Linguistic ability in early life and cognitive function and Alzheimer's disease in late life: findings from the Nun Study

Article Abstract:

Poor linguistic ability early in life may be associated with a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease late in life. Researchers studied 93 nuns who were part of the Nun Study. All of the nuns had been required to write a brief autobiography before they took their vows in their early 20's. Over fifty years later, they were given seven tests of cognitive function and their autobiographies were analyzed for idea density and grammatical complexity. Idea density is the number of ideas expressed per 10 words and grammatical complexity measures the use of simple or complex sentences. Brain autopsies were done on the women who died during the study. Intellectual function in late life was associated with idea density, grammatical complexity and education. Fourteen nuns died and five were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease at autopsy. All five had exhibited low idea density in early life, but this was not true of the nine who did not have Alzheimer's disease.

Psychological aspects, Intelligence (Psychology), Nuns, Intellect

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Brain infarction and the clinical expression of Alzheimer disease: the Nun Study

Article Abstract:

Atherosclerosis in the cerebral arteries severe enough to cause small strokes may play a role in the development of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers did an autopsy on the brains of 102 women in the Nun Study who had died since the study began in 1991. Sixty-one were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease on the basis of autopsy results. Those who also had evidence of small strokes called lacunar infarcts had had a more severe form of dementia while alive. In the remaining 41 women, there was no association between lacunar infarcts and dementia.

Brain, Brain infarction

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Alzheimer's disease, dental amalgam and mercury

Article Abstract:

Mercury in dental fillings does not appear to be a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Researchers analyzed the dental fillings of 68 people with AD and 33 people with no history of AD and measured the level of mercury in the brains of those who had died. People with dental fillings were no more likely to develop AD than those without. In addition, people with no history of AD were just as likely to have mercury in their brain and those with AD were just as likely to have low levels of mercury in their brain as those without.

Cover Story, Dental amalgams, Fillings (Dentistry), Dental fillings, Mercury (Metal), Mercury in the body

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