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cognitive decline

·December 16, 2025·5 min read

Social Isolation Directly Speeds Up Cognitive Decline

Social isolation has a direct causal impact on how quickly cognitive function declines in later life, independent of whether someone feels lonely. By analyzing more than 137,000 cognitive tests from over 30,000 older adults, the study found that reduced social contact consistently predicted faster decline across every demographic group.

This shows an older woman getting a vaccine.

Neuroscience

·December 2, 2025·12 min read

Shingles Vaccine Linked to 20% Lower Dementia Risk

A large population analysis found that older adults who received the shingles vaccine were significantly less likely to develop dementia over the following seven years. The study exploited a rare age-based rollout policy that closely mimicked a randomized trial, allowing researchers to isolate the vaccine’s true effect.

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·November 29, 2025·6 min read

The Way You Drive Might Signal Mild Cognitive Impairment

Researchers found that long-term driving behavior can reveal early signs of cognitive decline years before clinical diagnosis. Older adults who later developed impairment showed gradual reductions in trip frequency, night driving, and route variety compared to cognitively healthy peers.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·November 19, 2025·7 min read

Lithium Fails to Slow Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer’s

A new meta-analysis of six randomized controlled trials shows that lithium supplementation does not significantly slow cognitive decline in people with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease. While preclinical evidence suggests lithium supports resilience against amyloid and tau pathology, these benefits failed to translate to clinical outcomes using traditional lithium salts.

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·November 11, 2025·6 min read

Everyday Speech May Reveal Early Cognitive Decline

Researchers found that everyday speech timing — including pauses, fillers, and subtle patterns — strongly reflects executive function, a key cognitive system that supports memory and flexible thinking. Using AI to analyze natural speech, the study showed that these linguistic features can predict cognitive-test performance independent of age, sex, or education.

This shows older people walking in a park and a brain.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·September 16, 2025·7 min read

Lifestyle Changes Show Power to Prevent Alzheimer’s

A growing body of research underscores that Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline are not inevitable parts of aging. Lifestyle interventions targeting exercise, diet, social engagement, and cognitive stimulation have been shown in large clinical trials to improve brain function and slow decline.

Neuroscience

·September 15, 2025·5 min read

Boosting Protein Keeps Neurons Healthy and Extend Lifespan

Scientists have identified a new therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases by boosting a protein called PI31, which ensures proteasomes reach synapses to clear protein waste. In fruit flies and mice, restoring PI31 prevented neuronal degeneration, reversed motor defects, and even extended lifespan nearly fourfold.

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·September 10, 2025·5 min read

Eye Protein Levels Linked to Cognitive Decline

A new study reveals that levels of the SLIT2 protein in eye and blood samples are linked to cognitive performance in middle-aged adults. Researchers found that lower SLIT2 in vitreous humor correlated with poorer memory and global cognition, while higher SLIT2 in plasma also predicted lower cognitive scores.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·September 10, 2025·4 min read

Brain Iron Levels Predict Cognitive Decline Risk

A new study demonstrates that brain iron levels, measured with a special MRI technique, can predict cognitive decline years before symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease appear. Researchers followed 158 cognitively healthy older adults and found that higher iron levels in memory-related regions of the brain were associated with a greater risk of mild cognitive impairment.

This shows a brain made of sugar cubes, surrounded by sweetener packets.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·September 7, 2025·6 min read

Artificial Sweeteners Tied to Faster Cognitive Decline

A large study of nearly 13,000 adults found that consuming high levels of certain artificial sweeteners is linked to faster declines in memory and thinking over eight years. The effect was particularly strong in people with diabetes and those under 60. Some sweeteners, like aspartame and saccharin, were strongly associated with decline, while tagatose was not.

This shows an older man surrounded by faces with different expressions.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·August 26, 2025·3 min read

Elderly Positivity Bias May Signal Early Cognitive Decline

New research suggests that the tendency of older adults to misinterpret neutral or negative emotions as positive may be a warning sign of cognitive decline. In a study of 665 participants, positivity bias was associated with poorer cognitive performance but not with emotional decline such as depression.

This shows an older man walking on a golden path, surrounded by networks of people.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·August 25, 2025·6 min read

Having a Purpose in Life Linked to Lower Dementia Risk

A new study of over 13,000 adults found that having a strong sense of purpose in life is linked to a reduced risk of dementia. Those with higher purpose were 28% less likely to develop cognitive impairment, even when accounting for genetic risk and other factors.