The combination of events caused by the proteins, amyloid plaques and tau, leads to the loss of brain function and cognitive ability. Some researchers believe the excess beta amyloid and tau literally choke out brain and nerve cells.What we haven't quite been able to pin down is why these amyloid plaques and tau filaments start accumulating in the first place.

Patients are always surprised to find out their forgetfulness could be related to sleeping problems. During deep sleep, memories get transported from short-term memory to long-term memory. But in older adults who don't sleep well, not all of the memories get moved. Instead, some of them get stuck in the hippocampus where they end up being overwritten by new memories.

Reports of memory loss, forgetfulness, confusion and even short-term amnesia involve all statin products. And these types of complaints have been reported by all age groups. But only recently has it gained the attention of the FDA. They finally admit statins may "increase the risk of brain-related effects like memory loss and confusion."

Mark’s been coming to see me for years and has always gotten a clean bill of health. But during his last appointment, he looked worried. “Dr. B, it’s seems like I’m getting more and more forgetful these days. Sometimes, I think I’m really losing it!”

Do you need your morning cup of coffee before facing the day? Well, it turns out that your a.m. habit might not be such a bad thing.

Foggy memory is one of the most common complaints I hear from patients. Men and women who used to have a memory as sharp as a razor tell me that their mental recall has turned to Swiss cheese.

For years, scientists have been telling us that drinking red wine can help prevent heart disease. But now there’s evidence that a certain compound in red wine—resveratrol—can help our brains too.

For years, scientists have been telling us that drinking red wine can help prevent heart disease. But now there’s evidence that a certain compound in red wine—resveratrol—can help our brains too.

Maybe you’ve gone into the kitchen and don’t remember why, or you can’t recall a familiar name during a conversation. You may have even missed an appointment because it slipped your mind.

I’ve been recommending ginkgo biloba to my patients for years. It’s a marvelous, well-researched way to protect cognition.

Keeping a lid on your blood sugar levels may do more than just prevent diabetes. According to a recent study that landed on my desk, it may also help prevent age-related memory loss.

New evidence from the Medical University of South Carolina and Arizona State University support a strong link between diet and brain function.

Preventing age-related cognitive decline and keeping more serious memory loss at bay requires giving your brain what it needs to function at its best. Scientists have recently pinpointed one nutrient that supports brain function and erases some of the ravages of time.      

The Homocysteine Factor

Have your doctor order a blood test to check your homocysteine levels. New evidence is emerging that elevated homocysteine levels cause a progressive risk of heart attack.