Thursday, April 23, 2009

Alzheimer's and Diabetes: The connection


For the past some years now, the link between diabetes or blood sugar and Alzheimer’s has been studied. In 2004, the BBC reported news of a study that demonstrated how having diabetes can increase a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by up to 65%. According to the article, tests showed that speed of perception - being able to tell whether two things are the same or different - declined faster in diabetics than in healthy patients, by around 44%.

Recently as well, there has been much in the news to substantiate the premise that diabetes and dementia are linked. This
CBS news article talks about how diabetes increases the risk of getting Alzheimer's disease and may speed dementia once it strikes. The article talks about how the damage may start before someone is diagnosed with full-blown diabetes, back when the body is gradually losing its ability to regulate blood sugar.

The article Read More

Friday, April 17, 2009

Memory Tests for the Brain: See how you Score


It is well documented that in order to keep your brain agile and able, you need to challenge and stretch it; with the brain it is definitely a case of “if you don’t use it you lose it”. We have earlier looked at the kind of mental exercises each one of us needs to do if we are keep good mental health for a longer time. Similarly memory tests and memory exercises help us understand our mental abilities and help keep then in good working order.

This BBC memory test is actually part of a study where the result of your test is collated to a data base that the answers you give will help University of Edinburgh experimental psychologists with their research. I did part of the test; it was not difficult and I enjoyed doing it.

Read more....