According to a study published in the November 6, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, older people who are sleepy during the day or lose interest in activities due to sleep issues may be more likely to develop a syndrome that can lead to dementia.

People with the syndrome walk slowly and report memory problems, but they do not have a mobility handicap or dementia. Motoric cognitive risk syndrome is a condition that can develop before dementia.

What The Study Found?

The study found that people with excessive daytime sleepiness and a lack of enthusiasm to get things done were more likely to develop the syndrome than people without those sleep-related issues. The study does not prove that these sleep-related issues cause the syndrome, it only shows an association.

“Our findings emphasize the need for screening for sleep issues,” said study author Victoire Leroy, MD, PhD, of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York. “There’s potential that people could get help with their sleep issues and prevent cognitive decline later in life.”

How Was It Conducted?

The study included 445 participants, with an average age of 76, who did not have dementia. Participants completed sleep surveys at the beginning of the trial. They were queried about memory problems, and their walking pace was measured on a treadmill at the beginning of the study and then once a year for the next three years.

The sleep assessment included questions about how frequently people had difficulties sleeping because they woke up in the middle of the night, couldn't fall asleep within 30 minutes, or felt too hot or cold, as well as whether they used sleep aids. The question to assess excessive daytime drowsiness asks how frequently people have had problems remaining awake when driving, eating meals, or were engaged in any other activity.

The Findings

In total, 177 participants fit the category of bad sleepers, whereas 268 satisfied the definition of good sleepers.

At the outset of the trial, 42 participants had motoric cognitive risk syndrome. Throughout the trial, 36 more persons got the condition.

35.5% of patients who experienced extreme daytime sleepiness and a lack of enthusiasm developed the syndrome, compared to 6.7% who did not. After accounting for other factors that could influence the risk of the syndrome, such as age, depression, and other health conditions, researchers discovered that people with excessive daytime sleepiness and a lack of enthusiasm were more than three times more likely to develop the syndrome than those who did not have those sleep-related issues.

“More research needs to be done to look at the relationship between sleep issues and cognitive decline and the role played by motoric cognitive risk syndrome,” Leroy said. “We also need studies to explain the mechanisms that link these sleep disturbances to motoric cognitive risk syndrome and cognitive decline.”

A limitation of the study is that participants reported their own sleep information, so they may not have remembered everything accurately.

The study was supported by the National Institute on Aging.

We often hear of dementia as an adult, or older people's disease, but, a father from Glasgow shares how his four-year-old daughter was diagnosed with the condition. Childhood Dementia news of Darren Scott's daughter was delivered to him like a "complete thunderbolt", he tells Sky News. She was diagnosed with the condition before she turned four. Five doctors were waiting, when Sophia Scott, who had just turned four, were summoned to a Glasgow hospital room. Then came the worst news. Scott was told that his daughter could not live beyond the age of 16. "We were told... there was nothing they could do. It was a moment that broke us, shattered our lives. We have never recovered," he says.

What Is Childhood Dementia?

As per Dementia Australia, childhood dementia is a rare brain condition that affects one in every 2,900 babies globally. Childhood dementia is a group of serious brain conditions that interfere with a child’s memory, behavior, emotions and ability to communicate. It isn’t caused by lifestyle or ageing. Instead, it stems from more than 100 rare genetic disorders that children are born with. These include conditions such as Niemann-Pick type C, Batten disease and Sanfilippo syndrome.

No two children experience childhood dementia in the same way. The illness progresses differently for each child, but one thing remains constant: there is currently no cure. Like adult dementia, childhood dementia is progressive, meaning symptoms worsen over time. Heartbreakingly, around half of all affected children do not survive beyond the age of 10.

What causes childhood dementia?

Childhood dementia is genetic. Globally, about one in every 2,900 babies is born with a condition that can lead to childhood dementia. In Australia alone, an estimated 1,394 children were living with dementia in 2021.

The conditions that cause childhood dementia fall into several categories, including inborn errors of metabolism, lysosomal disorders, mitochondrial disorders, mucopolysaccharidoses, leukodystrophy, neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA), and peroxisomal diseases.

Signs and symptoms to look out for

Symptoms can begin in early childhood or appear much later, sometimes not showing up until the teenage years. The progression may be rapid or unfold slowly over several years, deeply affecting both the child and their family.

Much like adults with dementia, children may struggle with memory loss, confusion, changes in personality, anxiety or fear, and severe sleep disturbances. They may also find it difficult to concentrate, learn, communicate or understand things, and some experience behavioral challenges such as hyperactivity.

In addition, childhood dementia can affect the body beyond the brain. Children may develop problems with their bones or joints, experience issues with the heart, lungs or digestive system, lose their ability to move, see or hear, or have seizures.

As the condition advances, children gradually lose skills they once had — talking, walking, reading, writing and playing. Eventually, the body itself begins to shut down. Without major medical breakthroughs and more research, most children with childhood dementia will continue to face a shortened life, often not surviving beyond their teenage years.

India is staring at a sharp rise in lung cancer cases over the next few years, with experts warning that the disease is no longer confined to smokers alone. A recent study published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research projects a significant increase in lung cancer incidence by 2030, with certain regions, particularly the North-East, expected to bear a disproportionate burden. Alarmingly, women are showing one of the fastest rises in new cases.

At a time when the country is on the brink of what researchers describe as a “tsunami” of lung cancer cases, doctors stress that public awareness, early detection, and breaking long-held myths are more important than ever.

Lung Cancer Is No Longer Just a Smoker’s Disease

Lung cancer has long been associated almost exclusively with smoking, but experts say that narrative is outdated. Speaking to The Times of India (TOI), Dr Arun Kumar Goel, Chairman – Surgical Oncology at Andromeda Cancer Hospital, Sonipat, explained that while smoking remains the biggest risk factor, non-smokers are increasingly being diagnosed with the disease.

“Air pollution, indoor cooking smoke, passive smoking, radon gas exposure, occupational hazards like asbestos, and even family history can contribute to lung cancer,” Dr Goel explined. He added that adenocarcinoma, a subtype of lung cancer, is particularly common among non-smokers and appears to be linked more to environmental and genetic factors than tobacco use.

Early Symptoms Are Easy to Miss

One of the biggest challenges with lung cancer is that its early symptoms are often vague and easily mistaken for common respiratory problems. Dr Goel told TOI that persistent cough, changes in cough pattern, coughing up blood or mucus, unexplained chest pain, breathlessness, fatigue, and sudden weight loss are warning signs that should not be ignored.

“In India, lung cancer symptoms often overlap with illnesses like tuberculosis, which leads to delays in diagnosis,” he said. As a result, many patients only seek medical help when the disease has already progressed to an advanced stage.

What a Diagnosis Changes Overnight

A lung cancer diagnosis can be life-altering, both physically and emotionally. According to Dr Goel, patients are suddenly faced with difficult treatment decisions, ranging from surgery and chemotherapy to radiation or targeted therapy. Physical symptoms such as breathlessness and exhaustion can significantly affect daily life.

Emotionally, patients may experience shock, anxiety, fear about the future, concerns for their families, and a loss of independence. “Support from medical teams, counselling services, and loved ones plays a crucial role during this period,” he said.

The Biggest Myth That Delays Care

The most damaging myth, experts say, is the belief that lung cancer only affects smokers. Dr Goel warned that this misconception often results in non-smokers dismissing symptoms or doctors delaying screening. “Anyone can develop lung cancer, regardless of smoking history,” he said.

Early Detection Can Save Lives

If there is one message the public should remember, Dr Goel said, it is that early detection can dramatically improve outcomes. Persistent cough lasting several weeks, unexplained breathing difficulties, or ongoing chest discomfort should prompt immediate medical attention.

“Recognizing symptoms early and seeking help can change the course of treatment and significantly improve quality of life,” he said.

Face masks are not adequate when it comes to protection against flu-like illnesses, including COVID, said the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. As the number of flu cases rise in the US and the UK, this WHO guideline, may be of use. The guidelines noted that the surgical masks worn by doctors and nurses, when they are face to face with a patients are no longer providing the protection, and must be replaced with respirators.

The guidelines noted in a letter to the WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, noted there is “no rational justification remaining for prioritizing or using” the surgical masks that are ubiquitous in hospitals and clinics globally, given their “inadequate protection against airborne pathogens”. “There is even less justification for allowing healthcare workers to wear no face covering at all,” the letter read.

When COVID was at its peak, an estimated of 129 billion disposable face masks were being used around the world every month. These were used by the healthcare workers as well as general public. These surgical masks were most widely available and recommended by most health authorities during that time. However, respirators were then designed to filter tiny particles. Then came the masks FFP2/3 standards in the UK or the N95 in the US. Evidence also supported that many countries are switching to these masks and that they are more effective. This resulted in fewer infections in patients and health professionals, as well as reducing the rate of sickness, and burnout of the healthcare professionals.

What Is The Key Difference Between Respirator and Surgical Mask?

Face masks are loose in fitting and are designed for one-way protection. It protects others from coughs and sneezes. WHO recommends a three-layer mask when people cannot socially distance. However, not all face masks have a safety rating.

The respirators on the other hand has a tight fitting, which creates a facial seal and filters both inflow and outflow of air. It tightly covers the nose and the mouth. It also removes 94% of all particles that are 0.3 microns in diameter or larger. It is also designed to protect the wear up to the safety rating of the mask.

COVID - Airborne or Not?

The WHO has faced criticism for its delayed acknowledgment of Covid-19’s airborne transmission. The letter urges the agency to reassess its earlier position and clearly communicate to the public that the virus spreads through airborne respiratory particles.

Professor Trisha Greenhalgh of the University of Oxford, a signatory to the letter whose research is widely cited in it, said that infection occurs only when germs enter the body. She explained that respirators, which seal tightly against the face, force air to pass through high-grade filters that block airborne pathogens. In contrast, she noted, medical masks fit loosely and allow significant air leakage.

Supporters of the letter include members of the World Health Network, leading US epidemiologist Eric Feigl-Ding, and Guardian columnist George Monbiot.

Responding to the letter, a WHO spokesperson said it would undergo “careful review.” The spokesperson added that the organization consults experts across diverse health and economic settings when developing guidance on personal protective equipment for healthcare workers, and that its Infection Prevention and Control guidelines for epidemic- and pandemic-prone respiratory infections are currently under review in light of the latest scientific evidence.