One in eight people diagnosed with dementia may actually have liver disease, a study published in the American Journal of Medicine stated. The cognitive symptoms of dementia are similar to those caused by Hepatic Encephalopathy (HE), a condition caused by liver cirrhosis.&nbsp;

Consuming alcohol regularly, obesity and viral infection can lead to the disease which further causes scarring on the organ.&nbsp;

Furthermore, the condition can lead to confusion, forgetfulness, slurred speech and shaking as toxins build up in the bloodstream and impact the brain because the liver cannot clean them properly.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Digital Dementia: Are you too showing the symptoms?

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-digital-dementia-are-you-too-showing-the-symptoms-751794/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Scientists analysed the medical records from a database of American people, of over 68,000 patients, who were diagnosed with dementia between 2009 and 2019.&nbsp;

The average age was 72 and they analysed each person's records to calculate how likely it was they had undiagnosed HE caused by liver cirrhosis.&nbsp;

<h2>How it lead to "cognitive impairment"?</h2>

According to the data, 12.8 per cent of patients in the group, were likely suffering from an undiagnosed case of cirrhosis.&nbsp;

“Risk factors for potential undiagnosed cirrhosis include alcohol use disorder and viral hepatitis," the scientists said, adding, "In up to 13 per cent of patients with dementia, treatable hepatic encephalopathy might contribute to the cognitive impairment.”

Study author Dr Jasmohan Bajaj from Virginia Commonwealth University, said, “We need to increase awareness that cirrhosis and related brain complications are common, silent, but treatable when found."

“Undiagnosed cirrhosis and potential hepatic encephalopathy can be a treatable cause of or contributor towards cognitive impairment in patients diagnosed with dementia," Dr Bajaj added.&nbsp;

<h2>What increases the risk of Cirrhosis?&nbsp;</h2>

As per the data, having viral hepatitis more than doubles the likelihood of a person having cirrhosis, while alcohol abuse increases the risk by 39 per cent.&nbsp;

However, while the liver condition and dementia have "symptom overlap", some experts believed that the subtle differences in the conditions would allow a doctor to highlight the difference.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/ai-to-now-help-scientists-create-dementia-risk-tools-by-analysing-brain-scans-753312">Also read:&nbsp;AI to now help scientists create dementia risk tools by analysing 1.6mn brain scans</a>

“Full-blown hepatic encephalopathy looks different to dementia," Dr Rob Howard, professor of old age psychiatry at University College London, told the MailOnline.&nbsp;

“The symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy fluctuate in a way that Alzheimer’s doesn’t and anyone working in a memory clinic will be familiar with that. No one should be diagnosed with dementia without physical causes for their confusion being excluded.”

Dr Howard added, "Simple tests should always be done and these include a liver function test. But I don’t think it’s credible to say people with dementia have been misdiagnosed, based on this evidence.”

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

One in eight people diagnosed with dementia may actually have liver disease, a study published in the American Journal of Medicine stated. The cognitive symptoms of dementia are similar to those caused by Hepatic Encephalopathy (HE), a condition caused by liver cirrhosis.

One in eight people diagnosed with dementia may actually have liver disease, a study published in the American Journal of Medicine stated. The cognitive symptoms of dementia are similar to those caused by Hepatic Encephalopathy (HE), a condition caused by liver cirrhosis. Consuming alcohol regularly, obesity and viral infection can lead to the disease which further causes scarring on the organ. Furthermore, the condition can lead to confusion, forgetfulness, slurred speech and shaking as toxins build up in the bloodstream and impact the brain because the liver cannot clean them properly. Watch | Digital Dementia: Are you too showing the symptoms? × Scientists analysed the medical records from a database of American people, of over 68,000 patients, who were diagnosed with dementia between 2009 and 2019. The average age was 72 and they analysed each person's records to calculate how likely it was they had undiagnosed HE caused by liver cirrhosis. How it lead to "cognitive impairment"? According to the data, 12.8 per cent of patients in the group, were likely suffering from an undiagnosed case of cirrhosis. “Risk factors for potential undiagnosed cirrhosis include alcohol use disorder and viral hepatitis," the scientists said, adding, "In up to 13 per cent of patients with dementia, treatable hepatic encephalopathy might contribute to the cognitive impairment.” Study author Dr Jasmohan Bajaj from Virginia Commonwealth University, said, “We need to increase awareness that cirrhosis and related brain complications are common, silent, but treatable when found." “Undiagnosed cirrhosis and potential hepatic encephalopathy can be a treatable cause of or contributor towards cognitive impairment in patients diagnosed with dementia," Dr Bajaj added. What increases the risk of Cirrhosis? As per the data, having viral hepatitis more than doubles the likelihood of a person having cirrhosis, while alcohol abuse increases the risk by 39 per cent. However, while the liver condition and dementia have "symptom overlap", some experts believed that the subtle differences in the conditions would allow a doctor to highlight the difference. Also read: AI to now help scientists create dementia risk tools by analysing 1.6mn brain scans “Full-blown hepatic encephalopathy looks different to dementia," Dr Rob Howard, professor of old age psychiatry at University College London, told the MailOnline. “The symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy fluctuate in a way that Alzheimer’s doesn’t and anyone working in a memory clinic will be familiar with that. No one should be diagnosed with dementia without physical causes for their confusion being excluded.” Dr Howard added, "Simple tests should always be done and these include a liver function test. But I don’t think it’s credible to say people with dementia have been misdiagnosed, based on this evidence.” (With inputs from agencies)

One in 8 dementia cases 'may have liver disease instead'

Walking enhances connections within and between three brain networks, including one associated to Alzheimer’s disease, according to new study from the University of Maryland School of Public Health, adding to the growing body of evidence that exercise benefits brain health.

The study, which was published this month in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease Reports, looked at the brains and story recollection abilities of older adults with normal brain function and those with mild cognitive impairment, which is a slight decline in mental abilities such as memory, reasoning, and judgement and a risk factor for Alzheimer’s.

“Historically, the brain networks we studied in this research show deterioration over time in people with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease,” said J. Carson Smith, a kinesiology professor with the School of Public Health and principal investigator of the study. “They become disconnected, and as a result, people lose their ability to think clearly and remember things. We’re demonstrating that exercise training strengthens these connections.”

The study builds upon Smith’s previous research, which showed how walking may decrease cerebral blood flow and improve brain function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.

Thirty-three participants, who ranged between 71 and 85 years old, walked while supervised on a treadmill four days a week for 12 weeks. Before and after this exercise regimen, researchers asked participants to read a short story and then repeat it out loud with as many details as possible.

Participants also underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) so researchers could measure changes in communication within and between the three brain networks that control cognitive function:

Default mode network – Activates when a person isn’t doing a specific task (think daydreaming about the grocery list) and is connected to the hippocampus — one of the first brain regions affected by Alzheimer’s disease. It’s also where Alzheimer’s and amyloid plaques, a prime suspect for Alzheimer’s disease found around nerve cells, show up in tests.

Frontoparietal network — Regulates decisions made when a person is completing a task. It also involves memory.

Salience network — Monitors the external world and stimuli and then decides what deserves attention. It also facilitates switching between networks to optimise performance.

After 12 weeks of exercise, researchers repeated the tests and saw significant improvements in participants’ story recall abilities.

“The brain activity was stronger and more synchronized, demonstrating exercise actually can induce the brain’s ability to change and adapt,” Smith said. “These results provide even more hope that exercise may be useful as a way to prevent or help stabilize people with mild cognitive impairment and maybe, over the long term, delay their conversion to Alzheimer’s dementia.” 
&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Walking enhances connections within and between three brain networks, including one associated to Alzheimer’s disease, according to new study from the University of Maryland School of Public Health, adding to the growing body of evidence that exercise benefits brain health.

Walking enhances connections within and between three brain networks, including one associated to Alzheimer’s disease, according to new study from the University of Maryland School of Public Health, adding to the growing body of evidence that exercise benefits brain health. The study, which was published this month in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease Reports, looked at the brains and story recollection abilities of older adults with normal brain function and those with mild cognitive impairment, which is a slight decline in mental abilities such as memory, reasoning, and judgement and a risk factor for Alzheimer’s. “Historically, the brain networks we studied in this research show deterioration over time in people with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease,” said J. Carson Smith, a kinesiology professor with the School of Public Health and principal investigator of the study. “They become disconnected, and as a result, people lose their ability to think clearly and remember things. We’re demonstrating that exercise training strengthens these connections.” The study builds upon Smith’s previous research, which showed how walking may decrease cerebral blood flow and improve brain function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. Thirty-three participants, who ranged between 71 and 85 years old, walked while supervised on a treadmill four days a week for 12 weeks. Before and after this exercise regimen, researchers asked participants to read a short story and then repeat it out loud with as many details as possible. Participants also underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) so researchers could measure changes in communication within and between the three brain networks that control cognitive function: Default mode network – Activates when a person isn’t doing a specific task (think daydreaming about the grocery list) and is connected to the hippocampus — one of the first brain regions affected by Alzheimer’s disease. It’s also where Alzheimer’s and amyloid plaques, a prime suspect for Alzheimer’s disease found around nerve cells, show up in tests. Frontoparietal network — Regulates decisions made when a person is completing a task. It also involves memory. Salience network — Monitors the external world and stimuli and then decides what deserves attention. It also facilitates switching between networks to optimise performance. After 12 weeks of exercise, researchers repeated the tests and saw significant improvements in participants’ story recall abilities. “The brain activity was stronger and more synchronized, demonstrating exercise actually can induce the brain’s ability to change and adapt,” Smith said. “These results provide even more hope that exercise may be useful as a way to prevent or help stabilize people with mild cognitive impairment and maybe, over the long term, delay their conversion to Alzheimer’s dementia.” WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Walking regularly improves brain connectivity, memory in older adults

The lost sense of smell has been one of the major symptoms that act as an identifier for coronavirus (COVID-19) from the beginning. After the deadly virus was first reported in late 2019, people were not aware of its symptoms. At that time, loss of smell and taste were presumably the early symptoms of Covid.&nbsp;

Apart from that, the lost sense of smell was considered to be a warning sign for dementia. Now, researchers are probing whether Covid-related loss of smell might also be associated with cognitive decline.&nbsp;

Preliminary findings of a study which was presented on Sunday (July 31) at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in San Diego suggest that there may be a link between Covid-related loss of smell might be linked to cognitive impairment.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/sleeping-less-than-nine-hours-can-cause-serious-mental-problems-in-young-children-study-502287">Sleeping less than nine hours can cause serious mental problems in young children: Study</a>&nbsp;

Some studies have established that some Covid patients later develop cognitive impairment after their infection. Although, the experts have said that more research is needed to establish a concrete result regarding whether or not Covid-related loss of smell can be linked to cognitive decline. &nbsp;

A recent study stated that about five per cent of patients with confirmed cases of Covid are estimated to have suffered a long-lasting loss of smell or taste. Such cases are potentially contributing to the burden of long Covid.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/ai-tools-help-scientists-to-find-hominins-used-fire-800k-years-ago-501881">AI tools help scientists to find hominins used fire 800k years ago</a>&nbsp;

Now, in the new study, the researchers in Argentina found that loss of smell during Covid may be a stronger predictor of cognitive decline. Notably, the study has not been published in a peer-reviewed journal.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Gabriela Gonzalez-Aleman, who is the study co-author, said, "Our data strongly suggest that adults over 60 years of age are more vulnerable to cognitive impairment post-Covid if they had a smell dysfunction, regardless of the severity of the Covid."&nbsp;

Gabriela, who is a professor at Pontificia Universidad Catolica Argentina in Buenos Aires, added that it's too soon to tell if the cognitive impairment is permanent.&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

The lost sense of smell has been one of the major symptoms that act as an identifier for coronavirus (COVID-19) from the beginning. After the deadly virus was first reported in late 2019, people were not aware of its symptoms.

The lost sense of smell has been one of the major symptoms that act as an identifier for coronavirus (COVID-19) from the beginning. After the deadly virus was first reported in late 2019, people were not aware of its symptoms. At that time, loss of smell and taste were presumably the early symptoms of Covid. Apart from that, the lost sense of smell was considered to be a warning sign for dementia. Now, researchers are probing whether Covid-related loss of smell might also be associated with cognitive decline. Preliminary findings of a study which was presented on Sunday (July 31) at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in San Diego suggest that there may be a link between Covid-related loss of smell might be linked to cognitive impairment. ALSO READ | Sleeping less than nine hours can cause serious mental problems in young children: Study Some studies have established that some Covid patients later develop cognitive impairment after their infection. Although, the experts have said that more research is needed to establish a concrete result regarding whether or not Covid-related loss of smell can be linked to cognitive decline. A recent study stated that about five per cent of patients with confirmed cases of Covid are estimated to have suffered a long-lasting loss of smell or taste. Such cases are potentially contributing to the burden of long Covid. ALSO READ | AI tools help scientists to find hominins used fire 800k years ago Now, in the new study, the researchers in Argentina found that loss of smell during Covid may be a stronger predictor of cognitive decline. Notably, the study has not been published in a peer-reviewed journal. Gabriela Gonzalez-Aleman, who is the study co-author, said, "Our data strongly suggest that adults over 60 years of age are more vulnerable to cognitive impairment post-Covid if they had a smell dysfunction, regardless of the severity of the Covid." Gabriela, who is a professor at Pontificia Universidad Catolica Argentina in Buenos Aires, added that it's too soon to tell if the cognitive impairment is permanent. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Covid-related loss of smell might be linked to cognitive impairment: Study

cognitive-impairment

Cognitive Impairment, News on Cognitive Impairment, stories on Cognitive Impairment, articles on Cognitive Impairment, Cognitive Impairment stories at Wion, Cognitive Impairment news, Cognitive Impairment latest news