News Briefs: Sleep & Dementia Risk; ADHD

Need For More Sleep May Indicate Increase Dementia Risk

Older adults who suddenly require longer sleep times than they have in the past may be at greater risk for dementia in the future, according to a new study. The research did not find a direct causal relationship between recent increases in sleep needs and dementia risk, but merely an association. However, the results of their research analyzing 2,500 participants in a long-term study indicate that for those who reported a new need to sleep longer than nine hours at night, the risk of dementia doubled, and, if they did not have a high school degree, it increased sixfold. New longer-sleepers also tended to have smaller brain volumes, according to a report published in the Feb. 22, 2017 issue of Neurology. In contrast, participants who habitually slept more than nine hours at night for many years did not appear to have heightened dementia risk. A co-author of the study theorized that chemical changes in the brain or the added strain of coping with incipient dementia might explain the heightened sleep requirements. He suggested that people who find themselves sleeping longer consider seeking professional assessment for cognitive problems, rather than trying to restrict their sleep.

Imaging Reveals ADHD is a Distinct Brain Disorder

Scientists have discovered structural differences in the brains of individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), suggesting that the condition is a brain disorder, rather than the result of factors such as poor parenting or willful misbehavior. Symptoms of ADHD include impulsivity, overactivity, and inattention. In a study comparing brain scans of about 1,700 people of all ages with ADHD to more than 1,500 people without the condition, researchers found that five distinct brain regions were smaller in participants with ADHD. The differences in brain volume between healthy and ADHD participants were modest, and were most noticeable in children, according to a report published Feb. 15, 2017 in The Lancet Psychiatry.

Gum Disease May Increase Stroke Risk

A new study links gum disease with increased risk for stroke, with the likelihood of suffering a blockage of blood flow to the brain rising steadily as gum condition worsens. Researchers looked at the dental and health records of more than 6,700 older adults, none of whom had experienced a stroke. They followed the participants for 15 years, during which time 300 individuals suffered a stroke, according to a paper presented Feb. 23, 2017 at the American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference in Houston. Results revealed that the higher a participant’s level of gum disease was, the worse his or her risk of stroke. Participants with mild gum disease were 1.9 times more likely to have a stroke than those without gum disease. Moderate gum disease was linked with a 2.1 times greater risk, and severe gum disease was linked with a 2.2 times greater risk. The findings demonstrate the importance of taking care of oral health.

RX for Anxiety: Mindfulness Meditation

MGH researchers have produced objective physiological proof that mindfulness can help reduce stress and anxiety in people who are suffering from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The researchers compared two groups of participants with GAD. One group completed an eight-week course in mindfulness meditation, in which they learned to induce a deep state of relaxation by sitting calmly for 20 minutes or so, concentrating on their breathing and clearing their minds of distracting thoughts. The other group took an eight-week stress management course without meditation training. Before and after their course work, the two groups underwent stress tests and blood tests designed to measure inflammatory proteins and levels of stress hormones—both important indicators of stress. Results showed that participants who learned to relax with mindfulness meditation had sharply reduced responses to stress, while responses in participants who did not learn meditation had worsened. The study was published Jan. 24, 2017 in Psychiatry Research. MMM

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