Social determinants of health increase Alzheimer’s risk

Social determinants of health are increasing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia, finds a recent study from the Brown School and the School of Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis. “It is central for prevention of Alzheimer’s and related dementia to set up public policies addressing social determinants from very early on in […]

Risky driving behaviors increase as common sleep disorder worsens

People with sleep apnea wake up tired in the morning, no matter how many hours they actually sleep. The condition causes them to briefly stop and restart breathing dozens or even hundreds of times a night. Even though such breathing interruptions often don’t awaken those with apnea, they prevent them from sinking into deep, refreshing […]

Racial equity in Alzheimer’s research focus of $7 million in grants

The burden of Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t fall on all communities equally. Black Americans face about double the risk of developing the devastating neurodegenerative disease than non-Hispanic white Americans do. The factors that place Black people at elevated risk remain poorly understood, partly because Black people historically and systematically have been underrepresented in Alzheimer’s studies. Without […]

Can changes in driving habits predict cognitive decline in older adults?

“Driving is an integral part of the American identity,” said Ganesh Babulal, assistant professor of neurology. Babulal is the principal investigator on two of the grants and a co-principal investigator on the third. “For the next three decades, there’s going to be massive growth of the aging population, and driving — not autonomous vehicles or ride-sharing, but […]

Babulal receives five-year $4M grant from National Institute on Aging

Ganesh M. Babulal, assistant professor of neurology at the School of Medicine, received a five-year $3,984,843 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)’s National Institute On Aging for research titled “The Impact of Depression and Preclinical Alzheimer Disease on Driving Among Older Adults.” This study will investigate how depression, preclinical Alzheimer’s disease and antidepressant […]