New research brings promising news: lowering your blood pressure could reduce your risk of developing dementia by up to 15%. A large-scale study published in Nature Medicine has spotlighted the significant link between hypertension management and cognitive health—a revelation that could shape public health policies, especially in low- and middle-income countries where dementia rates are projected to climb most dramatically.

Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, is now the leading cause of death in the UK and one of the fastest-growing health challenges worldwide. According to projections, the number of people living with dementia is expected to rise from 57.4 million in 2019 to a staggering 152.8 million by 2050. With limited treatment options currently available, prevention is becoming the most strategic—and necessary—line of defense. That’s what makes this new research so critical.

The study, led by Dr. Jiang He from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, tracked 33,995 adults over the age of 40 in rural China who had high blood pressure. Participants were divided into two groups. One group received more intensive treatment involving an average of three medications—such as ACE inhibitors, diuretics, or calcium channel blockers—and personalized health coaching to monitor blood pressure at home and adopt lifestyle changes.

The other group, used as the control, received standard care: usually just one medication alongside general advice on healthy living.

After four years, the results were compelling. Those in the more aggressively treated group saw a 15% reduction in dementia diagnoses and a 16% drop in cognitive impairment compared to the control group.

Why Blood Pressure Matters for Brain Health?

While the connection between high blood pressure and cardiovascular events like stroke is well established, its role in cognitive decline has only recently come into sharper focus. Elevated systolic pressure (above 130 mmHg) and diastolic pressure (above 80 mmHg) are now increasingly associated with impaired brain function, memory loss, and dementia.

High blood pressure damages the brain’s delicate blood vessels, leading to reduced oxygen flow, inflammation, and even micro-bleeds—all contributing to structural changes in the brain that accelerate cognitive decline.

This study affirms that blood pressure management doesn’t just protect your heart—it safeguards your brain.

Lifestyle Changes That Make a Difference

What’s particularly encouraging is that the benefits weren’t derived from medication alone. Participants were also coached to:

Lose excess weight

Reduce salt intake

Limit alcohol consumption

Monitor their blood pressure regularly at home

These are simple, sustainable lifestyle interventions that anyone can begin implementing—no matter where they live. In fact, the researchers noted that the benefits of blood pressure control were consistent even in rural, resource-limited communities. This underlines the power of proactive prevention on a global scale.

“For many years, we’ve suspected that high blood pressure was a key risk factor for dementia,” said Dr. Zachary Marcum from the University of Washington in Seattle. “But this study provides some of the most compelling clinical evidence we’ve seen that treating hypertension can significantly lower that risk.”

Dr. Jiang He, lead author of the study, added, “This proven-effective intervention should be widely adopted and scaled up to reduce the global burden of dementia.”

The research not only demonstrates clinical efficacy—it offers a scalable model for other regions battling rising rates of hypertension and dementia, particularly in developing nations.

If you’re over 40, particularly if you’ve been diagnosed with hypertension, the message is clear: now is the time to act. Regular blood pressure monitoring, routine checkups, and adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle can profoundly impact your cognitive future.

This isn’t just about living longer—it’s about living well, with your memory, mental clarity, and independence intact.

Could Microbiome Health Play a Role in Brain Health?

Emerging research has begun to spotlight the intricate link between gut health and brain function—a concept often referred to as the “gut-brain axis.” Scientists are now exploring whether the health of our gut microbiome—the trillions of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms living in the digestive tract—could influence the risk of neurodegenerative diseases, including dementia.

Several studies suggest that gut dysbiosis, or an imbalance in gut bacteria, may trigger systemic inflammation and compromise the blood-brain barrier, allowing harmful substances to reach the brain and potentially contribute to cognitive decline. Moreover, certain gut microbes are believed to produce neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which play crucial roles in mood regulation, memory, and cognition.

Maintaining a healthy gut through a diet rich in fiber, fermented foods, and probiotics could thus indirectly support brain health. While this area of research is still evolving, it adds a fascinating and holistic perspective to the fight against dementia one that goes beyond traditional blood pressure control and delves into the microscopic world of our gut.

A recent study published in Blood Advanced has reaffirmed the long-term safety effectiveness of hydroxyurea. This is an oral chemotherapy drug, which is used to manage sickle disease (SCD) in children. The findings have given a new hope and reassurance to families and caregivers who are trying to wade the waters of this chronic condition.

What Is Sickle Cell Disease?

As per the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, sickle cell disease, also known as sickle cell anemia, is a group of inherited disorders that affect hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the major protein that carries oxygen in the red blood cells. Usually, red blood cells are disc-shaped and flexible, so they can easily move around the blood vessels. However, in this condition, the red blood cells are misshaped, like a crescent, or "sickle", which is where the disease gets its name from. This happens due to a gene mutation that affects hemoglobin molecule. When red blood cells sickle, they do not bend or move easily and thus can block blood flow to the rest of the body.

People with sickle cell disease could experience onset of strong episodes of pain, also called pain crises.

How Will Hydroxyurea Change The Conditions Of Those With Sickle Cell Disease?

Hydroxyurea, originally developed as a chemotherapy drug, is now a cornerstone in the treatment of SCD. It is taken orally once a day and works by helping red blood cells maintain a more normal, flexible, and round shape. This reduces the likelihood of blockages in the blood vessels.

According to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the drug also helps reduce pain crises, lowers the need for blood transfusions, improves anemia, and cuts down the risk of potentially fatal complications like blood clots in the lungs. Given these benefits, federal guidelines recommend offering hydroxyurea to children with severe SCD starting as early as 9 to 12 months of age.

What Did The Study Find?

The study was conducted by the researchers at Emory University School of Medicine. The study analyzed 2,147 children with sickle cell disease and tracked them between 2010 to 2021. These kids were being treated at the Children's Hospital of Atlanta. Among them, 58% had been prescribed hydroxyurea. The average treatment duration was five years, with some children age 8 or older on continuous therapy throughout the study period.

What Were The Key Findings?

The study found that children who took hydroxyurea had fewer emergency room visits. They also spent fewer days in the hospital as compared to those who did not take the drug. Furthermore, the benefits remained even when researchers adjusted for disease severity and medication adherence.

Dr. Paul George, lead author of the study, emphasized, “Our results reinforce that hydroxyurea...continues to have really important benefits over time for pediatric patients.”

Addressing Safety Concerns

Despite its proven effectiveness, hydroxyurea has faced skepticism due to its origins as a chemotherapy drug. “There have always been some lingering fears about its safety and efficacy, especially for children,” explained Dr. Wilbur Lam, co-author of the study.

However, the long-term data from this study helps to dispel these concerns. Lam added, “This study can provide some reassurance...that this therapy...continues to be a safe option with a true benefit outside of a controlled setting.”

A recent study published in JAMA Psychiatry, titled, Convergence of Cannabis and Psychosis on the Dopamine System, has identified a direct biological link between cannabis use disorder and an increased risk of psychosis. The research shows that those who heavily use marijuana may have elevated levels of the hormone dopamine in regions of the brain associated with psychosis. This happens especially in the substantia nigra (SN) and ventral tegmental areas (VTA). These are both midbrain structures, crucial for dopamine-related functions, which include motor control, reward processing, and motivation. While they both release dopamine, they have distinct roles and connect to different brain regions. The SN primarily contributes to motor control, while the VTA plays a significant role in reward and motivation.

What Is The Role Of Dopamine In Your Brain?

Dopamine is a key neurotransmitter responsible for regulating mood, motivation, learning, and motor control. An imbalance—particularly excessive dopamine—can disrupt normal brain functions and increase susceptibility to psychiatric conditions, including psychosis.

“Excess levels of dopamine can disrupt normal brain processes and may increase the risk of psychosis, particularly in individuals who are already vulnerable,” explained study co-author Betsy Schaefer, a senior manager of clinical research operations at the London Health Sciences Center Research Institute in Ontario.

How Was The Study Conducted?

In order to look into the connection between cannabis use and dopamine, the researcher used an advanced MRI technique to monitor neuromelanin deposits in the brain. What exactly is neuromelanin? It is a substance that builds up over time as dopamine is broken down. As per a 2016 study published in Trends in Cognitive Sciences, titled The Locus Coeruleus: Essential for Maintaining Cognitive Function and the Aging Brain, neuromelanin plays both roles, as a neuroprotective and neurotoxic roles. It is a pigment which is produced in dopamine-producing neurons and while it can help protect against oxidative stress and excess metals, it can also accumulate and contribute to neuronal damage and disease progressions. These deposits appear as black spots in MRI scans and serve as indicators of dopamine activity.

The study also included 25 individuals who were diagnosed with cannabis use disorder and 36 control participants without the disorder. The researchers were able to find that participants who heavily used cannabis had noticeable neuromelanin deposits in specific regions of the midbrain than their counterparts.

“In people partaking in excess cannabis use, those spots are blacker than what they should be for their age compared to healthy individuals,” said senior researcher Dr. Lena Palaniyappan, adjunct professor at Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. “This indicates they have high levels of dopamine, and in some cases are showing pigments someone 10 years older would have.”

he key brain regions showing increased dopamine activity—the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area—have long been linked to the onset of psychosis. According to researcher Ali Khan, assistant professor at Western University, these darker areas were observed in cannabis users regardless of whether they had experienced a first episode of schizophrenia.

“This increase was seen in those with cannabis use disorder regardless of whether they have first-episode schizophrenia,” Khan noted.

With Canada having legalized recreational cannabis use six years ago, the study underscores growing concerns about its long-term mental health impact, particularly on young users.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk are now in an attempt to making more people aware over counterfeit Ozempic (semaglutide) injection pens. These have already penetrated the American drug supply chains. Authorities have also confirmed that several hundred units of the fake products, especially Ozempic injection 1mg are being circulated with a lot number PAR0362 and fake serial numbers beginning with 51746517.

While PAR0362 is a legitimate lot number, any combination with the aforementioned serial sequence is considered counterfeit.

FDA and novo Nordisk are also in the process of testing the counterfeit products, while they have not been disclosed about their identity, quality or safety substances used inside. However, as of now, six adverse events have been reports to FDA which are related to this lot. Though, they have not yet been conclusively tied to the counterfeit versions.

What Does Fake Ozempic Contain?

Experts have earlier also warned about the counterfeit Ozempic and how it can pose health threats. In 2023, three people in the US were hospitalized after unknowingly consuming fake Ozempic. It contained inulin glargine, instead of semgalutide. All three suffered severe hypoglycemia, which is a potentially, life-threatening condition. Cases were also reported from the same regional poison control center, which suggested a concentrated source.

What Could Happen If You Consume Fake Ozempic?

Hypoglycemic Shock: Characterized by trembling, sweating, and heart palpitations due to dangerously low blood sugar levels.

Coma: Severe cases of hypoglycemia can induce unconsciousness, requiring emergency care.

Infections: Resulting from unsterile injections, leading to swelling, fever, and potential sepsis.

Seizures: Caused by extreme drops in blood sugar due to insulin presence in the fake medication.

In fact, last year, on June 19, the World Health Organization (WHO) also issued a global alert warning of counterfeit semgalutide products. Three falsified batches of Ozempic have been identified in Brazil, the U.K., Northern Ireland (October 2023), and the U.S. (December 2023). Since 2022, WHO’s Global Surveillance and Monitoring System (GSMS) has tracked a sharp rise in such cases.

Dr. Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines and Health Products, urged healthcare professionals and consumers to stop using suspicious medicines and report them to regulatory authorities.

ALSO READ: These Foods Can Mimic The Effects of Ozempic

Surging Demand And Black Market Sales

Ozempic and other GLIP-1 agonists such as Wegovy and Saxenda have gained popularity due to its efficacy in managing type 2 diabetes and its weight loss affects. As per research, weight loss exceeding 15% of body mass can have disease-modifying effects in T2D patients. However, this surge in demand has led to widespread shortages and a black market for counterfeit drugs.

Public health expert Dr. Jagdish Khubchandani of New Mexico State University said the high demand and lack of awareness have created “an opportunity for unscrupulous actors to profit,” especially targeting those seeking weight loss without medical supervision.

Is There A Way To Spot Fake Ozempic?

According to Novo Nordisk and the FDA, consumers should examine their Ozempic packaging and pens for:

• Misspelled words
• Incorrect colors
• Missing National Drug Code
• Poor label quality
• Dose counter errors