Read the latest aging and Alzheimer's news from NIA

Check out these articles for the latest in aging advances and research happening at the National Institute on Aging at NIH: Social isolation, loneliness in older people pose health risks— Social isolation and loneliness can affect the physical and mental health of older adults, including those with cognitive impairment. Read about research on risk factors and solutions. Physicians writing fewer initial opioid prescriptions, but some high-risk prescribing persists— The number of first-time prescriptions for opioids has dropped, but risky high-dose and long-duration prescriptions remain a concern, a new NIA-supported study shows. Blood test shows promise in predicting presymptomatic disease progression in people at risk of familial Alzheimer’s— In people at risk for familial Alzheimer’s, the rate of change of NfL, a protein, predicted symptoms years in advance.  High cholesterol, other factors shown to increase risk for ALS— The world’s most extensive study of genomic data on risk factors for ALS found that having high levels of LDL cholesterol increased the risk of developing the neurodegenerative disease.  Irisin from muscle promotes bone remodeling in mouse study— How does exercise promote bone health and prevent bone loss? A study supported in part by NIA identified the mechanism of action of irisin, a hormone-like molecule from muscle.  Liver Frailty Index could identify cirrhosis patients at highest risk of death while waiting for transplants— A new way to measure physical frailty in people with cirrhosis of the liver seeks to better identify patients who are most at risk of dying while waiting for a transplant.  Physical activity and motor ability associated with better cognition in older adults, even with dementia— Study funded in part by NIA finds evidence that physical activity and motor skills are beneficial to cognitive functioning in older age, even in people with signs of Alzheimer’s disease.  Visit the NIA newsroom for more press releases, featured research, and announcements. Share this information on social media: Read and share the latest research news from the National Institute on Aging at NIH: http://bit.ly/2EkEbTQ