Latest news with #CliffordSegil
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Alzheimer's Symptoms May Surface in Your 20s, Study Finds
Alzheimer's symptoms and changes in cognitive function typically start to appear after age 65. A new study published in Lancet Regional Health-Americas finds that Alzheimer's symptoms can present much earlier than thought, as early as the mid-20s. Experts say that in addition to staying active, eating healthy, avoiding tobacco, and limiting alcohol, it's a good idea to try to use your brain "vigorously" to stay sharp. When you close your eyes and think about Alzheimer's disease, you're probably conjuring up an image of an older person. That makes sense, because the symptoms usually start to rear their ugly heads after age 65. But new research suggests that the devastating disease may actually influence a person's cognitive function decades before they're actually diagnosed. The groundbreaking study, which was published in the journal Lancet Regional Health – Americas, is raising a lot of questions about early biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease—and how to keep your brain healthy, starting from a younger age. Here's what the study found, plus what neurologists want you to keep in mind when digesting the information. Meet the experts: Clifford Segil, DO, is a neurologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA; Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, is the medical director in the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University. For the study, researchers analyzed data from Waves IV and V of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, which is a long-term health study that has tracked teens since the mid-90s. The researchers did a slew of in-home interviews, cognitive tests, and physical exams, and collected blood samples from thousands of participants in their 20s and 30s. Ultimately, 1,112 study participants who did in-home interviews were given cognitive tasks like immediate word recall, delayed word recall, and backward digit span. They also provided a sample for genetic testing. The researchers then tied those scores to Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging, and Incidence of Dementia (CAIDE) scores in 529 people. The researchers discovered that certain risk factors and biomarkers linked to Alzheimer's disease may influence a person's cognitive function starting in their mid-20s and continuing onwards. 'Key risk factors for Alzheimer's disease are linked to cognitive function as early as ages 24–44, highlighting the need for early prevention in the US,' the researchers wrote in the conclusion. The study focused on a few different factors, including the CAIDE score. The list included things like a person's age, education, sex, systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading), body mass index, cholesterol, physical activity, and the gene variant apolipoprotein E ε4 allele (APOE ε4), a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. The researchers also discovered that ATN (amyloid, tau, neurodegeneration), and immune biomarkers linked to Alzheimer's disease may be present and related to cognition in people in their 40s and younger. Sort of. 'When I see younger patients concerned with getting dementia when they are elderly, I 'risk stratify' and do the same tests I would do in an octogenerian concerned they have dementia,' says Clifford Segil, DO, a neurologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. That means doing blood tests to look for reversible causes of memory loss—including thyroid tests and checking vitamin levels like B12. 'I would also obtain a structural picture of their brain to see if they have had silent strokes or atrophy,' Dr. Segil says. The only actual available "test" for Alzheimer's disease in younger people would be to check someone's APOE 4 levels, which is considered the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, Dr. Segil says. 'But this [test] being positive in a young patient would be challenging to say has any clinical significance,' he adds. There are a few things you can do right now to make sure you have the healthiest brain as you get holder. Aside from eating a healthy diet, staying active, avoiding tobacco, and limiting your alcohol consumption, it's a good idea to 'vigorously' use your brain, says Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, medical director in the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University. 'This is best achieved through self-investment in education but also through socialization and human interaction,' he says. 'Working on finding and cultivating new friends and interests in youth helps to develop those old friendships that are so important later in life.' Dr. Segil also recommends keeping your body and mind busy to maintain your brain health. Ultimately, if you're concerned about your dementia risk or if you have a family history of the disease, check in with your primary care physician, who should be able to offer some personalized guidance. You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Doctors Say This Easy Habit Can Protect Your Brain As You Age—And Might Prevent Alzheimer's Disease
New research suggests being curious can protect brain health as you age. Older adults who stay curious and learn new things may be able to offset Alzheimer's disease. By tapping into your senses, you can easily experience newness in a known environment. Little kids ask questions about absolutely everything: why you have to flush the toilet, what the backstory is for a stranger's tattoo, what love means. The list goes on and nothing is off-limits. But that curiosity tends to drop off as we grow up and get older. And apparently, recent research says that's not a good thing for your brain. A new study suggests that older adults who maintain a healthy dose of curiosity and try to learn new things may be able to help offset or even prevent Alzheimer's disease. And yes, that almost sounds too easy to be true. So, what's behind this curiosity-dementia link? Women's Health tapped neurologists for more. Meet the experts: Clifford Segil, DO, is a neurologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA; Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, is the medical director in the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University The study, which was published in PLOS One, recruited more than 1,200 people between the ages of 20 and 84, and asked them to fill out an online questionnaire with the goal of figuring out how curious they were in general. The researchers then asked participants to guess the answers to hard trivia questions that most people likely wouldn't know. For example, What was the first country to give women the right to vote? (Answer: New Zealand!) After they guessed the answer, participants were asked how interested they were to know the answer before they were shown it. The researchers discovered that people who have more "state curiosity" (which is a fleeting desire to know something) also have more "trait curiosity" (i.e. they're naturally curious), and vice versa. But the researchers also discovered that the drive to learn new things dropped in early adulthood, increased sharply after middle age, and continued upward into older age. The researchers said in a press release that older adults who are able to stay curious and want to learn new things may be able to offset or even prevent Alzheimer's disease (even though the study didn't explicitly look at data to support this conclusion). But those who aren't interested in learning new things may be at risk for dementia. This conclusion isn't groundbreaking, by the way: Other studies suggest that older adults who are highly curious have better long-term memory retention than their less-curious counterparts. There are a few things going on that make your curiosity protective to your brain health. 'New interests develop robust connections in the brain,' says Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, medical director in the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University. 'This network of connections is what builds a more resilient brain.' Doing the same thing repeatedly also gets old, points out Clifford Segil, DO, a neurologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. 'As we age, trying to avoid this repetition is healthy,' he says. 'Reading a new book is likely better for your brain than reading an old book again.' Ultimately, Dr. Segil says that seeking out new things 'may create new brain pathways rather than strengthening old pathways.' Dr. Segil recommends that you try to touch on your five senses (vision, hearing, touch, smell, and taste) while experiencing new things. That means eating new foods, looking at new art, and going to a concert and hearing something different, he says. A lot of the scientific findings on this topic have similar conclusions when it comes to supporting good brain health: Don't smoke. Do moderate to vigorous exercise for at least 150 minutes a week. Limit how much alcohol you have. Try to do brain-stimulating activities, like reading, playing games, and visiting museums, regularly. Eat a healthy, varied diet, like the MIND diet. Oh, and of course, stay curious. You never know where it can lead you—and your mind. You Might Also Like Jennifer Garner Swears By This Retinol Eye Cream These New Kicks Will Help You Smash Your Cross-Training Goals
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Alzheimer's Symptoms Can Appear Decades Earlier Than Thought, New Study Finds. Here's What To Know
Alzheimer's symptoms and changes in cognitive function typically start to appear after age 65. A new study published in Lancet Regional Health-Americas finds that Alzheimer's symptoms can present much earlier than thought, as early as the mid-20s. Experts say that in addition to staying active, eating healthy, avoiding tobacco, and limiting alcohol, it's a good idea to try to use your brain "vigorously" to stay sharp. When you close your eyes and think about Alzheimer's disease, you're probably conjuring up an image of an older person. That makes sense, because the symptoms usually start to rear their ugly heads after age 65. But new research suggests that the devastating disease may actually influence a person's cognitive function decades before they're actually diagnosed. The groundbreaking study, which was published in the journal Lancet Regional Health – Americas, is raising a lot of questions about early biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease—and how to keep your brain healthy, starting from a younger age. Here's what the study found, plus what neurologists want you to keep in mind when digesting the information. Meet the experts: Clifford Segil, DO, is a neurologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA; Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, is the medical director in the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University. For the study, researchers analyzed data from Waves IV and V of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, which is a long-term health study that has tracked teens since the mid-90s. The researchers did a slew of in-home interviews, cognitive tests, and physical exams, and collected blood samples from thousands of participants in their 20s and 30s. Ultimately, 1,112 study participants who did in-home interviews were given cognitive tasks like immediate word recall, delayed word recall, and backward digit span. They also provided a sample for genetic testing. The researchers then tied those scores to Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging, and Incidence of Dementia (CAIDE) scores in 529 people. The researchers discovered that certain risk factors and biomarkers linked to Alzheimer's disease may influence a person's cognitive function starting in their mid-20s and continuing onwards. 'Key risk factors for Alzheimer's disease are linked to cognitive function as early as ages 24–44, highlighting the need for early prevention in the US,' the researchers wrote in the conclusion. The study focused on a few different factors, including the CAIDE score. The list included things like a person's age, education, sex, systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading), body mass index, cholesterol, physical activity, and the gene variant apolipoprotein E ε4 allele (APOE ε4), a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. The researchers also discovered that ATN (amyloid, tau, neurodegeneration), and immune biomarkers linked to Alzheimer's disease may be present and related to cognition in people in their 40s and younger. Sort of. 'When I see younger patients concerned with getting dementia when they are elderly, I 'risk stratify' and do the same tests I would do in an octogenerian concerned they have dementia,' says Clifford Segil, DO, a neurologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. That means doing blood tests to look for reversible causes of memory loss—including thyroid tests and checking vitamin levels like B12. 'I would also obtain a structural picture of their brain to see if they have had silent strokes or atrophy,' Dr. Segil says. The only actual available "test" for Alzheimer's disease in younger people would be to check someone's APOE 4 levels, which is considered the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, Dr. Segil says. 'But this [test] being positive in a young patient would be challenging to say has any clinical significance,' he adds. There are a few things you can do right now to make sure you have the healthiest brain as you get holder. Aside from eating a healthy diet, staying active, avoiding tobacco, and limiting your alcohol consumption, it's a good idea to 'vigorously' use your brain, says Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, medical director in the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University. 'This is best achieved through self-investment in education but also through socialization and human interaction,' he says. 'Working on finding and cultivating new friends and interests in youth helps to develop those old friendships that are so important later in life.' Dr. Segil also recommends keeping your body and mind busy to maintain your brain health. Ultimately, if you're concerned about your dementia risk or if you have a family history of the disease, check in with your primary care physician, who should be able to offer some personalized guidance. You Might Also Like Jennifer Garner Swears By This Retinol Eye Cream These New Kicks Will Help You Smash Your Cross-Training Goals
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Could a Simple Blood Test Reveal Your Dementia Risk?
Despite a lot of advancements in our understanding of dementia over the past few decades, doctors still don't have a reliable way to tell who will develop the devastating condition. There's been quite a bit of research into major risk factors, including microplastics exposure, shingles vaccines, sleep quality, and more. Now, a new study suggests that there may be important clues on how your sex, age, and hormonal changes impact certain biomarkers for dementia that can be picked up in a blood sample. However, that doesn't mean a simple blood test can predict dementia risk, which further emphasizes the fact that they should not be the sole test doctors rely on for assessing risk. One positive thing we can learn from the study: Neurologists say the findings underscore how individual risk factors for the disease can be, especially between men and women. Here's what the study found, plus what they want you to know. Meet the experts: Clifford Segil, DO, is a neurologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA; Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, is the medical director in the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University. The study, which was published in the journal Neurology, analyzed data from a 17-year study and compared 513 people who developed dementia during the study period to 513 people who did not. The researchers also took blood samples during the study to look at three specific biomarkers: neurofilament light chain proteins, glial acidic proteins, and phosphorylated tau 181. Here's a quick breakdown of these terms, in case you're unfamiliar: Neurofilament light chain proteins are detected in blood when nerve cells are injured or die; Glial acidic proteins are released when cells try to repair an injury; And phosphorylated tau 181 is tied to the formation of amyloid proteins in the body, which are linked with Alzheimer's disease. The researchers compared the levels of these biomarkers in both groups of participants, and discovered that aging was linked with higher levels of all three, meaning the levels were raised in all participants, not just those with dementia. However, they also found that female study participants, especially those who hadn't gone through menopause yet, had higher levels of glial acidic proteins, while male participants had higher levels of neurofilament light chain proteins. And participants who had APOEe4, a genetic biomarker that is linked with a strong risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, had higher levels of phosphorylated tau 181 and glial acidic proteins. Basically, this study showed that there are sex differences in these biomarkers as we age and go through menopause, but we don't yet know what those differences mean since the results were uniform for those with and without dementia. There's a lot happening with these findings and it's understandable to get lost in the weeds here. But neurologists say the data show that the risk of developing dementia depends on a range of factors, and that you can't count solely on a blood test to determine your risk. 'Even with individuals who have a very strong family history of dementia, there is not a guarantee that they will be affected later in life,' says Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, medical director in the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University. 'This [research] suggests that the path to developing dementia is somewhat different for each person. If we can understand the risk factors better, we can optimize the approach for a specific person.' Clifford Segil, DO, a neurologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, says that it 'makes sense' to look at gender-specific issues like menopause when evaluating someone's dementia risk. While Dr. Segil says that it's unlikely that these findings will eventually lead to different blood tests for men and women, he stresses that the results underscore the need for dementia to be diagnosed from more than a blood test. 'There remains concern [that] dementia blood biomarkers have a high number of false positives, or are positive in people without any dementia,' he says. 'Studies like this support clinical neurologists' caution in using a blood test to diagnose a patient with dementia.' Dementia diagnoses are usually done through several tests, usually an MRI of the brain, PET scan, blood work, and a lumbar puncture to analyze cerebrospinal fluid, Dr. Sachdev says. Doctors will also usually recommend neuro-psychiatric testing to see if the brain is performing the way it should, he says. And after pulling all of those results together, they'll usually make a diagnosis. Ultimately, if you're concerned that you or a loved one might have dementia, Dr. Segil says it's crucial to see a neurologist for an evaluation. There are some reversible causes of memory loss, and getting to the bottom of what's behind yours can go a long way toward a proper diagnosis and treatment, he points out. You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Is This Experimental Drug A Promising Alzheimer's Treatment?
If you're someone who is at high risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer's disease, it can be pretty emotionally and mentally draining, especially if you feel like there's very little you can do to delay its onset (aside from following a healthy diet and lifestyle, and getting enough sleep). But new research on an experimental drug suggests that it could potentially help lower the odds of developing Alzheimer's in people who are genetically predisposed to the devastating condition. Of course, Alzheimer's is a complex disease, and there's no silver bullet treatment. The findings, which were published in The Lancet Neurology, are a little complicated and highly specific to a certain group of people. They also raise a lot of questions from experts about the potential impact of this treatment plan in the general population. Here's what you should know, and what doctors think of the drugs. Meet the experts: Clifford Segil, DO, is a neurologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA; Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, is the medical director in the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University. Randall J. Bateman, MD, is a study co-author and professor of neurology at Washington University in St. Louis For the study, researchers recruited 73 people with rare and inherited genetic mutations that cause the overproduction of a protein called amyloid in the brain. In case you're not familiar, amyloid is found, but in the brain it clumps together to form "plaques" between nerve cells. Too much build-up of these amyloid plaques in the brains can lead to issues with brain function and is linked to Alzheimer's, per the National Institute on Aging (NIA). But we'll get to more of that later. For the study, the researchers gave the study participants an experimental anti-amyloid drug. They found that 22 participants who had no cognitive problems at the study's start and who took the drug the longest (an average of eight years) had a 50 percent lower chance of developing symptoms. The researchers didn't study the impact of the treatment on people who already have Alzheimer's disease. Instead, they looked at people with a very high likelihood of developing it who were within 10 to 15 years before they were expected to develop the disease based on their family history. So, the treatment is more geared towards delaying or halting onset rather than curing an existing disease. Amyloid plaques are areas where amyloid (again, a protein) has built up, explains Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, medical director in the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University. 'You can think of it a lot like a scab on your skin,' he says. 'The scab is rough, it isn't supposed to be there and, if it gets too thick, it causes a problem.' But there is some debate about whether targeting amyloid will help lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease, says Clifford Segil, DO, a neurologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. 'Targeting brain amyloid is not a slam dunk for Alzheimer's prevention as we do not have any tests that are in use clinically to predict Alzheimer's onset,' he says. 'Most neurologists liken [amyloid plaques] to skin freckles, which are normal aging phenomena and extremely infrequent[ly] became a skin cancer,' Dr. Segil continues. 'Many Alzheimer's scientists liken them to unexploded land mines which, if left alone, will cause older people to lose the ability to tie their shoes and all but surely get Alzheimer's disease.' The treatment uses anti-amyloid antibodies to break down the plaques, Dr. Sachdev explains. 'The anti-amyloid antibodies attach to amyloid and use the immune system to remove it,' he says. 'This is very effective, because the immune system is excellent at getting rid of things that do not belong.' But Dr. Sachdev also says that the drug relies on inflammation to clear the plaques. (Think of it like this: Inflammation is a natural bodily response to kickstart healing in the body, bringing various cells and biological tools to the site of injury to repair it. The treatment seems to trigger inflammation.) 'More than 50 percent of patients who were exposed in this study had changes to their brain [including potential for swelling and bleeding] that could be related to inflammation,' he says. As such, these medications come with the risk of brain bleeding, brain swelling, and brain shrinkage, making them risky to use, Dr. Segil points out. Not yet, says Randall J. Bateman, MD, study co-author and professor of neurology at Washington University in St. Louis. This is partly because the study was quite niche. "Our trial tested this in rare families with mutations that cause Alzheimer's disease," Dr. Bateman says. This trial originally ended in 2020. Right now, there are ongoing trials that will wrap up in a few years, and if those are successful, the treatment could potentially be made available to the public, per Dr. Bateman. But some doctors aren't convinced these treatments should be used. One of the medications in the treatment (gantenerumab) is no longer made. 'The company developing it has decided to go into go in a different direction,' Dr. Sachdev says. Anti-amyloid medications also come with a high risk of side effects, including death—and that's concerning to many doctors and families, Dr. Segil says. 'Like most neurologists in the U.S. today, we are not using this family of medications,' he says. 'Clinical neurologists like me continue to be skeptical that the benefits outweigh the risks of anti-amyloid medications for dementia.' 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