Alzheimer's research at risk as diagnoses rise
More than 7 million American seniors now live with Alzheimer's disease — the highest number ever recorded, according to 2025 data shared in a new Alzheimer's Association report.
Why it matters: As Alzheimer's diagnoses rise, the federal funding for medical research that's critical to preventing and treating it is at risk of being cut.
State of play: Over 17,300 Californians die from Alzheimer's every year, but addressing cognitive decline early can help stave off the disease.
That's especially important with San Diego County's growing senior population — about 16% of residents.
Zoom in: The odds of being diagnosed with Alzheimer's is higher in San Diego than many other parts of the country, at least in part because of the local hospital system.
That doesn't necessarily mean more people have the disease, but more thorough diagnosing can lead to more cases, better care, new tests and treatments.
Between the lines: UC San Diego has the top NIH-funded neuroscience department in the country, and the university's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center is developing potential treatments, monitoring drug safety and running clinical trials aimed at prevention.
That federal funding is at risk of being pulled, which center director Jim Brewer has said would "absolutely cut the knees out" and could delay progress in addressing the disease, particularly through clinical trials.
The latest: The FDA on Friday cleared the first blood test to help diagnose the disease, which could help with early detection.
By the numbers: About 12% of Californians over 65 are living with Alzheimer's, per 2020 data in the report.
That's almost 720,000 people.
At 15%, Imperial County had the ninth-highest prevalence in the country.
Zoom out: The highest rates of seniors with Alzheimer's are in D.C. (16.8%), Maryland (12.9%) and New York (12.7%), according to the association.
Nearly two-thirds of all Americans diagnosed with the disease are women, per data cited in the report. UCSD researchers are currently trying to figure out why.
Warning signs to watch for in high-risk age groups:
Trouble finding the right word.
Difficulty judging distances.
Misplacing things and struggling to retrace steps.
Be smart: Keeping your brain on its toes, so to speak, can help prevent dementia.
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- Yahoo
Exclusive-Kennedy's new vaccine adviser was expert witness against Merck vaccine
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Newsweek
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Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Avocado's New Health Benefit Revealed
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. In news that may have many a millennial lunging for a slice of toast, eating an avocado a day has been linked to better sleep and boosted heart health as a result. Analysis of the largest randomized controlled trial on avocado consumption to date found a link between eating the fruit daily and improved sleep duration, despite the study being designed really to explore the superfood's impact on general health. The study had been supported by the Avocado Nutrition Center and marks the first time avocado intake has been associated with better sleep. "Sleep is emerging as a key lifestyle factor in heart health, and this study invites us to consider how nutrition—and foods like avocado—can play a role in improving it," said paper author and nutritional sciences professor Kristina Petersen of Penn State University in a statement. "Cardiovascular health is influenced by many factors, and while no single food is a silver bullet, some—like avocados—offer a range of nutrients that support multiple aspects of heart health." A stock image of a plate containing avocado on brown bread. A stock image of a plate containing avocado on brown bread. Getty Images Lisa Moskovitz, a registered dietitian and CEO at The NY Nutrition Group, spoke with Newsweek about the findings, giving avocados her seal of approval too. "Avocados are a superfood offering an assortment of heart-healthy nutrients—from cholesterol-lowering monounsaturated fats and fiber to blood pressure-regulating potassium and magnesium," she said. "There is a lot going on in a relatively small package. "I always recommend this Mediterranean staple to my clients as part of a wholesome, healthy and disease-fighting balanced diet." The study involved 969 racially and ethnically diverse American adults, all with elevated waist circumferences—a cardiovascular risk factor that affects nearly 60 percent of U.S. adults. Participants were randomized into two groups: one group consumed one avocado per day while the other had fewer than two avocados per month. Both groups otherwise maintained their usual diets over a six-month period. Although sleep was not the intended focus of the trial, the team's analysis revealed that those in the daily avocado group self-reported longer sleep durations. This finding adds to the growing scientific consensus around the fruit's health-promoting potential. Crucially, it also connects avocado intake to one of the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8™—a set of key health behaviors and clinical measures that promote optimal cardiovascular health. Alongside sleep, the Essential 8 includes diet quality, physical activity, nicotine exposure, body weight, blood pressure, blood lipids and blood glucose. While the study showed modest reductions in LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol levels, and an increase in overall diet quality measured by the Healthy Eating Index 2015, there were no significant effects on the other Essential 8 components. However, the researchers note that this avenue—avocados and sleep—is ripe for future exploration. Why Do Avocados Improve Sleep? Avocados contain several nutrients that may play a role in sleep regulation. One-third of a medium avocado delivers 13 milligrams of tryptophan, an amino acid precursor to melatonin, the hormone that helps regulate sleep-wake cycles. It also contains 45 micrograms of folate, essential for melatonin production, and 15 milligrams of magnesium, which contributes to muscle relaxation and, as a result, improves sleep quality. Then there is the fruit's signature nutrient profile: 3 grams of fiber—one-third of which is soluble fiber known to reduce cholesterol—and 5 grams of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, which help lower LDL cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease. Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about heart health? Let us know via science@ Reference Damani, J. J., Kris‐Etherton, P. M., Lichtenstein, A. H., Matthan, N. R., Sabaté, J., Li, Z., Reboussin, D., & Petersen, K. S. (2025). Effect of Daily Avocado Intake on Cardiovascular Health Assessed by Life's Essential 8: An Ancillary Study of HAT, a Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of the American Heart Association, 14(5).
