Aging

Older news items (pre-2010) brought over from the old website

Failing recall not an inevitable consequence of aging

New research suggests age-related cognitive decay may not be inevitable. Tests of 36 adults with an average age of 75 years found that about one out of four had managed to avoid memory decline. Those adults who still had high frontal lobe function had memory skills “every bit as sharp as a group of college students in their early 20s." (But note that most of those older adults who participated were highly educated – some were retired academics). The study also found that this frontal lobe decline so common in older adults is associated with an increased susceptibility to false memories – hence the difficulty often experienced by older people in recalling whether they took a scheduled dose of medication.

The research was presented on August 8 at the American Psychological Association meeting in Toronto.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2003-08/wuis-fmf080703.php

Older adults better at forgetting negative images

It seems that this general tendency, to remember the good, and let the bad fade, gets stronger as we age. Following recent research suggesting that older people tend to regulate their emotions more effectively than younger people, by maintaining positive feelings and lowering negative feelings, researchers examined age differences in recall of positive, negative and neutral images of people, animals, nature scenes and inanimate objects. The first study tested 144 participants aged 18-29, 41-53 and 65-80. Older adults recalled fewer negative images relative to positive and neutral images. For the older adults, recognition memory also decreased for negative pictures. As a result, the younger adults remembered the negative pictures better. Preliminary brain research suggests that in older adults, the amygdala is activated equally to positive and negative images, whereas in younger adults, it is activated more to negative images. This suggests that older adults encode less information about negative images, which in turn would diminish recall.

Charles, S.T., Mather, M. & Carstensen, L.L. 2003. Aging and Emotional Memory: The Forgettable Nature of Negative Images for Older Adults. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 132(2), 310-24.

Older news items (pre-2010) brought over from the old website

Marital status and gender affects rate of age-related cognitive decline; education doesn’t

Analysis of data from 6,476 adults born prior to 1924 (taken from the AHEAD study), who were given five rounds of cognitive testing between 1993 and 2002, has found marital status is a significant factor in rate of cognitive decline, with widows and widowers and those who never married declining faster than married individuals. This is consistent with findings of the benefits of social stimulation and support for aging cognition. Confirming earlier indications, it was also found that women declined faster than men. Level of education did not affect rate of decline. There was an effect of socioeconomic status, in that those in the bottom quintile declined more slowly than those in the highest quintile, and non-Hispanic blacks declined more slowly than non-Hispanic whites, but the chief difference was at baseline — that is, socioeconomic status and race were a far more significant factor in the level of cognitive performance at the start of the study, compared to the rate of decline with age.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-08/uoc--sfn080709.php

Evidence cognitive decline begins in late 20s

A seven-year study involving 2,000 healthy participants between the ages of 18 and 60 has revealed that in 9 of 12 tests the average age at which the top scores were achieved was 22. A notable decline in certain measures of abstract reasoning, processing speed and spatial visualization became apparent at 27. Average memory declines could be detected by about age 37. However, accumulated knowledge skills, such as improvement of vocabulary and general knowledge, actually increase at least until the age of 60. It must be remembered however that there is considerable variance from person to person.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-03/uov-cdb031909.php
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7945569.stm

Education may not affect how fast you will lose your memory

A study involving some 6,500 older Chicago residents being interviewed 3-yearly for up to 14 years (average 6.5 years), has found that while at the beginning of the study, those with more education had better memory and thinking skills than those with less education, education was not related to how rapidly these skills declined during the course of the study. The result suggests that the benefit of more education in reducing dementia risk results simply from the difference in level of cognitive function.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-02/aaon-emn012709.php

Brain slows at 40, starts body decline

We get slower as we age, we all know that. This slowness reflects damage to the myelin sheathing (“white matter”) that coats nerve fibers and is vital for speedy conduction of electrical impulses. A study involving 72 healthy men aged 23 to 80 has found that the speed with which they could tap an index finger, and the health of the myelin in the region that orders the finger to tap, both peaked at age 39, then gradually declined with increasing age. This explains why you don’t get many world-class athletes after 40. Luckily, it probably takes a little longer before the myelin in cognitive areas starts to fray (a decade or so, it’s thought). The finding is consistent with a recent report that the system that’s supposed to repair myelin becomes less efficient with age. More research is looking at what you can do to help your myelin, but in the meantime, it’s suggested that mental and physical activity may help stimulate myelin repair, and stress may damage it.

http://www.physorg.com/news144948216.html
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-10/uoc--pdc101708.php

Memory loss becoming less common in older Americans

A new nationally representative study involving 11,000 people shows a downward trend in the rate of cognitive impairment among people aged 70 and older, from 12.2% to 8.7% between 1993 and 2002. It’s speculated that factors behind this decline may be that today’s older people are much likelier to have had more formal education, higher economic status, and better care for risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking that can jeopardize their brains. In fact the data suggest that about 40% of the decrease in cognitive impairment over the decade was likely due to the increase in education levels and personal wealth between the two groups of seniors studied at the two time points. The trend is consistent with a dramatic decline in chronic disability among older Americans over the past two decades.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-02/uomh-mla021808.php

People at genetic risk for Alzheimer's age mentally just like noncarriers

A long-running study involving 6,560 people has found that carriers of the so-called ‘Alzheimer’s gene’— the APOE4 allele — does not contribute to cognitive change during most of adulthood. There was no difference in cognitive performance between carriers and non-carriers prior to the development of dementia symptoms.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-01/apa-pag010307.php

Longevity gene also helps retain cognitive function

The Longevity Genes Project has studied 158 people of Ashkenazi, or Eastern European Jewish, descent who were 95 years of age or older. Those who passed a common test of mental function were two to three times more likely to have a common variant of a gene associated with longevity (the CETP gene) than those who did not. When the researchers studied another 124 Ashkenazi Jews between 75 and 85 years of age, those subjects who passed the test of mental function were five times more likely to have this gene variant than their counterparts. The gene variant makes cholesterol particles in the blood larger than normal.

http://tinyurl.com/yrf5s4
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-12/aaon-lga121906.php

Risk of mild cognitive impairment increases with less education

A study of 3,957 people from the general population of Olmsted County, Minnesota is currently in train to find how many of those who did not have dementia might have mild cognitive impairment. A report on the findings so far suggests 9% of those aged 70 to 79 and nearly 18% of those 80 to 89 have MCI. Prevalence varied not only with age but also years of education: 25% in those with up to eight years of education, 14% in those with nine to 12 years, 9% in those with 13 to 16 years, and 8.5% in those with greater than 16 years.

Findings from this study were presented April 4 at the American Academy of Neurology meeting in San Diego.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-04/mc-mci033006.htm

Human cerebellum and cortex age in very different ways

Analysis of gene expression in five different regions of the brain's cortex has found that brain changes with aging were pronounced and consistent across the cortex, but changes in gene expression in the cerebellum were smaller and less coordinated. Researchers were surprised both by the homogeneity of aging within the cortex and by the dramatic differences between cortex and cerebellum. They also found that chimpanzees' brains age very differently from human brains; the findings cast doubt on the effectiveness of using rodents to model various types of neurodegenerative disease.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-08/hu-hca072805.php

Childhood environment important in staving off cognitive decline

Confirming earlier studies, a British study of 215 men and women aged between 66 and 75, has found that the larger a person's head, the less likely their cognitive abilities are to decline in later years. Those with the smallest heads had a fivefold increased risk of suffering cognitive decline compared with those with the largest heads. Encouragingly, however, this doesn’t mean you’re doomed at birth — the researchers found that it wasn’t head circumference at birth that was important, but head size in adulthood. During the first year of life, babies' brains double in size, and by the time they are six, their brain weight has tripled. These, it appears, are the crucial years for laying down brain cells and neural connections — pointing to the importance of providing both proper nourishment and intellectual stimulation in these early years.

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,1051264,00.html

Failing recall not an inevitable consequence of aging

New research suggests age-related cognitive decay may not be inevitable. Tests of 36 adults with an average age of 75 years found that about one out of four had managed to avoid memory decline. Those adults who still had high frontal lobe function had memory skills “every bit as sharp as a group of college students in their early 20s." (But note that most of those older adults who participated were highly educated – some were retired academics). The study also found that this frontal lobe decline so common in older adults is associated with an increased susceptibility to false memories – hence the difficulty often experienced by older people in recalling whether they took a scheduled dose of medication.

The research was presented on August 8 at the American Psychological Association meeting in Toronto.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2003-08/wuis-fmf080703.php

How aging brains compensate for cognitive decline

Many of the cognitive deficits associated with advancing age are related to functions of the prefrontal cortex such as working memory, decision-making, planning and judgment. Postmortem examination of 20 brains ranging in age from 25 to 83 years, confirm that prefrontal regions may be particularly sensitive to the effects of aging. It also appears that white matter decreases at a faster rate than grey matter with age.

Kigar, D.L., Walter, A.L., Stoner-Beresh, H.J. & Witelson, S.F. 2001. Age and volume of the human prefrontal cortex: a postmortem study. Paper presented to the annual Society for Neuroscience meeting in San Diego, US.

Memory starts to decline in our mid-twenties

Studies of more than 350 men and women between the ages of 20 and 90 have found that cognitive decline starts as early as the twenties, and this decline in cognitive processing power appears to be constant - that is, the rate of decline is the same when you are in your twenties as when you are in your sixties. However young adults don't notice this decline because the loss hasn't yet become great enough to affect everyday activities.

Denise Park, who directs the Center for Aging and Cognition at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research (ISR) presented a paper on these studies on Aug. 24 in San Francisco at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association.

http://www.umich.edu/~newsinfo/Releases/2001/Aug01/r081301a.html

Gray matter may decline from adolescence, but white matter keeps growing until our late forties

Brain scans of 70 men, ages 19 to 76 confirms that the brain's gray matter, the cell bodies of nerve cells, declines steadily from adolescence. But surprisingly, the white matter, the fatty material that insulates the long extending branches of the nerve cells and makes nerve signals move faster, in the frontal parts of the brain appears to grow at least until the late 40's, before beginning to decline. The growth of white matter may improve the brain's ability to process information.

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/22/health/22VITA-3.html

Mental faculties unchanged until the mid-40s

A large-scale study of mental abilities in adults found that mental faculties were unchanged until the mid-40s, when a marked decline began and continued at a constant rate. The ability to remember words after a delay was especially affected. Accuracy did not seem to be affected, only speed.

The paper was presented to a British Psychological Society conference in London.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4108165,00.html

Gender differences in frontal lobe neuron density

A recent study has found that women have up to 15% more brain cell density in the frontal lobe, which controls so-called higher mental processes, such as judgement, personality, planning and working memory. However, as they get older, women appear to shed cells more rapidly from this area than men. By old age, the density is similar for both sexes. It is not yet clear what impact, if any, this difference has on performance.

Witelson, S.F., Kigar, D.L. & Stoner-Beresh, H.J. 2001. Sex difference in the numerical density of neurons in the pyramidal layers of human prefrontal cortex: a stereologic study. Paper presented to the annual Society for Neuroscience meeting in San Diego, US.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/health/newsid_1653000/1653687.stm

Older news items (pre-2010) brought over from the old website

Most older people with mild cognitive impairment have Alzheimer's or cerebral vascular disease

Another finding from the Religious Orders Study. It seems that mild cognitive impairment is often the earliest clinical manifestation of Alzheimer’s or vascular dementia. By studying the brains of study participants after death, researchers could ascertain that, of the 37 individuals with mild cognitive impairment, 23 met pathologic criteria for Alzheimer's disease, and 12 had cerebral infarcts (5 had both). Only 9 did not have either pathology. The researchers conclude that even mild loss of cognitive function in older people should not, therefore, be viewed as normal, but as an indication of a disease process.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-03/rpsl-mop022805.php

Population level of frontotemporal dementia

A large-scale epidemiological study in the Netherlands has found an incidence of frontotemporal dementia that equates to a population level of 1.1 per 100,000. The prevalence was highest among those ages 60 to 69, at 9.4 per 100,000. The prevalence among people ages 45 to 64 was estimated to be 6.7 per 100,000. Symptoms began after age 65 in 22% of patients. Whites accounted for 99% of all cases despite an ample nonwhite population. A family history of dementia was present in 43% of patients.

Cognitive impairment high among older people

In the first population-based study of cognitive impairment in the United States, nearly one in four older African Americans in Indianapolis were found to have measurable cognitive problems (short of dementia or Alzheimer's). The prevalence of cognitive impairment grew significantly with age, with rates increasing by about 10 percent for every 10 years of age after age 65. Of those aged 85 and older, 38% had some degree of cognitive impairment. Surveys in other countries (which cannot be directly compared due to differences in methodology, diagnostic criteria, etc) have reported results ranging from 10.7% in Italy to 26.6% in Finland.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2001-11/nioa-cih110701.php
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2001-11/aaon-mla110501.php

More women than men do well on memory tests in old age

Researchers from Leiden University tested the mental functioning of 599 Dutch men and women aged 85 years. Good mental speed on word and number recognition tests was found in 33% of the women and 28% of the men. Forty one per cent of the women and 29% of the men had a good memory. This despite the fact that significantly more of the women had limited formal education compared to the men (not surprising given the time in which they grew up). The authors suggested that biological differences - such as the relative absence of cardiovascular disease in elderly women compared with men of the same age - could account for these sex differences in mental decline.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2001-06/BSJ-Ewhb-1706101.php

Severe memory problems in older adults have become more rare

Severe memory problems in older adults have become more rare, probably because of better treatments for dementia, depression and strokes. Researchers from the University of Michigan interviewed more than 10,000 people ages 70 and older from 1993 to 1998. People tested in 1998 did significantly better on the memory tests than those tested earlier. In 1998 less than 4% of those 70 and older showed severe memory problems, and only 8% of those 85 and older. Surprisingly, the greatest improvement was seen among those in their 80s and those with less than a high school education. The decline in memory problems is believed to be associated with the improvement in physical fitness seen among the elderly. It is speculated that the increase in number of women on hormone replacement therapy may also play a part.

Older news items (pre-2010) brought over from the old website

Factors helping you maintain cognitive function in old age

An 8-year study of over 2,500 seniors in their 70s, has found that 53% showed normal age-related decline, 16% showed major cognitive decline, and an encouraging 30% had no change or improved on the tests over the years. The most important factors in determining whether a person maintained their cognitive health was education and literacy: those with a ninth grade literacy level or higher were nearly five times as likely to stay sharp than those with lower literacy levels; those with at least a high school education were nearly three times as likely to stay sharp as those who have less education. Lifestyle factors were also significant: non-smokers were nearly twice as likely to stay sharp as smokers; those who exercised moderately to vigorously at least once a week were 30% more likely to maintain their cognitive function than those who do not exercise that often; people working or volunteering and people who report living with someone were 24% more likely to maintain cognitive function.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-06/aaon-ssn060209.php

Better cognitive performance from US seniors compared to British

A study involving over 8,000 older Americans and over 5,000 British seniors has found a significant difference in cognitive performance between the two nationalities, with the Americans scoring on average as if they were ten years younger than the British. The U.S. advantage in "brain health" was greatest for the oldest old---those aged 85 and older. Part of the difference can be accounted for by higher levels of education and net worth in the United States, and part by significantly lower levels of depressive symptoms (possibly attributable to the much greater degree of medication in the US for depression). It was also found that dramatically more U.S. seniors reported no alcohol use (over 50%), compared to the British (15.5%). It is also speculated that the earlier retirement in Britain may be a factor, and also the greater prevalence of untreated hypertension.

Full text available at http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1471-2318-9-23.pdf
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-06/bc-aet062309.php
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-06/uom-us062309.php

Memory gets worse with age if you think about it

Confirming earlier research (and what I’ve been saying for ten years), thinking that memory diminishes with age is sufficient for some elderly people to score lower on cognitive tests. Moreover, and confirming other research relating to gender and race, the study also found that a senior's ability to remember something was heavily influenced by the activation or inactivation of negative stereotypes (for example, by being told before the test that older people perform more poorly on that type of memory test). The effects of negative stereotypes were experienced more by those in their sixties than older (but those in their seventies performed worse when they felt stigmatized), and more by the very well-educated. There was some indication that these effects occur through their effect on motivation.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Memory-Gets-Worse-With-Age-If-you-Think-About-It-109909.shtml
http://www.physorg.com/news159544866.html
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-04/ncsu-tmw042109.php

Circadian clock may be critical for remembering what you learn

We know circadian rhythm affects learning and memory in that we find it easier to learn at certain times of day than others, but now a study involving Siberian hamsters has revealed that having a functioning circadian system is in itself critical to being able to remember. The finding has implications for disorders such as Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease. The critical factor appears to be the amount of the neurotransmitter GABA, which acts to inhibit brain activity. The circadian clock controls the daily cycle of sleep and wakefulness by inhibiting different parts of the brain by releasing GABA. It seems that if it’s not working right, if the hippocampus is overly inhibited by too much GABA, then the circuits responsible for memory storage don't function properly. The effect could be fixed by giving a GABA antagonist, which blocks GABA from binding to synapses. Recent mouse studies have also demonstrated that mice with symptoms of Down syndrome and Alzheimer's also show improved learning and memory when given the same GABA antagonist. The findings may also have implications for general age-related cognitive decline, because age brings about a degradation in the circadian system. It’s also worth noting that the hamsters' circadian systems were put out of commission by manipulating the hamsters' exposure to light, in a technique that was compared to "sending them west three time zones." The effect was independent of sleep duration.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-10/su-ccm100808.php

Occasional memory loss tied to lower brain volume

A study of 503 seniors (aged 50-85) with no dementia found that 453 of them (90%) reported having occasional memory problems such as having trouble thinking of the right word or forgetting things that happened in the last day or two, or thinking problems such as having trouble concentrating or thinking more slowly than they used to. Such problems have been attributed to white matter lesions, which are very common in older adults, but all of the participants in the study had white matter lesions in their brains, and the amount of lesions was not tied to occasional memory problems. However it was found that those who reported having such problems had a smaller hippocampus than those who had no cognitive problems. This was most noteworthy in subjects with good objective cognitive performance.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-10/aaon-oml093008.php

Decline of mental skills in years before death

A long-running study of 288 people with no dementia, who were followed from age 70 to death, has found that there was substantial acceleration in cognitive decline many years prior to death. Time of onset and rate of terminal decline varied considerably across cognitive abilities, with verbal ability beginning its terminal decline 6.6 years prior to death, spatial ability 7.8 years before death, and perceptual speed 14.8 years before death. With verbal ability, it appeared that the decline was not due to age only, but due to health issues.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-08/aaon-ewd081908.php

Aging impairs the 'replay' of memories during sleep

During sleep, the hippocampus repeatedly "replays" brain activity from recent experiences, in a process believed to be important for memory consolidation. A new rat study has found reduced replay activity during sleep in old compared to young rats, and rats with the least replay activity performed the worst in tests of spatial memory. The best old rats were also the ones that showed the best sleep replay. Indeed, the animals who more faithfully replayed the sequence of neural activity recorded during their earlier learning experience were the ones who performed better on the spatial memory task, regardless of age. The replay activity occurs during slow-wave sleep.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-07/sfn-ait072408.php

White-matter changes linked to gait and balance problems

A three-year study involving 639 adults between the ages of 65 and 84 has found that people with severe white matter changes (leukoaraiosis) were twice as likely to score poorly on walking and balance tests as those people with mild white matter changes. The study also found people with severe changes were twice as likely as the mild group to have a history of falls. The moderate group was one-and-a-half times as likely as the mild group to have a history of falls. Further research will explore the effect of exercise.

http://www.physorg.com/news124990876.html

Lack of imagination in older adults linked to declining memory

In a study in which older and younger adults were asked to think of past and future events, older adults were found to generate fewer details about past events — and this correlated with an impaired ability to imagine future events. The number of details remembered by older adults was also linked to their relational memory abilities. The findings suggest that our ability to imagine future events is based on our ability to remember the details of previously experienced ones, extract relevant details and put them together to create an imaginary event.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-01/afps-loi010708.php

Brain systems become less coordinated with age, even in the absence of disease

An imaging study of the brain function of 93 healthy individuals from 18 to 93 years old has revealed that normal aging disrupts communication between different regions of the brain. The finding is consistent with previous research showing that normal aging slowly degrades white matter. The study focused on the links within two critical networks, one responsible for processing information from the outside world and one, known as the default network, which is more internal and kicks in when we muse to ourselves. “We found that in young adults, the front of the brain was pretty well in sync with the back of the brain [but] in older adults this was not the case. The regions became out of sync and they were less correlated with each other.” However, older adults with normal, high correlations performed better on cognitive tests. Among older individuals whose brain systems did not correlate, all of the systems were not affected in the same way. The default system was most severely disrupted with age. The visual system was very well preserved.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-12/hhmi-tab120307.php
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-12/hu-bsb120307.php
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-12/cp-co112907.php

Why neurogenesis is so much less in older brains

A rat study has revealed that the aging brain produces progressively fewer new nerve cells in the hippocampus (neurogenesis) not because there are fewer of the immature cells (neural stem cells) that can give rise to new neurons, but because they divide much less often. In young rats, around a quarter of the neural stem cells were actively dividing, but only 8% of cells in middle-aged rats and 4% in old rats were. This suggests a new approach to improving learning and memory function in the elderly.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-12/dumc-sca121806.php

Senior’s memory complaints should be taken seriously

A study involving 120 people over 60 found those who complained of significant memory problems who still performed normally on memory tests had a 3% reduction in gray matter density in their brains. This compares to 4% in those diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment. This suggests that significant memory loss complaints may indicate a very early "pre-MCI" stage of dementia for some people.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-09/aaon-fym090506.php

Alzheimer's pathology related to episodic memory loss in those without dementia

A study of 134 participants from the Religious Orders Study or the Memory and Aging Project has found that, although they didn't have cognitive impairment at the time of their death, more than a third of the participants (50) met criteria for a pathologic diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. This group also scored significantly lower on tests for episodic memory, such as recalling stories and word lists. The results provide further support for the idea that a ‘cognitive reserve’ can allow people to tolerate a significant amount of Alzheimer's pathology without manifesting obvious dementia. It also raises the question whether we should accept any minor episodic memory loss in older adults as 'normal'.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-06/aaon-apr062006.php

Does IQ drop with age or does something else impact intelligence?

As people grow older, their IQ scores drop. But is it really that they lose intelligence? A study has found that if college students had to perform under conditions that mimic the perception deficits many older people have, their IQ scores would also take a drop.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-05/cwru-did050106.php

Walking in older people is related to cognitive skills

A study of 186 adults aged 70 and older tested gait speed with and without interference (walking while reciting alternate letters of the alphabet). Walking speed was predictable from performance on cognitive tests of executive control and memory, particularly when the participant was required to recite at the same time. The findings suggest that in old age, walking involves higher-order executive-control processes, suggesting that cognitive tests could help doctors assess risk for falls. Conversely, slow gait could alert them to check for cognitive impairment.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-03/apa-opw032306.php

Immune function important for cognition

New research overturns previous beliefs that immune cells play no part in — and may indeed constitute a danger to — the brain. Following on from an earlier study that suggested that T cells — immune cells that recognize brain proteins — have the potential to fight off neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s, researchers have found that neurogenesis in adult rats kept in stimulating environments requires these immune cells. A further study found that mice with these T cells performed better at some tasks than mice lacking the cells. The researchers suggest that age-related cognitive decline may be related to this, as aging is associated with a decrease in immune system function, suggesting that boosting the immune system may also benefit cognitive function in older adults.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-01/acft-wis011106.php

Early life stress can lead to memory loss and cognitive decline in middle age

Age-related cognitive decline is probably a result of both genetic and environmental factors. A rat study has demonstrated that some of these environmental factors may occur in early life. Among the rats, emotional stress in infancy showed no ill effects by the time the rats reached adulthood, but as the rats reached middle age, cognitive deficits started to appear in those rats who had had stressful infancies, and progressed much more rapidly with age than among those who had had nurturing infancies. Middle-aged rats who had been exposed to early life emotional stress showed deterioration in brain-cell communication in the hippocampus.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-10/uoc--els100605.php

Older people with the 'Alzheimer's gene' find it harder to remember intentions

It has been established that those with a certain allele of a gene called ApoE have a much greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s (those with this allele on both genes have 8 times the risk; those with the allele on one gene have 3 times the risk). Recent studies also suggest that such carriers are also more likely to show signs of deficits in episodic memory – but that these deficits are quite subtle. In the first study to look at prospective memory in seniors with the “Alzheimer’s gene”, involving 32 healthy, dementia-free adults between ages of 60 and 87, researchers found a marked difference in performance between those who had the allele and those who did not. The results suggest an exception to the thinking that ApoE status has only a subtle effect on cognition.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-01/apa-opw011805.php

Some brains age more rapidly than others

Investigation of the patterns of gene expression in post-mortem brain tissue has revealed two groups of genes with significantly altered expression levels in the brains of older individuals. The most significantly affected are mostly those related to learning and memory. One of the most interesting, and potentially useful, findings, is that patterns of gene expression are quite similar in the brains of younger adults. Very old adults also show similar patterns, although the similarity is less. But the greatest degree of individual variation occurs in those aged between 40 and 70. Some of these adults show gene patterns that look more like the young group, whereas others show gene patterns that look more like the old group. It appears that gene changes start around 40 in some people, but not in others. It also appears that those genes that are affected by age are unusually vulnerable to damage from agents such as free radicals and toxins in the environment, suggesting that lifestyle in young adults may play a part in deciding rate and degree of cognitive decline in later years.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-06/chb-dgi060204.php

Drugs to improve memory may worsen memory in some

Drugs that increase the activity of an enzyme called protein kinase A improve long-term memory in aged mice and have been proposed as memory-enhancing drugs for elderly humans. However, the type of memory improved by this activity occurs principally in the hippocampus. A new study suggests that increased activity of this enzyme has a deleterious effect on working memory (which principally involves the prefrontal cortex). In other words, a drug that helps you remember a recent event may worsen your ability to remember what you’re about to do (to take an example).

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2003-11/naos-mdf110303.php

Memory-enhancing drugs for elderly may impair working memory and other executive functions

A number of pharmaceutical companies are working on developing memory-enhancing drugs not only for patients with clinical memory impairment, but also for perfectly healthy people. Although some drugs have been found that can improve cognitive function in those suffering from impairment, the side effects preclude their use among healthy people. However, a recent study has found evidence that a well-established drug used for narcolepsy (excessive daytime sleepiness) may improve cognition in normal people, without side effects. The drug seems to particularly affect some tasks requiring planning and working memory (and in a further, as yet unpublished study, appears helpful for adults with ADHD). Whether the drug (modafinil) has anything over caffeine in terms of the cognitive benefits it brings is still debated. More interestingly, and in line with the sometimes conflicting results of these kinds of drugs on different people, the researchers suggest that the effect of drugs on cognitive function depends on the level at which the individual cognitive system is operating: if your system is mildly below par, the right brain chemical could improve performance; if it’s well below par, the same dose will have a much smaller effect; if (and this is the interesting one) it’s already operating at peak, the chemical could in fact degrade performance.

Magnetic resonance imaging may help predict future memory decline

A six-year imaging study of 45 healthy seniors assessed changes in brain scans against cognitive decline. They found that progressive atrophy in the medial temporal lobe was the most significant predictor of cognitive decline, which occurred in 29% of the subjects.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2003-11/rson-mhr111703.php

Mouse study suggests new approach to reducing age-related cognitive decline

Young and old mice learned that a particular tone was associated with a mild electric footshock. When the tone was immediately followed by a shock, both young and aged mice easily remembered the association on the following day. When the tone was separated from the shock by several seconds, the old mice were strongly impaired in comparison to the young mice. The researchers found highly elevated levels of a calcium-activated potassium channel, the so-called SK3 channel, in the hippocampus of old, but not of young mice. When the researchers selectively downregulated SK3 channels in the hippocampus of aged mice, the impairment in learning and memory was prevented. This suggests a new approach to treating age-related memory decline.

Blank, T., Nijholt, I., Kye, M-J., Radulovic, J. & Spiess, J. 2003. Small-conductance, Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channel SK3 generates age-related memory and LTP deficits. Nature Neuroscience, 6(9),911–912. Published online: 27 July 2003, doi:10.1038/nn1101

http://tinyurl.com/nm3r

Rat study offers more complex model of brain aging

A study of young, middle-aged, and aged rats, trained on two memory tasks, has revealed 146 genes connected with brain aging and cognitive impairment. Importantly, the changes in gene activity had mostly begun in mid-life, suggesting that changes in gene activity in the brain in early adulthood might set off cellular or biological changes that could affect how the brain works later in life. The study provides more information on genes already linked to aging, including some involved in inflammation and oxidative stress, and also describes additional areas in which gene activity might play a role in brain aging, including declines in energy metabolism in cells and changes in the activity of neurons (nerve cells) in the brain and their ability to make new connections with each other, increases in cellular calcium levels which could trigger cell death, cholesterol synthesis, iron metabolism and the breakdown of the insulating myelin sheaths that when intact facilitate efficient communication among neurons.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2003-05/nioa-nsi050203.php

Is a dwindling brain chemical responsible for age-related cognitive decline?

A study of what are probably the world's oldest monkeys may explain age-related mental decline. The study found that the very old monkeys' nerves in the visual cortex lose their ability to discriminate between one signal and another and that this loss was directly related to the presence of a chemical called gamma-aminobutyric acid (Gaba), a neurotransmitter that appears to dwindle in old age. If a lack of GABA is indeed responsible for the old neurons' indiscriminate firing, this problem may be simple enough to treat. There already exist drugs that increase GABA production, although these drugs have yet to be carefully tested on the elderly.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2003-05/aaft-sow042403.php http://www.newswise.com/articles/2003/5/OLDBRAIN.UUT.html
http://www.utah.edu/unews/releases/03/may/oldbrain.html
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_medical/story.jsp?story=402317

Rat studies provide more evidence on why aging can impair memory

Among aging rats, those that have difficulty navigating water mazes have no more signs of neuron damage or cell death in the hippocampus, a brain region important in memory, than do rats that navigate with little difficulty. Nor does the extent of neurogenesis (birth of new cells in an adult brain) seem to predict poorer performance. Although the researchers have found no differences in a variety of markers for postsynaptic signals between elderly rats with cognitive impairment and those without, decreases in a presynaptic signal are correlated with worse cognitive impairment. That suggests that neurons in the impaired rat brains may not be sending signals correctly.

Gallagher, M. 2002. Markers for memory decline. Paper presented at the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, 5 November.

http://news.bmn.com/conferences/list/view?rp=2002-SFN-3-S4

An enzyme that helps us to forget

A series of experiments on genetically altered laboratory mice showed those with low levels of the enzyme protein phosphatase-1 (PP1), were less likely to forget what they had learned. This enzyme appears to be critical in helping us forget unwanted information, but it may also be partly responsible for an increase in forgetting in older adults. It was found that as the mice aged, the level of PP1 increased. When the action of PP1 was blocked, the mice recovered their full learning and memory abilities.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/08/29/MN2052.DTL
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2222871.stm

Age-related changes in brain dopamine may underpin the normal cognitive problems of aging

A new model suggests why and how many cognitive abilities decline with age, and offers hope for prevention. Research in the past few years has clarified and refined our ideas about the ways in which cognitive abilities decline with age, and one of these ways is in a reduced ability to recall the context of memories. Thus, for example, an older person is less likely to be able to remember where she has heard something. According to this new model, context processing is involved in many cognitive functions — including some once thought to be independent — and therefore a reduction in the ability to remember contextual information can have wide-reaching implications for many aspects of cognition. The model suggests that context processing occurs in the prefrontal cortex and requires a certain level of the brain chemical dopamine. It may be that in normal aging, dopamine levels become low or erratic. Changes in dopamine have also been implicated in Alzheimer’s, as well as other brain-based diseases.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2001-12/apa-ocf121701.php

Older news items (pre-2010) brought over from the old website

Ginkgo biloba does not slow rate of cognitive decline

Findings from the large, long-running Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory study have sadly found no evidence for an effect of Ginkgo biloba on global cognitive change and no evidence of effect on specific cognitive domains of memory, language, attention, visuospatial abilities and executive functions. There was also no evidence for treatment effects for any particular group (i.e. by age, sex, race, education, ApoE4 status, or baseline cognitive status). The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial involved 3069 seniors aged 72 to 96 years, with a median follow-up of 6.1 years. Those taking the herb took a twice-daily dose of 120-mg. Earlier results from the study found Ginkgo biloba did not reduce the incidence of dementia.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-12/jaaj-gbd122309.php

Gingko biloba does not prevent dementia

A six-year study involving over 3000 older adults has found no reduction in the rate of dementia for those taking twice-daily 120 mg doses of Ginkgo biloba.

DeKosky, S.T. et al. 2008. Ginkgo biloba for prevention of dementia: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA, 300 (19), 2253-62.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-11/jaaj-gbd111308.php
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-11/wfub-gpi111808.php

Daily dose of ginkgo may prevent brain cell damage after a stroke

A study using genetically engineered mice has found that daily doses of ginkgo biloba can prevent or reduce brain damage after an induced stroke. More research is needed before its use in humans can be recommended, but the finding does lend support to other evidence that ginkgo biloba triggers a cascade of events that neutralizes free radicals known to cause cell death.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-10/jhmi-mss100708.php

More study needed to determine if gingko biloba helps memory

A three-year study involving 118 people age 85 and older with no memory problems found no significant difference in the development of memory problems during the study between those who took ginkgo biloba extract three times a day and those who took a placebo. However, when adherence was taken into account, it was found that those who reliably took the supplement had a 68% lower risk of developing mild memory problems than those who took the placebo. But those taking ginkgo biloba were more likely to have a stroke or transient ischemic attack. Further studies are needed.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-02/aaon-dgb022208.php

Ginkgo may improve executive function in MS patients

A study of 39 MS patients found that those receiving ginkgo biloba were about 13% faster on a Stroop test (measures a person's ability to pay attention and to sort conflicting information). Such a difference would be comparable to differences in scores between healthy people ages 30 to 39 and those ages 50 to 59. The benefit appeared to be greatest for those who had certain problems with the Stroop test.

The study was presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 57th Annual Meeting in Miami Beach, Fla.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-04/ohs-osf042705.php

Helping memory with "natural" supplements

Do caffeine and glucose help concentration? A recent study found that volunteers who drank a mixture containing caffeine and glucose (as well as trace levels of guarana, ginkgo and ginseng) showed clear improvements in memory and attention. Those who consumed the individual ingredients, or a placebo, did not show such improvements.
Another study by the same researchers found that high doses of lemon balm improved memory and led to greater feelings of calmness in 20 volunteers. The lemon balm was found to increase the activity of acetylcholine – an important chemical messenger which is reduced in people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Scholey, A. & Kennedy, D. 2003. Report at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference in Bournemouth 13-15 March.

Support for gingko biloba

A study of seniors with age-associated memory impairment found significant improvement in verbal recall among those who took gingko biloba for six months. PET scans revealed a correlation with better brain function in key brain memory centers, although there was no detectable changes in brain metabolism. Studies of gingko biloba have had conflicting results, and it is suggested that both length of time (most studies have looked at the effect over 3 months or less) and quality of supplement, may be important.

The research was presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2003-11/uoc--urf111003.php

Pilot study finds ginseng may improve memory in stroke dementia patients

Following mouse studies showing that ginseng increased the activities of the brain chemicals acetylcholine and choline acetyltransferase, a pilot study of 40 patients (average age 67) with mild to moderate vascular dementia was undertaken by Chinese researchers. 25 patients were randomly selected to receive ginseng extract, while 15 received the drug Duxil® (used to improve memory in elderly dementia patients). Overall, researchers found that patients who took the ginseng compound significantly improved their average memory function after 12 weeks. More research (larger samples, placebo-controls) is needed before this finding can be confirmed.

The study was reported at the American Stroke Association's 28th International Stroke Conference on February 14 in Phoenix.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2003-02/aha-gmi020403.php

No support for ginkgo as a memory enhancer

In a double-blind study of 230 healthy seniors, half of whom were given gingko biloba and half a placebo, ginkgo biloba was found to have no beneficial effect on memory and related mental functions after six weeks (the manufacturer claims beneficial effects can be noticed after four weeks).

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-08/wc-gfi081602.php

Ginkgo biloba may slow cognitive decline in patients with mild multiple sclerosis

A six-month double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of 23 individuals with mild multiple sclerosis found that patients who took the herb Ginkgo biloba performed better on neuropsychological tests compared to those who took the inactive placebo.

Corey-Bloom, J., Kenney, C. & Norman, M. 2002. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology on April 18 in Denver, Colorado.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-04/uoc--gbs041202.php

Older news items (pre-2010) brought over from the old website

Cognitive decline after noncardiac surgery

Older surgical patients at greater risk for developing cognitive problems

There’s been quite a lot of research on the effects of cardiac surgery on cognitive function, but less is known about the effects of any surgery. Now a study of more than 1000 adult patients of different ages has tested memory and cognitive function before undergoing elective non-cardiac surgery, at the time of hospital discharge, and three months after surgery. It was found that many patients, regardless of age, experienced postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) at the time they left the hospital (36.6% of young adults, 30.4% of the middle-aged, 41.4% of elderly). But three months later, those aged 60 and older were more than twice as likely to exhibit POCD (12.7% compared to less than 6% for both young and middle-aged). POCD was more common among those patients with lower educational level and a history of a stroke that had left no noticeable neurologic impairment. Those with POCD at both the time of hospital discharge and three months after surgery also were more likely to die within the first year after surgery. The reason for this is unclear, but it’s speculated that patients with prolonged cognitive dysfunction might be less able to take medicines correctly or may not recognize the need to seek medical care for symptoms of complications. [1]

Cognitive decline after heart bypass

More evidence bypass surgery not responsible for cognitive impairment

A 6-year study of 326 heart patients has found no differences in brain impairment between those who had on-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (152 patients), off-pump bypass surgery patients (75 patients), and those who had drugs and arterial stents to keep their blood vessels open instead of bypass surgery (99 patients). However, all of them were found to have experienced significant cognitive decline over the six-year study period on tests of verbal memory, visual memory, visuoconstruction, language, motor speed, psychomotor speed, attention, and executive function, when compared to 69 heart-healthy people who had no known risk factors for coronary artery disease. The findings provide more evidence that it is the disease and not the surgery that causes long-term cognitive problems. [2]

Long-term cognitive decline in bypass patients not due to surgery

Another study has come out supporting the view that coronary bypass patients have no greater risk of long-term cognitive decline than patients not undergoing surgery. The study involved 152 patients who had bypass surgery and 92 patients with coronary artery disease who did not have surgical intervention. Patients had memory and other cognitive tests at the beginning of the study period, and after 3, 12, 36 and 72 months. The results showed that there were no significant differences in cognitive scores between the two groups at the beginning of the study. Both groups showed modest decline in cognitive performance during the study period, but there were no significant differences in the degree of decline between the groups after six years. It was suggested that the decline in both groups was related to the presence of risk factors for vascular disease. [3]

Inflammatory system genes linked to cognitive decline after heart surgery

The finding that people with variants of two genes involved in the inflammatory system appear to be protected from suffering a decline in mental function following heart surgery raises the possibility that therapy involving drugs known to dampen the inflammatory response may be effective in preventing cognitive decline after heart surgery. The specific genes involved were those for C-reactive protein (which plays an important role in the body’s initial response to injury) and P-selectin (which helps recruit circulating white blood cells to the site of an injury). Patients with the variation of the C-reactive protein gene were 20.6% less likely to suffer mental decline, and patients with the P-selectin variant had a 15.2% risk reduction. The risk of cognitive decline for those with both gene variants was only 17% compared to 43% for patients who had neither variant. [4]

'Off-pump' CABG surgery appears to have no benefit on cognitive or cardiac outcomes at 5 years

A five-year study of 281 cardiac patients, half of whom received off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery and half on-pump surgery, has found that there was no difference in cognitive performance five years after surgery. The findings suggest that factors other than cardiopulmonary bypass may be responsible for cognitive decline, such as anesthesia and the generalized inflammatory response that is associated with major surgical procedures. [5]

Cognitive loss following coronary artery bypass surgery due to surgical technique?

A surgical strategy designed to minimize trauma to the body's largest artery – the aorta – during heart bypass surgery can significantly reduce cognitive loss that often follows the operation. The study found that at least 60% of patients showed neurological deficits following bypass surgery, but that at 6 months, 57% of patients who had traditional surgery still had deficits while only 32% of those who didn’t use the heart-lung machine during surgery, and 30% of those who had the new surgical technique still had deficits. Researchers conclude that surgical technique is the primary cause of cognitive decline following bypass surgery. [6]

Use of heart pump during bypass surgery not implicated in cognitive decline

A study involving 380 individuals has found that those patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery that used a cardiopulmonary heart pump had no significant differences in their mental functions compared to CABG patients whose surgery did not involve a heart pump. Patients with coronary heart disease all performed lower on cognitive tests than healthy controls, prior to surgery. By three months, both cardiac patients who had undergone surgery (with or without use of a heart pump) and those who had not, had improved cognitive function. [7]

Review finds bypass surgery free of long-term brain effects for most

A broad retrospective review of the effects of coronary artery bypass surgery on cognitive functions concludes that, although the research confirms the existence of mild deficits in the period up to three months after surgery, the procedure itself probably does not cause late or permanent neurological effects. Rather, they argue, the late cognitive declines seen in some long-term studies are for most people likely associated with progression of underlying conditions such as cerebrovascular disease. However, this is not true for all. The exceptions might include older patients and those with risk factors for cerebrovascular disease or a history of stroke. [8]

Elderly experience long-term cognitive decline after surgery

Researchers have found that two years after major non-cardiac surgery, 42% of elderly patients will have experienced a measurable cognitive decline. 59% of patients experienced cognitive decline immediately after surgery — these are the ones at greatest risk of long-term decline. Three months after surgery, 34% of patients had cognitive declines. The study involved 354 patients, with an average age of 69.5 years. [9]

Lower temperatures improve outcomes after bypass surgery

One of the possible adverse effects of cardiac bypass surgery is cognitive decline. Researchers have found that patients who were allowed an additional 10 to 12 minutes to return to normal body temperature after surgery scored almost one-third better on standard tests of cognition six weeks after surgery. (In order to protect the brain and other organs from damage while the heart is stopped during surgery, physicians cool a patient's blood as it passes through a heart-lung machine. However, toward the end of the operation, this blood needs to be rewarmed.) [10]

Cognitive decline after bypass surgery appears more transient than feared

Recent studies have found a high occurrence of cognitive problems in patients who undergo coronary artery bypass surgery, with such problems still found six weeks after surgery. In a new study comparing 140 patients who underwent bypass surgery and a second group of 92 coronary artery disease patients who did not have surgery, no differences in cognitive abilities were found when patients were re-tested at three and 12 months. This supports recent research suggesting that it is the disease itself that is the major problem, rather than the surgery. [11]

Lowered immunity puts older coronary bypass patients at higher risk for cognitive decline

Older patients with lowered immunity to certain common bacteria found in the gastrointestinal tract are more likely than younger patients to suffer cognitive decline after coronary artery bypass surgery. [12]

Cognitive impairment following bypass surgery may last longer than thought

More support for a link between cardiopulmonary bypass surgery and cognitive impairment comes from a new study. In particular, it seems, that attention may be most affected. The study also found evidence of longer-lasting cognitive decline than previously thought. Bypass patients also demonstrated poorer cognitive performance before the surgery, and it is now being suggested that it may be the disease itself that is the major problem, rather than the surgery itself. This is consistent with recent research connecting cardiovascular risk factors with risk factors for cognitive decline. [13]

Fever immediately after heart bypass surgery associated with cognitive decline

Elevated temperatures within 8-10 hours after surgery are often seen in patients who have undergone coronary bypass surgery. This has not however been regarded as anything other than a nuisance. Many bypass patients also suffer measurable cognitive decline. A new study reports on a relationship between these fevers and cognitive decline six weeks following surgery. Patients who suffered the highest post-operative temperatures also suffered the highest amount of cognitive decline. [14]

More on implications of having the Alzheimer's gene

Researchers have found an association between nerve cell changes associated with aging and the presence of a variation of the apolipoprotein gene known as apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4). This form is carried by approximately 25% of the population and has been linked to increased risk of Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular disease and memory loss after head injury or bypass surgery. [15]

Frequency of cognitive decline after bypass surgery>

Heart bypasses are becoming increasingly common - in the U.S., more than half a million people undergo coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG) each year. A common side-effect of the procedure is postoperative cognitive decline (frequency of occurrence estimates range from 33% to 82%, depending on the method of evaluation used). A recent study looked at the longer-term picture: in this study, cognitive decline was found in 53% of the patients at time of discharge; at 6 weeks, the rate was assessed at 36%; at 6 months, 24%. However, five years after the surgery the rate of cognitive decline was 42%. Older age, a lower level of education, a higher preoperative score for cognitive function, and the presence of cognitive decline at discharge were all predictors of cognitive decline at 5 years after CABG. Of these, the most significant predictor was a decline in cognition seen at discharge.
Note that there was no control group, so these results must be treated with caution. Note also that short-term declines in cognitive function are also reported in elderly subjects after non-cardiac surgery, and this can persist in a proportion of these patients - in fact, in 10% after 2 years. [16]

1.Monk, T.G. et al. 2008. Predictors of Cognitive Dysfunction after Major Noncardiac Surgery. Anesthesiology, 108(1), 18-30.
Price, C.C.; Garvan, C.W. & Monk, T.G. 2008. Type and Severity of Cognitive Decline in Older Adults after Noncardiac Surgery. Anesthesiology, 108(1), 8-17. Press release

2.Selnes, O.A. et al. 2009. Do Management Strategies for Coronary Artery Disease Influence 6-Year Cognitive Outcomes? Annals of Thoracic Surgery, 88, 445-454. Press release

3.Selnes, O.A. et al. 2008. Cognition 6 Years After Surgical or Medical Therapy for Coronary Artery Disease. Annals of Neurology, 63, 581-590. Press release Press release

4.Mathew, J.P. et al. 2007. Genetic Variants in P-Selectin and C-Reactive Protein Influence Susceptibility to Cognitive Decline After Cardiac Surgery. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 49, 1934 - 1942. Press release

5.van Dijk, D. et al. 2007. Cognitive and Cardiac Outcomes 5 Years After Off-Pump vs On-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery. JAMA, 297, 701-708. Press release

6.Hammon, J.W., Stump, D.A., Butterworth, J.F., Moody, D.M., Rorie, K., Deal, D.D., Kincaid, E.H., Oaks, T.E. & Kon, N.D. 2006. Single crossclamp improves 6-month cognitive outcome in high-risk coronary bypass patients: The effect of reduced aortic manipulation.The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 131 (1), 114-121. Press release

7.McKhann, G.M., Grega, M.A., Borowicz, L.M.Jr, Bailey, M.M., Barry, S.J.E., Zeger, S.L., Baumgartner, W.A. & Selnes, O.A. 2005. Is there cognitive decline 1 year after CABG?: Comparison with surgical and nonsurgical controls. Neurology, 65, 991-999. Press release

8.Selnes, O.A. & McKhann, G.M. 2005. Neurocognitive Complications after Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery. Annals of Neurology, Published Online: April 25, 2005 (DOI: 10.1002/ana.20481) Press release

9.Monk, T. et al. 2004. Paper presented October 26 at the annual scientific sessions of the American Society of Anesthesiologists in Las Vegas. Press release

10.Grocott, H. et al. 2004. Paper presented April 26 at the annual scientific sessions of the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists. Press release

11.Selnes, O.A., Grega, M.A., Borowicz, L.M. Jr , Royall, R.M., McKhann, G.M. & Baumgartner, W.A. 2003. Cognitive changes with coronary artery disease: a prospective study of coronary artery bypass graft patients and nonsurgical controls. The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, 75 (5), 1377-1386. Press release

12.Mathew, J.P., Grocott, H.P., Phillips-Bute, B., Stafford-Smith, M., Laskowitz, D.T., Rossignol, D., Blumenthal, J.A. & Newman, M.F. 2003. Lower Endotoxin Immunity Predicts Increased Cognitive Dysfunction in Elderly Patients After Cardiac Surgery. Stroke, 34, 508. Press release

13.Keith, J.R., Puente, A.E., Malcolmson, K.L., Tartt, S., Coleman, A.E. & Marks, H.F. Jr. 2002. Assessing Postoperative Cognitive Change After Cardiopulmonary Bypass Surgery. Neuropsychology, 16(3), 411-21. Press release

14.Grocott, H.P., Mackensen, G.B., Grogore, A.M., Mathew, J., Reves, J.G., Phillips-Bute, B., Smith, P.K. & Newman, M.F. 2002. Postoperative Hyperthermia Is Associated With Cognitive Dysfunction After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery. Stroke, 33, 537-541. Press release

15.Doraiswamy, P.M. et al. 2002. Paper presented February 25 at the 15th annual meeting of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry in Orlando, Fla. Press release

16.Newman, M. F., Kirchner, J. L., Phillips-Bute, B., Gaver, V., Grocott, H., Jones, R. H., Mark, D. B., et al. (2001). Longitudinal Assessment of Neurocognitive Function after Coronary-Artery Bypass Surgery. N Engl J Med, 344(6), 395-402. Press release