Geriatrics

Low vitamin D associated with age-related cognitive decline and dementia

Michael Jurgelewicz, DC, DACBN, DCBCN In a new study published earlier this month in JAMA Neurology, researchers demonstrated a significant association between vitamin D insufficiency and cognitive decline that is specifically seen in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The results reinforce the importance of identifying vitamin D insufficiency among the elderly. Here, low vitamin D levels […]

Low vitamin D among elderly associated with decline in cognition, dementia

Date: September 14, 2015 Source: University of California – Davis Health System Summary: Vitamin D insufficiency among the elderly is highly correlated with accelerated cognitive decline and impaired performance, particularly in domains such as memory loss that are associated with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, researchers have found. Vitamin D insufficiency among the elderly is highly […]

Effect of physical activity on cognition

Date: August 25, 2015 Source: The JAMA Network Journals Summary: Researchers evaluated whether a 24-month physical activity program would result in better cognitive function, lower risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia, or both, compared with a health education program. Kaycee M. Sink, M.D., M.A.S., of the Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, N.C., […]

Vitamin D supplements could help reduce falls in homebound elderly

Date: August 17, 2015 Every year falls affect approximately one in three older adults living at home, with approximately one in 10 falls resulting in serious injury. Even if an injury does not occur, the fear of falling can lead to reduced activity and a loss of independence. Research has shown that vitamin D plays […]

‘MIND’ Diet Keeps Aging Brain Sharp

Hybrid ‘MIND’ Diet Keeps Aging Brain Sharp Megan Brooks August 10, 2015 The MIND diet ― a hybrid of the Mediterranean diet and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet ― may slow cognitive decline in elderly adults, according to researchers from Chicago’s Rush University Medical Center who developed the MIND diet. In an […]

A Little Exercise Goes a Long Way for Older Adults

08.04.2015 15 minutes a day may be enough for people ages 60 and up   by Parker Brown Staff Writer, MedPage Today Even a little exercise was associated with reduced mortality for adults over 60, according to a meta-analysis of nine cohort studies. In about 122,000 patients with an average follow-up period of 9.8 years, […]

Healthy Diet ‘Promising Target’ to Prevent Cognitive Decline

Megan Brooks July 23, 2015 WASHINGTON ― A new study provides more evidence that eating right may help keep the brain healthy. A healthy diet pattern assessed using a brief validated questionnaire was associated with a reduced risk for problems with executive function in the Einstein Aging Study (EAS) cohort. The study was presented here […]

Seniors don’t bounce back fast from car crashes

More than half on pain meds 6 months later, study shows Date: June 19, 2015 Source: American College of Emergency Physicians Summary: Many seniors injured in motor vehicle crashes remain in pain for months afterwards, which negatively affects their quality of life, including the ability to live independently, suggest the results of a study of […]

Omega-3 fatty acids enhance cognitive flexibility in at-risk older adults

Date: May 19, 2015 Source: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Summary: A study of older adults at risk of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease found that those who consumed more omega-3 fatty acids did better than their peers on tests of cognitive flexibility — the ability to efficiently switch between tasks — and had a bigger anterior cingulate cortex, […]

The Clinical Course of Pain and Function in Older Adults With a New Primary Care Visit for Back Pain

Sean D. Rundell, DPT, PhD, Karen J. Sherman, PhD, MPH, Patrick J. Heagerty, PhD, Charles N. Mock, MD, PhD, MPH, Jeffrey G. Jarvik, MD, MPHh Disclosures J Am Geriatr Soc. 2015;63(3):524-530. ABSTRACT AND INTRODUCTION Abstract Objectives To report the clinical course of older adults presenting for a new primary care visit for back pain, no healthcare visit […]

What is Acupuncture? 6 Ways it Can Improve Your Health!

What is Acupuncture? Acupuncture is a holistic health technique that stems from Traditional Chinese Medicine practices in which trained practitioners stimulate specific points on the body by inserting thin needles into the skin. Today acupuncture is one of the most popular practices of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in the West. TCM is a complimentary health […]

Exercise, But Not Vitamin D, Cuts Injuries From Falls in Older Women

Exercise, But Not Vitamin D, Cuts Injuries From Falls in Older Women: Study By Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter MONDAY, March 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Neither routine exercise nor vitamin D supplementation does anything to lower the overall risk for accidental falls among older women, a new Finnish study says. However, the risk of serious injury […]

Green Tea Linked to Lower Risk for Cognitive Decline

Daniel M. Keller, PhD March 25, 2015 NICE, France — Higher consumption of green tea was associated with a lower risk for dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI), even after possible confounding factors were considered, a Japanese study shows. Black tea or coffee did not show the same effect. Researchers led by Moeko Noguchi-Shinohara, MD, […]

Is there a role for neck manipulation in elderly falls prevention?

Is there a role for neck manipulation in elderly falls prevention? – An overview Julie C. Kendall, BAppSc J Can Chiropr Assoc. 2015 Mar; 59(1): 53–63. Abstract Many risk factors exist for falls in the elderly. Dizziness is an important risk factor for such falls. Spinal pain has also been identified as a risk factor […]

Vitamin D Deficiency as and Independent Risk Factor For Falls In the Elderly

Persistent hypovitaminosis D and loss of hip bone mineral density over time as additional risk factors for recurrent falls in a population-based prospective cohort of elderly persons living in the community. The Sao Paulo Ageing & Health (SPAH) Study Osteoporosis International, 02/11/2015  Evidence Based Medicine  Clinical Article Machado KLLL, et al. – Authors performed concomitant […]

World Federation of Chiropractic – The suggested reading list for chiropractic

The suggested reading list for chiropractic WFC Publishes New Online Reading List Monday January 26, 2015 The World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) is pleased to announce the debut of an important, online, free service for the chiropractic profession and the public it serves – a Suggested Reading List of key research papers. When you want […]

‘Strongest Evidence Yet’ Links Anticholinergic Drugs (Benadryl), Dementia

Sue Hughes January 27, 2015 A new study provides the strongest evidence that anticholinergic drugs may increase the risk for dementia in older adults. The drugs implicated are commonly used, estimated to be taken by about 20% of the older adult population for many conditions. They include popular antihistamines sold over the counter as sleep aids, such […]

Cocoa flavanol consumption improves cognitive function, blood pressure control, and metabolic profile in elderly subjects

Cocoa flavanol consumption improves cognitive function, blood pressure control, and metabolic profile in elderly subjects: the Cocoa, Cognition, and Aging (CoCoA) Study—a randomized controlled trial American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 01/05/2015  Clinical Article Mastroiacovo D, et al. – This dietary intervention study provides evidence that regular cocoa flavanol (CF) consumption can reduce some measures of […]

Eating More Carbs May Signal Frontotemporal Dementia

Pauline Anderson Story Source December 22, 2014 If older patients are suddenly craving sweets, gaining weight, and developing swallowing difficulties, consider a diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a new study suggests. Results show that patients with certain types of FTD eat significantly more carbohydrates and sugar than healthy controls or those with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and that […]

Long-Term Benzo Use Rampant in Older Patients

Cautions against the practice go unheeded by nonpsychiatrists. by John Gever Managing Editor, MedPage Today About one in 12 older Americans were prescribed benzodiazepines in 2008, and one-third of those individuals took them for long periods — and much of this use was probably inappropriate, researchers said. Analysis of a large prescription database for 2008 […]