There’s new research supporting previous findings that there are sex-based differences in Alzheimer’s disease progression that should be considered when it comes to screening protocols.
Researchers at Georgia State University (which is just down the street from me) analyzed brain scans of 332 people at different Alzheimer’s stages. While males show earlier gray matter volume loss, their rate of loss tends to plateau, which may result in “earlier onset but slower progression of structural decline.” Conversely, females showed delayed brain atrophy when compared to males, but when the decline did begin, it was at a steeper rate.
The study explores 3 theories that may have an impact on why Alzheimer’s disease evolves differently in men and women: hormonal pathways, APOE-e4 mechanisms, and women’s higher cerebrovascular burden. As I’m a APOE-e4 carrier, it’s concerning that the body of research so far suggests that it contributes to “more severe outcomes in women.” Obviously there’s nothing I can do about genetics, but it’s important to be aware of such factors.
Research will continue in this area to determine if sex-specific screening may support “earlier, more precise interventions.” This is critical because current treatments typically work best in the earlier stages of the disease.
A new study finds that a plant-based diet can reduce dementia risk, but not all plant-based foods rank equal when it comes to supporting cognitive health.
The study, which was published in the journal Neurology, captured the diets of over 90,000 individuals with an average age of 59. The study included a mix of ethnicities. In a follow-up a decade later, about half of those individuals provided an update on their current diet. Researchers categorized diets into quality tiers, with diets heavy in animal fats assigned the lowest-quality tier, unhealthy processed plant-based foods like french fries and fruit juice were assigned the mid-quality tier, and whole grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables were assigned the highest-quality tier. The study was most interested in the two plant-based diet tiers and its impact, if any, on dementia risk.
What the research discovered when isolating by the highest-quality diet tier, those who ate the most healthy plant-based foods had a 7 percent lower risk of dementia than those who ate the lowest amount. So quantity does matter when it comes to a plant-based diet.
But so does quality. When reviewing data for the group that ate the greatest amount of unhealthy plant-based options, their risk of developing dementia increased 6 percent.
I have to be on a gluten-free diet and I’ve found in the last two decades, the amount of gluten-free foods readily available has exploded. But that doesn’t mean those foods are necessarily healthy. I can easily find gluten-free pizza, donuts, cookies, and sugar-laden cereal. But on the flip side, I can make a conscious effort to find healthy gluten-free food, rich in whole grains and fiber. The same thing applies to vegan and plant-based diets. We live in an age of modern convenience which can lead to us consuming overprocessed comfort foods that may technically be plant-based but are anything but healthy.
A similar recommendation applies to animal fats, as there are healthier fats and benefits from eating fish and nuts versus eating a diet heavy in red meat or unhealthy processed foods like fried chicken. I was thinking of my father this past week as April 10 marked his birthday. He battled high cholesterol beginning in middle age, but he always was a fan of fish and my mother attempted to cook comfort foods with less-processed ingredients. One thing my dad was not fond of: raw vegetables. He said crunching into them hurt his teeth. I never saw my dad eat a salad; cole slaw was the closest he ever got. In spite of his aversion to vegetables, my father always stayed trim throughout his life, due to his love of walking.
Another interesting takeaway from the new study was that making dietary changes even at an older age can still benefit cognitive health. “We found that adopting a plant-based diet, even starting at an older age, and refraining from low-quality plant-based diets were associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s and other dementias,” said study lead author Song-Yi Park.
Does Alzheimer’s actually originate outside of the brain? New research identifies the cells that are potential drivers and which organs are most likely to be involved. The latest genetic data analysis supports a growing body of research suggesting inflammation plays a role in Alzheimer’s development.
I’ve covered the inflammation theory before on this blog. With the success of GLP-1s for weight loss and management, the drugs show promise to treat other chronic inflammatory conditions, such as diabetes. While the early trials for those with early Alzheimer’s failed to slow disease progression, the medications may still hold promise for treating inflammation-related diseases before an Alzheimer’s diagnosis is made. I’ve also written about the connection between heart disease and dementia.
As earth.com explains, the research team at Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research in Denmark wanted to detect “where in the body are the genes associated with Alzheimer’s risk actually active.” The surprising discovery is that Alzheimer’s risk genes showed higher activity in organs outside the brain, such as the “skin, lungs, digestive system, spleen and in immune cells circulating in the blood.” What this could mean is that someone at greater genetic risk for Alzheimer’s could experience an inflammatory condition that create damage that later leads to cognitive decline.
While these preliminary findings are supported by earlier research into the inflammatory link to dementia, more research needs to be done to confirm these findings and understand the underlying mechanism. As the earth.com article notes, we may have focused too much on treatments targeting the brain, which may be why most current treatments only show minimal benefits.
Ages 55–60 were identified by researchers as a “critical window for immune activation tied to Alzheimer’s risk.” It’s important for those in their fifties, like myself, to focus on addressing any inflammatory conditions and consider preventative options as warranted.
While a cure or effective treatment for Alzheimer’s remains elusive, expanding focus beyond the brain is a promising research path.
How does one’s writing change due to dementia? Interesting research was recently published that analyzed the late author Terry Pratchett’s writing over time to see if it changed due to the rare form of Alzheimer’s that he had.
Pratchett died in 2015. He had been diagnosed with posterior cortical atrophy and went public with his diagnosis, becoming an advocate to raise awareness for the disease and increase research efforts, according to an article published in The Conversation. Researchers in the UK conducted a lexical analysis of Pratchett’s novels and published their findings in the Brain Sciences journal.
The researchers focused on “lexical diversity” which in layman’s terms means diversity in word choice, and specifically examined the usage and variety of adjectives. What they found was a notable decline in adjective diversity in Pratchett’s latest novels. They pinpointed the first significant decline approximately 10 years before Pratchett was diagnosed.
While their findings are intriguing, the researchers were quick to note that linguistic analysis is not a standalone diagnostic tool for dementia, and results would vary depending upon a person’s education and other factors. But for authors, it could potentially be a helpful tool. Pratchett is not the first author whose work received a lexical analysis to detect cognitive changes; Iris Murdoch and Agatha Christie’s works have also been analyzed and a notable decline in vocabulary size and lexical diversity were noted.
Lexical analysis could emerge as a helpful diagnostic tool for Alzheimer’s and other dementias because the average person already produces a good deal of content in their daily lives, from texts to emails to social media posts. For us writers, we have a large amount of material that can be analyzed. Most promising is how early such an analysis may be able to detect subtle cognitive changes. Early detection is critical when it comes to Alzheimer’s, as the current treatments on the market work best for those in the early stages of the disease.
Image generated by Google Gemini. Note: I did not prompt it to come up with such depressing book titles.
I found this Ted Talk from Dr. Elaine Eshbaugh so insightful. She talked about the connection between anxiety and dementia: “When anxiety goes up, cognition goes down.”
She offered examples of how people with dementia may face anxiety in everyday situations that those of us without dementia may overlook. I loved her term “mental energy pennies” to describe how daily cognitive tasks can be more costly to those with dementia.
She also broke down how dementia can cause vision issues, both literally and figuratively. My father experienced vision issues, including depth perception problems that made entering and exiting elevators a challenge. He also had visual hallucinations. In his case, the vision issues elevated his anxiety levels which could cause him to lash out in confusion and frustration.
Being more aware of the connection between anxiety and dementia can help family caregivers better manage their loved one’s environments.
While in the past the connection between vascular and cognitive health was not as clear, we now have a wealth of scientific evidence that captures how the cardiovascular system supports the brain. The Mayo Clinic outlines several forms of vascular dementia, some which are triggered by strokes, while other forms are the result of chronic medical conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure.
The American Brain Foundation points out that “heart disease can be a significant contributing factor to dementia” due to its critical role in delivering blood flow that provides oxygen and other nutrients to the brain that supports cognitive health.
Heart disease is considered a risk factor for dementia. Poor heart health increases stroke risk, which can disrupt blood flow to the brain. Monitoring cholesterol levels is important because excess cholesterol can lead to blocked arteries and increase stroke risk.
The good news is that there are several lifestyle changes people can make to support their heart and brain health. Here are recommendations from the Mayo Clinic:
Quit smoking
Maintain a healthy weight
Prevent or manage diabetes
Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol levels in check with regular montioring
Exercise
The American Brain foundation also recommends managing stress levels and getting good sleep on a regular basis.
My father never gave up smoking until he was forced to in the memory care center but he became obsessed with cholesterol levels in midlife. It’s hard to know what caused my father’s dementia as he already had a strong family history, and I suppose my father opted to control his diet vs a habit he didn’t think he could quit. If managing heart and brain health feels overwhelming, begin by taking one small action each day and build momentum over time until it eventually becomes a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.
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.
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.
I’ve been fortunate to be part of the AlzAuthors community over the years and had the opportunity to share The Memories Project blog, my personal essay collection The Reluctant Caregiver, and more recently, poetry. I look forward to this new chapter and supporting the mission of sharing the work of authors writing about the Alzheimer’s and dementia experience. In addition to showcasing books, AlzAuthors hosted a podcast and a film festival.
AlzAuthors celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2025. I’m grateful to all of the volunteers who donated their time and talent to build and grow such a wonderful organization.
For those who have contributed to or have used AlzAuthors as a resource, the website and its helpful content will remain available. Stay tuned as new opportunities to share and connect become available.
Each dementia case is unique. There are many forms of dementia, each which affect different parts of the brain and may cause different cognitive symptoms. As a caregiver, one area that can be difficult to navigate is how much help a loved one with dementia needs. That’s in part because progression isn’t linear and there may be good and bad days that can create an emotional minefield for family members. It can be heartbreaking to see a loved one’s reaction when they realize they are losing their independence even when family caregivers have their best interest at heart. On the other end of the spectrum, family members can feel tremendous guilt if an incident happens because they weren’t monitoring their loved one enough.
Dr. Elaine Eshbaugh had a good post on this topic on her blog, When Dementia Knocks. As she points out, there’s no definitive guide or course of action to follow. The best advice is simply to pay attention, try to include your loved ones with dementia in daily activities as long as it’s having a positive impact, and don’t beat yourself up because you did too much or too little on any given day. As a caregiver, the most important moments to step in are for safety reasons. If your loved one loves to cook but it’s not safe for them to cook alone, maybe you have a night where you cook together. If your loved one can no longer safely drive, consider taking them for scenic drives or on a drive to a favorite spot.
It can be a challenge to honor a loved one’s independence while at the same time protecting them from harm. So much of dementia caregiving becomes ad-libbing your way through each day. As Dr. Eshbaugh says in her blog post: “You won’t always get it right, and that’s okay.”
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The Memories Project 