psychosis, and dementia. There are several potential pathways research has found to be involved, such as the gut biome and nutrient deficiencies. The Gut Biome Research suggests that there is a link between the gut biome and the development of psychiatric disorders such as depression and schizophrenia. The gut biome consists of bacteria, fungi, and viruses found in the gastrointestinal tract. Studies have shown that individuals with schizophrenia and psychosis present with different gut microbial compositions compared to non-psychiatric individuals. In a study comparing the gut microbial composition of individuals with first-episode psychosis (FEP) and non-FEP individuals, researchers found that the composition of the gut in: “Numbers of Lactobacillus group bacteria were elevated in FEP-patients and significantly correlated with severity along different symptom domains.” (Schwarz et al., 2018). These results suggest that alterations in the microbial composition of the gut can increase one’s risk of developing a psychiatric disorder. Research suggests that the microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA) underlies this risk. The MGBA connects the intestines with the central nervous system and studies have shown that individuals with schizophrenia can present with disruptions of the MGBA. “Several interactions between the gut and the brain have been observed, including vagal nerve activation, immune system modification, the synthesis of neurotransmitters and alterations of neurotransmitter pathways.” (Teasdale et al., 2020) Nutrient Deficiencies Nutrient deficiencies are caused by insufficient intake of said nutrients or poor absorption by the body. Research shows that nutrient deficiencies are one of the risk factors for developing mental disorders. Example deficiencies include vitamin B9 (folate) B6 and B12 deficiencies. These B vitamins are essential for DNA and protein synthesis. Both of which play a key role in brain development and cognition. Several studies have shown that individuals with schizophrenia have lower serum vitamin B6 and B9 (folate) levels than non-psychiatric individuals. A deficiency in vitamin D has also been shown to be highly prevalent in people with schizophrenia and dementia. “There are stronger associations between severe vitamin D deficiency (<10 ng/ml) and both dementia and AD compared to moderate vitamin D deficiency (10-20ng/ml).” (Chai et al., 2019). Vitamin D is necessary for modulating neurotransmitter release, including dopamine – known to be imbalanced in mental disorders. Brain Food? How Nutritional Psychiatry Targets these Pathways The International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry Research (ISNPR) was formed to give guidance to clinicians and healthcare workers on offering nutritional treatments to patients with mental health issues. The ISNPR has issued many recommendations in recent years. These recommendations are heavily focused on promoting an optimal gut biome composition. The ISNPR suggests that changes in the type of food eaten can improve the composition of the gut biome. Following traditional diets such as Mediterranean, Scandinavian, or Japanese diets is recommended. These diets consist of high volumes of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, and a limited intake of processed foods. The concentration of bacteria in the gut can also be altered with probiotics – live bacteria and yeasts. These can be found in fermented foods (e.g., kimchi and sauerkraut) and yogurt. Probiotics can also be taken as supplements. Alongside improving the gut biome, the ISNPR also recommends the intake of nutrient supplements. These include vitamins B9, B6, B12, and vitamin D. Research has shown that administering these vitamins is effective in shortening the duration of illness in individuals with psychosis and schizophrenia. Food for Thought: Traditional vs Nutritional Psychiatry, Which is More Effective? Nutritional psychiatry is non-invasive, has very few side effects, and is easily accessible to all. Compared to nutritional psychiatry, traditional treatments can have very severe side effects and do little for deteriorating physical health. The evidence for the effects of nutritional treatments on symptomatology is still fresh as many clinical trials are still in progress. Despite this, nutritional psychiatry allows for the physical health of people with severe mental health issues such as schizophrenia and psychosis, which have otherwise been neglected. Neglected physical health in these individuals has led to higher rates of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and other cardiovascular diseases. In turn, this has led to a large decrease in life expectancy. This together with the symptoms of the condition, side effects from medication, and cognitive impairments causes a significant decrease in the quality of life of these individuals. Nutritional psychiatry, therefore, acts to improve the quality of life of people who suffer from mental health illnesses. Nutritional psychiatry can therefore impact the lives of these people greater than traditional psychiatry alone. Further in-depth research is needed to widen this impact. To read more about the role nutrition plays in health, click here! References: Chai, B., Gao, F., Wu, R., Dong, T., Gu, C., Lin, Q., & Zhang, Y. (2019). Vitamin D deficiency as a risk factor for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease: an updated meta-analysis. BMC Neurology, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12883-019-1500-6 Chiang, M., Natarajan, R., & Fan, X. (2016). Vitamin D in schizophrenia: a clinical review. Evidence Based Mental Health, 19(1), 6–9. https://doi.org/10.1136/eb-2015-102117 Grosso, G. (2021). Nutritional Psychiatry: How Diet Affects Brain through Gut Microbiota. Nutrients, 13(4), 1282. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13041282 Schwarz, E., Maukonen, J., Hyytiäinen, T., Kieseppä, T., Orešič, M., Sabunciyan, S., Mantere, O., Saarela, M., Yolken, R., & Suvisaari, J. (2018). Analysis of microbiota in first episode psychosis identifies preliminary associations with symptom severity and treatment response. Schizophrenia Research, 192, 398–403. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2017.04.017 Teasdale, S., Mörkl, S., & Müller-Stierlin, A. S. (2020). Nutritional psychiatry in the treatment of psychotic disorders: Current hypotheses and research challenges. Brain, Behavior, & Immunity – Health, 5, 100070. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbih.2020.100070 To read the original article click here.

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Dementia: How to Prevent Cognitive Decline

AHA Publisher — Fri, 28 Jan 2022 08:00:18 +0000

Universite de Montreal via Newswise – Physical activity, nutrition and cognitively stimulating activities are all known to be good ways to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. And older adults at risk can access a variety of lifestyle services to that end, including diet regimes and exercises for their body and mind. Now an international team of researchers led by Université de Montréal psychology professor Sylvie Belleville has determined how many of those intervention sessions are needed prevent cognitive decline in people at risk: only about a dozen. Published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia : The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, the study by Dr. Belleville and colleagues at the universities of Toulouse and Helsinki show that 12 to 14 sessions are all that’s were needed to observe an improvement in cognition. Until now, the number of sessions or “doses” needed for optimal effect has been unknown. “In pharmacological studies, every effort is made to define an optimal treatment dose needed to observe the expected effects, “ said Belleville, a neuropsychologist and researcher at the research centere of the UdeM-affiliated Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal. “This is rarely done in non-pharmacological studies, especially those on the prevention of cognitive decline, where little information is available to identify this dose. “Defining an optimal number of treatment sessions is therefore crucial.,” she continued. “Indeed, proposing too few sessions will produce no noticeable improvement effects, but too many sessions is also undesirable as these interventions are costly. They are costly both for the individual who follows the treatments, in terms of time and involvement, and for the organization offering these treatments.” The study is based on a secondary analysis of data from the three-year Multidomain Alzheimer Preventive Trial (MAPT) and looked at 749 participants who received a range of interventions aimed at preventing cognitive decline. These included dietary advice, physical activity and cognitive stimulation to improve or maintain physical and cognitive abilities. People’s Individuality Important In their research, Belleville’s team noted that people’s individuality should be considered when determining the optimal treatment dose. In their study, the researchers evaluated the effects of the sessions in terms of each participant’s age, gender, education level, and cognitive and physical condition. The relationship between the “dose” each received and their cognitive improvement was then analyzed. The main results show an increase with dose followed by a plateau effect after 12 to 14 sessions. In other words, you need enough dose to see an effect but offering more than 12 to 14 sessions of treatment does not mean better results. That said, participants with lower levels of education or more risk factors for frailty did benefite from more sessions. The conclusion? It’s important to identify and target an optimal dose and to customize the treatment for each individual, the researchers say. Not only is “dosage” an important component of behavioural interventions, it can also provide valuable information when time and money are limited, helping public-health agencies develop effective prevention programs and offer guidance to older adults and clinicians. To read the original article click here.

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NEW STUDY Shows Listening to Emotionally Significant Songs Improves Cognitive Function

AHA Publisher — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 08:00:20 +0000

Lori Alton via NaturalHealth365 – Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia continue to impact a tragic number of people throughout the United States. Over 6.5 million Americans are currently affected – and the number is expected to soar to 13 million by the year 2050. Sadly, the Alzheimer’s Association reports that deaths from Alzheimer’s disease have increased by an alarming 16 percent since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Conventionally speaking, there is currently no cure, and pharmaceutical medications have yielded disappointing results – along with unwanted side effects such as nausea, muscle pain, and headaches. However, scientists at the University of Toronto report that a natural intervention may help improve cognitive function. A just-published study points to the benefits of music for people suffering from cognitive decline. To learn more about the intriguing potential of music to improve cognition and memory, read on. Benefits of Music Include Improved Brain Function, Landmark Study Shows In the small pilot study published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, patients with Alzheimer’s disease listened to a selection of their favorite songs for an hour a day for three weeks. The songs were chosen because they were “autographically salient,” meaning that they were familiar tunes with personal meaning for the participants. For example, the repertoire might include songs the participants had danced to at their weddings. All patients underwent MRIs before and after the listening sessions – and the results led the scientists to an extraordinary conclusion. The team reported that regularly listening to beloved songs could change the brain’s neural pathways and improve structure and function. Listening to Familiar Songs Stimulates the Prefrontal Cortex Senior author Dr. Michael Thaut, a professor at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music and Temerty Faculty of Medicine, reported that listening to music can cause changes in neural pathways – notably in the prefrontal cortex, where deep cognitive processes occur. “(Listening to music) can stimulate neural connectivity in ways that help maintain higher levels of functioning,” Dr. Thaut stated, adding that patients also showed improvement in the integrity of the brain. Interestingly, listening to music written and performed in a similar style – but with no particular personal meaning – activated an “auditory” network, which meant that it caused brain activity that indicated the act of listening. But, when participants listened to familiar, well-loved songs, the prefrontal cortex activated significantly, indicating cognitive engagement. It seems that the benefits of music include activation of the “control center” of the brain. “Music is an ‘access key’ to the memory and prefrontal cortex,” declared Dr. Thaut. The researchers concluded that listening to music is an effective way to increase brain plasticity in patients with dementia and mild cognitive decline – and that there is a clinical potential for personalized, music-based interventions. Benefits of Music Therapy Include Practicality and Low Cost Dr. Thaut likened the stimulating effect of familiar music to that of a “brain gym.” And, apparently, daily workouts yield the best results – as the therapy is not a “one and done” technique. The research suggested that repeated. Regular listening is necessary to reap the full benefits of music for people with cognitive decline. Lead author Corinne Fischer, director of Geriatric Psychiatry at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, said that the study showed that a home-based approach to music listening could be beneficial and have lasting effects on the brain. She praised the music-based intervention as feasible, cost-effective, and readily available. Dr. Thaut expressed his belief that the study “opened the door” to further research on therapeutic applications of music for people with dementia. Support Good Cognitive Function With Other Natural Techniques According to a study published in 2017 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, regular physical activity can positively influence cognitive ability, reduce the rate of cognitive aging and even reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Experts say that exercise may increase the production of beneficial brain chemicals, improve insulin sensitivity and reduce inflammation. Herbs that are believed to help enhance cognitive function include turmeric, ginkgo biloba, and rosemary, which have promoted memory in clinical studies. Rosemary’s close cousin, sage, may hold even more promise. A controlled study showed that rosemary extract inhibits an enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter needed for memory and learning. Of course, consult your integrative doctor before supplementing. People have always intuitively realized the power of music to uplift, inspire and console. While larger controlled clinical trials are needed, this intriguing early study helps “roll back the curtain” and reveal some of the science behind that power. Sources for this article include: ScienceDaily.com AlzheimersAssociation.com NIH.gov Carewatch.co.uk To read the original article click here.

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A Book-Filled Childhood Prevents Later Cognitive Decline

AHA Publisher — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 08:00:39 +0000

Abigail Klein Leichman via Israel21c – Books intrigue and delight children, and now we know they may also help those children preserve cognitive functioning into old age. Growing up in a book-filled home seems to improve memory in those 65 years old and older as well as preserve against cognitive decline, according to a study by Galit Weinstein of the University of Haifa, Ella Cohn-Schwartz of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and Noam Damri of the Israel Gerontological Data Center. The researchers drew their conclusions from an analysis of results from two waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). In 2011 and 2013, the survey was completed by the same 8,239 individuals aged 65 or over who did not suffer from neurodegenerative disease. Their analysis concluded that a book-filled childhood home – defined modestly as containing 11 to 25 books — correlated significantly with improved immediate memory, delayed memory, verbal fluency, and less global cognitive decline. “If we can identify early life factors that affect brain aging and give an advantage to people in late life, then we can preserve cognitive function in older age,” explained Cohn-Schwartz, from BGU’s Department of Public Health. The team’s findings were published recently in the journal Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders. “This study contributes to our understanding of the importance of our childhood environments for brain health in old age. More studies are needed to determine the long-term effects on the brain of the transition from reading printed books to using digital media,” said Weinstein. To read the original article click here.

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The Answer to Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Is All in Your Eyes

AHA Publisher — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 08:00:46 +0000

Brian Blum via Israel21c – “Look into my eyes. What do you see?” the man says to his wife. “I see Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and MS,” she replies. Not the most romantic interchange. But imagine if gazing into someone’s eyes were the key to diagnosing neurological disorders, which are the world’s leading cause of disability and cost some $800 billion a year in direct treatment expenses. The correlations between “oculometrics” (the biometric measurement of the movement and condition of the eyes) and neurological conditions is a much-researched area of study, with over 750 papers published in journals such as The Lancet, Nature and Neurology. Developing a technology that can decode the data from the eyes has proven to be challenging, however. No one has successfully made strides toward commercializing an oculometric approach. Until now. In October 2021, Tel Aviv and Austin, Texas-based startup Neuralight launched out of stealth with a $5.5 million seed investment and a goal of digitizing and even automating neurological evaluation and care. You Can Only Improve What You Can Measure Neurological exams have traditionally relied on a subjective, manual assessment of symptoms. “The physician will ask 50 questions, like how hard is it to button your shirt? Or the doctor asks the patient to walk across the room so they can assess their gait,” explains Neuralight CEO Micah Breakstone. The lack of objective criteria has prevented pharmaceutical companies from developing effective drugs. Breakstone notes that for dementia, studies have shown that two physicians looking at the same patient on the same day could have a 35 percent variable in diagnosis. “We need a statistically significant result,” Breakstone says. Neuralight’s technology is not a cure or a treatment for neurological disease. Rather, the platform is meant mainly to accelerate pharmaceutical development, with an initial focus on Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis. The platform automatically extracts microscopic eye movement measurements that serve as “digital endpoints” for neurological disorders. A physician will record a short, five-minute video of a patient’s eyes. Neuralight’s imaging tools clean up the video, then artificial intelligence and machine learning get to work at deciphering what’s behind the eye movements. Once Neuralight has extracted ocular metrics on a patient, it plans to sell the data to pharma companies. As Breakstone tells ISRAEL21c, “You can’t improve what you don’t measure.” “Digital endpoints are the future of neurology,” adds Rivka Kreitman, the company’s chief innovation officer and the former head of global innovative research and development at Israeli pharmaceutical giant Teva. “This technology has been the missing piece pharma has needed to make drug development for neurological diseases effective and ultimately more successful.” Privacy Compliant In Breakstone’s ideal world, all the data extracted from videos by Neuralight would be processed on the Neuralight cloud, which he says is HIPAA compliant with all data de-identified (“We don’t need to see a patient’s face, only his or her eyes”). Some organizations do want to keep the data in-house for privacy reasons; in those cases, Neuralight brings its own server. Neuralight does not require eye-trackers, making the process simpler for patients because they don’t have to sit still for a relatively long period of time. Instead, a simple iPhone or even Zoom recording is fine. A Neuralight video recording takes 10 minutes vs. 40 minutes when working with an eye-tracker. Neuralight’s AI “amplifies and augments standard video resolution so you can glean from standard video signals what you could traditionally do only with professional lab equipment,” Breakstone explains. He likens the resolution to how satellites in space can make out the numbers on a car’s license plate using a similar kind of “super-resolution.” Neuralight analyzes close to 100 parameters, including blinking rate, how quickly the patient can fix on a specific object, and the speed of pupil dilation (the latter is highly correlated with Parkinson’s). Digital Biomarkers Breakstone cofounded Neuralight with CTO Edmund Benami after Breakstone sold his previous startup, Chorus.ai, to ZoomInfo for $575 million. “I could have retired, but that would have been a little empty,” he says. His grandfather suffered from Alzheimer’s, and that led Breakstone to want “to do something to make the world a better place, something I deeply believed in,” he tells ISRAEL21c. “Digital biomarkers are very much in vogue,” he says, and investors agreed. Initial funding for Neuralight came from VSC Ventures, Operator Partners, Clover Health CEO Vivek Garipalli and Noam Solomon, the CEO of Immunai. While most of the 19-person team is in Israel, where R&D is based, Breakstone relocated to Austin to build up the company’s connections in the United States. Neuralight has a working MVP (tech speak for “minimum viable product”) and Breakstone hopes to receive initial FDA clearance by the end of 2022 with the first commercial contracts signed in 2023. Clinical trials are due to kick off in the next few months. Neuralight is in conversations with three large pharma companies. Although neurotechnology is a booming industry, Breakstone says most of Neuralight’s competition “is doing things with devices, not with the eyes.” Boston-based Beacon Biosignals, for example, uses EEG data to create biomarkers for neurological disorders, which he says “will be harder to be adopted as a universal solution.” Fortunately for the billion people suffering from neurological disorders, Breakstone feels that Neuralight is “on an urgent mission. We are building a value-driven company.” For more on Neuralight, click here. To read the original article click here.

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Exercise Alters Brain Chemistry to Protect Aging Synapses

AHA Publisher — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 08:00:25 +0000

University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) via Newswise – When elderly people stay active, their brains have more of a class of proteins that enhances the connections between neurons to maintain healthy cognition, a UC San Francisco study has found. This protective impact was found even in people whose brains at autopsy were riddled with toxic proteins associated with Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. “Our work is the first that uses human data to show that synaptic protein regulation is related to physical activity and may drive the beneficial cognitive outcomes we see,” said Kaitlin Casaletto, PhD, an assistant professor of neurology and lead author on the study, which appears in the January 7 issue of Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association. The beneficial effects of physical activity on cognition have been shown in mice but have been much harder to demonstrate in people. Casaletto, a neuropsychologist and member of the Weill Institute for Neurosciences, worked with William Honer, MD, a professor of psychiatry at the University of British Columbia and senior author of the study, to leverage data from the Memory and Aging Project at Rush University in Chicago. That project tracked the late-life physical activity of elderly participants, who also agreed to donate their brains when they died. “Maintaining the integrity of these connections between neurons may be vital to fending off dementia, since the synapse is really the site where cognition happens,” Casaletto said. “Physical activity—a readily available tool—may help boost this synaptic functioning.” More Proteins Mean Better Nerve Signals Honer and Casaletto found that elderly people who remained active had higher levels of proteins that facilitate the exchange of information between neurons. This result dovetailed with Honer’s earlier finding that people who had more of these proteins in their brains when they died were better able to maintain their cognition late in life. To their surprise, Honer said, the researchers found that the effects ranged beyond the hippocampus, the brain’s seat of memory, to encompass other brain regions associated with cognitive function. “It may be that physical activity exerts a global sustaining effect, supporting and stimulating healthy function of proteins that facilitate synaptic transmission throughout the brain,” Honer said. Synapses Safeguard Brains Showing Signs of Dementia The brains of most older adults accumulate amyloid and tau, toxic proteins that are the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Many scientists believe amyloid accumulates first, then tau, causing synapses and neurons to fall apart. Casaletto previously found that synaptic integrity, whether measured in the spinal fluid of living adults or the brain tissue of autopsied adults, appeared to dampen the relationship between amyloid and tau, and between tau and neurodegeneration. “In older adults with higher levels of the proteins associated with synaptic integrity, this cascade of neurotoxicity that leads to Alzheimer’s disease appears to be attenuated,” she said. “Taken together, these two studies show the potential importance of maintaining synaptic health to support the brain against Alzheimer’s disease.” To read the original article click here.

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