Research

        Sad news: A seven-year study suggests that severe depression is linked to risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

        Researchers led by Dr. Robert S. Wilson of the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center in Chicago followed 651 Catholic nuns, priests and brothers over age 65 as part of the Religious Orders Study, an ongoing look at aging and Alzheimer's.

        Of the 108 participants who developed Alzheimer's, those who had shown the greatest number of depressive symptoms at the start of the study were more likely to develop Alzheimer's and showed more rapid cognitive decline.

        “With each additional symptom, the risk of AD increased by about 20 percent,” Dr. Wilson said.

        At the beginning of the study, about half of the participants showed no symptoms of depression. The remainder showed from one to eight symptoms. Only 1 percent showed symptoms severe enough to warrant a diagnosis of severe depression.

        The study was supported by the National Institute on Aging and appeared in the Aug. 13 edition of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Calendar

       Om: Cincinnati Yoga School and Bookstore, 11130 Kenwood Road in Blue Ash, will hold an open house from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Lilias Folan and other instructors will lead Yoga Sun Salutes. Yoga demonstrations and healing techniques will be offered. Information: 247-9642 or www.cincyoga.com.

        Mesmerized: The American Lung Association will offer group no-smoking and weight-loss classes at 9 and 10 a.m. at the Drake Center, 151 W. Galbraith Road in Hartwell, and at noon and 1 p.m. at the Clermont County United Way Building in Batavia. Reservations: 985-3990.

Advice

        Memory lapse: Age isn't the only culprit behind “senior moments,” or memory lapses.

        Dr. Heidi White, an assistant professor of geriatric medicine at Duke University Medical Center, says adults should tell their doctors if they suddenly find they're routinely forgetting appointments or losing their keys.

        “Sometimes, there are simple things that can be investigated to find an answer to why that might be happening,” she said.

        Medications, alcohol, depression and impairment of hearing or vision can all cause cognitive decline, Dr. White said.

        Regular physical and mental exercise also help alleviate “brain drain,” she said.

Shelf help

        Needled: The Botox Book (St. Martin's Press; $22.95) by Dr. Michael Kane covers how the wrinkle reducer works, guidelines on selecting a practitioner, safety concerns about “bargain Botox” and Botox parties and skin care after Botox injections. The book will be released Saturday.

        Contact Peggy O'Farrell by phone: 768-8510; fax: 768-8330; e-mail: pofarrell@enquirer.com.

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