Author Archives: support

Most Patients with Early Alzheimer’s Disease Seeking Anti-Amyloid Antibody Therapy Fall Short of Brain Health Guidelines

Researchers at the Mass General Brigham Neuroscience Institute found that most patients with early Alzheimer’s disease are not closely following recommendations that could support brain health. These include regular exercise, adequate sleep, managing blood pressure and eating a heart-healthy diet. The findings were published in The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Fewer than 3% of patients in the study followed all 15 brain health recommendations examined by the researchers. Poor adherence was found both among patients who pursued treatment with lecanemab, an anti-amyloid antibody medication for Alzheimer’s disease, and those who did not pursue anti-amyloid therapy. Researchers found no significant difference between the two groups.

The researchers had expected patients pursuing anti-amyloid therapy to be particularly motivated to protect their brain health. These patients were willing to receive lecanemab infusions every two weeks and accept the risks associated with treatment. However, lead author Kirk Daffner, MD, said the findings indicate that considerably more work is needed to help patients adopt brain-healthy behaviours.

Growing evidence suggests that several modifiable lifestyle and medical factors may help reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. These include physical activity, a healthy diet, sufficient sleep, social and cognitive engagement, controlled blood pressure and blood sugar, good vision and hearing, and low alcohol consumption.

To assess these factors, Daffner, Seth Gale, MD, and colleagues developed Brain Health Vital Signs, a tool that evaluates 15 potentially modifiable factors. It provides patients with an overall brain health score while identifying areas where changes could potentially improve their brain health.

The study included 150 patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease who were seeking anti-amyloid antibody therapy. Researchers compared them with 117 patients who had mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia but were not pursuing the treatment. Among those seeking anti-amyloid therapy, more than 25% fell short on 11 of the 15 brain health recommendations, while more than half fell short on four recommendations.

Physical activity was the most commonly missed recommendation. About 63% of patients pursuing anti-amyloid therapy did not achieve at least 25 minutes of physical activity per day on most days of the week. Other particularly challenging recommendations included reducing stress and maintaining optimal A1c levels, blood pressure and body mass index. Similar patterns of low adherence were seen among patients who were not pursuing anti-amyloid treatment.

Senior author Seth Gale, MD, said that although there is substantial evidence supporting behaviours and medical factors that promote brain health, effectively putting this knowledge into routine clinical care remains a challenge. The researchers suggest that structured interventions may help. Their ongoing Brain Health Champion Study found that patients receiving six months of personalised brain health coaching substantially improved their adherence to recommended behaviours. Daffner and Gale say providing healthcare teams with practical tools grounded in health psychology may help patients make sustainable changes that support brain health.

More information: Kirk Daffner et al, Suboptimal adherence to brain health recommendations in patients pursuing anti-amyloid antibody therapy for Alzheimer’s disease: Report from the Brain Health Vital Signs project, The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease. DOI: 10.1016/j.tjpad.2026.100640

Journal information: The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease Provided by Mass General Brigham

Strength in Motion: Muscles May Hold the Key to Protecting the Parkinson’s Brain

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Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that causes both motor and non-motor symptoms and is becoming an increasingly important public health challenge as populations age. Researchers have also identified sarcopenia—the age-related loss of muscle mass, strength, and function—as an important contributor to frailty and disability. In people with PD, sarcopenia has been linked to poorer outcomes, including a greater risk of falls, cognitive decline, and reduced quality of life. These findings have prompted growing interest in understanding how maintaining muscle health could help improve outcomes for people living with Parkinson’s.

Exercise has long been recognised for its benefits in healthy ageing and in chronic conditions such as cancer, dementia, and Parkinson’s disease. Scientists are now exploring whether the molecular changes triggered by exercise can directly protect the brain. To better understand this connection, a research team led by Dr. Miguel Germán Borda reviewed evidence from 129 experimental, observational, and clinical studies. Their comprehensive review, published in Neuroprotection, examined the emerging concept of muscle–brain communication and its potential role in slowing the progression of Parkinson’s disease.

“Our goal was to bring together the available evidence on the relationship between muscle health, exercise, and Parkinson’s disease,” says first author Dr. Salomón Páez-García. The review found that several forms of exercise—including aerobic activities such as walking and jogging, resistance training, balance exercises such as Tai Chi, and programmes combining multiple exercise types—consistently improved physical and cognitive function. Regular exercise enhanced walking ability, balance, muscle strength, mood, thinking skills, and overall quality of life, while reducing falls and disability.

The researchers explain that muscles are far more than structures responsible for movement. During exercise, contracting muscles release hormone-like signalling molecules known as exerkines, allowing muscles to function much like an endocrine organ. These molecules—including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), irisin, cathepsin B, myostatin, and growth/differentiation factor 15 (GDF15)—enter the bloodstream and communicate with organs throughout the body, including the brain.

According to Dr. Páez-García, exerkines appear to provide the biological link between exercising muscles and brain health. Rather than simply responding to signals from the brain, active muscles send beneficial messages back through these molecules. The review found that exerkines reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, improve mitochondrial function, and help protect dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra, the region most affected in Parkinson’s disease. They also appear to promote neuroplasticity, enabling the brain to adapt and form new neural connections that may improve resilience against disease-related damage.

Current clinical guidelines already recommend beginning exercise early after a Parkinson’s diagnosis and maintaining it throughout the course of the disease. A combination of aerobic, strength, and balance training, tailored to each individual’s abilities, is considered the most effective approach. While more research is needed to determine the optimal exercise dose and identify the exerkines with the greatest long-term neuroprotective effects, the evidence suggests that exercise benefits far more than muscles. By strengthening the body’s natural muscle–brain communication system, regular physical activity may help preserve brain function, slow aspects of disease progression, and improve quality of life for people living with Parkinson’s disease.

More information: Salomón Páez-García et al, Exercise, exerkines, and muscle–brain crosstalk in Parkinson’s disease, Neuroprotection. DOI: 10.1002/nep3.70032

Journal information: Neuroprotection Provided by Chinese Medical Journals Publishing House Co., Ltd.

How Childhood Stress Leaves a Lasting Mark on Brain Cells

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Experiencing severe stress during childhood can leave lasting effects that make people more vulnerable to anxiety, depression and other mood disorders when they face challenges later in life. Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Princeton University have uncovered a biological explanation for this long-term impact, showing that early trauma leaves a lasting imprint inside brain cells. Their findings, published Aug. 7 in Neuron, identify a molecular pathway that could eventually lead to new strategies for preventing or treating stress-related mental illness.

The team found that early-life adversity changes not only which genes are active in the brain, but also how DNA is packaged inside brain cells. These changes make genes involved in the body’s stress response easier to switch on, leaving the brain more sensitive to future stress. “We have uncovered a new biological process linking experience of early-life adversity to this long-term vulnerability to mental illness,” said Meaghan Creed, PhD, associate professor of anesthesiology at Washington University School of Medicine. She described the changes as a physical “scar” left inside brain cells that could provide a concrete target for future therapies.

More than half of children worldwide experience significant stress from abuse, violence, household dysfunction or other traumatic events, and accumulating multiple adverse experiences greatly increases the risk of mental and physical health problems in adulthood. To understand why, the researchers focused on dopamine-producing neurons in a brain region called the ventral tegmental area, which plays a key role in processing rewards, motivation and stressful experiences. Abnormal activity in these neurons has long been linked to anxiety and depression.

The scientists examined the epigenome — the collection of chemical markers that regulate whether genes are turned on or off without changing the DNA sequence itself. They discovered that early-life stress increased levels of an enzyme called SETD7 in dopamine neurons. SETD7 adds a chemical tag known as H3K4me1 to DNA-associated proteins, causing tightly packed DNA to loosen. This more open structure makes stress-related genes easier to activate, effectively leaving the brain on higher alert and more reactive to future adversity.

Experiments in mice confirmed the enzyme’s central role. Young mice engineered to produce extra SETD7, even without experiencing early-life stress, developed the same open DNA structure seen in stressed animals. As adults, they showed heightened activity in dopamine neurons, lower tolerance to stress and more anxiety-like behaviour. In contrast, blocking SETD7 after early-life stress prevented these changes. Despite experiencing stress during both childhood and adulthood, treated mice maintained normal brain activity and behaved similarly to unstressed animals.

The findings provide one of the clearest explanations yet for how childhood adversity can have lifelong effects on mental health. “There are currently no treatments for what early-life stress does to the brain, partially because we have not had a clear picture of what molecular mechanisms to target,” said Catherine Jensen Peña, PhD, assistant professor at the Princeton Neuroscience Institute. She added that the research also highlights the importance of providing children with supportive care, therapy and social resources during critical stages of development, which may help protect the brain and strengthen resilience against future stress.

More information: Hye Ji J. Kim et al, Early-life stress alters H3K4me1 in VTA to prime stress sensitivity, Neuron. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2026.07.018

Journal information: Neuron Provided by WashU Medicine

Obesity and Ageing May Share Common Biological Pathways

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The global rise in obesity alongside rapid population aging has become a major public health concern. Increasing evidence suggests that excess body fat does more than raise the risk of chronic diseases—it may also accelerate the body’s biological aging process. A new review explores the close relationship between obesity and aging, highlighting the shared molecular mechanisms that connect the two and examining whether anti-obesity therapies could help slow aging and reduce the burden of age-related disease.

According to the review, aging is driven by a series of interconnected biological changes, including chronic inflammation, telomere shortening, mitochondrial dysfunction, genomic instability, impaired protein homeostasis, stem cell exhaustion, and disrupted nutrient sensing. Obesity appears to trigger many of these same processes, suggesting that it functions as an accelerator of biological aging rather than simply acting as an independent risk factor for disease.

One of the strongest biological links between obesity and aging is chronic low-grade inflammation. As fat tissue expands, it becomes infiltrated by immune cells that release inflammatory cytokines, creating persistent systemic inflammation. This inflammatory state contributes to insulin resistance, metabolic dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, and tissue damage, while closely resembling the process of “inflammaging”—the chronic, low-level inflammation that develops naturally with age.

Beyond inflammation, the review identifies several additional pathways through which obesity may hasten aging. These include telomere depletion, epigenetic alterations, mitochondrial dysfunction, stem cell exhaustion, genomic instability, protein homeostasis disruption, cellular senescence, and gut microbiome dysbiosis. Together, these interconnected mechanisms suggest that obesity affects many of the same biological systems that gradually decline during normal aging, reinforcing the concept that excess adiposity may speed up age-related deterioration.

The authors also review evidence that weight loss interventions may partially reverse some of these aging-related changes. Lifestyle strategies such as calorie restriction and regular exercise, as well as bariatric surgery, have been associated with improvements in metabolic health and reductions in biological markers linked to aging. These findings suggest that addressing obesity may not only reduce disease risk but also improve the biological processes that influence healthy aging.

The review further highlights the promise of modern anti-obesity medications, including liraglutide, semaglutide, tirzepatide, and orlistat. Beyond promoting weight loss, these therapies may reduce chronic inflammation, improve mitochondrial function, enhance telomerase activity, and limit oxidative stress—mechanisms that could help preserve cellular function and extend healthspan. While further research is needed to confirm their long-term effects on biological aging, the findings suggest that treating obesity may play an important role in promoting healthier aging and reducing the burden of age-related diseases.

More information: Rui Zhang et al, Obesity accelerates aging: Mechanisms and therapeutic implications, Genes & Diseases. DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2025.101980

Journal information: Genes & Diseases Provided by Compuscript Ltd

Unsafe Living Environments Elevate Fall Risk for Seniors

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Older adults living in homes with electrical or plumbing problems, limited living space, or poor lighting are significantly more likely to experience falls, according to a new study published August 5, 2026, in PLOS One. The research, led by Javiera Cartagena-Farías of the London School of Economics and Political Science and colleagues, suggests that improving housing conditions could play an important role in preventing falls while reducing healthcare and social care costs.

Falls are one of the leading causes of injury, disability, and loss of independence among older adults. In England, about one in three people aged 65 and older experiences at least one fall each year, often resulting in fractures, hospitalizations, and increased demand for health and social care services. While previous research has focused on medical and lifestyle risk factors, the new study highlights the important contribution of the home environment to fall risk.

The researchers analyzed data from nearly 5,500 adults aged 65 and older who participated in waves 1–10 of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), spanning 2002 to 2023. Participants reported both housing conditions and whether they had experienced falls. The researchers then examined how specific housing problems were associated with falls and estimated the economic burden linked to these hazards.

The findings showed that electrical or plumbing problems were associated with a 10.8% higher probability of experiencing a fall and were also linked to falls requiring healthcare. Insufficient living space increased the likelihood of falling by 3.3%, while poor lighting was associated with a 9.3% higher probability of falls that required healthcare services. Together, these housing-related risks were estimated to cost England approximately £1.2 billion each year, including £440 million in healthcare expenses and £778 million in formal care costs.

The researchers note that the study has some limitations. Both falls and housing conditions were self-reported, making the findings susceptible to recall bias. In addition, the economic estimates were based on previous research and modelling assumptions rather than direct cost measurements. Even so, the large, nationally representative dataset and long follow-up period provide strong evidence that inadequate housing contributes meaningfully to fall risk among older adults.

The authors conclude that improving housing conditions should be considered an essential component of comprehensive fall-prevention strategies. Addressing hazards such as faulty electrical or plumbing systems, cramped living spaces, and inadequate lighting could help reduce injuries, preserve independence, and lower healthcare expenditures. As the authors note, “Poor housing conditions significantly increase the risk of falls among older people. Associated costs could be avoided. Viewing housing improvements as part of an integrated falls-prevention strategy could yield significant benefits for individuals and for the sustainability of health and care systems.”

More information: Javiera Cartagena-Farías et al, When home is a dangerous place: the cost of falls among older people living in the community, PLOS One. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0353755

Journal information: PLOS One Provided by PLOS

Optimizing Blood Pressure Control: A New Strategy

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High blood pressure could be managed more effectively by pairing higher potassium intake with lower sodium consumption, according to a new report published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. While reducing sodium has long been the cornerstone of public health recommendations for preventing and managing hypertension, the authors argue that greater benefits can be achieved by addressing both minerals together. Hypertension affects more than 1.28 billion adults worldwide and remains one of the leading risk factors for heart disease and stroke, underscoring the need for more effective dietary strategies.

The peer-reviewed report, supported by the IAFNS Sodium in Food and Health Implications Committee, reviews the scientific evidence behind current sodium and potassium intake recommendations, evaluates strategies for reducing sodium while increasing potassium, and discusses implementation challenges and future research priorities. The authors conclude that public health policies should move beyond focusing exclusively on sodium reduction and instead encourage a balanced approach that also promotes adequate potassium intake.

“It’s time to view dietary interventions holistically because food components interact and physiology is integrative across systems,” said Naomi Fukagawa, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine emerita at the Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at the University of Vermont and the report’s first author. “Growing evidence shows that increasing dietary potassium as well as reducing sodium intake work together to better manage hypertension.” According to the authors, this emerging evidence supports a shift in how dietary recommendations for blood pressure control are developed and communicated.

The report highlights that excessive sodium intake and inadequate potassium consumption are two of the most important modifiable contributors to elevated blood pressure. Although sodium consumption continues to exceed recommended levels in many countries, potassium intake remains well below optimal levels in both developed and developing nations. Increasing potassium intake can help counterbalance some of sodium’s effects on blood pressure, making the combination of higher potassium and lower sodium more effective than focusing on sodium reduction alone.

Potassium is naturally abundant in fruits, vegetables, legumes, and dairy products, making dietary improvements an achievable strategy for many people. The authors also note that potassium salts can be used as partial substitutes for sodium in processed foods. However, manufacturers must carefully balance sodium and potassium because excessive potassium salts can produce an undesirable metallic taste, creating practical challenges for food reformulation.

The authors conclude that reducing sodium remains a fundamental strategy for preventing and managing hypertension, but current evidence supports expanding this approach to place equal emphasis on increasing potassium intake. By considering sodium and potassium together rather than separately, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the food industry may be better positioned to improve blood pressure control and reduce the global burden of cardiovascular disease through more comprehensive dietary recommendations.

More information: Naomi Fukagawa et al, Rethinking the impact of dietary sodium and potassium on blood pressure to advance public health, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2026.101396

Journal information: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Provided by University of Vermont

Study Highlights How Social Inequality Hinders Physical Activity

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A decade-long study of residents in São Paulo, Brazil, has found that inequalities in leisure-time physical activity have widened, with exercise increasingly concentrated among socially advantaged groups. While highly educated white men became more active over the ten years, women from racial minority groups with lower levels of education consistently had the lowest rates of leisure-time physical activity. In contrast, walking for transportation, such as commuting to work, was distributed much more evenly across the population. The findings were published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.

Led by researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP), the study followed 978 adults from 2014 to 2024, collecting data in 2014/15, 2020/21, and 2023/24. Using an intersectional approach that examined how sex, race, and education interact to shape opportunities for physical activity, the researchers argue that public policies should prioritise the most socially vulnerable groups.

“We concluded that engaging in physical activity for leisure doesn’t depend solely on motivation or individual choice,” says corresponding author Andreia Alexandra Machado Miranda of USP’s Center for Epidemiological Research in Nutrition and Health (NUPENS). “It’s shaped by environmental, structural, and social factors. Unfortunately, leisure-time physical activity remains a privilege of the most socially advantaged groups, while women from Black, Brown, Asian, or Indigenous backgrounds with fewer years of schooling face the greatest barriers.”

Co-author Alex Antonio Florindo, a professor at USP, explains that physical activity is influenced by much more than personal motivation. Life experiences, family support, access to safe public spaces, neighbourhood infrastructure, and public policies all affect whether people are able to exercise during their free time. “There’s a significant gap between those who are able to engage in physical activity during their leisure time and those who aren’t, even if they want to,” he says.

The disparities became more pronounced over time. At the beginning of the study, 51% of highly educated white men reported participating in leisure-time physical activity, compared with 29% of the most socially vulnerable group. By the final assessment, those figures had increased to 65% and 39%, respectively, widening the gap between the two groups.

Miranda notes that women often face multiple obstacles to participating in sports and recreational exercise. Beyond carrying a disproportionate share of domestic responsibilities, many earn lower wages, experience safety concerns in public spaces, and live in neighbourhoods with limited green space, poor lighting, or inadequate recreational infrastructure. The researchers assessed these inequalities using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and a Multiple Jeopardy Index that combined sex, race, and educational attainment into a social vulnerability score.

Regular physical activity is known to improve physical and mental health while reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. The World Health Organization recommends that adults achieve at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity each week. Yet nearly one-third of adults worldwide failed to meet these recommendations in 2022, contributing to an estimated five million deaths annually from sedentary lifestyles.

Unlike leisure-time exercise, walking for transportation showed no significant association with social vulnerability. Participation increased from 61.8% to 71.6% over the study period and was most common among younger Black or mixed-race men with a high school education. The researchers suggest that walking for commuting is driven more by daily necessity and urban mobility than by personal choice, making it a practical way to increase physical activity while supporting public health and more sustainable transport.

More information: Andreia Alexandra Machado Miranda et al, Social inequalities in leisure-time and transport-related physical activity through the lens of intersectionality: 10-year longitudinal study in Brazil, International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. DOI: 10.1186/s12966-026-01900-5

Journal information: International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Provided by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

Beyond Connection: The Mental Health Impact of Smartphones on Older Adults

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Compulsive smartphone use among older adults may be linked to a greater risk of depression, according to a new study led by researchers at Rutgers University. While smartphones are often promoted as tools for staying connected, the findings suggest their effects on mental health depend less on the technology itself than on how it is used. Researchers found that smartphones can strengthen relationships when they encourage meaningful communication, but may contribute to isolation when they become a substitute for real-world social interaction. “It comes down to purposeful interaction versus compulsive escapism,” said senior author Chien-Chung Huang, a professor at the Rutgers School of Social Work. “The same device can bridge the gap to loved ones and community or serve as a wall to shut them out.”

Published in JMIR Aging, the study analysed survey data from 2,585 adults aged 60 and older living in Guangzhou, China. Participants reported their smartphone habits, communication preferences and levels of offline social participation, while researchers also collected demographic and health information and assessed depressive symptoms using a validated screening tool. The research team, including collaborators from Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, applied machine learning techniques to identify the factors most strongly associated with depression and uncover patterns that traditional statistical methods might overlook.

Limited social participation emerged as the strongest predictor of depression, followed closely by smartphone addiction, defined as excessive or compulsive phone use that interferes with daily life. Older adults who rarely used interactive smartphone features, such as messaging or video calls, appeared particularly vulnerable. In contrast, using smartphones to maintain relationships through video chats, text messaging and photo sharing was associated with better well-being. Long periods spent scrolling, watching videos or playing games alone, however, were linked to social withdrawal and higher levels of depressive symptoms. “When an older adult uses their phone as a shield to substitute or displace real-life social participation, it acts as a major red flag for depression,” Huang said.

The researchers also identified two groups that appeared especially vulnerable. One included older men with lower levels of education who showed signs of smartphone addiction. Huang suggested that limited digital literacy may make it harder for some older adults to use communication-focused applications, increasing reliance on passive entertainment instead. Men who depend heavily on a spouse for social connection may be particularly at risk if they later experience bereavement or isolation, leaving smartphones to become “an isolating crutch rather than a bridge.”

A second high-risk group consisted of older adults with higher incomes and education levels who also exhibited problematic smartphone use. The findings suggest that financial resources, educational attainment and access to technology alone do not protect against depression when screen time replaces meaningful face-to-face relationships. However, the researchers cautioned that the study cannot determine whether excessive smartphone use contributes to depression, whether depression encourages greater phone use, or whether both reinforce one another over time.

Huang believes the relationship is likely cyclical, with lonely older adults turning to their phones for distraction while gradually replacing the social interactions that help protect mental health. Rather than discouraging smartphone use, he said families, community organisations and healthcare providers should encourage older adults to use technology in ways that strengthen relationships. Activities such as participating in family group chats, sharing photos and scheduling regular video calls can help transform smartphones from tools of passive entertainment into platforms for meaningful social connection and healthier ageing.

More information: Sheng Chen et al, Smartphone Addiction, Use Preferences, and Depression Among Older Adults in the Digital Context: Machine Learning Analysis of Survey Data, JMIR Aging. DOI: 10.2196/84703

Journal information: JMIR Aging Provided by Rutgers University

For Mind and Body: Community Gathering Places Linked to Better Cognitive Health

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Community gathering places, where older adults take part in group activities led by residents, have become an important part of Japan’s long-term care prevention strategy. These community programmes often combine light exercise with social interaction to promote healthy ageing and help reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Although they have been widely adopted, previous research has produced mixed results on whether participation is associated with a lower risk of cognitive disability.

To better understand this relationship, a research team led by Associate Professor Kazuki Uemura of Osaka Metropolitan University’s Graduate School of Rehabilitation Science examined whether regular exercise habits influence the potential benefits of these community activities. The researchers analysed questionnaire data and long-term care insurance records from older adults living independently in Habikino City, Osaka Prefecture.

The study initially included 3,511 adults who had not been certified as requiring long-term care. After excluding incomplete or invalid responses, 2,578 participants were included in the primary analysis. Researchers followed participants for four years, comparing those who attended city-supported weekly community exercise groups with those who did not. Survival analysis was used to assess the risk of developing cognitive disability over time.

The findings showed that participation in community gathering places was linked to a substantially lower risk of cognitive disability among older adults who did not already exercise regularly. In this group, participants were about half as likely to develop cognitive disability as non-participants. However, no significant association was observed among individuals who already maintained regular exercise habits, suggesting that the greatest benefits may occur among those who are otherwise less physically active.

“These findings support a growing direction in long-term care prevention policy, which creates opportunities for participation that are accessible to older adults who may find regular exercise difficult,” said Associate Professor Uemura. Additional analyses also found that community participation was associated with a lower risk of physical functional decline among people without regular exercise habits, indicating that these programmes may offer broader health benefits beyond cognitive health.

The researchers believe the findings highlight the value of accessible, community-based programmes for supporting healthy ageing, particularly among older adults who face barriers to regular exercise. “We hope this evidence will help inform community-based initiatives that support a wide range of older adults and contribute to policies aimed at reducing health inequalities,” said Associate Professor Uemura. The study suggests that creating inclusive opportunities for social engagement and light physical activity may be an effective way to help maintain cognitive and physical health as populations age.

More information: Kazuki Uemura et al, Effect Modification by Exercise Habit on the Association Between Participation in Community Gathering Places and Cognitive Disability, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. DOI: 10.1111/jgs.70499

Journal information: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society Provided by Osaka Metropolitan University

The Way Children Talk May Predict Future Mental Health Challenges

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Researchers have found that the way children speak about stressful experiences may help predict their future mental health more accurately than expert clinical assessments. In a study published in Nature Mental Health, scientists used four natural language processing (NLP) models to analyse recorded interviews with more than 200 children aged 9 to 13. The models accurately predicted which children would develop mental health disorders up to six years later, suggesting that speech analysis could become a practical, scalable tool for identifying young people at risk before symptoms appear.

The study found that how children spoke was more informative than what they said. Rather than focusing on the specific stressful events children described, the AI models detected patterns in sentence construction and word choice, including the use of common connector words such as and, to, and but. These subtle features of language consistently outperformed the actual content of children’s stories in predicting later mental health challenges. “We believe this study provides a robust proof of concept for the development of scalable tools that identify markers of risk before individuals are diagnosed,” said lead author Chase Antonacci, a doctoral student in neuroscience at Stanford University.

Adolescence is the period when conditions such as depression and anxiety most commonly emerge. Yet, clinicians currently have limited ways to identify which children are most likely to develop these disorders. Existing approaches often rely on time-intensive clinical assessments or biological measures, such as cortisol levels, stress responses, or telomere length, which require specialised equipment or laboratory testing. “Speech is inexpensive and scalable,” said senior author Ian Gotlib, professor of psychology at Stanford. “It’s easy, it’s accessible, and it may be a stronger predictor of the development of problems than any of these other factors alone.”

The research drew on interviews collected as part of a long-term study examining how early-life stress influences brain development and mental health. Each child participated in a 90-minute interview covering stressful experiences, which were originally evaluated by experts using the Traumatic Events Screening Inventory (TESI). The experts assigned each child a single score representing cumulative stress exposure. However, the researchers suspected that reducing complex conversations to a single number overlooked valuable information contained in the children’s language.

To test this idea, the team applied four NLP models that have previously been used to detect mental health signals in adults’ writing. The analyses revealed that linguistic style was the strongest predictor of future mental health. Certain language patterns, including frequent use of first-person pronouns, prepositions, and conjunctions, have previously been linked to mental health conditions. Although speech content was less predictive, children who described severe physical violence or social exclusion were more likely to experience later mental health problems. In contrast, references to supportive relationships, sports, school clubs, and even therapists or counsellors were associated with greater resilience.

The researchers emphasise that larger studies are needed before language-based screening tools can be introduced into clinical practice. Nevertheless, the findings suggest that analysing everyday speech could provide a simple, low-cost way to identify children who may benefit from early support. If confirmed in future research, the approach could eventually allow clinicians to analyse children’s speech recordings—potentially even those collected on smartphones—to detect mental health risks years before disorders develop, creating new opportunities for early intervention and prevention.

More information: Chase Antonacci et al, Natural language processing of youth speech predicts psychopathology across adolescence, Nature Mental Health. DOI: 10.1038/s44220-026-00683-9

Journal information: Nature Mental Health Provided by Stanford University

Can Eating Less Protein Promote Healthy Ageing?

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Protein-fortified foods are now common, appearing in products ranging from breakfast cereals and coffee to protein water. Yet a new review published on July 31 in Cell Press Blue suggests that consuming less protein may, for many people, offer greater health benefits and even help extend lifespan. Reviewing more than 350 studies on protein restriction and ageing, researchers found consistent evidence that lower protein intake may slow biological ageing by improving metabolism, altering how cells respond to nutrients, reducing cellular damage, and preserving healthy cell function.

“It’s absolutely crystal clear that there are benefits of protein to muscle growth and exercise response of active individuals,” says Dudley Lamming, the review’s corresponding author from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. “But because most people are relatively sedentary, many people are likely consuming more protein than they actually need, which probably has negative health consequences.” While calorie restriction has long been shown to extend lifespan and reduce age-related diseases in many species, maintaining a low-calorie diet is difficult. Protein restriction, however, may provide many of the same benefits without reducing total calorie intake.

Evidence from animal studies has shown that reducing protein intake can extend lifespan in flies and rodents, even when calorie consumption remains unchanged. Human clinical trials have also found that protein-restricted diets can reduce body weight, lower fat mass, and improve fasting blood sugar, despite participants often consuming more calories overall. Together, these findings suggest that the quality and quantity of protein consumed may influence health independently of total energy intake.

At the same time, research has demonstrated that higher protein intake, particularly when combined with regular exercise, can promote weight loss and help preserve muscle mass in older adults. These findings contributed to updated U.S. dietary recommendations encouraging adults to consume 1.2–1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day—substantially higher than previous guidelines. Against this backdrop of increasing protein consumption, the researchers sought to understand better how protein restriction influences healthy ageing.

The review identifies several biological mechanisms that may explain these benefits. A key factor is fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), a hormone that increases when protein intake is low. Higher FGF21 levels are associated with greater energy expenditure, improved blood sugar regulation, and reduced inflammation. In animal studies, elevated FGF21 has been linked to longer lifespan, with stronger effects observed in male mice. The review also highlights specific amino acids—including methionine, isoleucine, and valine—that may accelerate ageing-related processes when consumed in excess by stimulating pathways associated with obesity, inflammation, and chronic disease.

The authors emphasise that protein requirements should be individualised. Although athletes, pregnant women, and some older adults often benefit from higher protein intake, protein-fortified foods may provide little advantage for the average sedentary adult and could even have unintended health consequences. Lamming suggests that regular physical activity may protect athletes from the metabolic effects of a high-protein diet by directing protein towards muscle growth. “We probably need to personalise protein recommendations based not just on age, but also on how physically active people are,” he says.

More information: Bailey A. Knopf et al, The hallmarks of protein and amino acid restriction in aging and longevity, Cell Press Blue. DOI: 10.1016/j.cpblue.2026.100079

Journal information: Cell Press Blue Provided by Cell Press

Why Keeping a Doctor Is Becoming Harder

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If it feels harder to keep the same doctor, you are not imagining it. Across many healthcare systems, retirements, burnout and changing workforce expectations are making it increasingly difficult to retain experienced clinicians. A new study published in the Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety suggests that the challenge extends beyond workforce shortages. Interviews with leaders from four major healthcare systems in the Dallas–Fort Worth region reveal that generational shifts are changing who enters healthcare, who stays and why clinicians leave. According to study co-author Dr. William Sage, healthcare organisations are no longer facing simply a staffing problem, but the challenge of supporting five generations of clinicians with different expectations about work, well-being and career longevity.

The study involved 17 senior leaders who consistently identified clinician turnover as one of their greatest concerns. They described the growing number of younger physicians leaving earlier in their careers, while many experienced clinicians have few options between full-time practice and complete retirement. Several participants noted that replacing a seasoned physician may require hiring multiple younger clinicians because of changes in productivity expectations and the way healthcare systems measure performance.

The consequences of clinician turnover extend well beyond filling vacant positions. Co-author Keegan Warren explained that when experienced clinicians leave, organisations lose valuable institutional knowledge, mentoring relationships and practical expertise that can take years to rebuild. Physician departures also carry high financial costs while disrupting continuity of care. The researchers argue that recognising clinicians as individuals with meaningful careers and lives is essential to building a stable workforce and protecting high-quality patient care.

Burnout and evolving workplace expectations were also identified as major drivers of turnover. Younger physicians and nurses increasingly prioritise mental health, work-life balance, flexible scheduling and supportive workplace cultures, expecting employers to address these needs actively. However, the researchers emphasise that these findings should not be viewed as a conflict between generations. Instead, workplace expectations have evolved through broader changes, including work-hour regulations for medical trainees, the shift from physician-owned practices to large healthcare organisations, and the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rather than focusing solely on recruiting more clinicians, the researchers recommend strategies to strengthen retention throughout the career span. These include expanding mentorship programmes that transfer knowledge from experienced clinicians, improving early-career support through professional development and flexible work arrangements, involving multiple generations in leadership and decision-making, strengthening workforce planning through human resources, creating flexible late-career roles, and improving communication across generations to reduce workplace tensions.

The researchers conclude that a stable clinical workforce is fundamental to ensuring patients have consistent access to high-quality care. Retention can no longer be treated as an afterthought. By designing workplaces that recognise clinicians as people first—with families, responsibilities and limits—healthcare organisations can foster stronger commitment, preserve valuable experience and create a more resilient healthcare system that benefits both clinicians and the patients they serve.

More information: Andrew A. White et al, Generational Change in the Healthcare Workforce: Perspectives from Health System Leaders, The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcjq.2026.06.009

Journal information: The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety Provided by Texas A&M University