Retrospective study links coronary artery disease to EEG connectivity changes in elderly patients with hypertension
Your Heart's Health May Be Changing Your Brain's Connections
A retrospective cohort study of 170 elderly hospitalized patients with hypertension found that those with coronary artery disease showed red…
A simple brain wave test could one day spot early memory changes in people with heart disease before symptoms appear.
Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation shows modest cognitive improvements in mild cognitive impairment and post-stroke cognitive impairment
Could a tiny ear device help memory, but the proof is still very early?
This systematic review evaluated transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) for cognitive impairment, including mild cognitive…
A tiny ear device shows promise for memory issues in early studies, but scientists say the proof is still very early due to small trials and…
Spatial coupling of enlarged perivascular spaces and white matter lesions observed across Alzheimer's disease continuum stages
Do enlarged brain spaces link to early Alzheimer's changes?
This observational cohort study analyzed participants from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative dataset categorized by cognitive …
People with early Alzheimer's memory issues have swollen brain drainage tubes right next to damaged areas, suggesting these changes happen b…
Systematic review suggests beef consumption may improve attention and memory in young adult females with iron deficiency
Could eating beef help young women focus better, remember more, and see details clearly?
A systematic review of dietary interventions in young adult females with iron deficiency indicates potential improvements in attention, memo…
Young adult women with low iron may see better focus, memory, and vision after adding beef to their diet, though long-term benefits need mor…
Nurse-led music intervention shows preliminary benefit for cognitive impairment in colorectal cancer patients
Can listening to your favorite music help clear cancer treatment brain fog?
A pilot RCT of 70 colorectal cancer patients with cognitive impairment found a 9-week nurse-led individualized music-listening intervention …
Listening to favorite music helped colorectal cancer patients feel less brain fog, depression, and fatigue while sleeping better during trea…
Qigong shows large effect on subjective cognitive function in cancer survivors in meta-analysis
Can gentle movement help cancer survivors struggling with brain fog?
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 studies in cancer survivors found qigong significantly improved subjective cognitive function ve…
Cancer survivors struggling with brain fog may feel clearer after practicing qigong, a gentle mix of movement and breathing that showed stro…
Self-management and glycemic control linked to lower MCI risk in rural elderly with type 2 diabetes
Better diabetes self-care linked to lower cognitive decline risk in rural elderly study
A cohort study of 232 rural Chinese elderly with type 2 diabetes found improved self-management behaviors, fewer depressive symptoms, and be…
Better diabetes self-care and mood control in older adults with type 2 diabetes were linked to a lower risk of memory problems in a rural Ch…
Plant-based diet adherence associated with lower cognitive impairment risk in meta-analysis
Plant-based diets linked to lower dementia risk in large review of studies
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 221,380 adults without baseline cognitive impairment found greater adherence to plant-based diets w…
People following healthful plant-based diets face a 26% lower risk of dementia, while unhealthful versions of these diets may actually incre…
Meta-analysis finds distinct fMRI activation patterns in MCI and Alzheimer's disease during cognitive tasks
What happens in the brain when memory starts to slip? A new analysis maps the changes
A coordinate-based meta-analysis of 90 task-based fMRI studies (N=2824) found spatial convergence of aberrant brain activation in patients w…
When memory fades, brain scans show activity shifting to sound and hearing areas in Alzheimer's, while mild impairment affects spatial and s…
Research across Cognitive Dysfunction
Related studies from across the Cognitive Dysfunction family.
Food insecurity linked to poorer diet and higher obesity risk in older adults
Food Insecurity Linked to Poorer Diet and Obesity in Older Adults
This narrative review synthesizes evidence linking food insecurity and financial hardship to poorer diet quality and higher odds of overweig…
Older adults facing food insecurity eat worse and are more likely to be obese, a review finds.
Younger US men show sharp loneliness increase, older men stable, systematic review finds
Loneliness Linked To Health Risks In Men Across The United States
This systematic review of 30 core studies on US men found no widespread epidemic of loneliness, but younger men (ages 18–29) show a sharp in…
A review of 30 studies finds loneliness in men is linked to depression, heart disease, and higher mortality, with younger men facing a sharp…
Review of ferroptosis role in postoperative cognitive dysfunction in older surgical patients
Aging and surgery may trigger brain cell death in older patients
This narrative review examines the potential role of ferroptosis in postoperative cognitive dysfunction among older surgical patients. The a…
A review suggests aging and surgery might trigger brain cell death in older patients, but scientists are not sure if this process causes the…
Preoperative psychological factors are associated with postoperative cognitive outcomes in older adults
Psychological factors linked to cognitive issues after surgery in older adults
This systematic review and meta-analysis examined preoperative psychological factors in older adults aged 60 years or older.
A large review links preoperative anxiety and stress to worse cognitive outcomes after surgery for older patients.
Meta-analysis finds 24% incidence of cognitive dysfunction after pediatric liver transplant
Nearly 1 in 4 kids face thinking problems after liver transplant
This meta-analysis of 7494 children after liver transplantation reports a pooled incidence of cognitive dysfunction of 24% (95% CI: 19.0%-30…
One in four children develops thinking problems after a liver transplant, with infants facing the highest risk.
Framingham cohort links longitudinal brain atrophy patterns to cognitive decline and AD biomarkers in community-based participants
Brain shrinkage patterns predict Alzheimer's risk in older adults
This community-based cohort study of 300 participants from the Framingham Heart Study analyzed longitudinal brain atrophy patterns using MRI…
A study of 300 older adults found specific brain shrinkage patterns that strongly predict Alzheimer's disease and worse thinking skills.
Living alone not linked to incident dementia but associated with higher institutionalization risk in a cohort of 2,269 individuals
Living Alone Does Not Raise Dementia Risk But Increases Care Needs
This French clinic-based cohort study followed 2,269 individuals with cognitive complaints or mild cognitive impairment for a median of 5 ye…
Living alone does not increase dementia risk, but it does raise the chance of needing nursing home care later.
Bibliometric review of anesthesia-associated postoperative cognitive dysfunction in elderly patients from 2000 to 2024
Why Your Brain Fog After Surgery Might Start in Your Gut
This bibliometric review analyzed 923 publications indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection and PubMed database regarding anesthesia-as…
Understanding how surgery and anesthesia trigger brain inflammation could lead to new ways to prevent memory loss after operations.
Phase 2 RCT of exercise plus ibuprofen for cancer-related cognitive impairment shows mixed cognitive outcomes
Exercise and Common Pain Reliever May Sharpen Thinking During Chemo
This phase 2 randomized controlled trial enrolled 86 patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy reporting cognitive problems.
You’re in the middle of chemotherapy. You love your family, your work, your life.
Menopausal hormone therapy initiation around menopause linked to increased Alzheimer's risk
Hormone Therapy and Dementia: The Truth About Timing
This systematic review and meta-analysis of 213,678 menopausal women found that initiating systemic menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) around …
Many women look to hormone therapy to ease the hot flashes and mood swings of menopause.
Narrative review covers cardiovascular conditions and cognitive decline without reported trial data
Your Heart and Brain Are Talking to Each Other
This narrative review addresses a broad scope of cardiovascular conditions, including stroke, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and ischem…
Imagine your heart and brain as two best friends who never stop texting each other.
PDE5 inhibitors increased cerebral blood flow in white matter hyperintensity regions in adults with cerebral small vessel disease
An Old Drug Class May Protect the Brain From Silent Damage
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (sildenafil or tadalafil) versus placebo in 236 adults wit…
Drugs already approved for other conditions may help restore blood flow in a part of the brain that quietly fuels strokes and dementia.
Questions about Mild Cognitive Impairment
Does losing the sense of smell mean mild cognitive impairment will become dementia?
Losing your sense of smell is a warning sign that mild cognitive impairment may progress to dementia, but it does not guarantee it will happen.
Full answer →Can brain shrinkage patterns predict when mild cognitive impairment turns into Alzheimer's disease?
Yes, specific brain shrinkage patterns, especially in the precuneus and fusiform gyrus, can help predict progression from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease, but more research is needed.
Full answer →Is replacing plasma with young donor blood safe for people with mild cognitive impairment?
A small pilot study found that replacing plasma with young donor blood is feasible and appears safe in the short term for people with mild cognitive impairment, but larger, longer-term studies are needed.
Full answer →Does type 2 diabetes affect psychological health and cognitive impairment?
Yes, type 2 diabetes is linked to higher risks of depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment, partly through the gut-brain axis and metabolic effects.
Full answer →