News
What's happening in Alzheimer's care, research funding, and treatment — summarized simply, each item linked to the original reporting.
Free to read, “May need a subscription” and “Archived copy”: what they mean
Whether an article is free to read is a guess, not a test of your access. Each item is one of three:
- No label: free to read (303 of 347). The publisher’s page marks it free, or the outlet publishes free to read: Medical Xpress, ScienceDaily, NIH (incl. NIA and PMC), Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's News Today, NPR, Alzheimer's Disease International, or a .gov site.
- May need a subscription (11 of 347). The publisher’s own page marks the article as not free to read, or — when the page says nothing — the outlet sells subscriptions: The New York Times, STAT, Scientific American, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The Economist, Bloomberg, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, Wired, Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, The Times, The Telegraph, New Scientist, Endpoints News, Science. Each badge says which.
- “Free to read? Not known” (33 of 347). The outlet is on neither list and its page said nothing. We do not call these paywalled.
Archived copy links go to a copy the Internet Archive (web.archive.org) saved, dated the day it was saved. We show one only where the Internet Archive reported a working saved copy when we checked; an archived copy of a subscription article sometimes shows only its opening. 265 of 347 items have one.
Menopause leaves a fingerprint that may predict dementia risk
As women go through menopause, they often sense that it's not just their bodies changing, but also their minds. They report hot flashes, anxiety, brain fog and trouble sleeping—all symptoms that can be traced back to the brain.
Why it matters: As women undergo menopause, they report symptoms such as brain fog, anxiety, and trouble sleeping, which can all be traced back to changes in the brain.
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (2 Oct 2026), Internet ArchiveEarly statin use linked to 15% lower dementia risk
Starting statins soon after a type 2 diabetes diagnosis may do more than protect the heart. In a nationwide Danish study of more than 132,000 people…
Read at ScienceDaily → Archived copy (18 Sep 2026), Internet ArchiveA major Alzheimer’s risk gene may shrink brain cells years before symptoms
Researchers have uncovered a possible reason why the Alzheimer’s risk gene APOE4 can disrupt the brain long before memory problems begin. In mice, APOE4 increased a protein called Nell2, shrinking neurons and making memory circuits unusually active. …
Read at ScienceDaily → Archived copy (1 Oct 2026), Internet ArchiveNearly half of dementia cases may be linked to risks you can change
A long-term brain study found that common risks such as smoking, high blood pressure, heart disease, and high blood lipids were strongly linked to damage associated with vascular dementia. …
Scientists discover how obesity may fuel Alzheimer’s disease
Researchers have uncovered a possible biological pathway connecting obesity to Alzheimer’s disease. Obesity appears to raise levels of certain fat molecules that can travel to the brain, disrupt its immune defenses, and promote harmful amyloid buildup. …
Read at ScienceDaily →10 surprising ways diabetes and dementia are connected
Diabetes and dementia appear to be closely intertwined, with each condition potentially influencing the other. Problems with insulin and glucose can affect the brain’s energy supply, increase inflammation, and damage blood vessels linked to memory loss. …
- evoke and evoke+: design of two large-scale, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 studies evaluating efficacy, safety, and tolerability of semaglutide in early-stage symptomatic Alzheimer's disease
- Protocol for a Randomized Phase II/III Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Extended-Release Metformin in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment: Metformin in Alzheimer Dementia Prevention (MAP)
This daily habit could lower dementia risk by 35%, scientists say
A huge long-term study found that drinking two to three cups of coffee a day was linked to a much lower risk of dementia, especially before age 75. …
Cognitive speed training linked to lower dementia incidence up to 20 years later
Adults age 65 and older who completed five to six weeks of cognitive speed training—in this case, speed of processing training, which helps people quickly find visual information on a computer screen and handle increasingly complex tasks in a shorter time period…
Why it matters: Cognitive speed training, which helps older adults quickly find visual information, is linked to a lower incidence of dementia up to 20 years later.
Obesity and aging: Study links inflammation to cognitive decline
Obesity and older age are strongly associated with low-grade inflammation in the body, a condition that appears closely linked to cognitive decline and dementia. …
Why it matters: Obesity and older age are linked to low-grade inflammation, which appears closely connected to cognitive decline and dementia.
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (7 Mar 2026), Internet ArchiveConsuming 2–3 cups of coffee daily associated with lower dementia risk, better cognitive function
A new prospective cohort study by investigators from Mass General Brigham, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard analyzed 131,821 participants from the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study…
Why it matters: Analyzing 131,821 participants, this study links consuming 2–3 cups of coffee daily to a lower dementia risk and better cognitive function.
Speed-focused brain training tied to 25% lower dementia risk after 20 years
A simple brain-training exercise could reduce people's risk of developing dementia by 25%, a study said Monday, but with outside researchers expressing caution in interpreting the results.
Why it matters: A simple brain-training exercise could cut dementia risk by 25% after 20 years, though outside researchers caution how the results are interpreted.
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (14 Feb 2026), Internet ArchiveHearing aids didn’t boost memory tests but dementia risk dropped
A long-term study of older adults with moderate hearing loss found that hearing aids did not lead to better performance on memory or thinking tests, but the story did not end there. …
A silent brain disease can quadruple dementia risk
Researchers studying nearly 2 million older adults found that cerebral amyloid angiopathy sharply raises the risk of developing dementia. Within five years, people with the condition were far more likely to be diagnosed than those without it. …
Read at ScienceDaily →Protein buildup in brain blood vessels linked with increased 5-year risk of dementia
Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a condition where protein (called amyloid) builds up in the brain, making blood vessels weak. People with CAA are four times more likely to develop dementia within five years, regardless of whether they have had a stroke…
Why it matters: People with cerebral amyloid angiopathy are four times more likely to develop dementia within five years, regardless of whether they have had a stroke.
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (15 Feb 2026), Internet ArchiveSmoking, blood pressure and diabetes each show distinct dementia-related brain changes
Almost half of all dementia cases can be attributed to risk factors that we can potentially influence ourselves, such as smoking and high blood pressure. …
Why it matters: Almost half of all dementia cases can be attributed to risk factors that we can potentially influence ourselves, such as smoking and high blood pressure.
Nitrate in drinking water linked to increased dementia risk while nitrate from vegetables is linked to a lower risk
New research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) and the Danish Cancer Research Institute (DCRI) investigated the association between the intake of nitrate and nitrite from a wide range of different sources, and the associated risk of dementia.
Why it matters: New ECU and DCRI research links nitrate intake from drinking water to higher dementia risk, while vegetable nitrate is linked to lower risk.
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (27 Jan 2026), Internet ArchiveObesity and high blood pressure may directly cause dementia
A new genetic study suggests that obesity and high blood pressure may play a direct role in causing dementia, not just increasing the risk. By analyzing data from large populations in Denmark and the U.K.…
People with obesity may have a higher risk of dementia
People with obesity and high blood pressure may face a higher risk of dementia, according to a new study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Why it matters: A new study indicates that people with obesity and high blood pressure may face an increased risk of developing dementia.
Experts provide policy roadmap to reduce dementia risk
A national panel of experts has issued the strongest call yet for the Department of Health and Social Care to overhaul how it approaches dementia prevention…
Why it matters: A national panel of experts has issued a call for the Department of Health and Social Care to overhaul its approach to dementia prevention.
Read at Medical Xpress →Study finds ongoing under-diagnosis of high blood pressure in people over 50 in Ireland
High blood pressure becomes more common after age 40, yet new research from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) at Trinity College Dublin shows that many people in Ireland with hypertension are still not optimally diagnosed or treated based on European Guidelines. …
Why it matters: New research shows many people over 50 in Ireland with high blood pressure are still not optimally diagnosed or treated based on European Guidelines.
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (4 Feb 2026), Internet ArchiveGenetic risk combined with cardiovascular factors may help predict and delay dementia
Combining genetic risk with cardiovascular disease risk factors—such as high LDL cholesterol, obesity, and hypertension—may predict who is more likely to develop dementia, according to a new study led by UC San Francisco.
Why it matters: Combining genetic risk with cardiovascular disease risk factors—such as high LDL cholesterol, obesity, and hypertension—may predict who is more likely to develop dementia.
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (22 Jan 2026), Internet ArchiveGene 'switch' reverses Alzheimer's risk in experimental model
University of Kentucky researchers have developed a new experimental model that could point the way toward more effective Alzheimer's disease treatments by targeting one of the brain's most important genes for risk and resilience.
Why it matters: Researchers have developed a new experimental model that could point the way toward more effective Alzheimer's disease treatments.
Just 3,000 steps a day linked to lower Alzheimer's risk in older adults
A new study suggests that even low levels of physical activity could protect the brain from Alzheimer's disease—but not in the way scientists expected.
Why it matters: A new study suggests that low levels of physical activity, like 3,000 steps a day, could protect the brain from Alzheimer's in unexpected ways.
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (12 Nov 2025), Internet ArchiveBright brain spots from small blood vessels could help predict Alzheimer’s risk
Bright spots in the brain called white matter hyperintensities contribute to Alzheimer’s risk. Reducing their accumulation might help slow or prevent the disease.
Why it matters: Bright spots in the brain called white matter hyperintensities contribute to Alzheimer’s risk, and reducing their accumulation might help slow or prevent the disease.
Read at NIH National Institute on Aging → Archived copy (4 Aug 2026), Internet ArchiveFollow new items in a feed reader: Atom feed.