All articles tagged with #brain shrinkage
A study suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated brain aging by an average of 5.5 months, with structural brain changes observed even in those not infected, likely due to stress and lifestyle disruptions, especially affecting males and socioeconomically deprived groups.
Research shows that prolonged sitting can lead to brain shrinkage and cognitive decline, even with regular exercise, especially in older adults at genetic risk for Alzheimer's. Reducing sedentary time is crucial for brain health and may help prevent neurodegeneration.
A long-term study by Johns Hopkins University has found that individuals with type 2 diabetes experience accelerated brain shrinkage, particularly in white matter, increasing their risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) by 41%. The study also highlights a synergistic relationship between diabetes and amyloid plaques, further elevating the risk of cognitive decline. The findings suggest that managing diabetes could reduce the risk of Alzheimer's dementia, emphasizing the importance of targeted interventions for those at risk. The study, which tracked participants over 27 years, was published in JAMA Network.
Scientists are warning against the approval of drugs like lecanemab and donanemab for Alzheimer's disease, citing risks such as brain shrinkage, swelling, and bleeding. While these drugs claim to slow cognitive decline by clearing out amyloid protein, they have been associated with serious side effects, including fatal outcomes and significant brain volume loss. The marginal improvement in cognitive function does not outweigh the potential harm, raising concerns about the utility of these treatments.
Experts have raised concerns about the potential approval of Alzheimer's drugs donanemab and lecanemab, which have shown to slow the progression of the disease but may also cause brain shrinkage in patients. Trial results indicate that a significant percentage of participants experienced brain swelling or bleeding, leading to warnings about potential serious side effects. While the drugs offer potential benefits, the observed brain volume loss has raised doubts about their overall safety and efficacy.
Smoking has been found to cause the brain to shrink and age prematurely, with irreversible damage even after quitting. A study analyzing data from over 32,000 individuals in the UK Biobank revealed a direct link between smoking, genetic predisposition, and reduced brain volume. This research emphasizes the importance of quitting smoking to prevent further brain damage and reduce the risk of dementia, highlighting smoking as a modifiable risk factor for cognitive decline.
A study reveals that hippocampal shrinkage in the brain is associated with cognitive decline, independent of amyloid-beta plaques, a key marker of Alzheimer's disease. The research suggests that neurodegenerative diseases other than Alzheimer's contribute to cognitive decline, highlighting the complexity of dementia. The study involved 128 participants monitored over seven years, and the findings emphasize the need for broader diagnostic approaches in understanding cognitive impairment.
A study conducted in Japan found that social isolation and a lack of social contact in older adults may lead to a smaller brain volume and an increased risk of dementia. The research, which analyzed MRI scans of over 8,800 individuals aged 65 and over, revealed that those with the lowest level of social contact had significantly smaller brain volumes compared to those with the most social contact. The study suggests that providing support to help older adults maintain social connections may be beneficial in preventing brain atrophy and the development of dementia.
New research suggests that adults who take short daytime naps could be slowing the rate at which the brain shrinks with age. Researchers found an association between habitual daytime napping and larger total brain volume, which could suggest that napping regularly provides some protection against neurodegeneration through compensating for poor sleep. The brains of those with the genetic predisposition to habitual daytime napping were about 0.9 cubic inches larger than those of the genetic non-nappers, which researchers said was equivalent to 2.6 to 6.5 fewer years of aging.
A new study of more than 28,000 people suggests that daily cigarette smoking reduces the size of the brain's gray and white matter. The research provides strong evidence that smoking causally shrinks the brain. The scientists analyzed brain imaging data from the U.K. Biobank and found that participants who smoked on a daily basis at some point prior to having their brains imaged had brain volumes that were 0.4 cubic inches smaller, on average. Brain shrinkage has been associated with neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, establishing a causal link between smoking and brain volume decline furthers our understanding of whether smoking directly drives these diseases through this mechanism.
A review of international publications by researchers from IFHE University, Hyderabad, found that even mild Covid-19 infection can shrink the brain by up to 2%. Covid-19 patients with even minor symptoms lose anywhere from 0.2% to 2% of their olfactory cortex, and also show disrupted connections between different brain regions. The study noted that after being infected with Covid-19, participants' brains were found to be smaller than they were before they were infected. Prolonged neurological clinical consequences related to brain changes occur in people with mild Covid-19 infection, and patients after a severe clinical condition of Covid-19 show deepening of persistent neurological signs.