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All Memory Special Reports

Low-Tech Screening Tests for Dementia

In this Special Report, Johns Hopkins doctors review five simple, low-tech screening tests for measuring the decline cognitive health into dementia. New developments in brain imaging technology are significant advances in Alzheimer's research and diagnosis. But some decidedly low-tech screening tests may offer quick and inexpensive snapshots of a person's cognitive health or level of dementia. Whether any of these tests are accurate enough to be used widely for screening remains to be seen, but one… More...

Your Memory Timeline

Knowing how the normal brain ages -- and how those changes affect your memory -- can make the occasional senior moment less worrisome. We tend to think of our brain as different from our other organs. But the brain undergoes predictable changes over time, just like the heart. As with heart disease, good genes and a healthy lifestyle can moderate these age-related changes, but it can’t entirely stop them. … More...

Memory Loss, Alzheimer's and Dementia Glossary

The Memory Loss, Alzheimer's and Dementia Glossary is derived from The Johns Hopkins White Papers: Memory More...

Transitioning to a Residential Facility

How do you know when the time has come to move your loved one with Alzheimer’s from the home setting to a long-term care facility? Dr. Peter V Rabins, medical editor of the Johns Hopkins Memory Bulletin, offers this advice. If you are a caregiver struggling with the question of when to place your loved one with Alzheimer’s in a residential care facility, the questions you’re likely to ask are numerous, complex, and fraught with emotion.… More...

The Role of Insulin in the Development of Alzheimer’s Disease

Recent research suggests that a failure in insulin processing in the brain may contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Sam Grandy, Chair of the Medical and Scientific Advisory Council of the Alzheimer’s Association, talks about this intriguing new insight. Researchers are getting closer to understanding how Alzheimer’s disease develops, and a key component in several emerging theories is insulin and its role in the brain. One reason uncovering the role of insulin in Alzheimer’s… More...

Drugs Which Most Commonly Affect Your Memory

The drugs which most commonly affect memory and cognitive function. More...

Overcoming the Stigma of Alzheimer's Disease

Because of the nature of Alzheimer’s disease treatment, delaying diagnosis may make it more difficult to treat the disease. No matter what the diagnosis, the shift from “healthy” to “sick” alters how you perceive yourself and how others perceive you. Sociologists refer to this as the effects of “labeling”—once diagnosed, people carry the label of their illness and, in turn, the benefits and stigma of all its expected behaviors. The very real fear of a terminal illness and the potential for social exclusion and loss of identity, dignity, and competency all coalesce to create a powerful stigma around Alzheimer’s disease. More...

Handing Over the Car Keys

After decades of the freedom and independence, many people with dementia are reluctant to stop driving. But the decline in cognition found in people with conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease often makes them unsafe drivers. For example, people with dementia are about three to five times as likely as others their age to be involved in a car crash. More...

What to Expect From Alzheimer's Disease Medications

Many patients and their caregivers have high expectations for drugs that are approved for treating Alzheimer’s disease. In certain instances, these expectations are met. For example, some Alzheimer’s disease patients experience improved memory and thinking, and some see benefits for up to five years with cholinesterase inhibitors. However, for the vast majority of people with Alzheimer’s disease, the effects of medication on cognition and behavior are much more modest. More...

Mild Cognitive Impairment

People can expect a certain degree of forgetfulness with age. While frustrating, there is no indication that such normal memory lapses will eventually lead to Alzheimer’s disease. But new evidence suggests that more persistent memory problems may be a reason for concern. The disturbances fall somewhere in-between age-associated memory impairment (AAMI) and early dementia. More...

Simple Tests for Dementia

In screening someone for dementia, tests of mental status—for example, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Short Test of Mental Status, or the Cognitive Capacity Screening Examination—are given to check for any basic cognitive impairment. These tests offer a baseline for comparison should further testing be necessary. However, although the Mini-Mental State Examination is one of the standard tests physicians use to assess dementia it has several drawbacks. The test takes 5 to 15 minutes More...

Can Alcohol Help Preserve Memory?

The harmful effects of alcohol intoxication and alcohol abuse on memory are well known—for example, the college student who can’t remember a conversation she had at a party the night before, or the man who wakes up in a hotel room with no recollection of how he got there. But what may be less well known are the benefits that moderate amounts of alcohol can have on cognitive function. Growing evidence shows that people who drink moderately are at lower risk for memory loss and dementia. More...

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Johns Hopkins has been ranked #1 again in the Honor Roll of America's Best Hospitals by
U.S. News and World Report for the 17th consecutive year.

Please send me The Johns Hopkins Medical Guide to
Health After 50