Alzheimers
Our special series on Alzheimer's disease.
The Upside Of Alzheimer's?
This week Modern Love: The Podcast explores the story of one family whose lives were changed -- for the better -- by the disease.
'Sundowning': Why Hospital Staffs Dread Nightfall, And How To Help Seniors Avoid It
As the sun sets, many elderly patients can change drastically: They can become extremely confused, agitated, not know where they are, and even hallucinate.
State-Funded Lab At Harvard Medical Aims To Reinvent Drug Discovery
Scientists at the Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology aim to reinvent the drug development process as they work to find treatments for diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer's disease.
Dementia As A Global Public Health 'Tidal Wave'
According to the WHO: Dementia currently affects more than 47 million people worldwide, with more than 75 million people estimated to be living with dementia by 2030. The number is...
A Boxer's Brain And The Evolution Of Sports-Related Head Injuries
Although most people associate CTE with professional football players, McKee has found it in the brains of soccer, hockey, rugby, and baseball players as well.
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Summertime Blues: Pesticide-Laden Strawberries And Your Health
Over the years, researchers have documented the negative effects of pesticide exposure on human health. Recently, though, there's been increased attention on the links between pesticides and neurodegenerative diseases, notably...
Facing The Inevitable: From Lost Keys To Dementia
Trying to tackle the inevitable: age-related memory decline and dementia.
The Grandma Effect: A Little Caregiving Sharpens Brain, A Lot Dulls It
Taking care of grandkids one day a week helps keep grandmothers mentally sharp, according to a study from the Women's Healthy Aging Project in Australia; but five-day-a-week caregiving may be...
Preparing For An Alzheimer's 'Tsunami'
We follow up on our recent Alzheimer's series by examining the expected dramatic increase in the number of patient cases, and what preparation and planning is being done.
Your Thoughts On Alzheimer's Disease
Your thoughts on our Alzheimer's series, "Fade To Darkness."
The Mental And Physical Toll Of Alzheimer's Care
Most of the 5.5 million Americans with Alzheimer's disease are cared for at home and almost 15 million Americans provide this unpaid care. The intense, round-the-clock care takes an economic,...
Tweeting Alzheimer's: Sharing Her Mother's Voice
There aren't a lot of people like @maryagneskelley on Twitter. In the past few weeks, she has sent out tweets ranging from: "I love you!!!! Where am I?" to "Hallucinating~*."...
Bill Would Create Mass. Office For Alzheimer's Care
A bill pending in the Legislature would create a new state office to help coordinate, and direct people to, Alzheimer’s resources.
Video: Alzheimer’s Panel Discussion
In conjunction with our special week-long series, WBUR hosted an expert panel to discuss the future of Alzheimer’s funding, research and care.
Alzheimer's Funding Lags Behind Other Diseases
Alzheimer’s kills more Americans each year than breast and prostate cancers combined. Yet the government spends far more research money on diseases like cancer and AIDS than it does on...
Study: Late-Stage Dementia Patients 'Slammed Around Health Care System'
A new study finds that dementia patients are often transferred between nursing homes and hospitals in the last days of their lives because of infections. Such hospitalizations are extremely difficult...
Testing For Alzheimer's: A Wrenching But Crucial Decision
Scientists can now predict with reasonable certainty who is likely to get Alzheimer’s. But that brings a difficult decision: should we be tested when there is currently no effective treatment?...
Author Finds Silver Lining In Mother's Alzheimer's
"In a bizarre way [I'm] rather grateful for the disease," said Cape Cod author Kate Whouley. "It ended up healing our relationship."
Alzheimer's Research Seeks Earlier Detection
There is currently nothing on the market that halts or even slows down the progression of Alzheimer’s in patients. In our second series report, we look at the disease's ongoing...
Alzheimer's 101: Understanding The Disease
An overview conversation about the disease with the head of the Massachusetts/New Hampshire chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.