#dementiarisk — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #dementiarisk, aggregated by home.social.
-
DATE: July 19, 2026 at 07:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Higher optimism is associated with a lower risk of dementia
URL: https://www.psypost.org/higher-optimism-is-associated-with-a-lower-risk-of-dementia/
An analysis of Health and Retirement Study data found that higher optimism was associated with a somewhat lower risk of developing dementia over a study period of up to 14 years. The association remained even after the study authors accounted for health behaviors, controlled for possible reverse causation (the possibility that the early stages of dementia reduce optimism), and excluded individuals with the poorest mental health. The paper was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Optimism is the general tendency to expect favorable outcomes and believe that difficulties can be managed or overcome. It involves positive expectations about the future rather than simply feeling cheerful in the present.
Studies show that optimistic people are more likely to use active coping strategies, persist toward goals, and seek help when needed. Higher optimism is associated with better psychological well-being and lower levels of depression, anxiety, and perceived stress. It has also been linked to healthier behaviors, including greater physical activity, better diet, and stronger adherence to medical advice.
Some studies associate optimism with better cardiovascular health, stronger immune functioning, and a lower risk of premature death. These health benefits may partly arise because optimistic people cope more effectively with stress and maintain stronger social relationships. However, optimism does not guarantee good health, and many associations may also reflect personality, socioeconomic circumstances, or existing health differences.
Säde Stenlund, a researcher at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and colleagues noted that many previous studies have already linked higher optimism to better cognitive health, including some longitudinal studies. However, they pointed out that these studies usually have relatively shorter follow-up periods that do not fully account for the possibility of reverse causation between optimism and cognitive health.
The researchers analyzed data from the Health and Retirement Study with the aim of exploring the longitudinal association between optimism and the risk of developing dementia over a longer period. The Health and Retirement Study is an ongoing, nationally representative cohort study in the U.S. that began in 1992 and has followed men and women aged 50 years and older through biennial in-person interviews, telephone, and mailed questionnaires.
For this analysis, study authors used data from participants who completed cognitive assessments and provided data in in-person or telephone interviews at the age of 70 or older. This information was needed for a dementia assessment algorithm to determine whether participants suffered from dementia. Optimism was measured through self-reports via the Life Orientation Test-Revised Scale.
In total, the analysis used data from 9,071 individuals who were dementia-free when enrolled in the study. Their average age at that time was 74 years. On average, they were followed for 6.7 years, with a maximum follow-up of 14 years. About 57% of participants were women.
Results showed that 3,027 participants developed dementia over the course of the study. Participants with higher optimism were less likely to develop dementia. More specifically, for each one standard deviation increase in optimism, the risk of developing dementia over the course of the study was 15% lower after taking into account age, sex, race, ethnicity, education, chronic health conditions, and probable depression.
Interestingly, adding health behaviors (like physical activity and smoking) did not qualitatively change the findings. The findings also held when study authors controlled for possible reverse causation by excluding individuals who developed dementia within the first two years of follow-up.
“Higher optimism was associated with a lower incidence of dementia,” the study authors concluded. “These findings suggest a potential value of optimism in supporting healthy aging, which could be considered in future research on dementia prevention initiatives.”
The study contributes to the scientific knowledge about dementia risk and protective factors. However, study authors note that a number of potentially eligible participants were excluded from analyses due to missing data. These individuals tended to be slightly younger, more often non-Hispanic White, had somewhat higher education, and were generally healthier. This could affect the generalizability of findings somewhat. Because the study was observational, the possibility of unmeasured confounding variables remains.
The paper, “The Bright Side of Life: Optimism and Risk of Dementia,” was authored by Säde Stenlund, Hayami K. Koga, Peter James, Justin Farmer, Colleen B. McGrath, Francine Grodstein, and Laura D. Kubzansky.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/higher-optimism-is-associated-with-a-lower-risk-of-dementia/
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #optimism #dementiarisk #healthyaging #cognitivehealth #mentalwellbeing #longevity #HealthAndRetirementStudy #HarvardTHPH #dementiaprevention #positivepsychology
-
DATE: July 19, 2026 at 07:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Higher optimism is associated with a lower risk of dementia
URL: https://www.psypost.org/higher-optimism-is-associated-with-a-lower-risk-of-dementia/
An analysis of Health and Retirement Study data found that higher optimism was associated with a somewhat lower risk of developing dementia over a study period of up to 14 years. The association remained even after the study authors accounted for health behaviors, controlled for possible reverse causation (the possibility that the early stages of dementia reduce optimism), and excluded individuals with the poorest mental health. The paper was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Optimism is the general tendency to expect favorable outcomes and believe that difficulties can be managed or overcome. It involves positive expectations about the future rather than simply feeling cheerful in the present.
Studies show that optimistic people are more likely to use active coping strategies, persist toward goals, and seek help when needed. Higher optimism is associated with better psychological well-being and lower levels of depression, anxiety, and perceived stress. It has also been linked to healthier behaviors, including greater physical activity, better diet, and stronger adherence to medical advice.
Some studies associate optimism with better cardiovascular health, stronger immune functioning, and a lower risk of premature death. These health benefits may partly arise because optimistic people cope more effectively with stress and maintain stronger social relationships. However, optimism does not guarantee good health, and many associations may also reflect personality, socioeconomic circumstances, or existing health differences.
Säde Stenlund, a researcher at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and colleagues noted that many previous studies have already linked higher optimism to better cognitive health, including some longitudinal studies. However, they pointed out that these studies usually have relatively shorter follow-up periods that do not fully account for the possibility of reverse causation between optimism and cognitive health.
The researchers analyzed data from the Health and Retirement Study with the aim of exploring the longitudinal association between optimism and the risk of developing dementia over a longer period. The Health and Retirement Study is an ongoing, nationally representative cohort study in the U.S. that began in 1992 and has followed men and women aged 50 years and older through biennial in-person interviews, telephone, and mailed questionnaires.
For this analysis, study authors used data from participants who completed cognitive assessments and provided data in in-person or telephone interviews at the age of 70 or older. This information was needed for a dementia assessment algorithm to determine whether participants suffered from dementia. Optimism was measured through self-reports via the Life Orientation Test-Revised Scale.
In total, the analysis used data from 9,071 individuals who were dementia-free when enrolled in the study. Their average age at that time was 74 years. On average, they were followed for 6.7 years, with a maximum follow-up of 14 years. About 57% of participants were women.
Results showed that 3,027 participants developed dementia over the course of the study. Participants with higher optimism were less likely to develop dementia. More specifically, for each one standard deviation increase in optimism, the risk of developing dementia over the course of the study was 15% lower after taking into account age, sex, race, ethnicity, education, chronic health conditions, and probable depression.
Interestingly, adding health behaviors (like physical activity and smoking) did not qualitatively change the findings. The findings also held when study authors controlled for possible reverse causation by excluding individuals who developed dementia within the first two years of follow-up.
“Higher optimism was associated with a lower incidence of dementia,” the study authors concluded. “These findings suggest a potential value of optimism in supporting healthy aging, which could be considered in future research on dementia prevention initiatives.”
The study contributes to the scientific knowledge about dementia risk and protective factors. However, study authors note that a number of potentially eligible participants were excluded from analyses due to missing data. These individuals tended to be slightly younger, more often non-Hispanic White, had somewhat higher education, and were generally healthier. This could affect the generalizability of findings somewhat. Because the study was observational, the possibility of unmeasured confounding variables remains.
The paper, “The Bright Side of Life: Optimism and Risk of Dementia,” was authored by Säde Stenlund, Hayami K. Koga, Peter James, Justin Farmer, Colleen B. McGrath, Francine Grodstein, and Laura D. Kubzansky.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/higher-optimism-is-associated-with-a-lower-risk-of-dementia/
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #optimism #dementiarisk #healthyaging #cognitivehealth #mentalwellbeing #longevity #HealthAndRetirementStudy #HarvardTHPH #dementiaprevention #positivepsychology
-
DATE: July 19, 2026 at 07:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Higher optimism is associated with a lower risk of dementia
URL: https://www.psypost.org/higher-optimism-is-associated-with-a-lower-risk-of-dementia/
An analysis of Health and Retirement Study data found that higher optimism was associated with a somewhat lower risk of developing dementia over a study period of up to 14 years. The association remained even after the study authors accounted for health behaviors, controlled for possible reverse causation (the possibility that the early stages of dementia reduce optimism), and excluded individuals with the poorest mental health. The paper was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Optimism is the general tendency to expect favorable outcomes and believe that difficulties can be managed or overcome. It involves positive expectations about the future rather than simply feeling cheerful in the present.
Studies show that optimistic people are more likely to use active coping strategies, persist toward goals, and seek help when needed. Higher optimism is associated with better psychological well-being and lower levels of depression, anxiety, and perceived stress. It has also been linked to healthier behaviors, including greater physical activity, better diet, and stronger adherence to medical advice.
Some studies associate optimism with better cardiovascular health, stronger immune functioning, and a lower risk of premature death. These health benefits may partly arise because optimistic people cope more effectively with stress and maintain stronger social relationships. However, optimism does not guarantee good health, and many associations may also reflect personality, socioeconomic circumstances, or existing health differences.
Säde Stenlund, a researcher at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and colleagues noted that many previous studies have already linked higher optimism to better cognitive health, including some longitudinal studies. However, they pointed out that these studies usually have relatively shorter follow-up periods that do not fully account for the possibility of reverse causation between optimism and cognitive health.
The researchers analyzed data from the Health and Retirement Study with the aim of exploring the longitudinal association between optimism and the risk of developing dementia over a longer period. The Health and Retirement Study is an ongoing, nationally representative cohort study in the U.S. that began in 1992 and has followed men and women aged 50 years and older through biennial in-person interviews, telephone, and mailed questionnaires.
For this analysis, study authors used data from participants who completed cognitive assessments and provided data in in-person or telephone interviews at the age of 70 or older. This information was needed for a dementia assessment algorithm to determine whether participants suffered from dementia. Optimism was measured through self-reports via the Life Orientation Test-Revised Scale.
In total, the analysis used data from 9,071 individuals who were dementia-free when enrolled in the study. Their average age at that time was 74 years. On average, they were followed for 6.7 years, with a maximum follow-up of 14 years. About 57% of participants were women.
Results showed that 3,027 participants developed dementia over the course of the study. Participants with higher optimism were less likely to develop dementia. More specifically, for each one standard deviation increase in optimism, the risk of developing dementia over the course of the study was 15% lower after taking into account age, sex, race, ethnicity, education, chronic health conditions, and probable depression.
Interestingly, adding health behaviors (like physical activity and smoking) did not qualitatively change the findings. The findings also held when study authors controlled for possible reverse causation by excluding individuals who developed dementia within the first two years of follow-up.
“Higher optimism was associated with a lower incidence of dementia,” the study authors concluded. “These findings suggest a potential value of optimism in supporting healthy aging, which could be considered in future research on dementia prevention initiatives.”
The study contributes to the scientific knowledge about dementia risk and protective factors. However, study authors note that a number of potentially eligible participants were excluded from analyses due to missing data. These individuals tended to be slightly younger, more often non-Hispanic White, had somewhat higher education, and were generally healthier. This could affect the generalizability of findings somewhat. Because the study was observational, the possibility of unmeasured confounding variables remains.
The paper, “The Bright Side of Life: Optimism and Risk of Dementia,” was authored by Säde Stenlund, Hayami K. Koga, Peter James, Justin Farmer, Colleen B. McGrath, Francine Grodstein, and Laura D. Kubzansky.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/higher-optimism-is-associated-with-a-lower-risk-of-dementia/
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #optimism #dementiarisk #healthyaging #cognitivehealth #mentalwellbeing #longevity #HealthAndRetirementStudy #HarvardTHPH #dementiaprevention #positivepsychology
-
DATE: July 16, 2026 at 06:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: New metabolomics study traces the path from neurotic personalities to cognitive decline
Individuals who score high in the personality trait of neuroticism have an elevated risk of developing dementia later in life, and recent research points to an imbalance of circulating fatty acids as a potential explanation. A large study of midlife adults suggests that neurotic tendencies are linked to lower blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which in turn relates to vascular damage in the brain and a higher likelihood of cognitive decline. The findings were published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.
Neuroticism is a fundamental personality trait describing a person’s tendency to experience negative emotions like anxiety, worry, and irritability in response to stress. Health researchers have consistently linked high levels of this trait to various physical and mental health challenges. Over the past decade, observational evidence has emerged tying higher neuroticism to an increased chance of developing dementia.
The biological pathways connecting a personality trait to a degenerative brain condition remain poorly understood. Experts suspect an indirect route involving cardiovascular health. Neuroticism is known to correlate with negative lifestyle choices that gradually degrade heart health over a person’s lifespan. Notably, high neuroticism is more strongly associated with vascular dementia, which stems from reduced blood flow to the brain, than it is with Alzheimer’s disease.
To investigate the molecular links between personality and cognitive decline, researchers turned to metabolites. These are the small molecules produced when the body breaks down food, drugs, or its own tissues. Because metabolites are the final downstream products of biological processes, they provide a snapshot of both genetic and environmental influences on a person’s physical state.
Yaqing Gao, a researcher at the University of Oxford, led a team to explore whether specific metabolic profiles might explain the personality-dementia connection. The investigators wanted to systematically screen hundreds of blood markers to see which ones tracked with anxious personality traits. From there, they aimed to determine if those same chemical signatures predicted future dementia diagnoses.
The researchers conducted a large study using data from the UK Biobank, relying on information from 215,624 participants aged 40 to 69. At the start of the data collection period, the participants surveyed their neurotic tendencies via a standard psychological questionnaire and provided blood samples.
Nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry is a sophisticated biochemical method that uses magnetic fields to identify specific types of molecules. Investigators applied this technique to quantify 249 different metabolites in the blood samples. The research team then tracked the participants for a median of about fourteen years to see who developed dementia.
The analysis revealed that neuroticism was associated with roughly half of the evaluated metabolites. The most prominent patterns involved circulating fats. Individuals with higher neuroticism scores tended to have fewer high-density lipoproteins and lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids. At the same time, these individuals exhibited elevated levels of very-low-density lipoproteins, triglycerides, and omega-6 fatty acids.
Omega-3 fatty acids, commonly found in oily fish, are widely considered beneficial for cardiovascular health. Omega-6 fatty acids, often sourced from vegetable oils, are also necessary for human function but can promote inflammation if they vastly outnumber omega-3s in the body. The researchers found that the balance between these two types of fats was an important predictor of future health outcomes.
Biologically, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids compete for the same enzymes in the human body. While omega-3s possess properties that protect blood vessels, derivatives of omega-6 fatty acids can promote blood vessel constriction and the production of inflammatory molecules. If a person consumes massive amounts of omega-6 relative to omega-3, the beneficial cardiovascular effects of the latter are easily overwhelmed. The resulting inflammatory environment could progressively compromise the structural integrity of the small vessels feeding the brain.
Only a handful of the metabolites showed a consistent directional relationship with both neuroticism and dementia risk. Specifically, four markers relating to omega-3 levels, including docosahexaenoic acid, were associated with lower neuroticism and a decreased risk of dementia. Conversely, a high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 was linked to higher neuroticism and an increased risk of dementia.
When zooming in on specific disease subtypes, the research team noticed that a lack of omega-3s was more strongly associated with vascular dementia than with Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers also examined a smaller subset of participants who had undergone brain scans. They evaluated the scans for white matter hyperintensities, which are spots on the brain that indicate damage to small blood vessels. Higher levels of omega-3s corresponded to fewer spots of vascular damage on the imaging.
To better understand whether one factor actually causes another, the team employed an analytical technique known as Mendelian randomization. This method uses natural genetic variations as proxies for certain traits to help rule out external variables that confuse observational studies. The genetic analysis suggested that neuroticism causes a reduction in omega-3 levels. The results also implied that lower levels of the omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid directly cause an increase in white matter damage in the brain.
These metabolic signatures suggest that the link between high neuroticism and dementia might be driven by poor dietary habits. Humans cannot produce an adequate amount of omega-3 or omega-6 fatty acids on their own, making their abundance entirely dependent on food intake. People prone to continuous stress and anxiety may gravitate toward diets low in fish and high in vegetable oils, ultimately depriving their circulatory systems of protective nutrients. This lack of nourishment could gradually compromise the brain’s blood vessels over decades.
The findings come with a few limitations. The metabolic screening platform used in the study relies heavily on lipoproteins and misses other potentially relevant chemicals. Identifying dementia cases through hospital and death records can also lead to misclassifications, as milder cases might easily escape official documentation. The genetic tools used to assess vascular dementia are still relatively weak, meaning the causal inferences must be treated as supportive rather than definitive proof.
Additionally, the participants in the UK Biobank tend to be healthier and from higher socioeconomic backgrounds than the general population. This demographic skew may influence the broader applicability of the outcomes. Observational data remains vulnerable to residual confounding, where unmeasured factors influence both biology and behavior at the same time. The fact that neuroticism and metabolite levels were measured simultaneously in the main analysis prevents researchers from determining precisely how the variables sequentially influence one another.
Future research will require detailed dietary assessments to verify exactly how eating habits govern the relationship between anxious traits and circulating fats. Investigations utilizing broader metabolic screening tools could also uncover alternative biological pathways. If subsequent trials confirm that these causal chains exist, healthcare professionals might recommend dietary modifications or fish oil supplements to help offset the dementia risks associated with highly neurotic personalities.
The study, “Neuroticism, omega-3 fatty acids, and risk of incident dementia,” was authored by Yaqing Gao, Cornelia van Duijn, Thomas J. Littlejohns, and Najaf Amin.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #Neuroticism #DementiaRisk #Omega3 #Omega6 #FattyAc acids #Metabolomics #BrainHealth #VascularDementia #DietAndCognition #UKBiobank
-
DATE: July 16, 2026 at 06:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: New metabolomics study traces the path from neurotic personalities to cognitive decline
Individuals who score high in the personality trait of neuroticism have an elevated risk of developing dementia later in life, and recent research points to an imbalance of circulating fatty acids as a potential explanation. A large study of midlife adults suggests that neurotic tendencies are linked to lower blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which in turn relates to vascular damage in the brain and a higher likelihood of cognitive decline. The findings were published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.
Neuroticism is a fundamental personality trait describing a person’s tendency to experience negative emotions like anxiety, worry, and irritability in response to stress. Health researchers have consistently linked high levels of this trait to various physical and mental health challenges. Over the past decade, observational evidence has emerged tying higher neuroticism to an increased chance of developing dementia.
The biological pathways connecting a personality trait to a degenerative brain condition remain poorly understood. Experts suspect an indirect route involving cardiovascular health. Neuroticism is known to correlate with negative lifestyle choices that gradually degrade heart health over a person’s lifespan. Notably, high neuroticism is more strongly associated with vascular dementia, which stems from reduced blood flow to the brain, than it is with Alzheimer’s disease.
To investigate the molecular links between personality and cognitive decline, researchers turned to metabolites. These are the small molecules produced when the body breaks down food, drugs, or its own tissues. Because metabolites are the final downstream products of biological processes, they provide a snapshot of both genetic and environmental influences on a person’s physical state.
Yaqing Gao, a researcher at the University of Oxford, led a team to explore whether specific metabolic profiles might explain the personality-dementia connection. The investigators wanted to systematically screen hundreds of blood markers to see which ones tracked with anxious personality traits. From there, they aimed to determine if those same chemical signatures predicted future dementia diagnoses.
The researchers conducted a large study using data from the UK Biobank, relying on information from 215,624 participants aged 40 to 69. At the start of the data collection period, the participants surveyed their neurotic tendencies via a standard psychological questionnaire and provided blood samples.
Nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry is a sophisticated biochemical method that uses magnetic fields to identify specific types of molecules. Investigators applied this technique to quantify 249 different metabolites in the blood samples. The research team then tracked the participants for a median of about fourteen years to see who developed dementia.
The analysis revealed that neuroticism was associated with roughly half of the evaluated metabolites. The most prominent patterns involved circulating fats. Individuals with higher neuroticism scores tended to have fewer high-density lipoproteins and lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids. At the same time, these individuals exhibited elevated levels of very-low-density lipoproteins, triglycerides, and omega-6 fatty acids.
Omega-3 fatty acids, commonly found in oily fish, are widely considered beneficial for cardiovascular health. Omega-6 fatty acids, often sourced from vegetable oils, are also necessary for human function but can promote inflammation if they vastly outnumber omega-3s in the body. The researchers found that the balance between these two types of fats was an important predictor of future health outcomes.
Biologically, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids compete for the same enzymes in the human body. While omega-3s possess properties that protect blood vessels, derivatives of omega-6 fatty acids can promote blood vessel constriction and the production of inflammatory molecules. If a person consumes massive amounts of omega-6 relative to omega-3, the beneficial cardiovascular effects of the latter are easily overwhelmed. The resulting inflammatory environment could progressively compromise the structural integrity of the small vessels feeding the brain.
Only a handful of the metabolites showed a consistent directional relationship with both neuroticism and dementia risk. Specifically, four markers relating to omega-3 levels, including docosahexaenoic acid, were associated with lower neuroticism and a decreased risk of dementia. Conversely, a high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 was linked to higher neuroticism and an increased risk of dementia.
When zooming in on specific disease subtypes, the research team noticed that a lack of omega-3s was more strongly associated with vascular dementia than with Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers also examined a smaller subset of participants who had undergone brain scans. They evaluated the scans for white matter hyperintensities, which are spots on the brain that indicate damage to small blood vessels. Higher levels of omega-3s corresponded to fewer spots of vascular damage on the imaging.
To better understand whether one factor actually causes another, the team employed an analytical technique known as Mendelian randomization. This method uses natural genetic variations as proxies for certain traits to help rule out external variables that confuse observational studies. The genetic analysis suggested that neuroticism causes a reduction in omega-3 levels. The results also implied that lower levels of the omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid directly cause an increase in white matter damage in the brain.
These metabolic signatures suggest that the link between high neuroticism and dementia might be driven by poor dietary habits. Humans cannot produce an adequate amount of omega-3 or omega-6 fatty acids on their own, making their abundance entirely dependent on food intake. People prone to continuous stress and anxiety may gravitate toward diets low in fish and high in vegetable oils, ultimately depriving their circulatory systems of protective nutrients. This lack of nourishment could gradually compromise the brain’s blood vessels over decades.
The findings come with a few limitations. The metabolic screening platform used in the study relies heavily on lipoproteins and misses other potentially relevant chemicals. Identifying dementia cases through hospital and death records can also lead to misclassifications, as milder cases might easily escape official documentation. The genetic tools used to assess vascular dementia are still relatively weak, meaning the causal inferences must be treated as supportive rather than definitive proof.
Additionally, the participants in the UK Biobank tend to be healthier and from higher socioeconomic backgrounds than the general population. This demographic skew may influence the broader applicability of the outcomes. Observational data remains vulnerable to residual confounding, where unmeasured factors influence both biology and behavior at the same time. The fact that neuroticism and metabolite levels were measured simultaneously in the main analysis prevents researchers from determining precisely how the variables sequentially influence one another.
Future research will require detailed dietary assessments to verify exactly how eating habits govern the relationship between anxious traits and circulating fats. Investigations utilizing broader metabolic screening tools could also uncover alternative biological pathways. If subsequent trials confirm that these causal chains exist, healthcare professionals might recommend dietary modifications or fish oil supplements to help offset the dementia risks associated with highly neurotic personalities.
The study, “Neuroticism, omega-3 fatty acids, and risk of incident dementia,” was authored by Yaqing Gao, Cornelia van Duijn, Thomas J. Littlejohns, and Najaf Amin.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #Neuroticism #DementiaRisk #Omega3 #Omega6 #FattyAc acids #Metabolomics #BrainHealth #VascularDementia #DietAndCognition #UKBiobank
-
DATE: July 16, 2026 at 06:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: New metabolomics study traces the path from neurotic personalities to cognitive decline
Individuals who score high in the personality trait of neuroticism have an elevated risk of developing dementia later in life, and recent research points to an imbalance of circulating fatty acids as a potential explanation. A large study of midlife adults suggests that neurotic tendencies are linked to lower blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which in turn relates to vascular damage in the brain and a higher likelihood of cognitive decline. The findings were published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.
Neuroticism is a fundamental personality trait describing a person’s tendency to experience negative emotions like anxiety, worry, and irritability in response to stress. Health researchers have consistently linked high levels of this trait to various physical and mental health challenges. Over the past decade, observational evidence has emerged tying higher neuroticism to an increased chance of developing dementia.
The biological pathways connecting a personality trait to a degenerative brain condition remain poorly understood. Experts suspect an indirect route involving cardiovascular health. Neuroticism is known to correlate with negative lifestyle choices that gradually degrade heart health over a person’s lifespan. Notably, high neuroticism is more strongly associated with vascular dementia, which stems from reduced blood flow to the brain, than it is with Alzheimer’s disease.
To investigate the molecular links between personality and cognitive decline, researchers turned to metabolites. These are the small molecules produced when the body breaks down food, drugs, or its own tissues. Because metabolites are the final downstream products of biological processes, they provide a snapshot of both genetic and environmental influences on a person’s physical state.
Yaqing Gao, a researcher at the University of Oxford, led a team to explore whether specific metabolic profiles might explain the personality-dementia connection. The investigators wanted to systematically screen hundreds of blood markers to see which ones tracked with anxious personality traits. From there, they aimed to determine if those same chemical signatures predicted future dementia diagnoses.
The researchers conducted a large study using data from the UK Biobank, relying on information from 215,624 participants aged 40 to 69. At the start of the data collection period, the participants surveyed their neurotic tendencies via a standard psychological questionnaire and provided blood samples.
Nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry is a sophisticated biochemical method that uses magnetic fields to identify specific types of molecules. Investigators applied this technique to quantify 249 different metabolites in the blood samples. The research team then tracked the participants for a median of about fourteen years to see who developed dementia.
The analysis revealed that neuroticism was associated with roughly half of the evaluated metabolites. The most prominent patterns involved circulating fats. Individuals with higher neuroticism scores tended to have fewer high-density lipoproteins and lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids. At the same time, these individuals exhibited elevated levels of very-low-density lipoproteins, triglycerides, and omega-6 fatty acids.
Omega-3 fatty acids, commonly found in oily fish, are widely considered beneficial for cardiovascular health. Omega-6 fatty acids, often sourced from vegetable oils, are also necessary for human function but can promote inflammation if they vastly outnumber omega-3s in the body. The researchers found that the balance between these two types of fats was an important predictor of future health outcomes.
Biologically, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids compete for the same enzymes in the human body. While omega-3s possess properties that protect blood vessels, derivatives of omega-6 fatty acids can promote blood vessel constriction and the production of inflammatory molecules. If a person consumes massive amounts of omega-6 relative to omega-3, the beneficial cardiovascular effects of the latter are easily overwhelmed. The resulting inflammatory environment could progressively compromise the structural integrity of the small vessels feeding the brain.
Only a handful of the metabolites showed a consistent directional relationship with both neuroticism and dementia risk. Specifically, four markers relating to omega-3 levels, including docosahexaenoic acid, were associated with lower neuroticism and a decreased risk of dementia. Conversely, a high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 was linked to higher neuroticism and an increased risk of dementia.
When zooming in on specific disease subtypes, the research team noticed that a lack of omega-3s was more strongly associated with vascular dementia than with Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers also examined a smaller subset of participants who had undergone brain scans. They evaluated the scans for white matter hyperintensities, which are spots on the brain that indicate damage to small blood vessels. Higher levels of omega-3s corresponded to fewer spots of vascular damage on the imaging.
To better understand whether one factor actually causes another, the team employed an analytical technique known as Mendelian randomization. This method uses natural genetic variations as proxies for certain traits to help rule out external variables that confuse observational studies. The genetic analysis suggested that neuroticism causes a reduction in omega-3 levels. The results also implied that lower levels of the omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid directly cause an increase in white matter damage in the brain.
These metabolic signatures suggest that the link between high neuroticism and dementia might be driven by poor dietary habits. Humans cannot produce an adequate amount of omega-3 or omega-6 fatty acids on their own, making their abundance entirely dependent on food intake. People prone to continuous stress and anxiety may gravitate toward diets low in fish and high in vegetable oils, ultimately depriving their circulatory systems of protective nutrients. This lack of nourishment could gradually compromise the brain’s blood vessels over decades.
The findings come with a few limitations. The metabolic screening platform used in the study relies heavily on lipoproteins and misses other potentially relevant chemicals. Identifying dementia cases through hospital and death records can also lead to misclassifications, as milder cases might easily escape official documentation. The genetic tools used to assess vascular dementia are still relatively weak, meaning the causal inferences must be treated as supportive rather than definitive proof.
Additionally, the participants in the UK Biobank tend to be healthier and from higher socioeconomic backgrounds than the general population. This demographic skew may influence the broader applicability of the outcomes. Observational data remains vulnerable to residual confounding, where unmeasured factors influence both biology and behavior at the same time. The fact that neuroticism and metabolite levels were measured simultaneously in the main analysis prevents researchers from determining precisely how the variables sequentially influence one another.
Future research will require detailed dietary assessments to verify exactly how eating habits govern the relationship between anxious traits and circulating fats. Investigations utilizing broader metabolic screening tools could also uncover alternative biological pathways. If subsequent trials confirm that these causal chains exist, healthcare professionals might recommend dietary modifications or fish oil supplements to help offset the dementia risks associated with highly neurotic personalities.
The study, “Neuroticism, omega-3 fatty acids, and risk of incident dementia,” was authored by Yaqing Gao, Cornelia van Duijn, Thomas J. Littlejohns, and Najaf Amin.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #Neuroticism #DementiaRisk #Omega3 #Omega6 #FattyAc acids #Metabolomics #BrainHealth #VascularDementia #DietAndCognition #UKBiobank
-
DATE: July 14, 2026 at 06:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Shingles vaccine could prevent 1 in 17 dementia cases among nursing home patients
Receiving the recombinant shingles vaccine is associated with a lower risk of developing dementia among older adults who have recently spent time in a skilled-nursing facility. The findings suggest that this routine immunization might offer protective benefits against cognitive decline over a four-year period. This research was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Shingles is a painful viral infection caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus. This is the exact same virus that causes chickenpox in childhood. The virus remains dormant in the nervous system and tends to reactivate in adults over the age of fifty or in people with weakened immune systems.
Previous clinical studies have linked a shingles infection to an increased risk of developing dementia later in life. Kaley Hayes is an associate professor in the Department of Health Services, Policy and Practice and the lead of the Pharmacoepidemiology and Regulatory Evidence Lab. She also serves as the associate director of pharmacoepidemiology at the Center for Gerontology and Healthcare Research.
Hayes explained the biological reasoning that prompted the research team to investigate this connection. “We examined the link between vaccination with Shingrix because shingles increases the risk of stroke and potentially just general inflammation in the brain,” Hayes said, referring to the brand name of the recombinant vaccine.
“There is a hypothesis that reducing activity of the virus that causes shingles (called herpes zoster), might therefore help to prevent brain inflammation that can damage brain health long-term,” Hayes said. Because of this hypothesis, scientists have wondered if preventing the viral infection might also protect the brain from cognitive decline.
Earlier observational studies provided evidence that an older version of the vaccine reduced dementia risk. “Prior studies in different populations that examined the older vaccine, Zostavax, did find a signal for dementia prevention,” Hayes said.
Zostavax is the brand name for the older live-attenuated vaccine, which contains a weakened, harmless form of the actual virus. That specific live vaccine is no longer available in the United States. In 2017, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved a new version known as the recombinant shingles vaccine.
Recombinant vaccines are made by synthetically producing specific pieces of a virus to trigger a strong immune response. This newer version is highly effective at preventing shingles in older adults. Because the newer vaccine works so well against the virus, there is growing interest in its potential to protect the brain.
“We wanted to use large, real-world data and a rigorous study design to find out if that signal exists for older adults in the US vaccinated with the newer, more effective vaccine,” Hayes said. Older adults admitted to skilled-nursing facilities represent a population at high risk for both shingles and new-onset dementia.
A skilled-nursing facility is an inpatient medical center that provides short-term rehabilitation after a hospital stay, as well as long-term care for those who need daily assistance. The authors recognized that admission to these facilities serves as a natural window for medical professionals to assess vaccine eligibility. They designed their study to see if giving the recombinant vaccine during or shortly after a facility stay would lower the rate of new dementia diagnoses.
To explore this relationship, the scientists used an analytical approach called a target trial emulation. In a traditional randomized controlled trial, researchers randomly assign participants to either receive a treatment or receive a placebo. Sometimes, running such a trial is not possible or ethical in frail populations.
A target trial emulation solves this problem by mimicking the design of a randomized experiment using existing observational data. The researchers analyzed electronic health records linked to Medicare claims for older adults across the United States. They focused on patients aged 66 or older who were admitted to a skilled-nursing facility between January 2017 and December 2022.
The final sample included 509,926 participants. The average age of the participants was 79 years, and about 63.6 percent of them were women. To be included in the analysis, the patients had to have no prior diagnosis of dementia and no previous doses of the newer recombinant shingles vaccine.
The scientists compared two treatment strategies using a statistical technique that creates duplicate records, or clones, of each person in the data. One artificial clone is assigned to a vaccinated group, and the identical clone is assigned to an unvaccinated group. If a person’s real-world medical data deviates from their assigned group, their artificial clone is censored, or removed from the ongoing analysis.
This complex statistical method helps balance the comparison groups and adjust for biases that typically plague observational research. The study defined the vaccinated strategy as receiving at least one dose of the recombinant shingles vaccine within twelve months of entering the nursing facility. The unvaccinated strategy meant receiving no doses during the entire study period.
The researchers tracked the participants for up to four years. They looked for new dementia diagnoses using medical billing codes from hospital stays, recurring physician claims, and pharmacy records for common dementia medications. They also tracked 57 different participant characteristics, including age, prior health conditions, medication use, and previous vaccinations.
Out of the more than half a million participants, 8,843 individuals received at least one dose of the recombinant shingles vaccine within the first year. This represents just 1.73 percent of the study population. Among those who were vaccinated, 87 percent received their dose after they were discharged from the facility.
The researchers found that the vaccinated group had a lower risk of developing dementia over the four-year follow-up period. Specifically, the four-year dementia risk was 18.8 percent for those who received at least one dose of the vaccine. In comparison, the risk was 24.6 percent for those who did not receive the vaccine.
This translates to an absolute risk reduction of 5.8 percentage points. On a relative scale, the vaccinated participants had a 24 percent lower risk of being diagnosed with dementia compared to their unvaccinated peers.
“Our study identified that as many as 1 in 17 cases of dementia might be prevented through shingles vaccination, though trials are needed to confirm these findings,” Hayes said. The association varied slightly depending on the characteristics of the patients. The protective effect tended to be weaker in men compared to women.
It was also less pronounced in individuals who had previously received the older, live-attenuated version of the shingles vaccine. It is important to understand that this study provides evidence of an association, rather than proving a direct cause-and-effect relationship. The findings are based on administrative claims data, which can sometimes contain coding errors or miss mild cases of cognitive decline.
The overall rate of vaccination in this specific population was also very low, which can complicate statistical comparisons. One specific limitation involves what scientists call healthy vaccinee bias. This concept suggests that people who choose to get vaccinated might also engage in other healthy behaviors, or they might generally be in better health than those who skip vaccines.
The researchers attempted to measure this hidden bias using negative control analyses. A negative control analysis looks for associations between the vaccine and completely unrelated health events. The authors tested if the vaccine was associated with outcomes like hip fractures or routine wellness visits.
Because a shingles vaccine cannot prevent a hip fracture, finding a link would suggest that the vaccinated group was simply healthier or more cautious overall. The negative control analyses did show signs that the vaccinated individuals were generally healthier, pointing to some residual confounding variables. When the researchers statistically adjusted their primary results to account for this underlying health difference, the protective association weakened.
Even in the most conservative adjustment, the vaccine was still associated with a 12 percent reduced relative risk for dementia. The exact biological reasons for this protective link remain a topic of ongoing scientific inquiry. The vaccine might reduce inflammation in the brain, or it might prevent the varicella-zoster virus from contributing to the buildup of toxic proteins associated with cognitive decline.
It is also possible that the vaccine generally modulates the immune system in ways that protect the nervous system. Future research should aim to confirm these findings through actual randomized controlled trials in nursing home settings. By randomly assigning vaccines in a controlled environment, scientists could definitively rule out healthy vaccinee bias.
Until then, this study suggests that administering the recombinant shingles vaccine could be a practical way to support cognitive health in older adults recovering from acute medical events. “The main takeaway is that the shingles vaccine is highly effective at preventing shingles, which is painful and can cause long-term health issues,” Hayes said. “And now there is evidence that something to prevent this physical ailment may help to keep our brain healthy, too.”
The study, “Dementia Risk After Recombinant Herpes Zoster Vaccination in Older Adults With a Recent Skilled-Nursing Facility Stay: A Target Trial Emulation,” was authored by Kaleen N. Hayes, Daniel A. Harris, Kevin W. McConeghy, Lexie R. Grove, Richa Joshi, Lisa Han, H. Edward Davidson, Preeti Chachlani, Thomas A. Bayer, Mriganka Singh, Yasin Abul, Frank DeVone, and Stefan Gravenstein.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #ShinglesVaccine #DementiaRisk #OlderAdultsHealth #NursingHomeCare #VaccinationBenefits #AgingBrainHealth #RecombinantShingles #Shingrix #PreventCognitiveDecline #PublicHealthReadiness
-
DATE: July 14, 2026 at 06:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Shingles vaccine could prevent 1 in 17 dementia cases among nursing home patients
Receiving the recombinant shingles vaccine is associated with a lower risk of developing dementia among older adults who have recently spent time in a skilled-nursing facility. The findings suggest that this routine immunization might offer protective benefits against cognitive decline over a four-year period. This research was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Shingles is a painful viral infection caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus. This is the exact same virus that causes chickenpox in childhood. The virus remains dormant in the nervous system and tends to reactivate in adults over the age of fifty or in people with weakened immune systems.
Previous clinical studies have linked a shingles infection to an increased risk of developing dementia later in life. Kaley Hayes is an associate professor in the Department of Health Services, Policy and Practice and the lead of the Pharmacoepidemiology and Regulatory Evidence Lab. She also serves as the associate director of pharmacoepidemiology at the Center for Gerontology and Healthcare Research.
Hayes explained the biological reasoning that prompted the research team to investigate this connection. “We examined the link between vaccination with Shingrix because shingles increases the risk of stroke and potentially just general inflammation in the brain,” Hayes said, referring to the brand name of the recombinant vaccine.
“There is a hypothesis that reducing activity of the virus that causes shingles (called herpes zoster), might therefore help to prevent brain inflammation that can damage brain health long-term,” Hayes said. Because of this hypothesis, scientists have wondered if preventing the viral infection might also protect the brain from cognitive decline.
Earlier observational studies provided evidence that an older version of the vaccine reduced dementia risk. “Prior studies in different populations that examined the older vaccine, Zostavax, did find a signal for dementia prevention,” Hayes said.
Zostavax is the brand name for the older live-attenuated vaccine, which contains a weakened, harmless form of the actual virus. That specific live vaccine is no longer available in the United States. In 2017, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved a new version known as the recombinant shingles vaccine.
Recombinant vaccines are made by synthetically producing specific pieces of a virus to trigger a strong immune response. This newer version is highly effective at preventing shingles in older adults. Because the newer vaccine works so well against the virus, there is growing interest in its potential to protect the brain.
“We wanted to use large, real-world data and a rigorous study design to find out if that signal exists for older adults in the US vaccinated with the newer, more effective vaccine,” Hayes said. Older adults admitted to skilled-nursing facilities represent a population at high risk for both shingles and new-onset dementia.
A skilled-nursing facility is an inpatient medical center that provides short-term rehabilitation after a hospital stay, as well as long-term care for those who need daily assistance. The authors recognized that admission to these facilities serves as a natural window for medical professionals to assess vaccine eligibility. They designed their study to see if giving the recombinant vaccine during or shortly after a facility stay would lower the rate of new dementia diagnoses.
To explore this relationship, the scientists used an analytical approach called a target trial emulation. In a traditional randomized controlled trial, researchers randomly assign participants to either receive a treatment or receive a placebo. Sometimes, running such a trial is not possible or ethical in frail populations.
A target trial emulation solves this problem by mimicking the design of a randomized experiment using existing observational data. The researchers analyzed electronic health records linked to Medicare claims for older adults across the United States. They focused on patients aged 66 or older who were admitted to a skilled-nursing facility between January 2017 and December 2022.
The final sample included 509,926 participants. The average age of the participants was 79 years, and about 63.6 percent of them were women. To be included in the analysis, the patients had to have no prior diagnosis of dementia and no previous doses of the newer recombinant shingles vaccine.
The scientists compared two treatment strategies using a statistical technique that creates duplicate records, or clones, of each person in the data. One artificial clone is assigned to a vaccinated group, and the identical clone is assigned to an unvaccinated group. If a person’s real-world medical data deviates from their assigned group, their artificial clone is censored, or removed from the ongoing analysis.
This complex statistical method helps balance the comparison groups and adjust for biases that typically plague observational research. The study defined the vaccinated strategy as receiving at least one dose of the recombinant shingles vaccine within twelve months of entering the nursing facility. The unvaccinated strategy meant receiving no doses during the entire study period.
The researchers tracked the participants for up to four years. They looked for new dementia diagnoses using medical billing codes from hospital stays, recurring physician claims, and pharmacy records for common dementia medications. They also tracked 57 different participant characteristics, including age, prior health conditions, medication use, and previous vaccinations.
Out of the more than half a million participants, 8,843 individuals received at least one dose of the recombinant shingles vaccine within the first year. This represents just 1.73 percent of the study population. Among those who were vaccinated, 87 percent received their dose after they were discharged from the facility.
The researchers found that the vaccinated group had a lower risk of developing dementia over the four-year follow-up period. Specifically, the four-year dementia risk was 18.8 percent for those who received at least one dose of the vaccine. In comparison, the risk was 24.6 percent for those who did not receive the vaccine.
This translates to an absolute risk reduction of 5.8 percentage points. On a relative scale, the vaccinated participants had a 24 percent lower risk of being diagnosed with dementia compared to their unvaccinated peers.
“Our study identified that as many as 1 in 17 cases of dementia might be prevented through shingles vaccination, though trials are needed to confirm these findings,” Hayes said. The association varied slightly depending on the characteristics of the patients. The protective effect tended to be weaker in men compared to women.
It was also less pronounced in individuals who had previously received the older, live-attenuated version of the shingles vaccine. It is important to understand that this study provides evidence of an association, rather than proving a direct cause-and-effect relationship. The findings are based on administrative claims data, which can sometimes contain coding errors or miss mild cases of cognitive decline.
The overall rate of vaccination in this specific population was also very low, which can complicate statistical comparisons. One specific limitation involves what scientists call healthy vaccinee bias. This concept suggests that people who choose to get vaccinated might also engage in other healthy behaviors, or they might generally be in better health than those who skip vaccines.
The researchers attempted to measure this hidden bias using negative control analyses. A negative control analysis looks for associations between the vaccine and completely unrelated health events. The authors tested if the vaccine was associated with outcomes like hip fractures or routine wellness visits.
Because a shingles vaccine cannot prevent a hip fracture, finding a link would suggest that the vaccinated group was simply healthier or more cautious overall. The negative control analyses did show signs that the vaccinated individuals were generally healthier, pointing to some residual confounding variables. When the researchers statistically adjusted their primary results to account for this underlying health difference, the protective association weakened.
Even in the most conservative adjustment, the vaccine was still associated with a 12 percent reduced relative risk for dementia. The exact biological reasons for this protective link remain a topic of ongoing scientific inquiry. The vaccine might reduce inflammation in the brain, or it might prevent the varicella-zoster virus from contributing to the buildup of toxic proteins associated with cognitive decline.
It is also possible that the vaccine generally modulates the immune system in ways that protect the nervous system. Future research should aim to confirm these findings through actual randomized controlled trials in nursing home settings. By randomly assigning vaccines in a controlled environment, scientists could definitively rule out healthy vaccinee bias.
Until then, this study suggests that administering the recombinant shingles vaccine could be a practical way to support cognitive health in older adults recovering from acute medical events. “The main takeaway is that the shingles vaccine is highly effective at preventing shingles, which is painful and can cause long-term health issues,” Hayes said. “And now there is evidence that something to prevent this physical ailment may help to keep our brain healthy, too.”
The study, “Dementia Risk After Recombinant Herpes Zoster Vaccination in Older Adults With a Recent Skilled-Nursing Facility Stay: A Target Trial Emulation,” was authored by Kaleen N. Hayes, Daniel A. Harris, Kevin W. McConeghy, Lexie R. Grove, Richa Joshi, Lisa Han, H. Edward Davidson, Preeti Chachlani, Thomas A. Bayer, Mriganka Singh, Yasin Abul, Frank DeVone, and Stefan Gravenstein.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #ShinglesVaccine #DementiaRisk #OlderAdultsHealth #NursingHomeCare #VaccinationBenefits #AgingBrainHealth #RecombinantShingles #Shingrix #PreventCognitiveDecline #PublicHealthReadiness
-
DATE: July 14, 2026 at 06:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Shingles vaccine could prevent 1 in 17 dementia cases among nursing home patients
Receiving the recombinant shingles vaccine is associated with a lower risk of developing dementia among older adults who have recently spent time in a skilled-nursing facility. The findings suggest that this routine immunization might offer protective benefits against cognitive decline over a four-year period. This research was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Shingles is a painful viral infection caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus. This is the exact same virus that causes chickenpox in childhood. The virus remains dormant in the nervous system and tends to reactivate in adults over the age of fifty or in people with weakened immune systems.
Previous clinical studies have linked a shingles infection to an increased risk of developing dementia later in life. Kaley Hayes is an associate professor in the Department of Health Services, Policy and Practice and the lead of the Pharmacoepidemiology and Regulatory Evidence Lab. She also serves as the associate director of pharmacoepidemiology at the Center for Gerontology and Healthcare Research.
Hayes explained the biological reasoning that prompted the research team to investigate this connection. “We examined the link between vaccination with Shingrix because shingles increases the risk of stroke and potentially just general inflammation in the brain,” Hayes said, referring to the brand name of the recombinant vaccine.
“There is a hypothesis that reducing activity of the virus that causes shingles (called herpes zoster), might therefore help to prevent brain inflammation that can damage brain health long-term,” Hayes said. Because of this hypothesis, scientists have wondered if preventing the viral infection might also protect the brain from cognitive decline.
Earlier observational studies provided evidence that an older version of the vaccine reduced dementia risk. “Prior studies in different populations that examined the older vaccine, Zostavax, did find a signal for dementia prevention,” Hayes said.
Zostavax is the brand name for the older live-attenuated vaccine, which contains a weakened, harmless form of the actual virus. That specific live vaccine is no longer available in the United States. In 2017, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved a new version known as the recombinant shingles vaccine.
Recombinant vaccines are made by synthetically producing specific pieces of a virus to trigger a strong immune response. This newer version is highly effective at preventing shingles in older adults. Because the newer vaccine works so well against the virus, there is growing interest in its potential to protect the brain.
“We wanted to use large, real-world data and a rigorous study design to find out if that signal exists for older adults in the US vaccinated with the newer, more effective vaccine,” Hayes said. Older adults admitted to skilled-nursing facilities represent a population at high risk for both shingles and new-onset dementia.
A skilled-nursing facility is an inpatient medical center that provides short-term rehabilitation after a hospital stay, as well as long-term care for those who need daily assistance. The authors recognized that admission to these facilities serves as a natural window for medical professionals to assess vaccine eligibility. They designed their study to see if giving the recombinant vaccine during or shortly after a facility stay would lower the rate of new dementia diagnoses.
To explore this relationship, the scientists used an analytical approach called a target trial emulation. In a traditional randomized controlled trial, researchers randomly assign participants to either receive a treatment or receive a placebo. Sometimes, running such a trial is not possible or ethical in frail populations.
A target trial emulation solves this problem by mimicking the design of a randomized experiment using existing observational data. The researchers analyzed electronic health records linked to Medicare claims for older adults across the United States. They focused on patients aged 66 or older who were admitted to a skilled-nursing facility between January 2017 and December 2022.
The final sample included 509,926 participants. The average age of the participants was 79 years, and about 63.6 percent of them were women. To be included in the analysis, the patients had to have no prior diagnosis of dementia and no previous doses of the newer recombinant shingles vaccine.
The scientists compared two treatment strategies using a statistical technique that creates duplicate records, or clones, of each person in the data. One artificial clone is assigned to a vaccinated group, and the identical clone is assigned to an unvaccinated group. If a person’s real-world medical data deviates from their assigned group, their artificial clone is censored, or removed from the ongoing analysis.
This complex statistical method helps balance the comparison groups and adjust for biases that typically plague observational research. The study defined the vaccinated strategy as receiving at least one dose of the recombinant shingles vaccine within twelve months of entering the nursing facility. The unvaccinated strategy meant receiving no doses during the entire study period.
The researchers tracked the participants for up to four years. They looked for new dementia diagnoses using medical billing codes from hospital stays, recurring physician claims, and pharmacy records for common dementia medications. They also tracked 57 different participant characteristics, including age, prior health conditions, medication use, and previous vaccinations.
Out of the more than half a million participants, 8,843 individuals received at least one dose of the recombinant shingles vaccine within the first year. This represents just 1.73 percent of the study population. Among those who were vaccinated, 87 percent received their dose after they were discharged from the facility.
The researchers found that the vaccinated group had a lower risk of developing dementia over the four-year follow-up period. Specifically, the four-year dementia risk was 18.8 percent for those who received at least one dose of the vaccine. In comparison, the risk was 24.6 percent for those who did not receive the vaccine.
This translates to an absolute risk reduction of 5.8 percentage points. On a relative scale, the vaccinated participants had a 24 percent lower risk of being diagnosed with dementia compared to their unvaccinated peers.
“Our study identified that as many as 1 in 17 cases of dementia might be prevented through shingles vaccination, though trials are needed to confirm these findings,” Hayes said. The association varied slightly depending on the characteristics of the patients. The protective effect tended to be weaker in men compared to women.
It was also less pronounced in individuals who had previously received the older, live-attenuated version of the shingles vaccine. It is important to understand that this study provides evidence of an association, rather than proving a direct cause-and-effect relationship. The findings are based on administrative claims data, which can sometimes contain coding errors or miss mild cases of cognitive decline.
The overall rate of vaccination in this specific population was also very low, which can complicate statistical comparisons. One specific limitation involves what scientists call healthy vaccinee bias. This concept suggests that people who choose to get vaccinated might also engage in other healthy behaviors, or they might generally be in better health than those who skip vaccines.
The researchers attempted to measure this hidden bias using negative control analyses. A negative control analysis looks for associations between the vaccine and completely unrelated health events. The authors tested if the vaccine was associated with outcomes like hip fractures or routine wellness visits.
Because a shingles vaccine cannot prevent a hip fracture, finding a link would suggest that the vaccinated group was simply healthier or more cautious overall. The negative control analyses did show signs that the vaccinated individuals were generally healthier, pointing to some residual confounding variables. When the researchers statistically adjusted their primary results to account for this underlying health difference, the protective association weakened.
Even in the most conservative adjustment, the vaccine was still associated with a 12 percent reduced relative risk for dementia. The exact biological reasons for this protective link remain a topic of ongoing scientific inquiry. The vaccine might reduce inflammation in the brain, or it might prevent the varicella-zoster virus from contributing to the buildup of toxic proteins associated with cognitive decline.
It is also possible that the vaccine generally modulates the immune system in ways that protect the nervous system. Future research should aim to confirm these findings through actual randomized controlled trials in nursing home settings. By randomly assigning vaccines in a controlled environment, scientists could definitively rule out healthy vaccinee bias.
Until then, this study suggests that administering the recombinant shingles vaccine could be a practical way to support cognitive health in older adults recovering from acute medical events. “The main takeaway is that the shingles vaccine is highly effective at preventing shingles, which is painful and can cause long-term health issues,” Hayes said. “And now there is evidence that something to prevent this physical ailment may help to keep our brain healthy, too.”
The study, “Dementia Risk After Recombinant Herpes Zoster Vaccination in Older Adults With a Recent Skilled-Nursing Facility Stay: A Target Trial Emulation,” was authored by Kaleen N. Hayes, Daniel A. Harris, Kevin W. McConeghy, Lexie R. Grove, Richa Joshi, Lisa Han, H. Edward Davidson, Preeti Chachlani, Thomas A. Bayer, Mriganka Singh, Yasin Abul, Frank DeVone, and Stefan Gravenstein.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #ShinglesVaccine #DementiaRisk #OlderAdultsHealth #NursingHomeCare #VaccinationBenefits #AgingBrainHealth #RecombinantShingles #Shingrix #PreventCognitiveDecline #PublicHealthReadiness
-
DATE: July 14, 2026 at 06:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Shingles vaccine could prevent 1 in 17 dementia cases among nursing home patients
Receiving the recombinant shingles vaccine is associated with a lower risk of developing dementia among older adults who have recently spent time in a skilled-nursing facility. The findings suggest that this routine immunization might offer protective benefits against cognitive decline over a four-year period. This research was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Shingles is a painful viral infection caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus. This is the exact same virus that causes chickenpox in childhood. The virus remains dormant in the nervous system and tends to reactivate in adults over the age of fifty or in people with weakened immune systems.
Previous clinical studies have linked a shingles infection to an increased risk of developing dementia later in life. Kaley Hayes is an associate professor in the Department of Health Services, Policy and Practice and the lead of the Pharmacoepidemiology and Regulatory Evidence Lab. She also serves as the associate director of pharmacoepidemiology at the Center for Gerontology and Healthcare Research.
Hayes explained the biological reasoning that prompted the research team to investigate this connection. “We examined the link between vaccination with Shingrix because shingles increases the risk of stroke and potentially just general inflammation in the brain,” Hayes said, referring to the brand name of the recombinant vaccine.
“There is a hypothesis that reducing activity of the virus that causes shingles (called herpes zoster), might therefore help to prevent brain inflammation that can damage brain health long-term,” Hayes said. Because of this hypothesis, scientists have wondered if preventing the viral infection might also protect the brain from cognitive decline.
Earlier observational studies provided evidence that an older version of the vaccine reduced dementia risk. “Prior studies in different populations that examined the older vaccine, Zostavax, did find a signal for dementia prevention,” Hayes said.
Zostavax is the brand name for the older live-attenuated vaccine, which contains a weakened, harmless form of the actual virus. That specific live vaccine is no longer available in the United States. In 2017, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved a new version known as the recombinant shingles vaccine.
Recombinant vaccines are made by synthetically producing specific pieces of a virus to trigger a strong immune response. This newer version is highly effective at preventing shingles in older adults. Because the newer vaccine works so well against the virus, there is growing interest in its potential to protect the brain.
“We wanted to use large, real-world data and a rigorous study design to find out if that signal exists for older adults in the US vaccinated with the newer, more effective vaccine,” Hayes said. Older adults admitted to skilled-nursing facilities represent a population at high risk for both shingles and new-onset dementia.
A skilled-nursing facility is an inpatient medical center that provides short-term rehabilitation after a hospital stay, as well as long-term care for those who need daily assistance. The authors recognized that admission to these facilities serves as a natural window for medical professionals to assess vaccine eligibility. They designed their study to see if giving the recombinant vaccine during or shortly after a facility stay would lower the rate of new dementia diagnoses.
To explore this relationship, the scientists used an analytical approach called a target trial emulation. In a traditional randomized controlled trial, researchers randomly assign participants to either receive a treatment or receive a placebo. Sometimes, running such a trial is not possible or ethical in frail populations.
A target trial emulation solves this problem by mimicking the design of a randomized experiment using existing observational data. The researchers analyzed electronic health records linked to Medicare claims for older adults across the United States. They focused on patients aged 66 or older who were admitted to a skilled-nursing facility between January 2017 and December 2022.
The final sample included 509,926 participants. The average age of the participants was 79 years, and about 63.6 percent of them were women. To be included in the analysis, the patients had to have no prior diagnosis of dementia and no previous doses of the newer recombinant shingles vaccine.
The scientists compared two treatment strategies using a statistical technique that creates duplicate records, or clones, of each person in the data. One artificial clone is assigned to a vaccinated group, and the identical clone is assigned to an unvaccinated group. If a person’s real-world medical data deviates from their assigned group, their artificial clone is censored, or removed from the ongoing analysis.
This complex statistical method helps balance the comparison groups and adjust for biases that typically plague observational research. The study defined the vaccinated strategy as receiving at least one dose of the recombinant shingles vaccine within twelve months of entering the nursing facility. The unvaccinated strategy meant receiving no doses during the entire study period.
The researchers tracked the participants for up to four years. They looked for new dementia diagnoses using medical billing codes from hospital stays, recurring physician claims, and pharmacy records for common dementia medications. They also tracked 57 different participant characteristics, including age, prior health conditions, medication use, and previous vaccinations.
Out of the more than half a million participants, 8,843 individuals received at least one dose of the recombinant shingles vaccine within the first year. This represents just 1.73 percent of the study population. Among those who were vaccinated, 87 percent received their dose after they were discharged from the facility.
The researchers found that the vaccinated group had a lower risk of developing dementia over the four-year follow-up period. Specifically, the four-year dementia risk was 18.8 percent for those who received at least one dose of the vaccine. In comparison, the risk was 24.6 percent for those who did not receive the vaccine.
This translates to an absolute risk reduction of 5.8 percentage points. On a relative scale, the vaccinated participants had a 24 percent lower risk of being diagnosed with dementia compared to their unvaccinated peers.
“Our study identified that as many as 1 in 17 cases of dementia might be prevented through shingles vaccination, though trials are needed to confirm these findings,” Hayes said. The association varied slightly depending on the characteristics of the patients. The protective effect tended to be weaker in men compared to women.
It was also less pronounced in individuals who had previously received the older, live-attenuated version of the shingles vaccine. It is important to understand that this study provides evidence of an association, rather than proving a direct cause-and-effect relationship. The findings are based on administrative claims data, which can sometimes contain coding errors or miss mild cases of cognitive decline.
The overall rate of vaccination in this specific population was also very low, which can complicate statistical comparisons. One specific limitation involves what scientists call healthy vaccinee bias. This concept suggests that people who choose to get vaccinated might also engage in other healthy behaviors, or they might generally be in better health than those who skip vaccines.
The researchers attempted to measure this hidden bias using negative control analyses. A negative control analysis looks for associations between the vaccine and completely unrelated health events. The authors tested if the vaccine was associated with outcomes like hip fractures or routine wellness visits.
Because a shingles vaccine cannot prevent a hip fracture, finding a link would suggest that the vaccinated group was simply healthier or more cautious overall. The negative control analyses did show signs that the vaccinated individuals were generally healthier, pointing to some residual confounding variables. When the researchers statistically adjusted their primary results to account for this underlying health difference, the protective association weakened.
Even in the most conservative adjustment, the vaccine was still associated with a 12 percent reduced relative risk for dementia. The exact biological reasons for this protective link remain a topic of ongoing scientific inquiry. The vaccine might reduce inflammation in the brain, or it might prevent the varicella-zoster virus from contributing to the buildup of toxic proteins associated with cognitive decline.
It is also possible that the vaccine generally modulates the immune system in ways that protect the nervous system. Future research should aim to confirm these findings through actual randomized controlled trials in nursing home settings. By randomly assigning vaccines in a controlled environment, scientists could definitively rule out healthy vaccinee bias.
Until then, this study suggests that administering the recombinant shingles vaccine could be a practical way to support cognitive health in older adults recovering from acute medical events. “The main takeaway is that the shingles vaccine is highly effective at preventing shingles, which is painful and can cause long-term health issues,” Hayes said. “And now there is evidence that something to prevent this physical ailment may help to keep our brain healthy, too.”
The study, “Dementia Risk After Recombinant Herpes Zoster Vaccination in Older Adults With a Recent Skilled-Nursing Facility Stay: A Target Trial Emulation,” was authored by Kaleen N. Hayes, Daniel A. Harris, Kevin W. McConeghy, Lexie R. Grove, Richa Joshi, Lisa Han, H. Edward Davidson, Preeti Chachlani, Thomas A. Bayer, Mriganka Singh, Yasin Abul, Frank DeVone, and Stefan Gravenstein.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #ShinglesVaccine #DementiaRisk #OlderAdultsHealth #NursingHomeCare #VaccinationBenefits #AgingBrainHealth #RecombinantShingles #Shingrix #PreventCognitiveDecline #PublicHealthReadiness
-
DATE: July 13, 2026 at 06:03AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEEDTITLE: Where you live could shape your dementia risk, massive study finds
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260713000753.htm
Researchers analyzing data from more than 214,000 people found that dementia risk factors differ widely across countries, challenging the idea of a one-size-fits-all prevention strategy. At the same time, they uncovered surprisingly consistent patterns that could help shape smarter, more targeted public health efforts.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260713000753.htm
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #DementiaRisk #PublicHealth #BrainHealth #GlobalStudy #DementiaPrevention #HealthDisparities #LifestyleFactors #BrainAging #PreventiveMedicine #Epidemiology
-
DATE: July 13, 2026 at 06:03AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEEDTITLE: Where you live could shape your dementia risk, massive study finds
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260713000753.htm
Researchers analyzing data from more than 214,000 people found that dementia risk factors differ widely across countries, challenging the idea of a one-size-fits-all prevention strategy. At the same time, they uncovered surprisingly consistent patterns that could help shape smarter, more targeted public health efforts.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260713000753.htm
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #DementiaRisk #PublicHealth #BrainHealth #GlobalStudy #DementiaPrevention #HealthDisparities #LifestyleFactors #BrainAging #PreventiveMedicine #Epidemiology
-
DATE: July 13, 2026 at 06:03AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEEDTITLE: Where you live could shape your dementia risk, massive study finds
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260713000753.htm
Researchers analyzing data from more than 214,000 people found that dementia risk factors differ widely across countries, challenging the idea of a one-size-fits-all prevention strategy. At the same time, they uncovered surprisingly consistent patterns that could help shape smarter, more targeted public health efforts.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260713000753.htm
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #DementiaRisk #PublicHealth #BrainHealth #GlobalStudy #DementiaPrevention #HealthDisparities #LifestyleFactors #BrainAging #PreventiveMedicine #Epidemiology
-
DATE: July 11, 2026 at 02:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Cannabis use in older adults not linked to faster cognitive decline or dementia
Older adults who have used cannabis do not appear to experience faster cognitive decline or a higher risk of dementia, according to a study published in *BMJ Mental Health*. The research also found no genetic evidence that cannabis use directly causes poorer brain health later in life.
As cannabis becomes increasingly available for both medical and recreational use, its popularity has grown among older adults. This has raised concerns about whether cannabis might accelerate memory loss or increase the likelihood of developing dementia. Previous research has produced conflicting results, with some studies suggesting long-term cognitive impairment while others found little evidence of lasting harm. Many of those studies, however, were relatively small or unable to determine whether cannabis itself was responsible for the observed effects.
To better answer this question, researchers led by Saba Ishrat from the University of Oxford analyzed data from two large health databases. The UK Biobank analysis included up to 18,975 people who had used cannabis and 60,598 non-users, with cannabis users averaging about 58 years of age and non-users about 62 years.
The team also examined electronic health records from the Million Veteran Program, including 12,222 people with cannabis use disorder and more than 210,000 comparison participants, to investigate dementia diagnoses. Cognitive tests assessed included working memory, reasoning, processing speed, executive function, and visual memory. Finally, the researchers performed Mendelian randomization analyses using genetic data to test whether cannabis use itself is likely to cause cognitive decline or dementia.
The results were reassuring overall. At the beginning of the study, people who had used cannabis actually performed slightly better on tests of numeric memory, reasoning, and problem-solving ability, compared to non-users. However, these differences were small and did not translate into better long-term outcomes. The researchers hypothesize that the better test performance of cannabis users may be confounded by educational background and socioeconomic status, as cannabis users in the UK Biobank dataset tended to have higher levels of both.
Over time, cannabis users did not experience faster declines in thinking abilities, and people with cannabis use disorder were not significantly more likely to develop dementia than those without the disorder.
The genetic analyses strengthened these findings. Because genetic variants are assigned before birth and are less affected by lifestyle or environmental factors, Mendelian randomization can provide stronger evidence about cause and effect than observational studies alone. The analyses found no evidence that cannabis use causes cognitive decline or dementia, nor that poorer cognitive function increases the likelihood of cannabis use.
Results remained broadly consistent after examining males versus females, different frequencies of cannabis use, different age groups, and different ethnicities.
“Clinicians can consider that occasional or prior cannabis use may not be a major contributor to cognitive aging in this population,” Ishrat and colleagues concluded. “However, these results do not establish the safety of cannabis, particularly at higher doses or with prolonged use, and should not be taken as an endorsement of use.”
Some limitations are to be noted. For instance, the researchers relied on self-reported data for cannabis use in the UK Biobank dataset, which introduces the risk of recall and reporting bias. The study could not determine whether different cannabis products, cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentrations, doses, and methods of use might have different effects.
The study, “Cannabis use, cognitive function and dementia risk in older adults: observational and genetic analyses,” was authored by Saba Ishrat, Daniel F. Levey, Joel Gelernter, Klaus P. Ebmeier, and Anya Topiwala.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #CannabisAndCognition #OlderAdultsHealth #DementiaRisk #CognitiveAging #UKBiobank #MendelianRandomization #CannabisUseDisorder #BrainHealth #ElderlyWellbeing #BMJMentalHealth
-
DATE: July 11, 2026 at 02:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Cannabis use in older adults not linked to faster cognitive decline or dementia
Older adults who have used cannabis do not appear to experience faster cognitive decline or a higher risk of dementia, according to a study published in *BMJ Mental Health*. The research also found no genetic evidence that cannabis use directly causes poorer brain health later in life.
As cannabis becomes increasingly available for both medical and recreational use, its popularity has grown among older adults. This has raised concerns about whether cannabis might accelerate memory loss or increase the likelihood of developing dementia. Previous research has produced conflicting results, with some studies suggesting long-term cognitive impairment while others found little evidence of lasting harm. Many of those studies, however, were relatively small or unable to determine whether cannabis itself was responsible for the observed effects.
To better answer this question, researchers led by Saba Ishrat from the University of Oxford analyzed data from two large health databases. The UK Biobank analysis included up to 18,975 people who had used cannabis and 60,598 non-users, with cannabis users averaging about 58 years of age and non-users about 62 years.
The team also examined electronic health records from the Million Veteran Program, including 12,222 people with cannabis use disorder and more than 210,000 comparison participants, to investigate dementia diagnoses. Cognitive tests assessed included working memory, reasoning, processing speed, executive function, and visual memory. Finally, the researchers performed Mendelian randomization analyses using genetic data to test whether cannabis use itself is likely to cause cognitive decline or dementia.
The results were reassuring overall. At the beginning of the study, people who had used cannabis actually performed slightly better on tests of numeric memory, reasoning, and problem-solving ability, compared to non-users. However, these differences were small and did not translate into better long-term outcomes. The researchers hypothesize that the better test performance of cannabis users may be confounded by educational background and socioeconomic status, as cannabis users in the UK Biobank dataset tended to have higher levels of both.
Over time, cannabis users did not experience faster declines in thinking abilities, and people with cannabis use disorder were not significantly more likely to develop dementia than those without the disorder.
The genetic analyses strengthened these findings. Because genetic variants are assigned before birth and are less affected by lifestyle or environmental factors, Mendelian randomization can provide stronger evidence about cause and effect than observational studies alone. The analyses found no evidence that cannabis use causes cognitive decline or dementia, nor that poorer cognitive function increases the likelihood of cannabis use.
Results remained broadly consistent after examining males versus females, different frequencies of cannabis use, different age groups, and different ethnicities.
“Clinicians can consider that occasional or prior cannabis use may not be a major contributor to cognitive aging in this population,” Ishrat and colleagues concluded. “However, these results do not establish the safety of cannabis, particularly at higher doses or with prolonged use, and should not be taken as an endorsement of use.”
Some limitations are to be noted. For instance, the researchers relied on self-reported data for cannabis use in the UK Biobank dataset, which introduces the risk of recall and reporting bias. The study could not determine whether different cannabis products, cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentrations, doses, and methods of use might have different effects.
The study, “Cannabis use, cognitive function and dementia risk in older adults: observational and genetic analyses,” was authored by Saba Ishrat, Daniel F. Levey, Joel Gelernter, Klaus P. Ebmeier, and Anya Topiwala.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #CannabisAndCognition #OlderAdultsHealth #DementiaRisk #CognitiveAging #UKBiobank #MendelianRandomization #CannabisUseDisorder #BrainHealth #ElderlyWellbeing #BMJMentalHealth
-
DATE: July 3, 2026 at 07:43PM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY PSYCHOLOGY FEEDTITLE: Drinking to cope with stress may permanently rewire your brain
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260626030437.htm
Using alcohol to cope with stress when young may permanently alter the brain, making it harder to adapt to challenges and increasing the risk of returning to drinking later in life. Researchers also found signs of brain damage associated with early dementia, suggesting the effects can linger long after alcohol use has stopped.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260626030437.htm
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #DrinkingToCope #StressAndAlcohol #AlcoholAndBrain #BrainHealth #EarlyAlcoholUse #CopingMechanisms #Neuroplasticity #AlcoholDamage #DementiaRisk #SobrietySupport
-
DATE: July 3, 2026 at 07:43PM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY PSYCHOLOGY FEEDTITLE: Drinking to cope with stress may permanently rewire your brain
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260626030437.htm
Using alcohol to cope with stress when young may permanently alter the brain, making it harder to adapt to challenges and increasing the risk of returning to drinking later in life. Researchers also found signs of brain damage associated with early dementia, suggesting the effects can linger long after alcohol use has stopped.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260626030437.htm
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #DrinkingToCope #StressAndAlcohol #AlcoholAndBrain #BrainHealth #EarlyAlcoholUse #CopingMechanisms #Neuroplasticity #AlcoholDamage #DementiaRisk #SobrietySupport
-
DATE: July 3, 2026 at 07:43PM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEEDTITLE: Drinking to cope with stress may permanently rewire your brain
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260626030437.htm
Using alcohol to cope with stress when young may permanently alter the brain, making it harder to adapt to challenges and increasing the risk of returning to drinking later in life. Researchers also found signs of brain damage associated with early dementia, suggesting the effects can linger long after alcohol use has stopped.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260626030437.htm
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #AlcoholAndStress #BrainHealth #AlcoholRewire #CopingWithStress #EarlyAlcoholUse #BrainDamage #DementiaRisk #StopDrinking #HealthyHabits #MentalWellness
-
DATE: July 3, 2026 at 07:43PM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEEDTITLE: Drinking to cope with stress may permanently rewire your brain
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260626030437.htm
Using alcohol to cope with stress when young may permanently alter the brain, making it harder to adapt to challenges and increasing the risk of returning to drinking later in life. Researchers also found signs of brain damage associated with early dementia, suggesting the effects can linger long after alcohol use has stopped.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260626030437.htm
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #AlcoholAndStress #BrainHealth #AlcoholRewire #CopingWithStress #EarlyAlcoholUse #BrainDamage #DementiaRisk #StopDrinking #HealthyHabits #MentalWellness
-
Chronic Inflammation Raises Dementia Risk 30%, Doctors Warn
Clipart Korea More than seven out of every 10 deaths in Korea are caused by chronic diseases. Cancer,…
#EuropeSays #Korea #KR #Seoul #aging-relateddiseases #chronicinflammation #chronicstress #dementiarisk #inflammaging #prematuredeath #sedentarylifestyle #sleepdeprivation
https://www.europesays.com/korea/74017/ -
DATE: June 10, 2026 at 01:17AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEEDTITLE: Popular joint supplement glucosamine linked to faster Alzheimer’s progression
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260610003044.htm
A major study suggests glucosamine, a popular supplement for joint pain, could be linked to faster progression from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers found a 25% higher likelihood of developing dementia among glucosamine users and uncovered biological clues that may explain why.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260610003044.htm
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #Glucosamine #JointSupplement #AlzheimersDisease #DementiaRisk #CognitiveHealth #MildCognitiveImpairment #BrainHealth #Neurodegeneration #SeniorHealth #MedicalResearch
-
Home Kitchens, Sharper Minds? The Shifting Landscape of Dementia Risk
Cooking at home at least once a week is linked to a lower dementia risk, especially for older adults. Find out how.
#HomeCooking, #DementiaRisk, #BrainHealth, #OlderAdults, #HealthyHabits
https://newsletter.tf/home-cooking-weekly-lowers-dementia-risk/
-
Cooking at home weekly is linked to a dementia risk reduction of up to 30%, which is a significant change compared to not cooking.
#HomeCooking, #DementiaRisk, #BrainHealth, #OlderAdults, #HealthyHabits
https://newsletter.tf/home-cooking-weekly-lowers-dementia-risk/ -
> Most adults sit for about 9 to 10 hours each day. Earlier studies have linked long, uninterrupted sitting with cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and depression. Sitting has also been associated with dementia.
This is the first study to separate mentally passive sitting from mentally active sitting when examining dementia risk. ...
Mentally active sedentary behavior was linked to a lower risk of developing dementia among adults in middle age and older adulthood.
Spending more time in mentally active sedentary behavior was associated with a significant reduction in dementia risk, even when levels of passive sedentary behavior, light physical activity, and moderate to vigorous physical activity were maintained.
https://scitechdaily.com/19-year-study-reveals-the-surprising-truth-about-sitting-and-dementia/
#dementia #dementiastudy
#dementiarisk #sedentarybehavior
#sedentarylifestyle #healthNews
#healthymind -
Movement: A Rudimentary Yet Pervasive Brain Enhancer
New reports show daily movement can lower dementia risk. Experts explain how more blood flow to the brain helps memory and stress.
#BrainHealth, #DementiaRisk, #DailyMovement, #AlzheimersAssociation, #CognitiveHealth
https://newsletter.tf/daily-movement-lowers-dementia-risk-brain-health/
-
New studies show that simple daily movement, like walking, can significantly lower the risk of dementia. This is a key finding from the Alzheimer's Association.
#BrainHealth, #DementiaRisk, #DailyMovement, #AlzheimersAssociation, #CognitiveHealth
https://newsletter.tf/daily-movement-lowers-dementia-risk-brain-health/ -
The Delicate Balance: Sleep, Movement, and the Elusive Shield Against Dementia
New research shows that how much you sleep, exercise, and sit affects your risk of dementia. Learn how to protect your brain.
#DementiaRisk, #BrainHealth, #SleepTips, #ExerciseBenefits, #HealthyLifestyle
https://newsletter.tf/sleep-exercise-sitting-dementia-risk-link/
-
New findings suggest that getting around 7 hours of sleep is best for brain health. Sleeping too much or too little could increase dementia risk by about 28%.
#DementiaRisk, #BrainHealth, #SleepTips, #ExerciseBenefits, #HealthyLifestyle
https://newsletter.tf/sleep-exercise-sitting-dementia-risk-link/ -
Ultra-Processed Foods Erodes Visual Attention
Summary: A new international study identified a direct link between the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and a measurable de…
#dining #cooking #diet #food #MediterraneanDiet #brainresearch #Cognitivedecline #dementia #Dementiarisk #Mediterranean #MonashUniversity #neurobiology #neuroscience #ultraprocessedfoods #upf #visualattention #visualneuroscience
https://www.diningandcooking.com/2615286/ultra-processed-foods-erodes-visual-attention/ -
Ultra-Processed Foods Erodes Visual Attention
Summary: A new international study identified a direct link between the consumption of ultra-processe…
#dining #cooking #diet #food #mediterranean #MediterraneanDiet #MediterraneanFood #brainresearch #Cognitivedecline #dementia #Dementiarisk #Mediterranean #MonashUniversity #neurobiology #neuroscience #ultraprocessedfoods #upf #visualattention #visualneuroscience
https://www.diningandcooking.com/2615286/ultra-processed-foods-erodes-visual-attention/ -
Ultra-Processed Foods Erodes Visual Attention
Summary: A new international study identified a direct link between the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and a measurable de…
#dining #cooking #diet #food #MediterraneanDiet #brainresearch #Cognitivedecline #dementia #Dementiarisk #Mediterranean #MonashUniversity #neurobiology #neuroscience #ultraprocessedfoods #upf #visualattention #visualneuroscience
https://www.diningandcooking.com/2615286/ultra-processed-foods-erodes-visual-attention/ -
Ultra-Processed Foods Erodes Visual Attention
Summary: A new international study identified a direct link between the consumption of ultra-processe…
#dining #cooking #diet #food #mediterranean #MediterraneanDiet #MediterraneanFood #brainresearch #Cognitivedecline #dementia #Dementiarisk #Mediterranean #MonashUniversity #neurobiology #neuroscience #ultraprocessedfoods #upf #visualattention #visualneuroscience
https://www.diningandcooking.com/2615286/ultra-processed-foods-erodes-visual-attention/ -
Ultra-Processed Foods Erodes Visual Attention https://www.diningandcooking.com/2615286/ultra-processed-foods-erodes-visual-attention/ #BrainResearch #CognitiveDecline #dementia #DementiaRisk #Mediterranean #MediterraneanDiet #MonashUniversity #neurobiology #neuroscience #UltraProcessedFoods #upf #VisualAttention #VisualNeuroscience
-
Ultra-Processed Foods Erodes Visual Attention https://www.diningandcooking.com/2615286/ultra-processed-foods-erodes-visual-attention/ #BrainResearch #CognitiveDecline #dementia #DementiaRisk #Mediterranean #MediterraneanDiet #MonashUniversity #neurobiology #neuroscience #UltraProcessedFoods #upf #VisualAttention #VisualNeuroscience
-
#WalkingBenefits #HealthyLifestyle #PreventiveHealth #DementiaRisk #DiabetesPrevention #Obesity #MovementIsMedicine #wellbeingjourney #wellbeingwarrior #healthyaging #wellnes #wellbeingcoach #wellnessblog #wellnesswins #wellnessmatters #WellBeing #FitnessJourney #HealthAwareness https://mastodon.social/@biohackingpathway/116457411811850845
-
#WalkingBenefits #HealthyLifestyle #PreventiveHealth #DementiaRisk #DiabetesPrevention #Obesity #MovementIsMedicine #wellbeingjourney #wellbeingwarrior #healthyaging #wellnes #wellbeingcoach #wellnessblog #wellnesswins #wellnessmatters #WellBeing #FitnessJourney #HealthAwareness https://mastodon.social/@biohackingpathway/116457411811850845
-
Sleep Disturbances Signal Potential Dementia Risk
Experts say bad sleep, like insomnia or daytime sleepiness, can be an early sign of dementia. Learn why sleep matters for brain health.
#SleepAndDementia, #AlzheimersAwareness, #BrainHealth, #SleepDisorders, #DementiaRisk
-
New research shows that poor sleep quality is linked to brain changes seen in dementia. About 15% of older adults with worse sleep developed dementia.
#SleepAndDementia, #AlzheimersAwareness, #BrainHealth, #SleepDisorders, #DementiaRisk
https://newsletter.tf/poor-sleep-early-dementia-signs/ -
MIND OVER MATTER? OR BRAIN FUEL? NEW INSIGHTS ON DEMENTIA'S ADVANCE
Learn how positive beliefs about aging, certain personality traits, and the MIND diet can lower dementia risk, even for those with genetic predispositions.
#DementiaRisk, #AgingWell, #MindDiet, #CognitiveHealth, #APOE4
https://newsletter.tf/positive-age-beliefs-cut-dementia-risk-gene-carriers/
-
New research shows positive age beliefs can make individuals with a high genetic risk for dementia nearly 50% less likely to develop it.
#DementiaRisk, #AgingWell, #MindDiet, #CognitiveHealth, #APOE4
https://newsletter.tf/positive-age-beliefs-cut-dementia-risk-gene-carriers/ -
https://www.europesays.com/ie/420232/ Is loss of vision linked to dementia? Neurologists explain why getting your eyes checked is a brain health decision #CataractSurgery #CognitiveResilience #DamagedVision #DementiaRisk #Éire #Health #HealthCare #Healthcare #IE #Ireland #UntreatedVisionImpairment
-
https://www.europesays.com/uk/871157/ Is loss of vision linked to dementia? Neurologists explain why getting your eyes checked is a brain health decision #CataractSurgery #CognitiveResilience #DamagedVision #DementiaRisk #Health #Healthcare #UK #UnitedKingdom #UntreatedVisionImpairment
-
Is loss of vision linked to dementia? Neurologists explain why getting your eyes checked is a brain health decision
The importance of getting eyesight checked can hardly be understated. However, neurologists and content creators Drs Ayesha and…
#NewsBeep #News #Healthcare #AU #Australia #cataractsurgery #cognitiveresilience #damagedvision #dementiarisk #Health #untreatedvisionimpairment
https://www.newsbeep.com/au/584580/ -
Is loss of vision linked to dementia? Neurologists explain why getting your eyes checked is a brain health decision
The importance of getting eyesight checked can hardly be understated. However, neurologists and content creators Drs Ayesha and…
#NewsBeep #News #Healthcare #AU #Australia #cataractsurgery #cognitiveresilience #damagedvision #dementiarisk #Health #untreatedvisionimpairment
https://www.newsbeep.com/au/584580/ -
Elevated Dementia Risk in Older Americans: New Study Highlights Contributing Factors
A new study found that up to half of Americans over 55 may face dementia risk. Learn about hearing loss, health issues, and other factors.
#DementiaRisk, #OlderAdults, #BrainHealth, #PublicHealth, #Study2025
-
New research suggests that the risk of dementia for older Americans is higher than we thought. Factors like hearing loss and health problems like high blood pressure and diabetes play a big role. Experts say we need to focus on prevention.
#DementiaRisk, #OlderAdults, #BrainHealth, #PublicHealth, #Study2025
-
Drinking Coffee and Tea May Lower Risk of Dementia
https://newsletter.tf/coffee-tea-dementia-risk-2026/
New study shows drinking 2-3 cups of caffeinated coffee or 1-2 cups of tea daily is linked to a lower risk of dementia and slower thinking decline.
-
Moderate Coffee and Tea Consumption Linked to Lower Dementia Risk
https://newsletter.tf/coffee-tea-dementia-risk-2026/
Drinking 2-3 cups of caffeinated coffee or 1-2 cups of tea daily is linked to a lower risk of dementia, according to a large study.
-
Drinking Coffee and Tea May Lower Risk of Dementia
A recent study found that drinking a moderate amount of caffeinated coffee or tea each day may help lower the risk of developing dementia. The study looked at many people over a long time. It suggests that these drinks could help keep your brain working well.
-
How much fat you should eat a day and what foods to eat, plus why your brain needs it
This is the 82nd instalment in a series on dementia, including the research into its c…
#NewsBeep #News #Nutrition #AncelKeys #CA #Canada #cardiovascularmortality #Cheese #dementiarisk #dietaryfat #dietaryguidelines #EmilySonestedt #Health #heartdisease #highcholesterol #high-fatdairy #KatiaDemekhina #LundUniversity #omega-foods #saturatedfat #SevenCountriesStudy #WholeFoods
https://www.newsbeep.com/ca/464469/