Experiencing daytime sleepiness is something that is usually perceived as a minor inconvenience, but for older adults, it could be an early warning sign of Dementia. This neurodegenerative disease leads to the progressive decline of brain cells. This eventually

affects memory, cognition, and personality, making everyday tasks more difficult. As one of the fastest-growing neurological disorders across the world, dementia poses a significant health threat to ageing populations.

Is Dementia Linked To Poor Sleep?

For this study, researchers followed 445 older adults (average age 76) over three years, aiming to determine whether poor sleep could increase the risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which often leads to dementia. At the start, none of the participants had MCI, but by the end of the study, 36 individuals had developed the condition.

The researchers discovered that participants with poor sleep were more likely to develop MCI compared to those who slept well. However, when depression symptoms were taken into account, the link between poor sleep and MCI became less pronounced, suggesting that while sleep issues are a concern, mental health also plays a key role in dementia risk.

To assess sleep quality, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used, evaluating factors such as sleep duration, disturbances, and daytime alertness. Among these, "daytime dysfunction"—defined as excessive sleepiness and low energy during the day—was most strongly associated with an increased risk of MCI. Those experiencing daytime dysfunction were more than three times as likely to develop MCI as those who didn’t report such symptoms.

There are many types of dementia:

Dementia is not a specific disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is an overall term that describes a decline in mental ability that interferes with daily life. People with dementia often have symptoms like trouble remembering, thinking, or making everyday decisions. These symptoms tend to get worse over time.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, and it mostly affects the elderly. Each form of dementia has a different cause. Though dementia mostly affects older adults, it is not a part of normal ageing. An estimated 6.7 million older adults have Alzheimer's disease in the United States. That number is expected to double by 2060, as per data from the CDC.

In 2022, 3.8% of men and 4.2% women in US were diagnosed with dementia. The percentage of people increase with age from 1.7% for those aged 65-74 to 13.1% for those aged 85 and older. Alzheimer's accounts for 60 to 80% of all dementia cases and it is most prevalent in California, Florida, and Texas, as these states have the highest number of people.

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has terminated 16 grants worth a combined $38 million, including programmes focused on maternal and infant health, postpartum care and infant mortality, as the agency shifts funding priorities towards infertility and physical activity.

The grants, administered through HHS’ Office of Minority Health (OMH), were cancelled on August 25, according to reports. The affected programmes had already received funding for the first two years of their four-year grants.

The move has sparked criticism, particularly because some of the cancelled programmes were directly focused on supporting mothers and babies after childbirth.

HHS Shifts Focus To Infertility And Male Reproductive Health

According to the letters sent to grantees, future awards should directly support efforts aimed at “reducing overmedicalization in health care by addressing the root causes of infertility.”

The areas listed by HHS include hormonal imbalances, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, low sperm count, low testosterone levels and erectile dysfunction (ED). Programmes promoting “regular physical activity and exercise” were also listed among the priorities.

For grants dealing with maternal health, officials reportedly acknowledged that maternal and infant health remained important but said the specific projects did not advance minority health within OMH’s current priority are.

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Which Health Programmes Lost Funding?

Among the affected programmes was an initiative by Illuminate Colorado, which sends nurses to the homes of minority women following childbirth to check on the health of mothers and newborns.

“It was news to us that maternal and infant fatality prevention wasn’t a priority,” Jillian Fabricius, co-executive director of the organisation, told NOTUS.

Another programme administered by Housing Works and EngageWell helped people with hypertension monitor their blood pressure at home and provided fresh produce and eggs to 150 New Yorkers every two weeks.

The cancelled grants also included programmes focused on cancer screenings, suicide prevention among first responders and reducing obesity among Native American youth.

At the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, a programme aimed at reducing maternal and infant mortality among Black families in the Arkansas Delta could also end because of the funding loss.

Leslie Taylor, a university spokesperson, said the issue was “certainly a big issue in our state” given Arkansas’ high maternal and infant mortality rates.

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HHS Decision Is Drawing Criticism

The cancellations come amid a bigger shift in US federal health policy under the Trump administration, with HHS increasingly emphasising infertility, chronic disease prevention, exercise and what officials describe as addressing the underlying causes of health problems.

However, critics argue that programmes addressing maternal and infant mortality are also essential preventive healthcare, particularly for minority communities that experience significant health disparities.

“It is shocking that OMH under any leadership would prioritize erectile dysfunction over the health and wellbeing of infants and new mothers,” Representative Diana DeGette, the ranking Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce health subcommittee, wrote to HHS officials.

Atherosclerosis, in which plaque builds up inside the arteries, is a major cause of cardiovascular disease and can lead to heart attacks, strokes and sudden death. A new study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that plaque buildup can begin decades before symptoms appear.

An international team of researchers found atherosclerosis in many apparently healthy young adults, including those in their 20s.

Dr Borja Ibáñez, Scientific Director of the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), said the findings point to a new approach to cardiovascular prevention: detecting atherosclerosis through imaging before symptoms appear, rather than relying only on risk factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol and smoking.

Plaque Can Appear In The 20s

The study included 16,808 people aged 18 to 70 from Denmark and Spain. None had a known history of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Using advanced imaging, researchers examined the carotid, femoral and coronary arteries for plaque. Overall, 57.1% of participants had atherosclerotic plaques, despite having no symptoms or previous diagnosis of cardiovascular disease.

Atherosclerosis was detectable even among the youngest participants. Among those aged 18 to 29, plaque was found in:

• 8.7% of men
• 6.7% of women

The prevalence increased with age, reaching nearly 90% among people aged 60 to 70. By 60–70, only about 1.9% of men and 8.1% of women had no detectable plaque in any of the arteries examined.

Men Develop Plaque Earlier

The study found differences between men and women. Atherosclerosis began increasing at younger ages in men, with their atherosclerotic profile appearing five to 10 years earlier than in women.

In women, the sharpest increase occurred between 40 and 60, broadly coinciding with the menopausal transition.

Could Ultrasound Detect Silent Atherosclerosis?

Conventional cardiovascular risk scores, including SCORE2, identified only a small proportion of people who already had silent atherosclerosis.

Researchers found that people with coronary artery plaque often also had plaque in the carotid or femoral arteries. Because these arteries can be examined using relatively simple, non-invasive ultrasound, the finding could have implications for future screening.

Dr. Ibáñez said portable ultrasound devices could potentially become a tool for detecting atherosclerosis from early adulthood.

“The future of cardiovascular prevention must be more precise and personalized,” he said, adding that early detection could allow earlier intervention and more targeted treatment.

Plaque Does Not Mean A Heart Attack Is Imminent

Dr. Sudhir Kumar, neurologist at Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, said atherosclerosis can remain silent for decades before causing a heart attack, ischemic stroke or peripheral arterial disease.

However, having plaque does not mean a heart attack or stroke is imminent. Greater plaque burden and more widespread disease are associated with higher cardiovascular risk.

He also stressed that atherosclerosis is not simply an unavoidable consequence of ageing. Its progression can be slowed by addressing modifiable risk factors.

How To Lower Cardiovascular Risk

• Regular aerobic and strength exercise
• Avoiding tobacco
• Eating a healthy diet and limiting ultra-processed foods
• Controlling blood pressure
• Managing LDL cholesterol/ApoB when indicated
• Preventing and treating diabetes
• Maintaining a healthy waist
• Getting adequate sleep.

15-year-old Tanvi Pariyani’s death at AIIMS Delhi has raised questions about the treatment of a rare and complex congenital heart condition she had been living with since childhood.

Tanvi, from Kota, had been visiting AIIMS since she was two. Her medical records listed ventricular septal defect (VSD) with pulmonary atresia, a combination that can make treatment considerably more complicated than just a 'hole in the heart'.

Tanvi’s family has alleged that corrective surgery was repeatedly postponed. AIIMS, however, said its treating team concluded in 2017 that corrective surgery was not feasible because of the complexity of her cardiac anatomy and advised medical management.

The hospital has now constituted a committee to review her complete clinical records, investigations, treatment, expert opinions and the circumstances surrounding her death. An autopsy is also underway.

What Is Pulmonary Atresia With VSD?

A VSD is a hole in the wall separating the heart’s two lower chambers. The right side of the heart pumps oxygen-poor blood towards the lungs through the pulmonary artery.

In pulmonary atresia, the normal route through which blood leaves the right side of the heart and reaches the lungs is blocked or has not developed properly.

This can severely block blood flow to the lungs and reduce the amount of oxygen entering the bloodstream.

When pulmonary atresia occurs along with VSD, doctors have to deal with multiple abnormalities rather than simply closing the hole.

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Treatment Is Complicated

Some children may initially require procedures to ensure adequate blood reaches the lungs. Doctors may use medicines temporarily and later create an alternative pathway for blood flow through a shunt.

In some patients, the pulmonary arteries remain very small and the body develops additional blood vessels supplying the lungs.

These vessels, called major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (MAPCAs), may need to be brought together through a procedure called unifocalisation.

A conduit may then be used to connect the heart to the lungs, while the VSD may also need to be closed.

The anatomy can also change as a child grows. Small pulmonary arteries, abnormal blood vessels and rising pressure in the lungs can make later surgical repair more challenging.

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Events Leading Upto The Teen's Unfortunate Death

According to AIIMS, Tanvi was admitted on August 24 after her condition deteriorated and was being evaluated for a possible heart-lung transplant.

On September 1, she developed severe cyanosis, and her oxygen saturation fell to around 48%. AIIMS said she subsequently suffered a hypoxic spell followed by cardiac arrest. Despite oxygen support and resuscitation, she could not be revived and was declared dead at 5:06 am.

“The Director, AIIMS, New Delhi has constituted a committee to examine the matter in detail, review the sequence of events and establish the facts,” the institute said.

The committee’s findings and autopsy report will be important in establishing what happened and whether any intervention could have altered the outcome.