desdemps

Medical Neuroscience PhD Candidate @IUMedSchool Alzheimer’s Disease, neuroimaging, lifestyle factors 🧠🧬 remind us all what it means to be human ✨

[Dr. Rhonda Patrick @foundmyfitness]

Higher meat intake was associated with less cognitive decline and lower dementia risk in APOE e4 carriers, a group at higher risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Those who ate ~2 servings of meat per day had a better 10-year cognitive trajectory and a 55% lower dementia risk compared to people eating less than a half a serving per day.

That pattern wasn't seen in the non-APOE e4 carriers and was NOT observed for processed meat. Unprocessed red meat alone was also linked to lower dementia risk in APOE e4 carriers.

My take is not “everyone should eat more meat.”

But a few servings per day of unprocessed meat (as observed in this study) is perfectly healthy for most people.

[Dr. Rhonda Patrick @foundmyfitness]

This is a big deal. Omega-3s reduce aggressive behavior across randomized controlled trials.

A meta-analysis of 29 studies and nearly 4,000 participants found that omega-3 supplementation reduced aggressive behavior by up to 28%. The benefit was broadly consistent across children and adults, males and females, community and clinical samples, and across different doses and treatment durations. It also helped with both reactive/impulsive and proactive/planned aggression.

Mechanistically, this makes sense. Omega-3s are deeply involved in brain cell membranes, neurotransmission, neuroinflammation, cerebral blood flow, and gene regulation. DHA is especially enriched in the prefrontal cortex (an area critical for impulse control, emotion regulation, and executive function).

The authors even concluded that there is now “sufficient evidence” to begin implementing omega-3 supplementation to reduce aggression in the community, the clinic, or the criminal justice system.

That’s a remarkable statement for a nutritional intervention and a reminder that omega-3s influence brain health and may shape behavior in meaningful ways.

[desdemps @dizziidesi]

@AdamMGrant PhD students get both!😀

[Dr. Rhonda Patrick @foundmyfitness]

You don't need 10,000 steps per day to reduce your risk of death or major diseases (but it might be best).

A new study finds that benefits begin to accrue at 4,000 steps per day, with a 9-39% reduction in the risk for all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality; dementia, and even depressive symptoms.

7,000 steps per day provided even greater benefits, reducing the risk of these outcomes by 22-47%.

However, 10-12,000 steps per day was associated with a 30-55% risk reduction, benefits that were particularly apparent for all-cause and CVD mortality.

What's my take here? Any and all movement is beneficial. But adding more steps to your day - regardless of where you're at - is never a bad idea.

[Danielle Beckman @DaniBeckman]

I saw this human neuron in the microscope today. So pretty, so unique.

This single neuron from someone's neocortex might have helped this person retrieve a memory, make a decision... or shape their personality and identity. So many possibilities... 🔬♥️🧠

#Neuroscience #SciArt

[Scholarship for PhD @ScholarshipfPhd]

Best Practices for Using AI When Writing Scientific Manuscripts (1/3)

[Nutrition, Metabolism and Dementia PIA @NutritionPIA]

Join us on June 30th @ 10am CT, as we highlight work from our Early Career Investigators!
Archontoula Drouka (Greece) will discuss alcohol consumption & CSF biomarkers of AD
Jiaqi Yang (USA) will connect molecular nutrition to the MIND diet

Sign up:https://t.co/RzH96GwYTJ

[David Sinclair @davidasinclair]

What you eat, when you eat, and how you move are key molecular levers of aging

[Dr. Rhonda Patrick @foundmyfitness]

Rates of colorectal cancer incidence have steadily risen in the last few decades, and I think that ultra-processed foods, particularly processed meats, are a major culprit.

Along with cancer rates, processed meat intake has also increased. Processed meat accounts for approximately 25% of all meat consumed in the U.S.

In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified processed meat (e.g., bacon, sausages, hot dogs, deli meat) as a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning there’s strong evidence it raises cancer risk. Each 50-gram daily serving—about two slices of deli ham—raises colorectal cancer risk by 18%.

Processed meats are specifically those preserved by curing, salting, smoking, or fermenting, producing carcinogens like N-nitroso compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Simple mechanical processing (such as grass-fed beef burgers) doesn't carry the same risk, though high-heat cooking still generates carcinogenic compounds.

Beyond processed meats, diets high in ultra-processed foods as a whole, including packaged breads, sugary drinks, and ready-to-eat meals, carry an 11% higher colorectal cancer hazard overall, and a 29% higher risk in men, likely driven by microbiome-disrupting emulsifiers, added sugars, and chronic low-grade inflammation.

To practically lower colorectal cancer risk, limit ultra-processed foods and prioritize nutrient-dense whole foods.

PMID: 38752573
PMID: 37485395

[FoundMyFitness Clips @fmfclips]

Eating just one cup of blueberries daily measurably improves brain function

Their anthocyanins are powerful phytochemicals that gently stress cells just enough to activate defense mechanisms protecting DNA, boosting brain blood flow, and improving cognition at all ages

Clinical trials consistently show better memory, attention, and reaction times—from kids to seniors

It's one of the simplest dietary upgrades you can make for brain health

[Dr. Rhonda Patrick @foundmyfitness]

Most people don't consume enough potassium from their diet, and eating more potassium, not less sodium, may be the best advice for better blood pressure for many people, according to a new study.

- Doubling sodium intake increased blood pressure by roughly 2–4 mmHg in men and 1–3 mmHg in women.

- In contrast, doubling potassium intake, with normal sodium levels, lowered blood pressure by about 7–10 mmHg in men and 5–10 mmHg in women.

- Even when sodium intake was also doubled, boosting potassium still resulted in meaningful reductions: approximately 7 mmHg in men and 5 mmHg in women.

Less than 2% of adults in the U.S. are hitting the recommended daily potassium intake.

Even though it was based on a modeling analysis of sodium and potassium intake, this new study calls into question blanket recommendations to cut salt intake; rather, they suggest that guidelines should emphasize dietary potassium and the ratio of sodium to potassium in the diet.

For most people, that may mean just getting more potassium.

Study DOI: 10.1152/ajprenal.00222.2024

[Dr. Rhonda Patrick @foundmyfitness]

Combining regular exercise with an AGE-inhibiting compound can reverse vascular aging by nearly 15 years, highlighting the profound impact chronically elevated blood glucose has on cardiovascular aging.

Chronically elevated blood glucose profoundly accelerates cardiovascular aging by promoting the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs).

AGEs develop when excess glucose binds irreversibly to collagen within our heart and blood vessels, causing structural stiffening and fibrosis. After about age 70, exercise alone typically cannot reverse this AGE-induced cardiovascular damage from decades of sedentary living.

Managing blood glucose is critical and non-negotiable for maintaining heart health and longevity. Regular exercise optimizes glucose regulation and confers additional protective benefits to the cardiovascular system.

Study PMID: 24130005

[Nicholas Fabiano, MD @NTFabiano]

The amygdala is a brain region involved in stress.

Resting metabolic activity of the amygdala significantly predicts the development of cardiovascular disease.

🧵1/10

[Puja Agarwal @PujaAgarwal1902]

Basics webinar #nutrition #metabolism #imaging biomarkers by @NutritionPIA 👇🏼register using the link below

[IU Radiology and Imaging Sciences @IURadiology]

Huge congratulations to Soumilee Chaudhuri on receiving the prestigious 2025-2026 Wells Graduate Fellowship! 🎊

@iadrc_iu @iumedschool @iuindianapolis
#WellsGraduateFellowship #IU #AlzheimersResearch #HealthEquity #Neuroscience #Research #PhD #AcademicExcellence

[Ralitsa Kostadinova @Ralyoyo]

#AAIC2024 Come visit my poster #809 tomorrow, Wednesday, July 31st! ☻

[Dr. Rhonda Patrick @foundmyfitness]

On average, each unit increase in VO2 max (1 ml/kg/min) is associated with a 45-day increase in life expectancy.

Maximizing longevity isn't just about adding years to your life; it's about enhancing the quality of those years through superior cardiorespiratory fitness, as measured by VO2 max.

An improved VO2 max means our body becomes more efficient at using oxygen to generate energy. This efficiency isn't just about better performance in physical activities; it translates to enhanced energy levels and stamina in our daily lives.

Watch the full episode:
https://t.co/2Hx29jaHP3

[Dr. Rhonda Patrick @foundmyfitness]

Establishing a solid foundation of muscle mass before the age of 50 is crucial. We know muscle mass peaks in our 20s and 30s, then declines at about 8% per decade, speeding up to 15% per decade after we hit 70.

This means by the time we're in our 70s and 80s, we're left with just 60-80% of the muscle mass from our 30s.

The pillars of muscle growth are resistance training and adequate protein intake. However, as we age, we face anabolic resistance, where our muscles don't respond to amino acids as effectively.

This phenomenon compounds muscle atrophy, highlighting the critical importance of proactively building and maintaining muscle mass early in life to ensure longevity and enhance the quality of life in our later years.

[Dom Acri, PhD @domjacri]

Tune in to hear from two @NeurosciStark ⭐️s!!

You won’t want to miss @DDBANIK and @Mason__Tate this Friday during the Big 10 Neuro seminar series🧠

[Danielle Beckman @DaniBeckman]

Imagine seeing the world like that?

The case shown by @OGdukeneurosurg is called hemispatial neglect, a condition in which, after damage to one hemisphere of the brain (e.g., after a stroke), the person cannot process and perceive stimuli towards one side of the body.

The clock-drawing test is also a fast tool used to check signs of dementia and evaluate cognition in older people.