appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

hooksArticlePageFloatingButtonConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Anthea Rowan

This is the 32nd instalment in a series on dementia, including the research into its causes and treatment, advice for carers, and stories of hope.
When my mother had a stroke four years before the first signs of dementia were visible to us, she lost her ability to read.
After her stroke she developed a rare condition called pure alexia – acquired reading impairment without losing the ability to spell and write; she went, overnight, from being able to read words on a page to not being able to fathom a single one.
“This is all rubbish,” she announced. It was the only sign of stroke that she exhibited outwardly.

Stroke presents as a significant risk factor for dementia later and is likely to have caused – certainly contributed – to my mother’s.
One in four people who suffer a stroke go on to develop dementia. And one in four people will have a stroke in their lifetime.
Sometimes the risk presents soon after a stroke. “We found a three-fold risk of dementia between three and 12 months after stroke,” Raed Joundi, a neurologist at Hamilton Health Sciences and assistant professor at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, said.

The presence of a higher risk of dementia soon after stroke isn’t that surprising, he says.
“There is a direct brain injury from the stroke, which can impact cognition and daily function,” he says, and because the patient is likely to be under close medical observation – my mother was in hospital for three weeks after her stroke and a rehabilitation centre for three months after that – any changes in cognitive function are noted quickly.
The more surprising finding of the research was “that the increased risk of dementia persisted throughout 20 years of follow-up, so there are many indirect mechanisms that may be acting long-term to promote a higher risk of dementia years after stroke”, says Joundi.
Losing important functions like reading, speaking, or communicating may promote sensory and social isolation ... this may make individuals more susceptible to dementia
Raed Joundi, neurologist
The dementia risk soon after stroke may be due to direct injury to parts of the brain that impact cognitive function; lesions that cause difficulty with language and performing tasks are more highly associated with a dementia risk.
“This includes the thalamus, left frontotemporal lobes, and right parietal lobes. Lesions that cause aphasia (difficulty with language) and apraxia (difficulty with performing tasks) are more highly associated with dementia,” he says.
My mother’s stroke interfered with her visual perception of letters and as a result she battled with written language.
Bruce Willis’ dementia diagnosis: what is FTD and how to spot early signs
The enduring long-term risk is probably due to an acceleration of age-related and neurodegenerative pathways, as well as neuro-inflammation, Joundi explains.
When I describe my mother’s experience of stroke, Joundi says that this could be one of the important ways dementia risk is elevated after stroke. Social activity and intellectual engagement can slow the progression of dementia.
“Losing important functions like reading, speaking, or communicating may promote sensory and social isolation and decrease the amount of social and intellectual stimulation.
“Eventually this may lessen cognitive reserve and make individuals more susceptible to the onset and effects of dementia.” Cognitive reserve is defined as “a property of the brain that allows for better than expected function given the degree of adverse brain-related change”.

Research by a team at University College London found that reading the newspaper might reduce the risk of dementia in women by 35 per cent. The women monitored were from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, which includes people born in or before the 1950s.
Lead author Pamela Almeida-Meza says: “At the time, there were few women in higher education or senior positions at work, but many were self-educating, which had a positive impact ultimately on brain health.”
Self-education through reading was something my mother could no longer do. Because of that she lost both intellectual and social stimulation as she stopped writing to stay in touch.
How to help the elderly cope with lockdown anxiety, loneliness
Those things conspired to cause a loss of self-esteem and independence which drove the isolation further.
Dr Emily Rosenich at the University of South Australia says that while research on cognitive reserve in the context of stroke is not completely understood, preliminary evidence suggests it has the potential to influence stroke outcomes and recovery.
After all, how do you explain how people recover lost ability post-stroke so that they are able to talk again, walk or swallow; or to read – albeit much more slowly than before.

So why did my mother’s cognitive reserve – which seemed to sustain after stroke for a bit so that she got some reading back – not withstand the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease later?
If messages managed to circumnavigate the area of her brain damaged by the effects of stroke, why did that neural re-routing – that compensation – not grow more robust with practice, not get more efficient and not last?
The effect of stroke lasts long after the stroke itself, due in part to the “acceleration of age-related and neurodegenerative pathways”, Joundi says.
As my mother’s doctor explained, cerebral blood flow in stroke is interrupted or impeded – and vascular health is as important for our hearts as our brains.

Add to these the physiological insults of stroke, my mother’s immediate loss of fluency in reading and a subsequent growing isolation from the world because she could no longer read with ease or speed.
She didn’t write, which meant she lost the ability to communicate with those she once enjoyed corresponding with by letter or email.
Her stroke didn’t just impact her brain at the time of her stroke, but also caused a sort of catastrophic leaking of precious cognitive reserve: a brain drain.
Like what you read? Follow SCMP Lifestyle on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also sign up for our eNewsletter here.


Why dementia is preventable – and the new tools that can reduce your risk

A guide to Hong Kong’s bitter herbal teas and how Gen Z is reviving the health tradition

Focused ultrasound could be the next big cancer breakthrough for hard-to-treat tumours

How much sex should a couple have? Focus on quality over quantity, experts say

Wellness

How a stroke raises dementia risk in the short term, and for decades afterwards – losing the ability to read, or speak, causes social isolation

A stroke can cause loss in abilities such as reading and speaking, and may promote sensory and social isolation and decrease social and intellectual stimulation.
Photo: Shutterstock

The dementia risk early after stroke may be caused by direct brain injury in parts of the brain that affect cognitive function. But this risk persists for up to 20 years. Photo: Shutterstock

Neurologist Raed Joundi, an assistant professor at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, says the presence of a higher risk of dementia soon after stroke isn’t that surprising. Photo: Raed Joundi

Research by a team at University College London found that reading the newspaper might reduce the risk of dementia in women by 35 per cent. Photo: Shutterstock

50 years ago, there were few women in higher education or senior positions at work, but many were self-educating, which had a positive impact on brain health, says Pamela Almeida-Meza, from University College London. Photo: Pamela Almeida-Meza

Dr Emily Rosenich at the University of South Australia says that while research on cognitive reserve in the context of stroke is not completely understood, preliminary evidence suggests it has the potential to influence stroke outcomes and recovery. Photo: Dr Emily Rosenich

What happens after we die? Near-death experiences suggest the soul and afterlife exist, says doctor who studies people’s accounts of them

Many people who have had a near-death experience recall travelling through a tunnel toward a bright light. One doctor who studies people’s accounts of them says they may suggest the existence of a life after death. Photo: Shutterstock

Betty, like many who have a near-death experience, says she could witness things going on around her. illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

Dr Jeffrey Long, founder of the Near-Death Experience Research Foundation. Photo: Dr Jeffrey Long

Long says that people who have had a near-death experience commonly report a separation of their body and consciousness. Photo: Shutterstock

Those who have near-death experiences often report being greeted by deceased loved ones and sometimes pets. Photo: Shutterstock

The cover of Long’s book, Evidence of the Afterlife: The Science of Near-death Experiences. Photo: Amazon

The cover of Greyson’s The Handbook of Near-Death Experiences: Thirty Years of Investigation, which Long contributed to. Photo: Amazon

How dental health may impact brain health; experts describe how poor oral hygiene is linked to higher risk of developing dementia

Bad dental hygiene could affect your mental health in the future, according to a study that says the risk of Alzheimer’s is 21 per cent higher in people with poor hygiene and gum disease. Photo: Professor Nicola West

Anthea Rowan’s mother pictured 18 months before she died. She wore dentures after her own teeth were removed. Photo: courtesy of Anthea Rowan

Good teeth and gum health support overall physical well-being, says Hong Kong dentist Dr Raymond Lee. Photo: Dr Raymond Lee

Professor Nicola West led the team that conducted the recent MySmile study into the links between gum disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Photo: University of Bristol Dental School

Taking good care of your teeth may be one way to help protect against dementia: new research has found a link between poor dental health and developing Alzheimer’s disease. Photo: Shutterstock

Brush your teeth twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste, and floss daily, to safeguard dental and brain health, experts advise. Photo: Shutterstock 

How speaking more than one language can delay dementia symptoms – it helps build cognitive reserve, which protects your brain

While the age of acquiring a second language might play a role in fending off dementia symptoms, what’s much more important is the frequent use of multiple languages in daily life. Photo: Shutterstock

Speaking more than one language increases what is called your cognitive reserve and can thus delay the onset of dementia symptoms, according to recent studies. The more you use a second language, the better. Photo: Shutterstock 

Dr Mario Mendez, a professor of neurology and psychiatry at UCLA, led a recent study into the effect of speaking multiple languages on the onset of dementia symptoms. Photo: UCLA

To learn a new language is taxing on the frontal lobes. To meet demand the brain works to maximise efficiency by strengthening connections with other more automated parts of the brain. Photo: Shutterstock

Dr John Grundy, of Iowa State University, believes the earlier you learn a second language, the better it is for your brain. Other experts believe it’s how often you speak them that counts. Photo: Iowa State University

Learning a second language early in life is believed to be most effective in protecting against dementia symptoms later in life, although learning at any age will bring benefits. Photo: Shutterstock

Lifestyle

Health & Wellness

Health

Decoding dementia

How caring for a parent with dementia taught me about symptoms, prevention and why seeking out the latest research is so important

Author Anthea Rowan (right) with her mother.

Author Anthea Rowan (right) with her mother, who has Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia. Photo: Anthea Rowan

Anthea with her mother. Photo: Anthea Rowan

Studies suggest that regular exercise lowers the risk of cognitive decline by 35 per cent. Photo: Getty Images

Staying active can help prevent or delay the onset of dementia, studies suggest. Photo: Shutterstock

Why should you have a brain scan to test for dementia when there’s no cure? Knowing can help you delay its onset, neurologist says

It can be daunting to get a brain scan to test for signs of dementia, but a neurologist behind new research reveals the advantages of knowing early. Photo: Shutterstock

New research has found that dementia can be detected as early as nine years before symptoms manifest, and this could have significant implications for treatment. Photo: Shutterstock

Timothy Rittman, the neurologist who led the dementia research at Cambridge University. Photo: Cambridge University

A brain scan showing signs of dementia. Photo: Getty Images

Lizzie Perry, founder of This is Dementia, with her father, who was diagnosed with the disease at 58. Photo: This is Dementia

The approval in the US of a new drug that slows the onset of Alzheimer’s makes Rittman hopeful about the future of dementia treatment. Photo: Cambridge University

Why women are more likely to have dementia than men as they age, and how exercise and engagement can help lower your risk

Women may be at a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s than men for a number of reasons: biological, societal or cultural. Experts suggest exercise and social engagement can help offset the risk. Photo: Getty Images

The spread of tau – the protein that clumps into the telltale tangles of dementia – may contribute to Alzheimer’s disease. Photo: Shutterstock

Female twins with a male co-twin were less likely to be diagnosed with dementia than female twins with a female co-twin. Photo: Shutterstock

Prenatal care and monitoring pregnant women’s health is key, as it may impact cognition and dementia risk in later life. Photo: Shutterstock

Taking regular exercise is key for women – and men – to reduce the risk of dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

How high or low blood pressure increases the risk of dementia, and why it’s never too late, or early, to adopt a healthy lifestyle to manage it

Having blood pressure that is too high or too low has been linked to a higher risk of dementia, but it’s never too late to start living a healthy lifestyle that will help maintain optimal blood pressure. Photo: Shutterstock


An optimal blood pressure reading, easily measured with a home device, is around 120/80. Photo: Shutterstock

Dr Ruth Peters was lead author of a study looking at the links between blood pressure and dementia. Photo: Dr Ruth Peters

It’s never too late, or too early, to start thinking about brain health and living a healthy lifestyle. Photo: Shutterstock

Problems with reasoning, planning, judgment, memory and other thought processes may result from damage caused by impaired blood flow to the brain – which may be brought on by high blood pressure. Photo: Shutterstock

6 dementia fighting tips from Dr Sanjay Gupta and Marc Milstein, experts on brain health – walk, talk, read, learn, relax, and eat and drink properly

We can protect ourselves against the risk of dementia with some simple lifestyle practices. Exercising (above), eating a good diet, drinking less alcohol, socialising, reading more and trying new things all help keep the brain sharp, say brain experts including Dr Sanjay Gupta. Photo: Shutterstock 

The cover of one of Dr Sanjay Gupta’s book. Photo: Simon & Schuster

The cover of Marc Milstein’s book. Photo: Marc Milstein

Drink alcohol mindfully and ask yourself why you are having that drink. Photo: Shutterstock

Learning new things creates new brain cell connections and helps keep your mind sharp. Photo: Shutterstock

Reading is good for brain health. Try to read a wide range of book styles, and join a book club to discuss with others what you are reading. Photo: Shutterstock

During sleep, our brains are restored and repaired, so relaxing is important if we’re going to get those seven hours of quality sleep. Photo: Shutterstock

Relationships keep us engaged, interested and interesting, and may help prevent dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

‘Like a light switch’: how sundowning syndrome affects dementia sufferers – and their carers; what it is and tips for how to cope

A person with dementia may experience “sundowning” syndrome - towards the end of the day they become more agitated, confused, panicked, resistant to instruction and restless. This affects their carers, too. Photo: Shutterstock

A person in bed, unable to sleep. Conservative estimates suggest about 20 per cent of dementia patients experience sundowning at some point.

Trey Todd is a neuroscientist at the University of Wyoming. Photo: Trey Todd

Sundowning was coined in 1987 by Lois Evans of Penn Nursing at Pennsylvania University. Photo: University of Pennsylvania

The pineal gland in our brain produces melatonin, which is what helps prompt us to sleep and awaken. In a broken system it is disrupted. Melatonin supplements might help fight sundowning. Photo: Shutterstock

Taking a patient with sundowning syndrome for a walk at a consistent time each day, morning or evening, may alleviate symptoms. Photo: Shutterstock

Getting out into the daylight early in the day is good for our sleep patterns, whether we have dementia or not. Photo: Shutterstock

Healthy marriage, healthy mind? Dementia risk lower for people married a long time, studies show; expert suggests why

Research suggests that people who have stayed married for a long time have a lower risk for dementia because they feel less lonely, are more likely to eat well and exercise more, and are more cognitively engaged. Photo: Shutterstock

Vegard Skirbekk is a researcher at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Photo: Norwegian Institute of Public Health

Anthea Rowan’s parents on their wedding day. Photo: courtesy of Anthea Rowan

A long-time married partner represents a security that provides a buffer against stressors. Photo: Shutterstock

Anthea Rowan and her husband on their wedding day. Photo: courtesy of Anthea Rowan

If you live with a partner long term, you are more likely to develop healthy daily patterns, to eat well and exercise more. Photo: Shutterstock

‘Dementia village’ that’s the first of its kind helps residents live normal lives, has a restaurant, theatre and supermarket – and no one wears a white coat

Residents are free to live their lives as they like at the world’s first “dementia village”, The Hogeweyk in The Netherlands. Photo: The Hogeweyk

The Hogeweyk, a “dementia villlage” in the Netherlands, provides care and a familiar and safe environment in which people with dementia live while retaining their own identity and autonomy as much as possible. Photo: The Hogeweyk

Jannette Spiering is the senior managing adviser and co-founder at The Hogeweyk in the Netherlands, which offers “humanising care for people with dementia”. Photo: The Hogeweyk

Residents relax around the fountain in the theatre square at The Hogeweyk. Photo: The Hogeweyk 

Residents of The Hogeweyk respond positively to their increased autonomy. Photo: The Hogeweyk

Residents at the healthcare facility take part in a painting class. Photo: The Hogeweyk

Hearing loss dramatically raises the risk of dementia, so why are so many people in midlife doing nothing to prevent it? A test is easy to arrange

Hearing loss has been linked to a higher risk of dementia and cognitive decline,  say experts, who recommend testing for preventable hearing problems (above).  Photo: Getty Images

Alison Huang, a senior research associate at the Cochlear Centre at Johns Hopkins, in the US, says hearing loss makes the brain work harder to process sounds. Photo: Johns Hopkins

Jiang Fan from the School of Public Health at China’s Shandong University. Photo: Shandong University

Checking your hearing in midlife is crucial, and can help you stave off cognitive deterioration. Photo: Shutterstock

Can HRT reduce dementia risk? New hormone replacement therapy studies say yes, upending 2002 reports

HRT use has been linked to better cognition, blood flow and brain size and a reduction in all neurodegenerative disease in recent studies. Photo: Shutterstock

HRT (hormone replacement therapy) use has been linked to better cognition, blood flow and brain size and a reduction in dementia and other neurodegenerative disease in recent studies. Photo: Shutterstock

If HRT is started after the age of 65, brain cells will have already been deprived of oestrogen for many years. This could mean there is a decline in neuronal connections – the brain’s messaging system. Photo: Shutterstock

HRT was found to be most effective when introduced early in menopause, says Anne Marie Minihane, director of the UK’s Norwich Institute of Healthy Ageing at the University of East Anglia. Photo: University of East Anglia

Dr Andrea Kwakowsky from at the University of Galway in Ireland believes the “critical period” for starting HRT is within five years of menopause. Photo: University of Galway

How can you prevent dementia? Free brain health online tool teaches the risks and gives essential tips on avoiding it

The new free “Think Brain Health Check-in” online tool from Alzheimer’s Research UK doesn’t test your memory but checks how well you’re looking after your brain and gives tips to help prevent dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

Dr Susan Mitchell is head of policy at Alzheimer’s Research UK. Photo: Dr Susan Mitchell

The Think Brain Health Check-in asks how often you challenge your brain - and then highlights why challenging your brain is key to staving off dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

Getting a good night’s sleep every night is one way to lower the risk of developing dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

Up to 40 per cent of dementia cases could be prevented if people were mindful of the risk factors for the illness and made lifestyle changes to prevent them. Photo: Shutterstock

Can lack of sleep raise dementia risk? Yes, studies say – but with one exception

Having only five hours of sleep a night can increase dementia risk by 30 per cent for adults over 50, one study says. Photo: Shutterstock

One tip to overcome insomnia is to avoid clock-watching. Photo: Shutterstock

Taking a warm shower or bath in the hour or so before bed may help you fall asleep – and stay asleep. Photo: Shutterstock

Professor Roger Wong of the department of public health and preventive medicine at the State University of New York’s Upstate Medical University. Photo: Roger Wong

Sleep aids can heighten dementia risk, Wong says. Photo: Shutterstock

Can’t sleep? Try getting up and engaging in cognitively stimulating activities, like reading or making jam. Photo: Shutterstock

Dementia and ACB scores: how common prescription and over-the-counter drugs raise the risk of memory loss and cognitive decline

Certain common drugs, including antihistamines, antacids, antidepressants and anti-anxiety medicines, can disrupt the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, dubbed the “memory molecule” increasing the risk of dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

The writer, Anthea Rowan, with her mother. Photo: Anthea Rowan

Taking medications that block the action of acetylcholine can lead to memory loss, problems with spatial awareness, and cognitive decline. Photo: Shutterstock

Studies have found that anticholinergic drugs carried “significant’ dementia risk” for the over-65s. Photo: Shutterstock

Doctors need to be mindful of the risks posed by anticholinergic drugs, especially to an already at-risk population: the over 65s. Photo: Shutterstock

How to safeguard your ageing brain: build ‘cognitive reserve’ with mental and physical exercise, and stay active and socially engaged

The phrase ‘use it or lose it’ is not just a hypothesis, it’s a basic biological fact that holds as true for our brains as our muscles or bones. Photo:
Shutterstock

Our brains, like our muscles need regular use to stay healthy and flexible, say experts, and keeping our brains active builds our ‘cognitive reserve’, helping us to stave off dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

Geriatric psychiatrist Dr David Merrill recommends the active pursuit of activities that keep the brain sharp to stave off dementia. Photo: Dr David Merrill

Dorina Cadar says cultural and social engagement, reading, doing crossword puzzles, visiting art galleries, clubs and cinemas, and volunteering all increase our cognitive reserve. Photo: Dorina Cadar

Visiting an art gallery or doing something new and different are good ways to build up cognitive reserve. Photo: Shutterstock 

How yoga benefits dementia patients: new study uncovers brain-health boosts, supporting earlier research

Yoga has health benefits including better brain neuroplasticity, improved sleep quality, and more robust cardiorespiratory fitness, all of which help people experiencing cognitive decline or dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

Dr Diana Karamacoska is a research support programme fellow in healthy ageing and dementia at the NICM Health Research Institute at Western Sydney University. Photo: Courtesy of Diana Karamacoska

Yoga could be helpful in managing brain inflammation, particularly with its mindfulness component. Photo: Shutterstock

Wendy Du is the founder of Shan Studios in Hong Kong. Photo: Wendy Du/Shan Studios

Du has maintained a daily yoga practice for 10 years. Photo: Courtesy of Shan Studios

5 nutrients good for brain health that can delay dementia, or prevent it, and foods to eat with a high concentration of them

Research has identified some key nutrients we need in our diets to maintain good cognitive function and delay or prevent the onset of dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

Eating healthy isn’t just good for our bodies, it’s good for our brains, too. Photo: Shutterstock

Zahinoor Ismail, of the O’Brien Institute for Public Health at the University of Calgary. Photo: University of Calgary

Kale with pine nuts is a dish high in magnesium, and so good for brain function. Photo: Shutterstock

Oatmeal, and other wholegrain foods such as brown rice and quinoa, are rich in magnesium. Photo: Shutterstock

Mackerel is a fish that is especially high in magnesium. Photo: Shutterstock

Why you have to keep smiling at a dementia patient – you’ll feel better and it could evoke a positive response

A smile can bring a smile in return from a dementia patient, and may make them more amenable to your requests. Photo: Shutterstock

Author Anthea Rowan with her mother, who suffered from dementia. As a carer you’ve got to keep smiling, an expert on the condition tells her - and it’s not for the reason you might think. Photo: Anthea Rowan

Timothy Kwok, professor of geriatric medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Director of the Jockey Club Centre for Positive Ageing. Photo: Timothy Kwok

Dementia sufferers cannot be reasoned with, and their emotions can run the gamut from highly positive to negative in the course of a day. Photo: Shutterstock

Many dementia sufferers end up in residential care homes because caring for them is difficult and time-consuming – especially for family members with jobs. Photo: Shutterstock

The living room at Jockey Club Centre for Positive Ageing, in Hong Kong. Photo: Jockey Club Centre for Positive Ageing

‘An attack by aliens’: how to deal with a dementia patient’s delusions – experts’ tips for carers

Carers often find it challenging to calm a dementia patient down when they suffer from paranoia, hallucinations and delusions. Experts offer advice on what to do. Photo: Shutterstock

It can be heartbreaking for a carer, especially if they are a family member, when a dementia patient cannot recognise them. Photo: Shutterstock

Disinhibition, poor control or restraint over emotions or actions, is common in patients with advanced dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

Professor Fiona Kumfor is a neuropsychologist at the University of Sydney in Australia. Photo: Fiona Kumfor

When a dementia patient cannot remember where they put something, they might jump to the conclusion that it has been stolen. Photo: Shutterstock

Dementia begins in the memory centres, the hippocampus and the medial temporal lobe, then moves to other parts of the brain like the temporal lobes and then into the frontal lobe and the parietal lobes. Photo: Shutterstock

Sometimes dementia patients lose the ability to recognise loved ones’ faces, and so they may say they have never met them before. Photo: Shutterstock

Timothy Kwok is a professor of geriatric medicine at Chinese University of Hong Kong. Photo: Timothy Kwok

Unravelling 2 Alzheimer’s markers: what are amyloid plaques and tau tangles, how do they form and what do they do to the brain?

“Sepia galactic storms”: the rust coloured clumps are the stained amyloid plaques, the little black squiggles are the tau tangles. Photo: Andrew Lee

Amyloid plaques and tau tangles found in Alzheimer’s sufferers’ brains are caused by build-ups of proteins that block electrical messages. 
Photo: Shutterstock

Dr Andrew Lees, author of “The Silent Plague”, is a professor of neurology at the National Hospital in London and University College London. Photo: Dr Andrew Lees

Lee’s image of “sepia galactic storms”: the rust-coloured clumps are stained amyloid plaques, the little black squiggles are tau tangles. Photo: Andrew Lee

Two neurons: a healthy one and one with Alzheimer’s disease – with tangles and disintegration of the microtubules. Photo: Shutterstock

Daniele Vigolo and his team were able to monitor the change from liquid to solid in “fused in sarcoma” proteins, and study their internal structure. Photo: Daniele Vigolo

5 Alzheimer’s experts’ lifestyle advice on avoiding and delaying the onset of the most common form of dementia

Lifestyle tips for avoiding or delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, include staying active and socially engaged. Photo: Shutterstock

Keep your brain active throughout your lifetime – particularly by learning new skills as you age. Photo: Shutterstock 

Regular physical activity – even having a daily walk – can help delay the onset of dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

Dr Andrew Lees is professor of neurology at the National Hospital in London, and University College London. Photo: Dr Andrew Lees

Professor Timothy Kwok is professor of geriatric medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. 

Professor Craig Ritchie is professor of the psychiatry of ageing at the University of Edinburgh. Photo: Professor Craig Ritchie

Dr David Merrill is an adult and geriatric psychiatrist and director of the Brain Health Centre at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute in California. Photo: courtesy of David Merrill

David Robinson is a consultant geriatrician at St James’s Hospital in Dublin. Photo: David Robinson

At risk for Alzheimer’s disease? 2 new blood tests could detect it early – here’s how they do it

New blood tests developed in Hong Kong and the US deliver an easier, less invasive and more cost-effective way to detect Alzheimer’s disease early. Photo: Shutterstock

Professor Amy Fu is on the Cognitact team at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Photo: Professor Amy Fu

Previously, Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis relied on costly MRI scans. Photo: Shutterstock

Simulated results of Quest’s AD Detect Test for Alzheimer’s Disease. Photo: Quest

The author, Anthea Rowan, pictured with her late mother, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. Photo: Courtesy of Anthea Rowan

Excess belly fat linked to higher dementia risk, research shows. Experts explain, and advise how to shrink your waist to protect your brain

Having excess belly fat increases the risk of suffering from dementia, especially for women, according to recent research. Experts explain the link and give tips on how to shrink your waist to prevent your brain shrinking. Photo: Shutterstock