News Briefs: Brain Aging; Stroke; Smoking & Dementia; AD, Stroke on Decline
Shorter Sleep Duration Leads to Brain Aging
Missing out on your sleep makes your brain age faster, according to a study published in the July 2014 issue of the journal Sleep. Researchers examined data on 66 healthy adults aged 55 years and older who were participants in a long-term study of age-related brain changes. The participants underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scans to measure their brain volume, participated in tests of cognition, and responded to questionnaires on their sleep duration every two years. The researchers found that over eight years, participants who slept fewer hours had greater declines in brain volume and cognitive performance, even after controlling for other factors, such as inflammation. The findings relate short sleep to brain atrophy, a marker of brain aging, the authors said, adding that seven hours of sleep a day seem to be the “sweet spot” for optimal cognitive performance.
Stress, Hostility, and Depression Increase Stroke Risk
Individuals with high levels of stress, depression, or hostility are more likely to suffer a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA, or mini-stroke) than those who reported the lowest levels of these negative feelings, according to a recent study. Researchers analyzed data on almost 7,000 participants in a cardiovascular health study who were between the ages of 45 to 84. The participants, none of whom had heart disease or a history of stroke at the outset of the study, had answered questions about chronic stress, anger and hostility, and feelings of depression. After about 8 years, 147 participants had experienced a stroke, and 48 had had a TIA. An analysis showed that hostility doubled the risk for stroke or TIA, depression increased the risk by 86 percent, and stress increased the risk by 59 percent. Anger did not appear to have a significant effect on stroke or TIA risk. The study, which was published in the July 10, 2014 issue of Stroke, underscores the importance of getting professional help for psychological issues such as stress and depression.
Dementia RX: Quit Smoking!
Yet another study has added to evidence that smoking is as bad for your brain as it is for your lungs. An analysis of global health data released in July 2014 by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Alzheimer’s Disease International suggests that smokers have a 45 percent greater risk of developing dementia than individuals who do not smoke. The research estimates that 14 percent of the world’s cases of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) may be attributable to smoking, and suggests that the more an individual smokes, the greater the risk of developing the disease. “This research shows that a decrease in smoking now is likely to result in a substantial decrease in the burden of dementia in the years to come,” said a WHO health official.
Alzheimer’s Disease, Stroke on the Decline
Good news for older Americans: New research showing improvements in the incidence of stroke and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) suggests we’re winning the battle for brain health. Researchers analyzed stroke hospitalizations and deaths from 1987 to 2011 among 14,357 participants in a long-term heart study. They found that stroke incidence among individuals 65 and older has been declining for the last 20 years, according to a paper published in the July 16, 2014 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. The researchers credit a drop in smoking and greater use of blood-pressure and cholesterol-lowering medications for the improvement in stroke incidence among older adults. On the AD front, a U.S. study found a 44 percent decline in the rate of AD diagnosis in recent years, compared with the rate in the 1970s, according to a paper presented by a Boston University School of Medicine researcher on July 15 at the 2014 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. The most significant decline was observed in individuals in their 60s. The researchers found that over the period spanned by the study, average blood pressure and cholesterol levels improved, rates of heart disease and stroke declined, and the percentage of individuals who smoked declined—changes they believe might explain the fall in AD diagnosis rates.
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