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Dementia

Dementia
This condition – which robs people of their memory, their ability to think and make decisions – affects more than 55 million worldwide. Here’s where you’ll learn what you can do about dementia, from changing your lifestyle to lower your risk of getting it to spotting the warning signs in older people. Discover the latest news on potential drugs to treat, even cure, the disease, and the best ways to manage it.
Chris Hemsworth famously carries a pair of APOE4 gene alleles, which makes his risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease significantly greater than non-carriers. A doctor who also carries two APOE4s explains how lifestyle changes can significantly affect the development of the condition. Photo: Instagram/chrishemsworth
Wellness

1 in 4 people are ‘Alzheimer’s gene’ carriers like Chris Hemsworth. What to do

APOE4 comes with a higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease, but the 25 per cent of people who have it can lower that risk with lifestyle changes.

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Wellness

How a zoo’s sights, sounds and smells can benefit people with dementia

Wellness

How cooking can help lower your dementia risk – even just 1 meal a week

Wellness

Hypertension’s link to dementia calls for stronger blood pressure control

Links between dementia and hypertension are reasons to keep blood pressure under tighter control – sooner rather than later.

The links between dementia and hypertension mean getting high blood pressure under control is even more important than previously thought. Photo: Shutterstock
Wellness

Why internet use can actually lower your risk of dementia

While excessive screen time can harm young brains, a study finds that using the internet wisely can boost cognitive health in older adults.

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Editorial | Hong Kong’s world-first Alzheimer’s blood test will strengthen city’s healthcare

This breakthrough in screening marks another step in Hong Kong’s broader moves to identify and tackle health problems early.

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Wellness

Can poor sleep lead to dementia? What you need to know about the links

Studies link poor-quality sleep to dementia types like Alzheimer’s disease, but experts explain why the picture might be more complex.

A recent study found that about 13 per cent of dementia cases may have roots in insomnia, and that poor sleep may be as significant a dementia risk factor as hearing loss and hypertension. Photo: Shutterstock
Wellness

The early signs of dementia you need to look for in loved ones and yourself

Verbal tests don’t always pick up Alzheimer’s disease. Falls, problems swallowing, bladder issues and other symptoms can be better signs.

The Netherlands

Singing circle in Amsterdam offers benefits to dementia patients

Scientists are studying the potential benefits of music for people with dementia, traumatic brain injuries, Parkinson’s disease and stroke.

Wellness

What is the best brain training test to reduce dementia risk?

Study finds speed-based brain training better than memory or reasoning training in reducing risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia.

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In a study on whether specific types of cognitive training could reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia, the group that undertook speed training improved the most, in areas including safer driving, improved mood and more self-confidence. Photo: Shutterstock
Wellness

Can drinking tea and coffee reduce dementia risk? Yes, according to a study

A study conducted over 43 years suggests drinking two to three daily coffees, or one to two cups of tea, for a reduced risk of dementia.

Coffee and food from Mason Pocket, Hong Kong. A new study shows that moderate tea and coffee intake may lower dementia risk. Photo: Instagram/kwanheiting
Wellness

How much fat you should eat a day and why your brain needs it

Fat is vital, but it must be the right sort. Experts explain why that is, what the best foods to eat are, and how many grams you should eat.

Wellness

How do superagers stay so young? Genes can play a key role, study suggests

People in their 80s with high brain function are far less likely to carry the APOE4 gene than those showing mental decline, research finds.

Wellness

Skydiving? It’s just another day for these retirement home residents

From skydiving to gardening, VR experiences offered to residents of US retirement homes are having positive effects on their quality of life.

An elderly retirement home resident engages in a VR experience. Texas-based tech company Mynd Immersive offers its Great American Elderverse - a VR platform that that blends entertainment with physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy - in nursing homes and assisted living facilities across 10 US states. Photo: Instagram/myndimmersive
Wellness

When dementia steals the right words, the ‘wrong’ ones speak volumes

Experts say dementia patients often lose the ability to communicate, but the metaphors they use can help carers better understand them.

Neuroscientist Dr Sabina Brennan with her mother, who had dementia. “The brain organises knowledge like flowers in a garden, clustered by colour, height, or where they grow best, so patterns, not lists, guide our recall,” Brennan says. Photo: courtesy of Dr Sabina Brennan
Science

A mother’s mind appears restored: might ultrasound be a cure for Alzheimer’s?

After treatment for a separate condition, a Chinese neurologist noticed improvements in cognition.

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Wellness

The hidden benefits of common vaccines, including reduced dementia, heart risks

Flu, RSV, shingles, Covid and other vaccines have ‘off-target’ benefits for older adults, making them ‘key tools’ for healthy ageing.

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Hong Kong economy

Opinion | This year, Hong Kong must resolve to rewrite the script for retirement

Any long-term solution requires a re-imagination of retirement – beyond the outdated view of retirees as passive welfare recipients.

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Elderly people do their morning exercises in Fanling on August 17, 2025. Photo: Eugene Lee
Made in China 2025

Novartis, SciNeuro deal offers hope for 55 million suffering from Alzheimer’s

SciNeuro’s anti-amyloid programme is one of the firm’s key strategic research and development priorities to target the brain disease.

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Wellness

Singaporean dementia study links Alzheimer’s to clogged ‘brain drains’

Blocked glymphatic channels, part of the brain’s waste-cleaning network, could be an early Alzheimer’s marker, Singaporean researchers find.

Hong Kong society

Opinion | Hong Kong’s ageing population needs purpose, not just medical care

Too many among the city’s ageing population struggle on their own due to stigmas around mental health and a lack of targeted policies.

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An elderly woman at Oi Man Estate in Ho Man Tin in October 2025. Photo: Jelly Tse
Wellness

6 health and wellness tips for 2026 – keep things simple, sleep, move more

Experts reveal what simple health habits you should develop in 2026, from prioritising sleep to walking more to skipping wellness fads.

Hikers at Dragon’s Back trail in Shek O, Hong Kong. Research shows walking is great for physical and mental health. Photo: Eugene Lee
Wellness

Experts’ tips on safeguarding your brain health – one is being social

Maintaining good oral hygiene, regular exercise and increasing your social interactions can help prevent or delay the onset of dementia.

Wellness

7 of the most popular health and wellness stories from 2025

Body transformations, scientific breakthroughs and weight-loss journeys are among your most-read health and wellness stories this year.

Wellness

Need to pass gas after eating? Why taking a short walk is so good for you

‘If you take 100 steps after each meal, you’ll live to 99,’ an ancient Chinese proverb says. Here is why a post-meal walk is so beneficial.

Research backs the benefits of a post-meal walk, which triggers the contraction and relaxation of the stomach and intestines and speeds up the movement of food and gas. Photo: Shutterstock
Wellness

Listening to music can lower dementia risk by nearly 40%, new study says

Research shows how listening to music can both lower dementia risk and improve cognitive areas like memory, attention and problem-solving.

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Want to boost brain health? A study suggests regular music listening may cut dementia risk by 39 per cent. Photo: Shutterstock
Science

Chinese scientists develop promising stem cell therapy for Parkinson’s

New biotech allows ‘seeds’ planted in the brain to differentiate into new nerve cells, reshaping its neural network.

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Wellness

How many steps should you walk for minimum brain health decline?

A new study suggests that walking’s potential benefits in slowing cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s may begin well below 10,000 steps a day.

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