Dementia is a condition that affects cognitive functioning. Symptoms can include loss of memory and ability to function in a way that can interfere with quality of life.
In a new study in rodents, scientists studied how vitamin K can affect older rats’ cognitive abilities.
The researchers learned that the vitamin has the potential to improve cognitive abilities.
As people get older, the risk of developing dementia increases. Dementia is the term given to a group of diseases, the most common of which is Alzheimer’s disease, which affects millions of people.
There presently is no cure for dementia; however, some medications are available that can help with symptoms. Additionally, researchers continue looking for ways to either reduce the severity of symptoms or prevent the disease from progressing as rapidly.
A new study from AlMaarefa University in Saudi Arabia indicates that vitamin K may help protect against “cognitive deterioration.” The new study, which was presented at the Experimental Biology meeting on April 5th, 2022, tested giving a vitamin K supplement to rats.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, dementia “is a general term for loss of memory, language, problem-solving and other thinking abilities that are severe enough to interfere with daily life.”
Alzheimer’s disease is thought to be a result of the build-up of abnormal proteins in the brain, called amyloid plaques. These can stop the brain cells from signaling as well as they did before and damage them.
There are other types of dementia, and vascular dementia is thought to be caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, which can also damage brain cells.
Per the most recent data from the Alzheimer’s Association, people ages 65 and older are at the highest risk for developing Alzheimer’s dementia. The association reports that 6.5 million people currently have this specific form of dementia in the United States.
Some signs and symptoms of dementia the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) listsTrusted Source include:
Forgetting the names of loved ones Having mood changes Being unable to remember old memories
Struggling to complete tasks Having difficulty with communication
While there is no cure for dementia, there are some medications and therapiesTrusted Source that can help with symptoms, such as donepezil, galantamine, and rivastigmine.
