Aging & Social Factors

In a study comparing interventions designed to prevent loss of independence in activities of daily living among adults age 80 or better, Swedish researchers found…

Early neural predictors of cognitive impairment are important both for determining the biological causes of dementia and for identifying individuals at high risk for cognitive…

Providing care for a family member with dementia exerts a great deal of strain on a caregiver, and caregiving has been linked to a number…

There is great interest in identifying factors that can be used to predict cognitive decline. Research increasingly suggests that midlife risk factors may be particularly…

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a recent diagnostic category that describes a decrease in cognitive ability that is less severe than that seen in dementia.…

Falls are a leading risk factor for older adults, often leading to fractures, hospitalization, and the need for long-stay medical care. While balance and strength…

The population of individuals age 90 and better is growing, but is not often included in research studies. Research has identified an association between decreased…

Problems in the cochlea (a hollow spiral in the inner ear) are the cause of most individuals’ hearing loss. However, the exact cause of such…

The hippocampus of the brain is important for memory and orientation. Because of its role in memory, and because it is one of the main…

Memory is typically viewed as a skill that declines with aging, with studies showing that older adults have greater susceptibility to forgetting new information, and…

There appears to be increasing evidence that physical activity in later life may support continued cognitive well-being. It is unclear, however, how this hypothesized effect…

A recent opinion piece in the New England Journal of Medicine discusses a European strategy for appropriate research, marketing, and authorization for geriatric medicines. The…