Study finds estrogen-based hormone therapies could protect brain health in older women

 Would this help your brain fog post stroke and prevent cognitive decline?

Study finds estrogen-based hormone therapies could protect brain health in older women

Study Finds Smelling Dark Chocolate Before Exercise May Boost Workout Performance

 Ask your competent? doctor if this is better than 'Exercise-in-a-pill'! 

Study Finds Smelling Dark Chocolate Before Exercise May Boost Workout Performance

New research reveals 2 ways to sit: one boosts brain power, the other accelerates decline

 Your competent? doctor already referred you to this research, right? 

Only extreme sitting linked to increased heart disease risk July 2016 

My sitting includes 4-6 hours of updating this blog.

The latest here:

New research reveals 2 ways to sit: one boosts brain power, the other accelerates decline

Mentally engaging activities—like reading or playing games—may protect brain health, even while seated.

Research has long linked prolonged sitting to cognitive decline. But a new study complicates that narrative, suggesting that the effects of sedentary behavior on brain health depends on how a person spends that time—specifically, whether sitting is active or passive. 

The Study 

The study, published by the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, examines the relationship between sitting and cognitive health. More than 55 million people worldwide currently live with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, which sees nearly 10 million new cases each year.

While past research has connected sedentary behavior to cognitive decline, many of those studies treat sitting as a single, uniform activity. This research takes a more nuanced approach, distinguishing between active sitting, such as reading or playing games, and passive sitting, like watching television, to better understand how different sedentary behaviors affect the brain.

Methodology 

Researchers analyzed data from eight electronic databases—EMBASE, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Medline, SPORTDiscus, PubMed, and Scopus—from their inception through September 2024. They conducted a systematic review of 85 studies examining typical sedentary activities in natural, everyday settings, rather than structured programs designed to stimulate cognitive function in specific ways.

Related video: Scientists can predict how well you'll age - years before it happens (TED)

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Findings: Not All Sitting is Equal 

“The type of sitting really matters,” public health researcher and study co-author Paul Gardiner said, according to Science Alert. “These findings show that small everyday choices—like reading instead of watching television—may help keep your brain healthier as you age.”

Across multiple studies, Gardiner and his colleagues found that active sitting—including reading, playing card games, and using a computer—was consistently associated with better cognitive health. These activities were linked to improvements in executive function, episodic memory, and working memory.

Passive sitting, by contrast, was almost always associated with negative cognitive outcomes. Activities such as watching television—where individuals disengage both physically and mentally—were linked to poorer cognitive performance and an increased risk of dementia.

While physical exercise remains essential for cognitive health, the findings suggest that mental engagement matters too—and it doesn’t require standing up. Actively engaging the brain while seated may still provide meaningful cognitive benefits.

Gardiner and his colleagues hope the findings will inform future research and add nuance to existing public health guidelines. Rather than focusing solely on reducing sitting time, they suggest recommendations should emphasize the difference between passive and active sedentary behaviors, empowering people to make more informed choices.

“Health advice could shift from simply saying ‘sit less’ to encouraging more mentally engaging activities while sitting,” Gardiner said. “This could help people make easy, realistic changes that support long‑term brain health and potentially reduce dementia risk.”

This post originally appeared at inc.com.

FDA approves first at-home starting dosage for subcutaneous lecanemab in Alzheimer’s disease

 

Whoops, lecanemab is not for me. With my damaged brain already running with millions to billions less neurons I'll pass on more brain shrinkage. But I'm not medically trained so don't listen to me.

From this article comes the following paragraphs:

YIKES! FDA Approves Lecanemab Against Alzheimer’s

But there is a new and disturbing fly in the ointment.. A study published in the journal Neurology (March 27, 2023) reveals that anti-amyloid drugs like lecanemab can cause brain shrinkage. The researchers call this accelerated “brain atrophy.” 

And this from the article means more reason not to do this. Caution is also advised for patients using anticoagulant medications because of an increased risk of intracerebral haemorrhage.

FDA approves first at-home starting dosage for subcutaneous lecanemab in Alzheimer’s disease

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new starting dosage regimen for the subcutaneous (SC) formulation of lecanemab-irmb (Leqembi IQLIK) for adult patients with Alzheimer’s disease. This approval allows individuals to begin treatment via home administration by themselves or a caregiver, marking a significant update from the previous requirement for an intravenous (IV) starting dosage.

Lecanemab-irmb is an amyloid beta-directed antibody indicated for patients at the mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia stage of Alzheimer’s disease with confirmed amyloid pathology. Before this decision, the SC formulation was only authorised as a maintenance option for patients who had already completed 18 months of IV therapy.

Although the SC formulation was not evaluated in separate large clinical outcome trials, its approval was supported by evidence demonstrating that it produced equivalent results in the body and similar reductions in amyloid plaques compared with the IV formulation.

Common side effects include headache, infusion-related reactions, and amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA). ARIA is a known side effect of amyloid-targeting antibodies and typically presents as temporary brain swelling or small spots of bleeding. While often asymptomatic, ARIA can lead to headache, confusion, dizziness, and nausea, and may infrequently cause life-threatening brain oedema.

The prescribing information includes a boxed warning regarding ARIA risks. The FDA noted that patients homozygous for the ApoE ε4 allele have a higher incidence of serious ARIA compared with heterozygotes and non-carriers. Consequently, testing for ApoE ε4 status should be performed before initiating treatment.

Additional adverse reactions associated with SC administration include injection-site reactions such as redness, swelling, and pain. Caution is also advised for patients using anticoagulant medications because of an increased risk of intracerebral haemorrhage.

The approval was granted to Eisai under a priority review designation.

Healthcare professionals should report all serious adverse events suspected to be associated with the use of any medicine and device to FDA’s MedWatch Reporting System or by calling 1-800-FDA-1088.

Reference: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/news-events-human-drugs/fda-approves-first-home-starting-dose-alzheimers-disease-treatment 

SOURCE: US Food and Drug Administration

Scientists just discovered the protein driving the spread of Alzheimer’s

 If your incompetent? doctor doesn't know about this; GET A NEW ONE! You do want your dementia risk down to nothing, right?

Here is the good side of the Arc protein which of course any competent doctor would know about!

Surprise: A virus-like protein is important for cognition and memory January 2018 

The latest here:

Scientists just discovered the protein driving the spread of Alzheimer’s

Researchers identified a brain protein that appears to help the disease spread between neurons, opening a potential new avenue for future treatments.

Scientists may have uncovered a new clue to how Alzheimer’s disease spreads through the brain, a discovery that could one day lead to new treatments.

Researchers have long known that a toxic protein called tau spreads across the brain in Alzheimer’s patients, where it kills brain cells and drives cognitive decline. However, in a new study published in the peer-reviewed journal Cell, investigators at the University of Utah found that Arc, a brain protein that helps neurons communicate, also helps package and transmit tau across the brain cells. 

“I had a hunch Arc may be involved, but wasn’t expecting our results to be so clear,” Jason Shepherd, a professor in the University of Utah’s department of neurobiology and lead researcher in the study, told Inc. “When my student [Mitali Tyagi, a co-author of the study] first found that tau transmission was almost gone in neurons that lacked Arc, I was surprised and excited.”

Arc’s role in mice

To investigate how Arc operates, Shepherd’s team compared brain activity in mice with and without the protein. Ten weeks after injecting the mice with tau, they found that neuron-to-neuron tau transmission was significantly reduced in mice lacking Arc, suggesting the protein plays a critical role in helping tau spread, according to the study.

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The finding identifies a potential new target for slowing Alzheimer’s progression.

“Many neurodegenerative diseases have a similar origin: toxic misfolded proteins that kill neurons,” Shepherd says. “Over time, these toxic proteins spread across the brain, but this process is slow. If we could stop this spread early in the disease, we could potentially completely stop the disease from getting worse.”

Arc is still essential to brain health

However, this doesn’t mean eliminating Arc is the answer.

Although Arc appears to facilitate the spread of toxic tau, it also plays a vital role in learning and memory. Any future Alzheimer’s treatment targeting Arc would need to preserve its normal function while preventing it from transporting tau, Shepherd says.

More research is also needed before the findings can be translated to people.

“Most of our studies have been done in mice, so even though all these proteins are highly conserved in humans, we still need to know if similar processes are causally involved in the transmission of tau in human neurons,” Shepherd says. “Our next studies aim to test this.”

This post originally appeared at inc.com.

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Study reveals the simple changes that could cut your dementia risk

Guidelines NOT protocols! Screaming at your doctor for EXACT PREVENTION PROTOCOLS may be required! And we're supposed to be grateful for lazy crapola like this?

Study reveals the simple changes that could cut your dementia risk

A new study suggests that a structured programme of regular exercise and a brain-healthy diet could improve memory and thinking in older people at risk of dementia.

The trial, conducted across 12 countries in Latin America, included more than 1,000 patients aged 60 to 77.

They were deemed at risk of developing dementia due to age or factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and whether they smoked.

Around half of these participants were assigned to a two-year programme. This involved supervised exercise sessions four days a week and personalised dietary advice, focusing on brain-healthy foods like green leafy vegetables, whole grains, berries, fish, nuts, and beans.

Activities were tailored to local culture, including salsa dancing, with researchers ensuring diets were affordable and easy to source locally.

Patients also met in small groups to socialise, took part in computer-based brain training, and regularly had their blood pressure, weight, and blood sugar recorded.

The second group were given general health advice and attended four one-hour meetings over the two years.

The study found that cognition, episodic memory, executive function and procession speed were all better among those following the structured programme.

Researchers said that the findings, published in The Lancet, suggest that “harmonised, non-pharmacological interventions can be implemented across diverse sociocultural settings while maintaining standardisation and producing measurable cognitive benefits in older adults”.

Alzheimer’s Society estimates that about a million people in the UK have dementia, a number likely to rise to 1.4 million by 2040.

The Independent is the world’s most free-thinking news brand, providing global news, commentary and analysis for the independently-minded. We have grown a huge, global readership of independently minded individuals, who value our trusted voice and commitment to positive change. Our mission, making change happen, has never been as important as it is today.

One thing in your blood may predict Alzheimer’s risk years before symptoms

 Is your doctor competent? enough to have this test ready for you; AND  have EXACT DEMENTIA PREVENTION PROTOCOLS READY,  based on your risk of dementia post stroke?

Your risk of dementia, has your doctor told you of this?  Your doctor is responsible for preventing this! Is s/he willing to prevent this?

1. A documented 33% dementia chance post-stroke from an Australian study?   May 2012.

2. Then this study came out and seems to have a range from 17-66%. December 2013.`    

3. A 20% chance in this research.   July 2013.

4. Dementia Risk Doubled in Patients Following Stroke September 2018 

The latest here:

One thing in your blood may predict Alzheimer’s risk years before symptoms

A blood test that measures a single protein may be able to predict a seemingly healthy person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s-related cognitive decline up to a decade before any symptoms appear, according to new research.

The findings, presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) 2026 in London, England, found that older adults with very high levels of a biomarker called p-tau217 had roughly a 78 percent chance of developing cognitive impairment within 10 years, even though they showed no signs of memory or thinking problems when tested.

Almost 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease today, and that number is projected to nearly double to about 13 million by 2050 if no medical breakthrough changes the trend, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

‘Tremendous Promise’ but Proceed Carefully

Dr. Manisha Parulekar, co-director of the Center for Memory Loss and Brain Health at Hackensack University Medical Center, New Jersey, told Newsweek the test could transform how doctors approach Alzheimer’s risk.

“A single blood test to detect Alzheimer’s predisposition in cognitively healthy individuals holds tremendous promise,” Parulekar said.

She added that it could move risk assessment “out of specialty clinics and into primary care” and open the door to early, personalized interventions targeting factors such as blood pressure, sleep, hearing and physical activity. It could also speed up recruitment for prevention trials, she said, “enabling us to test whether intervening in the preclinical phase can delay or prevent disease onset.”

psychological distress, anxiety, and anticipatory grief,” and raised concerns about insurance discrimination and unequal access to future care.

“Responsible implementation must pair the test with structured counseling, equitable access to interventions, and robust support infrastructure,” she said.

What the Researchers Found

Researchers had examined blood samples from nearly 2,700 cognitively healthy adults, average age 70, drawn from six major Alzheimer’s research groups and clinical trials. It is among the largest studies of its kind to date. Participants were tracked for an average of nearly five years, with some followed for more than a decade, using standard tests of memory, thinking and daily function.

Adults with p-tau217 levels more than double the study average had an estimated 78 percent risk of cognitive impairment within 10 years, and about a 38 percent risk within five years. Those with moderately elevated levels faced a lower but still notable risk: about 15 percent over five years and 45 percent over 10 years. Notably, the blood test added predictive value beyond what brain scans and genetic testing alone could offer.

P-tau217 is a modified form of the tau protein, which forms tangles in the brain that are a hallmark of Alzheimer’s and are closely tied to cognitive decline. The protein is also linked to levels of amyloid beta, a second hallmark of the disease, making it a useful single marker for both processes.

Study lead author Rachel F. Buckley, associate chair of research at the Mass General Brigham Neuroscience Institute and associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School, said in a statement that the results offer “some of the clearest evidence yet that elevated p-tau217 levels may help detect dementia risk years earlier—even in adults with no noticeable memory or thinking problems.”

She said the test could eventually help recruit patients for trials of treatments aimed at preventing cognitive decline.

Researchers stressed that the biomarker alone cannot fully predict an individual’s future risk, since age, genetics, kidney function, obesity and racial and ethnic background can all influence both biomarker levels and dementia risk. They said more diverse study populations and longer follow-up periods are needed to refine long-term risk estimates.

The p-tau217 blood test is FDA-cleared for clinical use in the United States. In May 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared the Lumipulse G pTau217/β-Amyloid 1-42 Plasma Ratio, which is manufactured by Fujirebio, as the first in vitro diagnostic blood test to aid in diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease.

Newsweek has reached out to the study’s authors for more information.

Reference

Buckley, R. F., et al. (2026). Prognostic Value of Blood-Based P-Tau217 Levels for Progression to Cognitive Impairment. JAMA. doi:10.1001/jama.2026.12556.

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Marc Vargas and James Debens

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‘Neural tourniquet’ device could hold key to stopping life-threatening hemorrhage

 Ask your competent? doctor if this would include brain hemorrhages and the ones from Hemorrhagic transformation ! 

Your doctor is already familiar with this use, right?

Researchers find neuroprotective effects of trigeminal nerve stimulation in severe TBI August 2017

NO? So you have a fuckingly incompetent doctor then!

‘Neural tourniquet’ device could hold key to stopping life-threatening hemorrhage

An ear-based wearable device that taps the body’s longest cranial nerve can boost blood clotting in what researchers are hopeful could be a new way of treating severe bleeding. 

That’s according to new data out from Northwell Health’s Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and published in Bioelectronic Medicine this month. 

Scientists from the Institute unveiled data from the first-in-human mechanistic study suggesting that electrical stimulation to the ear could help healthy adults improve their blood clotting. 

The central premise is that activating the vagus nerve can work as a “neural tourniquet,” as this nerve influences many bodily functions, including inflammation and blood clotting.

The tech comes from Spark Biomedical’s transcutaneous auricular neurostimulation (tAN) platform, which is set up to engage the vagus and trigeminal nerves through the ear.

This first study assessed two auricular stimulation modalities: transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) and tAN, which combines vagal and trigeminal nerve stimulation. 

The researchers found that both approaches successfully activated platelets, increasing their readiness to respond to injury. 

“Specifically, taVNS accelerated the initiation, propagation, and stabilization of blood clots,” the Institute said in a release.

The data are early stage, and further trials will be needed to validate the technology's worth.

The scientists behind the study are hailing the approach as a potentially new, non-invasive method of helping in severe bleeding situations, such as from blunt trauma, on the battlefield, or in hemophilia patients.  

The device is small and can be carried as part of a medical kit, making it easy to use. 

“Imagine a non-painful technology that taps into the body’s own healing powers and saves a person from bleeding to death,” said Jared Huston, M.D., professor of Surgery and Science Education in the Department of Surgery at Northwell and the Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine at the Feinstein Institutes, in a statement. 

“With this study, we have more confidence that bioelectronic medicine is safe to use for the treatment of bleeding conditions and I hope to conduct additional studies to develop this potential treatment," he said.