People with low levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in their blood have a lower risk of dementia, including lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease related dementia, shows a study published online today in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. 

Most people donning virtual reality (VR) goggles are seeking the thrill of being immersed in a fictitious video game world. But some are donning them for an entirely different experience: to help researchers identify those most at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. As will be presented today at the annual conference of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society (CNS) in Boston, Mass., cognitive neuroscientists are increasingly turning to VR technology to develop innovative ways to assess cognitive decline. They are finding significant age-related and disease-related differences in how individuals can navigate and locate objects within a VR space, in some cases linking cognitive impairments to build up of Alzheimer’s proteins in the brain.

Nostalgic music engages both the brain’s default mode network and its reward circuitry. The research points to a promising, nonpharmacological path for improving quality of life in people experiencing memory loss.