High consumption of ultra-processed foods linked to accelerated biological aging

A study conducted by the Research Unit of Epidemiology and Prevention at the I.R.C.C.S. Neuromed in Pozzilli, in collaboration with the LUM University of Casamassima, shows that high consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with the acceleration of biological aging, regardless of the nutritional quality of the diet. The results were published in the prestigious journal The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Italia researchers analyzed data on over 22,000 participants from the Moli-sani Study, one of the largest population cohorts in Europe, and used over thirty different blood biomarkers to measure biological age. Unlike chronological age, that depends exclusively on the date of birth, biological age reflects the biological conditions of our body, including organs, tissues and systems, and can differ from the chronological age.

Using a detailed food frequency questionnaire, researchers were able to estimate participant’s consumption of ultra-processed foods, that is foods made in part or entirely with substances not routinely used in the kitchen (e.g., hydrolysed proteins, maltodextrins, hydrogenated fats), that generally contain various additives, such as dyes, preservatives, antioxidants, anticaking agents, flavour enhancers and sweeteners. Ultra-processed foods include not only packaged snacks or sugary drinks, but also apparently ‘harmless’ products such mass-produced or packaged bread, fruit yogurt, some breakfast cereals or meat alternatives, to give a few examples.

The study showed that a high consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with a significant acceleration of the biological aging of participants. Basically, people turned out to be biologically older than their actual chronological age.

Biological aging is in fact an “internal clock” of our body, which can tick faster or slower than the years marked on the calendar, reflecting the true state of health of the organism.

"Our data - says Simona Esposito, researcher at the Research Unit of Epidemiology and Prevention and first author of the study - show that a high consumption of ultra-processed foods not only has a negative impact on health in general, but could also accelerate aging itself, suggesting a connection that goes beyond the poor nutritional quality of these foods".

“The mechanisms through which ultra-processed foods can be harmful to human health are not yet entirely clear – explains researcher Marialaura Bonaccio, nutritional epidemiologist at the Research Unit of Epidemiology and Prevention-IRCCS Neuromed – Besides being nutritionally inadequate, being rich in sugars, salt and saturated or trans fats, these foods undergo intense industrial processing that actually alters their food matrix, with the consequent loss of nutrients and fiber. This can have important consequences for a series of physiological functions, including glucose metabolism, and the composition and functionality of the gut microbiota. Also, these products are often wrapped in plastic packaging, thus becoming vehicles of substances toxic to the body”.

“This study - adds Licia Iacoviello, director of the Research Unit of Epidemiology and Prevention at the IRCCS Neuromed and full professor of Hygiene at LUM in Casamassima - prompts us once again to reevaluate the current dietary recommendations, that should also include warnings on limiting the intake of ultra-processed food in our daily diet. Actually, some nutrient-dense packaged foods can be classified as ultra-processed, and this suggest the need of guiding people towards dietary choices that address also the degree of food processing”.

 

The Moli-sani Study

Started in March 2005, it involves about 25,000 citizens living in the Molise region. The aim is to learn about environmental and genetic factors underlying cardiovascular disease, cancer and degenerative pathologies. The Moli-sani Study, now based in the I.R.C.C.S. Neuromed, has transformed an entire Italian region in a large research lab.

 

The I.R.C.C.S. Neuromed

The Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Health Care (I.R.C.C.S.) Neuromed in Pozzilli (Italy) is a landmark, at Italian and international level, for research and therapy in the field of nervous system diseases. A centre in which doctors, researchers, staff and the patients themselves form an alliance aimed at ensuring the best level of service and cutting-edge treatments, guided by the most advanced scientific developments.

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Journal

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Blood sugar control is a key factor in slowing brain aging: the benefits of the Mediterranean diet

 Age-related brain atrophy, the gradual loss of neurons and shrinkage of brain tissue, is a natural part of aging, which can lead to cognitive decline and other neurological issues. While so far aging cannot be prevented, recent research from an 18-month dietary intervention offers hope that lifestyle and dietary changes can slow brain aging. A new international study, led by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev as part of the DIRECT PLUS Brain MRI trial, has brought to light how blood sugar control can significantly impact brain health.

Brain age, as evaluated by MRI measurements of the hippocampus and lateral ventricles, reflects the biological aging of the brain, which can differ from a person's chronological age. Chronological age is the number of years lived, while brain age indicates the brain's actual health. Typically, as we age, the hippocampus shrinks and the lateral ventricles expand, serving as markers of brain aging. Some individuals have a brain age younger or older than their chronological age. A younger brain age suggests better cognitive health, while an older brain age may indicate accelerated aging and increased risk of cognitive decline.

The study, which was published recently in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2024 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002916524007457 , was conducted by an international team of brain and nutrition experts, including researchers from Ben-Gurion University, Harvard University, Leipzig University, and more. The research was primarily carried out by Ph.D. student Dafna Pachter and overseen by Prof. Iris Shai, along with several international collaborators.

A previous study published two years ago (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2022 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35021194/), reported that Mediterranean (MED) and green-MED diets significantly attenuated age-related brain atrophy by ∼50% within 18 months.

In the current study, the researchers aimed to understand the mechanism by which the slowing of brain atrophy occurs.

The study found that a decline in HbA1c, and key markers of long-term blood sugar levels, are associated with significant positive changes in specific brain regions commonly affected by age-related atrophy. Brain MRI results showed that lower HbA1c levels corresponded to greater deviations in the thalamus, caudate nucleus, and cerebellum – areas crucial for cognitive function, motor control, and sensory processing. The study suggests that improved blood sugar control could be one of the most important factors in slowing down age-related brain changes.

The Green Mediterranean Diet Shows Promise

Earlier research has highlighted the benefits of the Green Mediterranean (Green-Med) diet, including better blood sugar control. The Green-Med diet is rich in polyphenols from plant-based sources like Mankai (a high-protein aquatic plant) and green tea, while being low in red and processed meats. The current study further strengthens this connection by suggesting that the Green-Med diet may not only support metabolic health but also exert protective effects on brain structure and function.

DIRECT PLUS Trial – One of the Largest Brain MRI intervention Studies in the World

The DIRECT PLUS trial, one of the longest and largest brain MRI studies conducted to date, involved approximately 300 participants who were divided into three dietary groups. Whole-brain MRI measurements were taken before and after the 18-month trial to track changes in brain health. The researchers used Hippocampal Occupancy (HOC), as a proxy for brain age which predicts future risk of dementia. HOC typically decreases with age. Interestingly, some participants exhibited a brain age either younger or older than their chronological age.

Using NeuroQuant, an FDA-authorized fully automated tool, the research team quantified and segmented the brain MRI-derived data. The study aimed to examine whether improved glycemic control and specific dietary components could slow down brain aging. The results indicated that participants who managed to improve their blood sugar levels and achieve normal glucose status experienced a more pronounced attenuation of brain aging. Notably, those who consumed higher amounts of green tea and Mankai duckweed shakes demonstrated the most significant improvements in both blood sugar levels and brain health.

Glycemic Control and Polyphenols: The Key to a Younger Brain Age?

The study’s lead researcher, Prof. Iris Shai, from Ben-Gurion University, an adjunct professor at Harvard University, and an Honorary Professor at Leipzig University, explains, “Maintaining low blood sugar levels, even within the normal range, shows promise for preserving a younger brain, especially when combined with a healthy diet and regular physical activity. Specifically, polyphenols found in plant-based foods may cross the blood-brain barrier and help reduce brain inflammation, which is crucial for memory”.

Dafna Pachter, a Ph.D. student and the first author of the paper, adds, "This trial offers a safe approach to potentially slow down our brain aging—by adopting the components of a green-Mediterranean diet."

A Pathway to Reducing Age-Related Cognitive Decline

This study is one of the first large-scale trials to directly link dietary changes, particularly those associated with the Green-Med diet, to improved glycemic control and slower brain aging. While further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms at play, these results suggest a potential avenue for reducing the risk of age-related cognitive decline through relatively simple dietary adjustments.

Prolonged sitting can sabotage health, even if you're young and active

Between long commutes, Zoom-packed workdays and evenings of streaming and scrolling, millennials now spend more than 60 hours per week sitting, potentially boosting their heart disease risk and accelerating other signs of aging, according to new CU Boulder and University of California Riverside research.

The study of more than 1,000 former or current Colorado residents, including 730 twins, is among the first to explore how prolonged sitting impacts health measures such as cholesterol and body mass index (BMI) in young adults.

It found that meeting the minimum recommended physical activity guidelines—about 20 minutes per day of moderate exercise—isn’t enough to counter the hazards of spending most waking hours in a seat.

“Our research suggests that sitting less throughout the day, getting more vigorous exercise, or a combination of both may be necessary to reduce the risk of premature aging in early adulthood,” said the study’s senior author Chandra Reynolds, a professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and the Institute for Behavioral Genetics.

For the study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, Reynolds teamed up with first author Ryan Bruellman, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Genetics, Genomics and Bioinformatics at UC Riverside.

After the COVID pandemic, Bruellman noticed that he and other people his age were sitting more. He set out to learn more about the consequences.

“Young adults tend to think they are impervious to the impacts of aging. They figure, ‘My metabolism is great, I don’t have to worry until I’m in my 50s or 60s,’” said Bruellman. “But what you do during this critical time of life matters.”

A walk after work isn’t enough

The authors analyzed data from participants ranging in age from 28 to 49, average age 33, from CU’s Colorado Adoption/Twin Study of Lifespan behavioral development and cognitive aging  (CATSLife), which has followed twins and adopted individuals since childhood.

On average, participants reported sitting almost 9 hours daily, with some sitting as much as 16 hours. They reported between 80 and 160 minutes of moderate physical activity on average weekly and less than 135 minutes of vigorous exercise weekly. The authors note that these results are likely better than national averages due to Colorado’s active lifestyle.

The researchers looked at two key measures of heart and metabolic aging: total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein and body mass index (BMI). The study found that, essentially, the more one sat, the older one looked. And adding a little moderate activity on top of a long day of sitting did little to buffer these impacts.

In fact, young adults who sat 8.5 hours per day and performed at or below current exercise recommendations could enter a “moderate to high risk” category for cardiovascular and metabolic disease, the authors said.

“Taking a quick walk after work may not be enough,” said Reynolds. “While this is increasingly apparent with age, we show that associations are already emerging in early adulthood.”

Adding vigorous activity did have a buffering effect.

For instance, those who exercised vigorously (think running or cycling) for 30 minutes daily had cholesterol and BMI measures that looked like those of individuals five to 10 years younger who sat as much as they did but didn’t exercise.

But even vigorous activity could not fully buffer the negative impacts of prolonged sitting, the study concluded.

Same genes, different lifestyles

Identical twins are particularly useful to study because they share 100% of their genes, making it easier to rule out genetic factors that might contribute to different health outcomes and zero in on lifestyle differences.

When looking at a subset of twins with different sitting and physical activity habits, the researchers found that replacing sitting with exercise seemed to work better to improve cholesterol than simply adding exercise to a full day of sitting.

Bottom line, the researchers said: Try to do both.

Use a standing desk, take breaks and organize walking meetings to reduce sitting time at work. If possible, do something that gets you out of breath for at least 30 minutes per day, or be a “weekend warrior” getting in a longer, vigorous workouts when you can, said Bruellman.

He hopes the study will serve as a call to action for policymakers to revisit physical activity guidelines and specify how much sitting is too much.

Meanwhile, Reynolds encourages young adults to take steps now that could shape their future:

“This is the time to build habits that will benefit health over the long term.”

High levels of omega-3, omega-6 may protect against cancer

 In addition to lowering your cholesterol, keeping your brain healthy and improving mental health, new research from the University of Georgia suggests omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids may help ward off a variety of cancers.

The study relied on data from more than 250,000 people and found that higher levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids were associated with a lower risk of developing cancer.

“Higher omega-3 and omega-6 levels were associated with lower rates of cancer,” said Yuchen Zhang, lead author of the study and a doctoral student in UGA’s College of Public Health. “These findings suggest that the average person should focus on getting more of these fatty acids in their diets.”

Participants with higher levels of omega-3s had lower rates of colon, stomach and lung cancer, in addition to lower rates of other digestive tract cancers.

High omega-6 levels led to lower rates of 14 different cancers, including brain, malignant melanoma, bladder and more.

Healthy fats reduce risk of developing 19 types of cancer

The study relied on data from a United Kingdom-based study of over 250,000 people who were followed for more than a decade. Of those participants, almost 30,000 developed some form of cancer during the study period.

Some earlier research drew connections between levels of fatty acids and risk of developing cancer. However, no studies could conclusively determine whether omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids reduced cancer rates or increased the likelihood of surviving a cancer diagnosis.

Importantly, the benefits of high levels of fatty acids were not dependent on other risk factors like BMI, alcohol use or physical activity.

Fish oil supplements come with a variety of health benefits

Known as “healthy fats,” omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are essential for human health. They’re present in fatty fish, nuts and even some plant oils such as canola oil.

But most Americans probably aren’t eating enough of these foods to reach the recommended amounts.

That’s why many individuals turn to fish oil supplements. They’re one of the most popular dietary pills on the market and for good reason.

Previous studies suggest omega-3 supplements can reduce the risk of developing high cholesterol and lower the risk of heart disease.

Benefits of fish oil may not be one-size-fits-all

But the decision to take the popular fish oil pills isn’t one-size-fits-all.

In the present study, for example, the researchers found that high omega-3 levels could be associated with a slightly higher risk of prostate cancer.

“For women, it’s an easy decision: Eat more omega-3,” said Kaixiong Ye, corresponding author of the study and an associate professor in UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.

The researchers also saw a stronger beneficial effect of omega-6 in younger participants, particularly women.

Published in the International Journal of Cancer, the study was co-authored by Yitang Sun, a doctoral graduate of UGA’s genetics program, and Suhang Song and Ye Shen, of UGA’s College of Public Health. Additional co-authors include Nikhil Khankari and Thomas Brenna.

Two topical treatments show similar improvement in age spots on hands

 

 Topically applied products containing human platelet extract or vitamin C provide similar improvements in age spots (photoaging) of the hands, as reported in a clinical trial within the November issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

"Our study demonstrates that two topical therapies effectively treat photoaging of the skin on the hands of middle-aged or older adults," comments Saraya Wyles, MD, PhD, of the Mayo Clinic Department of Dermatology, Rochester, Minn. "With both types of over-the-counter products, the outcomes appear similar or superior to those of more invasive treatments."

Direct comparison of HPE versus vitamin C for photoaging of the hands

Brown spots on the hands, sometimes referred to as age spots or liver spots, are a common cosmetic issue caused by sun damage to the skin. Treatments for skin rejuvenation and resurfacing – such as chemical peels, injectables, and intense pulsed light or laser treatments – have primarily focused on the face, with less attention to the hands and other visible parts of the body.

In recent years, products with human platelet extract containing–platelet exosomes (HPE) have drawn "tremendous attention" as topical treatments for photoaging skin. Safely derived from specially processed human platelets, HPE products have shown improvements in overall skin appearance.

Topical products containing vitamin C and other antioxidants have also been shown to effectively reduce signs of facial aging. Dr. Wyles and colleagues designed a clinical trial to compare HPE and vitamin C for treating photoaging of the hands.

The study included 60 patients, average age 52.5 years, with moderate photoaging on the back (dorsum) of the hand. Each patient followed a standardized skincare routine, including twice-daily topical applications of HPE to the right hand and vitamin C to the left hand. Digital imaging and other assessments were used to assess measures of photoaging after 12 to 26 weeks of use.

HPE and vitamin C 'are both effective treatments for skin rejuvenation'

Based on a wide range of photoaging parameters, topical HPE was "non-inferior" to vitamin C. After 12 weeks, the two products produced similar reductions in the skin area affected by brown spots and wrinkles and improved skin luminosity and color evenness.

By 26 weeks, the brown spot fractional area had decreased by approximately 23% with topical HPE and 26% with vitamin C. The outcome measures were not statistically different between the two topicals. The paper includes before-and-after photos illustrating the improvement observed with both topicals.

Outcomes with both topicals were similar to those reported in previous clinical trials of intense pulsed light therapy – an established nonsurgical treatment for photoaging.

Dr. Wyles comments: "While both human platelet extract, or platelet exosomes, and vitamin C may have similar rejuvenating effects, topical vitamin C can increase photosensitivity, disrupt skin's pH balance, and have stability issues, making HPE a more reliable and skin-friendly alternative.” The researchers suggest further studies to assess possible synergistic effects of using both topical therapies together, or in combination with other treatments.

Read Article: A Comparative Study of Two Topical Treatments for Photoaging of the Hands

Restricting sugar consumption in utero and in early childhood significantly reduces risk of midlife chronic disease

A low-sugar diet in utero and in the first two years of life can meaningfully reduce the risk of chronic diseases in adulthood, a new study has found, providing compelling new evidence of the lifelong health effects of early-life sugar consumption.

Published in Science, the study finds that children who experienced sugar restrictions during their first 1,000 days after conception had up to 35% lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and as much as 20% less risk of hypertension as adults. Low sugar intake by the mother prior to birth was enough to lower risks, but continued sugar restriction after birth increased the benefits.

Taking advantage of an unintended “natural experiment” from World War II, researchers at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, McGill University in Montreal, and the University of California, Berkeley, examined how sugar rationing during the war influenced long-term health outcomes.

The United Kingdom introduced limits on sugar distribution in 1942 as part of its wartime food rationing program. Rationing ended in September 1953.

The researchers used contemporary data from the U.K. Biobank, a database of medical histories and genetic, lifestyle and other disease risk factors, to study the effect of those early-life sugar restrictions on health outcomes of adults conceived in the U.K. just before and after the end of wartime sugar rationing.

“Studying the long-term effects of added sugar on health is challenging,” says study corresponding author Tadeja Gracner, senior economist at the USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research. “It is hard to find situations where people are randomly exposed to different nutritional environments early in life and follow them for 50 to 60 years. The end of rationing provided us with a novel natural experiment to overcome these problems.” 

Sugar intake during rationing was about 8 teaspoons (40 grams) per day on average. When rationing ended, sugar and sweets consumption skyrocketed to about 16 teaspoons (80 grams) per day. 

Notably, rationing did not involve extreme food deprivation overall. Diets generally appeared to have been, in fact, within today’s guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the World Health Organization, which recommend no added sugars for children under two and not more than 12 teaspoons (50g) of added sugar daily for adults. 

The immediate and large increase in sugar consumption but no other foods after rationing ended created an interesting natural experiment: Individuals were exposed to varying levels of sugar intake early in life, depending on whether they were conceived or born before or after September 1953. Those conceived or born just before the end of rationing experienced sugar-scarce conditions compared to those born just after who were born into a more sugar-rich environment.

The researchers then identified those born around this time in the U.K. Biobank data collected over 50 years later. Using a very tight birth window around the end of sugar rationing allowed the authors to compare midlife health outcomes of otherwise similar birth cohorts.  

While living through the period of sugar restriction during the first 1,000 days of life substantially lowered the risk of developing diabetes and hypertension, for those who were later diagnosed with either of those conditions, onset of disease was delayed by four years and two years, respectively. 

Notably, exposure to sugar restrictions in utero alone was enough to lower risks, but disease protection increased postnatally once solids were likely introduced. 

The magnitude of this effect is meaningful as it can save costs, extend life expectancy and, perhaps more importantly, quality of life, say the researchers.

In the United States, people with diabetes incur annual medical expenditures of about $12,000 on average. Further, earlier diagnosis of diabetes means significantly shorter life expectancy, with every decade earlier that a diagnosis of diabetes is made cutting three to four years off of life expectancy. 

These numbers underscore the value of early interventions that could delay or prevent this disease, the researchers note.

Experts’ concerns about children’s long-term health as they consume excessive amounts of added sugars during their early life, a critical period of development, continue to mount. Adjusting child sugar consumption, however, is not easy — added sugar is everywhere, even in baby and toddler foods, and children are bombarded with TV ads for sugary snacks, say the researchers.

“Parents need information about what works, and this study provides some of the first causal evidence that reducing added sugar early in life is a powerful step towards improving children’s health over their lifetimes,” says study co-author Claire Boone of McGill University and the University of Chicago.  

Co-author Paul Gertler of UC Berkeley and the National Bureau of Economics Research adds: “Sugar early in life is the new tobacco, and we should treat it as such by holding food companies accountable to reformulate baby foods with healthier options and regulate the marketing and tax sugary foods targeted at kids.” 

This study is the first of a larger research effort exploring how early-life sugar restrictions affected a broader set of economic and health outcomes in later adulthood, including education, wealth, and chronic inflammation, cognitive function and dementia. 

Taking five or more medications daily can negatively impact Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia

 

Polypharmacy, commonly defined as taking five or more medications daily, is a significant health care concern impacting over 30% of older adults. It is associated with poor health outcomes like falls, medication interactions, hospitalizations and even death. Older adults are at an increased risk of experiencing polypharmacy if they have multiple chronic conditions. While older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias are more likely to be taking more than five medications, there is little research examining the impact of multiple daily medications on symptoms, health outcomes and physical function in older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

Researchers from Drexel University’s College of Nursing and Health Professions recently published a study in Biological Research For Nursing examining symptoms, health outcomes and physical function over time in older adults with and without Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and polypharmacy.

Led by Martha Coates, PhD, a postdoctoral research fellow in the College, the research team found that individuals who experiencing polypharmacy and have Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias experience more symptoms, falls, hospitalizations, mortality and had lower physical function – indicating that polypharmacy can also negatively impact quality of life for older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

“The cut-off of point of five or more medications daily has been associated with adverse health outcomes in previous research, and as the number of medications increase the risk of adverse drug events and harm increases,” said Coates.

The research team used a publicly available dataset from the National Health and Aging Trends Study – a nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries in the United States from Johns Hopkins University. Since 2011, data is collected yearly to examine social, physical, technological and functional domains that are important in aging.

For this study, the research team used data from 2016 through 2019 to compare changes in symptoms, health outcomes and physical function among four groups: 1) those with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and polypharmacy; 2) those with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias only; 3) those with polypharmacy only; and 4) those without either Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias or polypharmacy.

Coates explained that the researchers used analytic weights to analyze the data, which generates national estimates, making the sample of 2,052 individuals representative of 12 million Medicare beneficiaries in the U.S., increasing the generalizability of the findings.

“We found that older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and polypharmacy experienced more unpleasant symptoms, increased odds of falling, being hospitalized and mortality compared to those without Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and polypharmacy,” said Coates. “They also experienced more functional decline, required more assistance with activities of daily living like eating, bathing and dressing, and were more likely to need an assistive device like a cane or walker.”

Coates noted that there are tools available to help health care providers review and manage medication regimens for older adults experiencing polypharmacy and possibly taking medications that are potentially inappropriate or no longer provide benefit. However, currently there are no specific tools like that for older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

The findings from this research shed light on the negative impact polypharmacy can have on older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. But Coates added that further research is needed to develop strategies to reduce the occurrence of polypharmacy in people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

“The older adult population is growing in the U.S., with an estimated 80 million individuals over the age of 65 by 2040,” said Coates. “This means that the number of older adults diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias will also increase, and currently there is no cure. Avoiding adverse outcomes related to polypharmacy can improve quality of life and prevent excess disability for older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.”

The research team anticipates this study will help guide future analysis of the impact of specific medications on health outcomes in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and that it provides a foundation to support intervention development for medication optimization in older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and polypharmacy.

Read the full study here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/10998004241289942.