The prevalence rate of dementia, or the proportion of people living with dementia, is decreasing. Yet, the number of people with dementia is set to double by 2050, according to a new Alzheimer Europe report out last week[1].A Needed Numbers Update Over the past three...
There are many different types of dementia, depending on the underlying cause. Each cause can damage the brain in different ways. New research out of the UK suggests that these differences may reveal themselves in the way that people walk[1].Different Types of...
A dementia vaccine developed by Flinders University Professor Nikolai Petrovsky has been successfully shown to “work” in mice genetically programmed to develop dementia.Harnessing the immune response Dementia is thought to be the result of the build-up of two...
Air quality readings across Australia are at concerning levels right now in the wake of the bushfires. Known as PM2.5, rates of particle matter smaller than 2.5 micrometres are easy to inhale and can cause health problems. A new study suggests that these tiny...
Australian scientists have used specialised eye scanning technology to detect changes in the retina that could be indicative of early Alzheimer’s Disease.Lost Opportunities for Early Intervention The presence of clumps of beta-amyloid protein in the brain is an...
The highest likelihood for successful treatment of dementia may be in the early or preclinical stages of the condition, when an individual does not show any symptoms but has beta-amyloid, or toxic protein clumps in the brain thought to cause dementia. Determining the...
Making decisions about our lives and having these respected is an essential human right; and whilst this can sometimes be more difficult when a person has dementia, there are many things that can be done to help. Researchers at the universities of Western Australia...
The B vitamins are often linked to brain health. They help to break down an amino acid in our blood called homocysteine, which contributes to cell ageing and to the build-up of amyloid and tau proteins in the brain associated with greater dementia risk. We know a rare...
A quarter of Australians with dementia may be taking antipsychotic medication for symptoms that could be better managed through non-pharmacological means. These symptoms - which include aggression, agitation, hallucinations, wandering, verbal outbursts and delusions...
Of the near half a million Australians currently living with dementia, 91% of these individuals rely on the informal unpaid support of a family member or friend [1]. Most people with dementia and their families prefer that the person with the condition remain...