Senior Health: Mobile robots could help the elderly live fuller lives ♦ Smart walkers for elderly with new technology ♦ Swap the couch for a walk to avoid an early death

Increased activity in older brains may point to new avenues for treating memory loss Scientists have examined activity in a little-studied part of the brain associated with memory and found for the first time the reason that neurons there become more active in old age, findings that may suggest a new target for future therapies to combat memory loss in aging and Alzheimer's

Researchers identify possible physiological cause of brain deficits with aging Like scratchy-sounding old radio dials that interfere with reception, circuits in the brain that grow noisier over time may be responsible for ways in which we slow mentally as we grow old.

Mobile robots could help the elderly live fuller lives Mobile service robots developed by computer scientists could soon be helping elderly people stay independent and active for longer. The project, which includes artificial intelligence and robotics experts, will include a large-scale evaluation where robots will be deployed within the extra-care homes of LACE Housing Association in the UK, to care homes in Greece and to elderly people's own homes in Poland, for one year.

Smart walkers for elderly with new technology Researchers have developed a smart walker prototype that supports independent living among the elderly by making the traditional walker smart. They have retrofitted it with sensors and digital software that analyze user's physical condition and daily activities. This allows the device to collect useful information on user's daily rhythm, walking distances, duration and speed of walking, in addition to hand grip strength. Such information can then be used to monitor user's wellbeing and physical condition.

Swap the couch for a walk to avoid an early death Swapping just one hour of sitting with walking or other physical activity each day decreases your chance of an early death by 12 to 14 percent, according to a University of Sydney study of over 200,000 Australians.

Brain Research: Brain structure reveals ability to regulate emotions ♦ Source of debilitating memory loss ♦ New insights into the circuitry of PTSD

Source of debilitating memory loss in people with psychosis discovered As disabling as its delusions and hallucinations, psychosis' devastating toll on memory arises from dysfunction of frontal and temporal lobe regions in the brain that rob sufferers of the ability to make associative connections, a study has found, pinpointing potential target areas for treatments to help the more than 3.2 million Americans for whom medication quells the voices and visions, but not the struggle to remember.

Scientists identify schizophrenia's 'Rosetta Stone' gene  A breakthrough reveals gene's influence in a vulnerable period of the brain's development. Researchers hope it could offer a therapeutic target for reversing the disease. There is 'strong evidence' that subtle changes early on in life can lead to 'much bigger' effects in adulthood.

New insights into the circuitry of PTSD, mild traumatic brain injury Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) can have devastating consequences. Both are associated with high rates of disability and suicide, and although they are separate conditions, they commonly co-occur. For example, a soldier who has developed PTSD as a result of a traumatic experience may have also sustained a brain injury during that experience.

Brain structure reveals ability to regulate emotions People diagnosed with a personality disorder may find it difficult to function in society due to difficulties in regulating emotions -- but also healthy individuals differ in how often they become irritated, angry or sad. Scientists have published a study where they show that the affected brain areas in people with a clinical diagnosis are also affected in healthy individuals.

Senior Health: Omega-3 fatty acids enhance cognitive flexibility ♦ Proteins may slow memory loss ♦ How our gut changes through our lifetimes,

Omega-3 fatty acids enhance cognitive flexibility in at-risk older adults A study of older adults at risk of late-onset Alzheimer's disease found that those who consumed more omega-3 fatty acids did better than their peers on tests of cognitive flexibility -- the ability to efficiently switch between tasks -- and had a bigger anterior cingulate cortex, a brain region known to contribute to cognitive flexibility

Hospital admissions strongly linked to disability for older adults in last year of life A close association between acute hospitalizations and the development and progression of disability among older adults at the end of life has been found by researchers. Their findings may have profound implications for medical decision-making for older people and those who care for them.

Proteins may slow memory loss in people with Alzheimer's Certain proteins may slow the devastating memory loss caused by Alzheimer’s disease, according to a groundbreaking new study. The researchers found evidence that an elevated presence of a protein called neuronal pentraxin-2 may slow cognitive decline and reduce brain atrophy in people with Alzheimer's disease.

How our gut changes through our lifetimes, and how this determines our overall health Scientists and clinicians have carried out the first detailed study of how our intestinal tract changes as we age, and how this determines our overall health.

Health News for Seniors: Beer fend off Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases ♦ Antibiotics with diuretic can double risk of sudden death ♦ Compound found in grapes may help prevent memory loss

Beer compound could help fend off Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases

The health-promoting perks of wine have attracted the spotlight recently, leaving beer in the shadows. But scientists are discovering new ways in which the latter could be a more healthful beverage than once thought. It turns out that a compound from hops could protect brain cells from damage -- and potentially slow the development of disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Continue Reading

Commonly used antibiotics with diuretic can double risk of sudden death in older patients

The combination of the commonly prescribed antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole with the diuretic spironolactone, widely used for heart failure, more than doubles the risk of death for older patients, reports a study Continue Reading

Compound found in grapes, red wine may help prevent memory loss

A compound found in common foods such as red grapes and peanuts may help prevent age-related decline in memory, according to new research. Continue Reading