BU researchers identify risk factors for dementia among American Indians
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 24-Oct-2026 05:16 ET (24-Oct-2026 09:16 GMT/UTC)
In a new NIH-supported study in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association, researchers detected significant risk associations for vascular and Alzheimer’s dementias among American Indians for four previously-identified key risk factors: limited education, hypertension, social isolation, and depression.
The smell of Japanese Igusa (rush grass), the core component of tatami mats, has long been associated with comfort and relaxation. However, there was little scientific evidence behind such claims. To test this, researchers measured the brain activity of volunteers while they sat on Igusa mats and completed simple tasks. The researchers found that when using the Igusa mats the participants’ brain activity suggested they had better focus, cognitive engagement, and stress resilience.
Teenagers who come from households with a lower income and lower level of education are more likely to have an eating disorder, finds a new study co-led by UCL researchers.
Dopamine has long been considered central to understanding anhedonia – the loss of pleasure, interest and motivation that is a common feature of depression and other mental health conditions. However, a new international expert reportpublished in BMJ Mental Health suggests that dopamine alone cannot explain the condition and that future research must look beyond a single biological pathway.