Tag Archives: alzheimer’s disease

February 1, 2026 · 2:53 pm

Researchers identify CTE as a cause of dementia

Next Sunday, many Americans will watch the Super Bowl to see who will be crowned this NFL season’s champion. I will be watching and thinking of my father, who learned to love American football though soccer and baseball were dear to his heart as well.

There is a dark side to every sport, and in the NFL, the head trauma risk from the hard-hitting game along with diagnostic and research developments have identified an alarming number of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) cases among former players. CTE can cause cognitive symptoms that mirror Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, such as memory loss, personality changes, mood swings, paranoia, and depression. CTE has been found in the brains of high-profile former NFL players who died of suicide, such as Junior Seau.

In a new study published in January 2026, researchers at the Boston University CTE Center studied over 600 donated brains, mostly of contact sport athletes exposed to repetitive head impacts and found those with the most advanced form of CTE had a four times increased odds for having dementia. The study noted that the increased risk amount is “similar to the strength of the relationship between dementia and advanced Alzheimer’s disease pathology, which is the leading cause of dementia.”

In 2023, the Boston University CTE Center found CTE in 345 of the 376 brains of former NFL players that were donated to its brain bank. Researchers cautioned that donated samples are subject to selection biases and because CTE can only be definitively diagnosed after death, it’s impossible at this time to calculate the current prevalence of CTE among NFL players.

The Boston University CTE Center stresses that the most severe symptoms and outcomes are in the minority of cases they see, and that CTE symptoms are treatable. Former players or anyone who has suffered significant and repeated head trauma should seek professional medical care as soon as symptoms emerge.

I’m grateful to the former NFL players and their families for making the generous decision of brain donation to further the research efforts into CTE. Learnings from CTE research could benefit the spectrum of cognitive-based conditions and spur better, more effective treatment options.

Image generated by Google Gemini.

Highlights from the 2025 Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease Conference

It was a busy year in Alzheimer’s research. In December 2025, the 2025 Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease Conference was held. The Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry shared highlights from the conference.

Blood biomarker testing is an area of research I’ve been closely following. There have been advancements in using blood biomarkers to accurately detect abnormal blood proteins like amyloid and tau. Developing reliable, simpler, and most cost-effective diagnostic methods for Alzheimer’s and other dementias will allow people to be diagnosed and treated sooner, when the currently available treatments are more effective.
GLP-1s: You may have seen reports about drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro, which have become popular weight management treatments, may also help reduce brain inflammation and offer other brain protective benefits. Research is underway to see if such drugs could be used to treat or prevent Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Early results were disappointing, as the drugs failed to slow disease progression in people with early-stage Alzheimer’s, but further research will be conducted.
Lifestyle interventions offer cognitive benefits: I wrote last year about the U.S. Pointer trial findings and how structured lifestyle interventions including diet, exercise, and cognitive training led to improved cognition. At the December conference, more results were shared, including small benefits for those with sleep apnea, which has been linked to an increased dementia risk. Also shared at the conference was research on the benefits of receiving the shingles and TB vaccines.
Updates on current Alzheimer’s treatments: While there have been controversies about lecanemab and donanemab, the latest research shows that they do help slow the progression of the disease, even after treatment is stopped. This is an important finding as these treatments raise the risk of serious side effects such as brain bleeds. The next generation of anti-amyloid treatments are being developed and tested, with a focus on reducing side effects while offering meaningful benefits.

These findings demonstrate the hard work being conducted by Alzheimer’s researchers to improve testing and develop more effective treatments with fewer side effects. The cognitive benefits of lifestyle changes should not be overlooked, as research continues to find positive impacts in this area.

Image generated by Google Gemini.

When disease robs precious gifts

I was saddened to hear that one of my favorite singers, Linda Ronstadt, has announced that she has Parkinson’s disease and can no longer sing. An aunt of mine died from Parkinson’s complications and it was a sad, slow decline for such an independent, hard-working woman, eventually impacting her mental state and leaving her completely dependent upon others to take care of her. Parkinson’s, like Alzheimer’s, can manifest in vague symptoms at first and be difficult to diagnose. According to news reports, Ronstadt believes her symptoms go back several years, but she was officially diagnosed just several months ago.

Linda Ronstadt’s beautiful singing voice has been silenced by Parkinson’s disease. Image copyright: Capitol Records.

Like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease can rob one of their personal talents and joys in life. What a blow to not only have to deal with a seriously debilitating disease like Parkinson’s but to be robbed of an amazing gift, like your singing voice. Certainly Linda Ronstadt has had a long and successful music career, but for people who interpret the world through song, it is a tragic personal loss as well. The same goes for writers who develop a condition that prevents them from creating new works of literature and artists who can no longer paint.

Of course, these diseases rob the average Joe of gifts as well. When my dad lost his ability to read due to Alzheimer’s, a huge part of his love for life went with it. My dad loved to read and expand his knowledge on his favorite subjects and reading gave him much pleasure over the years. I’ll never forget when the nursing home staff asked us what does Dad like to do and the only answer we could give them was “read.”