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Anthea Rowan

This is the 98th instalment in a series on dementia, including the research into its causes and treatment, advice for carers and stories of hope.
Dementia news is almost relentlessly grim – a steady drumbeat of rising cases and elusive cures.
More bad news came in 2025, when semaglutide, the blockbuster GLP-1 drug celebrated for treating diabetes, obesity and various other conditions, failed to slow Alzheimer’s progression. The setback prompted semaglutide’s developer, Novo Nordisk, to pull the plug on its high-profile dementia trial.
Beyond the headlines, however, a quieter, more encouraging shift is under way. Significant strides in brain health research are helping us tailor treatment, refine diagnosis and manage risk far more effectively.
Most importantly, science is revealing that much of this risk is within our own control. It marks a profound shift in thinking: we have gone from assuming dementia was an inevitable part of ageing to knowing increasingly that it is not.

Blood tests move into everyday practice
Advances in blood-based diagnostics mean they are now moving into real-world clinical use.
A large real-world study in Sweden found that an Alzheimer’s blood test helped family doctors diagnose the disease with nearly the same accuracy as specialists.
Covering 1,300 patients and 165 doctors, the study showed diagnostic accuracy jumped from 65 per cent to 93 per cent when doctors had access to the test results.
The findings are significant because early diagnosis can slow the condition’s progression, helping patients remain independent for longer and giving families more time to plan.
Another study pushed the blood test even earlier, to before any symptoms appeared. Researchers at Harvard Medical School followed nearly 2,700 cognitively healthy older adults for up to a decade, measuring the same class of protein biomarker (p-tau217). Those with very high levels had an estimated 78 per cent chance of developing cognitive impairment within 10 years, and roughly a two in five chance within five years.
But would you actually want to have a test like this, and what would the results mean for you?
Deborah Kan, who launched the Being Patient platform after her mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis to bridge the gap between patients and science, says a question she gets asked often is: should you get tested for Alzheimer’s if you have no symptoms?
The general consensus, Kan says, is no. You can have a biomarker result that indicates high risk and remain clinically free of symptoms – but the result can create enormous, often needless, worry.
A more useful approach, for now, is to monitor blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. Managing those supports whole-body health, and brain health along with it. There is still no cure for Alzheimer’s – but the race to find one continues, and a broadening view of what causes the disease might help win that race.












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The drug pipeline is diversifying
The GLP-1 trials may have been abandoned, but about 158 drugs are being tested across 192 active clinical trials – up from 138 drugs in 182 trials in 2025, and 127 drugs in 164 trials in 2024. This is an increasingly active space.
Scientists are looking far beyond just one cause for Alzheimer’s.
For years, research focused mainly on amyloid, a sticky protein that clumps together in the brain to form plaques, blocking communication between brain cells and driving memory loss. While amyloid remains an important factor, researchers now view Alzheimer’s as a “perfect storm” caused by several overlapping issues.
The focus of Alzheimer’s drug trials has shifted over the past decade. Amyloid treatments, which once made up a third of all research, have dropped to about 20 per cent.
Meanwhile, treatments targeting tau – a protein that forms tangles inside damaged brain cells – and treatments for immune dysfunction and brain swelling have grown, with each now accounting for a further fifth of trials.
Amyloid is not seen as the sole culprit, but as part of a bigger gang. The more culprits scientists identify, the more targets they have to develop new ways to fight back.
Lifestyle interventions still deliver real benefits
Findings from the LatAm-Fingers study, which looked at ways to prevent cognitive impairment in Latin America, suggest lifestyle changes can bring benefits. It built on the original Finger trial – the landmark Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability.
The study was built on lifestyle interventions you can count on your fingers: diet, physical activity, cognitive training, social engagement and stress management, and cardiovascular health.
LatAm-Fingers adapted this model for more than 1,000 older adults across sites in 11 countries, tailoring it to local cultures. For example, researchers incorporated salsa and tango dancing into the physical activity component, and used locally available foods such as avocado and quinoa in the diet component.
Over two years, participants showed a 55 per cent greater improvement in overall memory, thinking and reasoning than those following a self-guided programme that was not necessarily Finger adherent. It is a strong reminder of how much power we have to improve our own brain health – and how easily interventions can be adapted.

Retinal AI tool assesses dementia risk
At the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), professors Carol Cheung and Vincent Mok developed the world’s first retinal AI tool for assessing Alzheimer’s risk: i-Cog Brain Health (ICBH). Using special photographs of the back of the eye, ICBH tracks changes linked to brain health.
As Mok explains, the retina is a neurosensory tissue that, anatomically and physiologically, is essentially an extension of the brain, which mirrors changes in it. With an accuracy of more than 81 per cent, ICBH helps identify people at risk of future dementia and motivates them to adopt brain-healthy habits.

It is not a diagnostic tool but is effective at flagging risks that people can act on. Preliminary results suggest that tailored brain health management – lifestyle changes, for instance – in people who test positive with ICBH can slow cognitive ageing by two to three years, potentially reducing dementia cases by 20 to 30 per cent.
It has found practical applications.
CUHK worked with Hong Kong-based Charles K. Kao Foundation for Alzheimer’s Disease to launch a free community-based Alzheimer’s disease screening using ICBH for at-risk Hong Kong residents.
Hong Kong healthcare provider Humansa has also incorporated ICBH into an early dementia detection programme for its clients. ICBH is also in use at Hong Kong’s Asia Pacific Institute of Healthy Ageing and the CUHK Medical Centre.
Beyond flagging individual risk, ICBH’s real value may be as an educational tool. Mok suggests it may motivate at-risk people to adopt brain-healthy behaviours and help the public understand that dementia is, to a certain degree, preventable.

Sometimes, simple is best
Being Patient’s Kan attended the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference – the world’s largest annual meeting dedicated to advancing dementia science – in London in July 2026. For her, the most significant takeaway came not from the cutting-edge science presented, but from simple advice from a doctor friend. When she asked him how best to monitor brain health, he recommended buying a simple, inexpensive blood pressure cuff.
His advice was straightforward: check your blood pressure – or that of a loved one – three times a week, aiming for a reading of around 120/80. If either number is consistently higher, consult a doctor. After all, your brain health depends directly on your heart and blood vessels.
“[I was] surrounded by the most advanced Alzheimer’s science in the world, and the best advice I left with was a click away,” Kan says.
Kan ordered a cuff online, and it was waiting for her at home by the time she got back.
The science around dementia is big and important – but sometimes, it really is the simple things that matter most. After all, as the saying goes: healthy heart, healthy brain.
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Wellness

A group of elderly people gather to swim. Research increasingly shows that dementia is anything but inevitable and that we have more control over the risks than once believed. Photo: Shutterstock

The 2025 discovery that GLP-1 drug semaglutide did not slow the progression of Alzheimer’s was a setback in the fight against dementia, but there have also been significant strides in brain health research. Photo: Instagram/glp1training

Residents in Buenos Aires participate in a tango lesson. Tango dancing was included as a culturally tailored component of the LatAm-Fingers study on ways to prevent cognitive decline through lifestyle interventions. Photo: Shutterstock

Professor Vincent Mok of the Chinese University of Hong Kong was part of a team that developed the world’s first retinal AI tool for assessing Alzheimer’s risk. Photo: CUHK

A patient undergoes a scan using ICBH, the world’s first retinal AI tool for assessing Alzheimer’s risk, developed by a team at CUHK. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

How to navigate sex and intimacy when dementia changes a relationship

Physical intimacy often reduces in couples where one partner has dementia, but it is an issue that is rarely spoken about. Experts advise on navigating natural urges and offering different forms of intimacy. Photo: Shutterstock

Physical intimacy often ebbs in couples where one partner has dementia, but it is rarely spoken about. Photo: Shutterstock

Amanda Pang is co-founder of Hong Kong home-care company Evercare Health. Photo: Amanda Pang

Dr Nathalie Huitema is a US-based specialist in sexuality, ageing and dementia care. Photo: Dr Nathalie Huitema

When the frontal lobes are damaged, people can lose impulse control or misread social cues and become disinhibited, Huitema says, while a person may have trouble recognising their partner or feeling connected to them if their temporal lobes are involved. Photo: Shutterstock

Huitema suggests offering partners with dementia forms of non-sexual touch, such as holding their hand. Photo: Shutterstock

Why too much sugar early in life, even in the womb, could increase your dementia risk later

A mother’s sugar intake can trigger elevated blood sugar, insulin resistance and inflammation in her unborn child, experts say. A researcher and a doctor explain the links between sugar exposure early in life and cognitive decline down the road. Photo: Shutterstock

Dr Jiazhen Zheng was part of the research team at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology that studied the link between early sugar intake and dementia. Photo: HKUST

With so much unseen sugar in ultra-processed foods, today’s diet can contain three to four times as much as people consumed during World War II rationing. Photo: Shutterstock

Hong Kong-based general practitioner Dr Wong Sze-man says prediabetes drives vascular damage in the heart and brain before a diabetes diagnosis is made. Photo: Marina Medical 

Continuous glucose monitors help those with diabetes monitor their blood sugar levels throughout the day. Photo: Shutterstock

How well does your country approach Alzheimer’s support? New tool reveals all

Launched by Alzheimer’s Disease International, the the AD Atlas maps how prepared 80 countries really are for dementia, highlighting how they diagnose, treat and support people living with the disease. Photo: ad-atlas.org

Simple everyday memory slips, like repeated grocery list items, are often the first sign of cognitive decline. Photo: Shutterstock

South Korea launched its “War Against Dementia” in 2008, nearly 20 years ago and long before most countries recognised dementia diagnosis and care as a growing emergency. Photo: Shutterstock

Hong Kong scientists have developed an artificial intelligence model that can screen for Alzheimer’s disease by reading a patient’s retina images. Photo: Shutterstock

Why your bones could be a key to better brain health and becoming a ‘super-ager’

The connection between our bones and brain health runs much deeper than mere physical protection. Bone health has been found to profoundly affect brain function, memory and overall cognitive vitality. Photo: Shutterstock

Gerard Karsenty, at Columbia University in New York City, developed a better understanding of the hormone that bones produce: osteocalcin. Photo: Columbia University

Regular exercise, including resistance training, helps boost osteocalcin levels and bone density as we age. 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

A waist size of more than 88cm for women and more than 102cm for men may put brain health at risk. Photo: Shutterstock

Dr Cyrus Raji, assistant professor of radiology and neurology at Washington University School of Medicine. Photo: Washington University School of Medicine 

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

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}On World Alzheimer’s Day, a look at advances in dementia diagnosis and treatment, and why much of the risk may be within our own control

On World Alzheimer’s Day, a look at advances in dementia diagnosis and treatment, and why much of the risk may be within our own control