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 (304 of 349). 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 349). 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” (34 of 349). 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 349 items have one.
Why people with dementia wander—and how families can keep them safe
In June 2025, an elderly woman with dementia went missing in a forested area in Natuna, Indonesia, while tending to her plants. Search and rescue (SAR) teams were deployed to locate her.
Why it matters: Understanding why people with dementia wander can help families keep them safe, especially when individuals go missing in dangerous areas.
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (22 Jan 2026), Internet ArchivePeople 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.
Not all sitting is the same when it comes to brain health
Passive activities such as watching television have been linked to worse memory and cognitive skills, while 'active sitting' like playing cards or reading correlate with better brain health, researchers have found.
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (20 Jan 2026), Internet ArchiveA simple blood test could change how Alzheimer's is diagnosed
A blood test, combined with an ultrathin material derived from graphite, could significantly advance efforts to detect Alzheimer's disease at its very earliest stage, even before symptoms appear.
Why it matters: Combining a blood test with an ultrathin graphite-derived material could advance efforts to detect Alzheimer's disease before symptoms appear.
Read at Medical Xpress →Seniors with dementia being prescribed dangerous mind-altering drugs, study says
Many seniors with dementia are being put at risk by brain-altering medications linked to falls, confusion and hospitalization, a new study says.
Why it matters: Many seniors with dementia are put at risk by brain-altering medications linked to falls, confusion, and hospitalization, according to a new study.
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (17 Jan 2026), Internet ArchiveSuper agers tend to have at least two key genetic advantages, study finds
The gene variant posing the greatest genetic risk of late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) is called APOE-ε4. A different variant of the same gene, APOE-ε2, is thought to confer protection against AD.
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (6 Mar 2026), Internet ArchiveExperts 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 →Safe, low-cost Alzheimer's drug demonstrates efficacy against sickle cell anemia
Memantine, a long-approved and cost-effective drug used to treat Alzheimer's disease, could also benefit patients with sickle cell anemia in the future. …
Why it matters: Memantine, a long-approved and cost-effective Alzheimer's drug, shows potential to benefit patients with sickle cell anemia in the future.
Read at Medical Xpress →Depression might signal brain disease risk among seniors
Depression in old age could be an early sign of serious brain disease, a new study says.
Why it matters: A new study indicates that depression in old age might be an early sign of serious brain disease.
New ALS treatment target identified: STAUFEN-1 protein reduction protects brain cells from death
University of Utah researchers at the Pulst-Scoles Laboratory have discovered that reducing levels of the STAUFEN-1 protein can prevent neuron death caused by DNA damage and p53 activation in neurodegenerative diseases.
Why it matters: Reducing STAUFEN-1 protein levels can prevent neuron death caused by DNA damage and p53 activation in neurodegenerative diseases like ALS.
Read at Medical Xpress →Why a life-threatening sedative is being prescribed more often for seniors
When agitated dementia patients wander or shout through the night, families and caregivers understandably feel the need to treat this frightening and potentially dangerous behavior. …
Why it matters: When agitated dementia patients wander or shout at night, families and caregivers seek ways to treat this frightening and potentially dangerous behavior.
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (10 Mar 2026), Internet ArchiveStudy 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 ArchiveKey phospholipid points to potential treatment for vascular dementia
A possible new treatment for impaired brain blood flow and related dementias is on the horizon. Research by scientists at the University of Vermont Robert Larner…
Why it matters: Research by scientists at the University of Vermont Robert Larner points to a potential treatment for impaired brain blood flow and vascular dementia.
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (3 Jan 2026), Internet ArchiveHidden 'switches' in DNA reveal new insights into Alzheimer's disease
A tiny percentage of our DNA—around 2%—contains 20,000-odd genes. The remaining 98%—long known as the non-coding genome, or so-called 'junk' DNA—includes many of the "switches" that control when and how strongly genes are expressed.
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (17 Feb 2026), Internet ArchiveAlzheimer's disease more prevalent in older people than previously thought
New research, published in Nature, has provided the first ever population-based data on the frequency of Alzheimer's disease neuropathological changes (ADNC)—a key causal factor behind the development of dementia…
Why it matters: New research in Nature provides the first population-based data on Alzheimer's disease neuropathological changes, showing higher prevalence in older people than thought.
Plasma p-tau217 can reliably detect preclinical Alzheimer disease
Plasma phosphorylated tau 217 (p-tau217) can reliably detect Alzheimer disease (AD) pathology in the preclinical stage, according to a meta-analysis published online Dec. 1 in JAMA Neurology.
Why it matters: Plasma phosphorylated tau 217 can reliably detect Alzheimer disease pathology in the preclinical stage, according to a meta-analysis.
Engineers decode dementia type using AI and EEG brainwave analysis
Dementia is a group of disorders that gradually impair memory, thinking and daily functioning. Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, affects about 7.2 million Americans aged 65 and older in 2025. …
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (14 Feb 2026), Internet ArchivePowerful new brain PET scanner is opening new research pathways
At the Yale Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Center, an ultra-high-performance brain-dedicated scanner called the NeuroEXPLORER (NX) is redefining what is possible in brain PET imaging.
Why it matters: The NeuroEXPLORER, an ultra-high-performance brain-dedicated PET scanner at the Yale PET Center, is redefining what is possible in brain PET imaging.
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (6 Feb 2026), Internet ArchiveMiddle-aged brains show capacity for repair when treated with therapeutic intervention
Normal aging is characterized by deficits in the cognitive domains of learning, memory and executive function. Specifically, there are age-related changes in recall of information, speed of processing, visuospatial skills and cognitive flexibility. …
Why it matters: Normal aging brings cognitive deficits in learning, memory, and executive function, but middle-aged brains demonstrate a capacity for repair when treated with therapeutic intervention.
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (29 Dec 2025), Internet ArchiveNew AI technology can provide rapid and reliable dementia diagnosis
Researchers at Örebro University have developed two new AI models that can analyze the brain's electrical activity and accurately distinguish between healthy individuals and patients with dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.
Why it matters: Researchers developed AI models analyzing brain electrical activity to distinguish healthy individuals from dementia and Alzheimer's patients.
Pill form of semaglutide fails to slow Alzheimer's in large trial
A pill version of semaglutide, the ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, did not slow the progress of Alzheimer's disease, drugmaker Novo Nordisk announced on Nov. 24.
Why it matters: A pill form of semaglutide failed to slow Alzheimer's disease progression in a large trial, Novo Nordisk announced on Nov. 24.
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (6 Jan 2026), Internet ArchiveNovel discovery reveals how brain protein OTULIN controls tau expression and could transform Alzheimer's treatment
Scientists have uncovered a surprising mechanism by which a brain enzyme called OTULIN controls the expression of tau, the protein that forms toxic tangles in Alzheimer's disease. …
Why it matters: Scientists uncovered a surprising mechanism by which the brain enzyme OTULIN controls tau expression, which could transform Alzheimer's treatment.
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (25 Nov 2025), Internet ArchiveAPOE gene raises delirium risk even without dementia, global analysis reveals
A major genetic risk factor for delirium has been identified in a study that analyzed the DNA of more than 1 million people worldwide.
Why it matters: A study analyzing DNA from over 1 million people worldwide identified a major genetic risk factor for delirium.
Genetic 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 ArchiveSimple blood test may someday allow for diagnosis of LATE dementia during life
Jijing Wang, Ph.D., and Hyun-Sik Yang, MD, of the Department of Neurology at Mass General Brigham, are the lead and senior authors of a paper published in Molecular Neurodegeneration titled "Plasma TDP-43 is a potential biomarker for advanced limbic-predominant…
Why it matters: A simple blood test measuring plasma TDP-43 may someday enable doctors to diagnose advanced LATE dementia during a patient's life.
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (21 Nov 2025), Internet ArchiveHow AI can create a virtual programmable human and revolutionize drug discovery
From idea, to lab, to clinic, to approval—it's a long and expensive process to bring a drug to market. It also rarely succeeds.
Why it matters: AI can create a virtual programmable human and revolutionize drug discovery, which is key because bringing a drug to market is a long, expensive process that rarely succeeds.
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (17 Dec 2025), Internet ArchiveShingles vaccine most promising common drug to potentially prevent Alzheimer's
A new study has identified three existing medications that could be repurposed to treat or prevent Alzheimer's disease.
Why it matters: A new study identified three existing medications, including the shingles vaccine, that could be repurposed to treat or prevent Alzheimer's disease.
Read at Medical Xpress → Archived copy (19 Nov 2025), 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.
New method to track progression of Alzheimer's, related dementias based on metabolic, vascular brain changes
Researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine have developed a highly sensitive diagnostic that predicts a person's stage of dementia based on neurovascular and metabolic changes. They recently published their findings in Alzheimer's & Dementia.
Why it matters: Indiana University researchers developed a highly sensitive diagnostic predicting dementia stages based on neurovascular and metabolic changes.
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 ArchiveFollow new items in a feed reader: Atom feed.