Search Tag: cognitive decline

Blood Pressure Patterns and Incident Dementia

2019 19 Aug

High and low blood pressure have been shown to be associated with cognitive decline and dementia in several studies, suggesting that blood pressure may be a viable target for the primary and secondary prevention of dementia. There is sufficient evidence to prove that hypertension may be a risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia.  However,... Read more

Heart valve surgery associated with cognitive decline

2018 23 Oct

A new systematic review and meta-analysis finds that heart valve surgery is associated with cognitive decline over the six months after surgery, although outcomes beyond six months are unclear. Aortic valve surgery – performed more commonly in older adults – entails greater risk of early cognitive dysfunction within the first month after surgery... Read more

Brain Imaging Links Alzheimer’s Decline to Tau Protein

2016 16 May

A buildup of plaque and dysfunctional proteins in the brain are hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. While much Alzheimer’s research has focused on accumulation of the protein amyloid beta, researchers have begun to pay closer attention to another protein, tau, long associated with this disease but not studied as thoroughly, in part, because scientists... Read more

Discontinuing Antihypertensive Therapy in Older Adults Does Not Improve Cognition

2015 24 Aug

An article published by JAMA Internal Medicine claims that discontinuing antihypertensive therapy for patients 75 years or older does not improve short-term cognitive, psychological or general daily functioning. Studies have suggested that in older adults, lower, rather than higher blood pressure increases the risk of cognitive decline. The article... Read more

Stroke Associated with Decline in Cognitive Function

2015 07 Jul

In a study conducted with 24,000 participants, it was found that those who experienced a stroke had an acute decline in cognitive function as well as accelerated and persistent cognitive decline over 6 years. Details of the study have been published in  JAMA . Approximately 795,000 people in the US experience a stroke each year. In 2010 alone, there... Read more

Brain Imaging Boosts Efforts to Lower Alzheimer's Risk

2015 08 Jun

A report published in American Journal of Neuroradiology (AJNR) discusses how cognitive decline can be identified early and prevented by applying quantitative brain imaging techniques. Amidst growing evidence that neurodegenerative diseases alter brain structures, use of quantitative brain imaging is gaining popularity among clinicians as this helps... Read more

Delirium in the ICU Linked to Fatal Outcomes

2015 08 Jun

A Johns Hopkins Medicine-led study shows that nearly 30 percent of all ICU patients develop delirium, a condition that prolongs hospital stays and significantly increases one’s risk of dying in the hospital. The findings are published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) . Although intensive care teams have long been aware that a significant percentage... Read more