Category Archives: Brain

Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month: Can Good Oral Health Help Protect Against Alzheimer’s Disease?

The month of June observes Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month recognizing the over 50 million people living with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other forms of dementia worldwide. Organizers of the campaign work to ameliorate a global lack of understanding of neurodegenerative diseases; they strive to inform, educate, and provide support for dementia sufferers and their loved ones.

A growing body of research has been able to identify several factors that may contribute to the development of the condition. Diabetes, hypertension, obesity, depression, cognitive inactivity, and other modifiable risk factors have all been associated with dementia, while many others are under investigation.

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Unpacking the 4M’s of Brain Health 

Functioning as the command center of the nervous system, the human brain enables many complex processes; as such, maintaining a healthy, well-functioning brain is a critical element of overall health and one of the most important goals in longevity science. As the global population continues to age, the burden of neurological diseases will increase as will the relevance of brain health preservation. In this context, it is vital to understand the intricacies of the brain aging process which contributes to age-related vulnerabilities and is not uniform. It does, however, center around the “4M’s” of brain health – memory, mood, mobility, and mojo – otherwise known as the vital components of optimal brain health.

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Mental Health Month: The Impact of Brain Aging and Health on Mental Health

May marks the beginning of Mental Health Month an observance dedicated to spreading awareness of mental health conditions that are becoming increasingly prevalent across the global population. As the body of research concerning the wide-ranging impact of mental illness continues to grow, the correlation between brain health, the process of brain aging, and mental health becomes clearer. While mental health is just one of many important facets of overall brain health, emerging evidence points to its significance in promoting healthy brain aging.

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