An analysis of data from four studies that included nearly 40,000 people appears to indicate a possible connection between anxiety during middle age and a diagnosis of dementia in old age. The authors of the analysis suggest that an abnormal stress response may speed brain cell aging and breakdowns in the nervous system, creating a…

Past studies have shown that drivers who talk on cellphones are up to four times more likely to crash, and those who text are up to eight times more likely to be involved in a collision than individuals who don’t use phones while driving. A survey of more than 2,600 drivers revealed that nearly 58%…

A nationwide poll of more than 1,000 adults revealed that 39% of respondents are more anxious than they were a year ago, with finances, safety, and health topping the list as sources of anxiety. American Psychiatric Association, May 2018

While being overweight is linked to a number of poor health outcomes, being underweight in old age can have a detrimental effect on the brain. In this study, which looked at data from the Gothenburg Birth Cohort Studies, researchers found that seniors with a body mass index under 20 had a greater risk for dementia…

Among a sample of 3,742 type 1 diabetics, those with depression at middle-age had a 72% increased risk for developing dementia over the next two decades. This finding is especially worrisome to researchers as 20% of participants had diagnosed depression at the onset of the study. Aging & Mental Health, April 2018

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects over one million Americans. After reviewing data from seven studies involving over 340,000 patients, researchers report that hypertensive adults have more than a 30% increased risk for developing Parkinson’s disease later in life. Frontiers in Neurology, March 2018

Past research has identified a relationship between short adult leg length and the quality of nutrition in early life. In a study that included over 13,000 seniors from East Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America, researchers found an association between short leg length and dementia risk. This finding suggests that poor nutrition in childhood may…

Individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who become smokers tend to try their first cigarette at a younger age than their peers without ADHD. Additionally, the data show that smokers with ADHD smoke more cigarettes per day and have a more difficult time quitting. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, March 2018

A review of data from six published studies involving military veterans has found that those with a previous diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or major depressive disorder have a significantly higher risk for developing dementia. Psychological Medicine, March 2018

Compared to their peers with strong lungs, young and middle-aged adults with poor pulmonary function (PPF) have up to a 30% increased risk for developing dementia later in life, even after controlling for smoking status and vascular comorbidities. Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders, March 2018