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Why Are Sleep Disturbances So Common in Dementia?

Sleep disturbances are incredibly common in dementia. If your loved one is having trouble falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night and wandering around, or sleeping in the middle of the day, the question to be answered is why these sleep disruptions are occurring.

Are They Jealous? Do They Cry or Laugh for No Reason?

Posted, April 18th, 2020

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Jealousy, binge eating, and abnormal crying and laughing are just a few behaviors that occur in dementia. Here's why.

Why Do People with Dementia Suddenly Become Aggressive?

Posted, March 4th, 2020

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When the part of the brain that allows for a thoughtful pause between stimulus and response deteriorates, anything can happen.

Why does behavior deteriorate in dementia?

Posted, January 25th, 2020

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The new parts of the brain that evolved for social cooperation break down in dementia, leading to behavioral problems including depression, anxiety, irritability, and agitation.

Posted, October 12th, 2019

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In dementia, your loved one may not recognize you, may think you are someone else, or may even think you have been replaced by an imposter.

Posted: August 18th, 2019

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Hallucinations, illusions, and false memories can all occur in dementia. Here’s how to tell them apart.

Posted: August 4th, 2019

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If seeing is believing, what happens when vision deteriorates due to dementia?

Posted: July 28th, 2019

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The right temporal lobe interprets emotional and other non-linguistic parts of communication—and this non-verbal communication may be preserved in dementia.

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Posted: July 21st, 2019

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The frontal and temporal lobes need to work together for language to function—and both are often impacted by dementia.

Posted: July 6th, 2019

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Sundowning, wandering, shadowing, false memories, and even forgetting that one has memory impairment may all occur as dementia progresses.

Posted: June 29th, 2019

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Learn why riding a bicycle and other habits and procedures are generally preserved in dementia.

The Bark That Never Forgets

Posted: June 22nd, 2019

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The outer layer of the brain helps your grandmother recall events from 50 years ago—even though she cannot remember yesterday.

Posted: June 15th, 2019

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This small brain structure enables virtually all of our memories—and it is easily damaged by a variety of brain disorders.

Posted: June 9th, 2019

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Dysfunction of the frontal lobes leads to difficulty creating and retrieving memories—and to false memories.

Posted: May 27th, 2019

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Trouble talking or understanding speech? It could be Primary Progressive Aphasia.

Posted: May 17th, 2019

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Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus can cause dementia—and it is one of the most treatable memory disorders.

Posted: May 4th, 2019

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Is your loved one seeing things that aren’t there? He or she may have dementia with Lewy bodies. There are treatments that can help.

Posted: April 27th, 2019

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Strokes can cause dementia. You say your loved one never had a stroke? Some strokes are silent and can only be detected by a brain scan.

Posted: April 21st, 2019

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Everyone is at risk for Alzheimer’s disease—particularly if you are a woman or have a family history.

Posted: April 14th, 2019

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Previously we had to wait until autopsy to diagnose Alzheimer’s. Now it can be made with 85-95% certainty by a lumbar puncture or amyloid PET scan.

Posted: April 8th, 2019

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Ever wondered what Alzheimer’s disease looks like in the brain and how it advances from mild forgetfulness to dementia? Here we discuss the plaques, tangles, and how they progress.

Posted: March 31st, 2019

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Does your loved one have depression, anxiety, irritability, or agitation from Alzheimer’s disease or dementia? Here are medications and other treatment options that may help.

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Posted March 23rd, 2019

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Is your loved one not participating or paying attention? Medications and meditation may help!

Posted March 16th, 2019

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Are there actually medications that can boost memory? The answer is yes for those with Alzheimer’s disease and other memory disorders.

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Posted March 2nd, 2019

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Your primary care provider may not have all the answers. Seek out a specialist if, after seeing your doctor, you are still concerned about your memory.

Posted Feb 23rd, 2019

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Be armed with the knowledge of what these terms used in memory disorders mean.

Posted December 23rd, 2018

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Too often when caring for someone with dementia we focus on the problems. Don’t forget to have fun.

Posted on November 19th, 2018

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Learning how to best communicate with those who have cognitive impairment can help prevent irritability, agitation, and aggression.

Posted July 29th, 2018

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Recalling names is the most common complaint of older adults. But guess what? Anyone can learn to remember names better.

Posted April 29th, 2018

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When you have trouble seeing something, it’s usually due to vision problems. Sometimes, however, it can be due to neglect.

Posted April 1st, 2018

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When an older adult doesn’t understand you, it’s usually due to a hearing problem. Sometimes, however, it can be due to comprehension difficulties.

Posted March, 18th 2018

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Remembering names of people can be challenging for anyone, but particularly for older adults. It’s also common in Alzheimer’s disease. How do you know when it is abnormal?

Posted February, 25th 2018

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Anyone can have difficulty managing and coordinating activities, but it's particularly common in dementia. Here's what is known about why it happens and what to do about it.

Posted February 5th, 2018

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From former NFL players who have developed Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy to your grandmother with Alzheimer's, why do patients with dementia do inappropriate things?

Posted January 28, 2018

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Before working to care for or treat someone with dementia, make sure you know what the correct diagnosis is.

Posted December, 17th, 2017

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When we join our family for the holidays, we may notice a slip of memory in a parent or grandparent. How do you know if it’s normal for age or a sign of Alzheimer’s?

Posted December 10th, 2017

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Strokes can lead to problems with speech, walking, strength, thinking, and memory, and are a common cause of dementia. But can you diagnose someone just by observing them?

Posted December 3rd, 2017

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10 million years of evolution has led to the development of the neocortex to control our primitive drives. So why does it seem to fail so frequently?

Posted Nov 26, 2017

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Anyone can now find out if they have the most common genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s. But what will you do with the information?

Why You Should Consider Serving Fish This Thanksgiving

Posted Nov 19, 2017

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Wondering what foods can reduce the risk of stroke and Alzheimer’s and actually improve cognitive function? Hint: It isn’t blueberries, coconut oil, or turmeric.

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Posted Nov 12, 2017

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The pathology of Aaron Hernandez was just one part of the 2017 Boston University CTE Conference, which presented the latest research and our current understanding of this disorder.

Posted Nov 07, 2017

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Wondering if your memory is normal or not? We’ll help you understand what’s normal, what’s not, and what to do about it.

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Webmaster: Andrew Budson 

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