A study in JAMA Neurology found older men with a weak or irregular circadian rhythm are more likely to later develop Parkinson's disease, reports News-Medical . The researchers analyzed 11 years of data for 2,930 independently living men, average age 76.3. None of the participants initially had Parkinson's, and all were living in community-based environments. Earlier research drew an association between daytime napping and the later development of Parkinson's, even after considering sleep disturbances. During follow-up, 78 participants were diagnosed with Parkinson's, and those scoring lowest in actigraph amplitude, mesor, or robustness had a threefold risk of developing Parkinson's compared to those who scored highest. No association between acrophase and Parkinson's risk was observed. "If research points to sleep or circadian problems being risk factors for neurodegeneration prior to traditional symptoms, then we may be able to use that information for early detection and diagnosis, or we might be able to intervene in ways that prevent development of neurodegenerative loss of function," suggested University of California, San Francisco Professor Yue Leng.

Psychedelic drugs lack the serious side effects of antidepressants, which stands to especially benefit older adults, reports Forbes . The Bright Minds biotechnology startup is developing second-generation analog compounds intended to overcome such health risks, including psilocybin-like compounds that are free of potential toxicities to deliver more attenuated treatment. "When you're dealing with an individual that's compromised in terms of their health, you're going to need to have them very carefully monitored if you're going to give them psilocybin itself," said Bright Minds lead researcher Alan Kozikowski. He also acknowledged the possibility that psilocybin could halt neurodegenerative processes, and even enhance memory in persons with Alzheimer's. "There is a possibility you can get formation of new neurons, and you might restore certain synaptic connections," Kozikowski said. Bright Minds is currently testing one of its designer compounds for the treatment of cluster headaches, which according a study in Neurology respond well to psilocybin. Kozikowski calculates that about two years of preclinical work will pass before his researchers discover an investigative new psychedelic drug, followed by two to three more years of clinical trials before Bright Minds can roll out a first drug onto the market.

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas' (UNLV) new Chambers-Grundy Center for Transformative Neuroscience is designed to provide hope for people with Alzheimer's, dementia, and other brain and neurological diseases through scientific discovery, reports EurekAlert . The center will impel research, monitor the progress of clinical trials worldwide, and offer learning opportunities in the science of developing treatments for these disorders. "The . . . Center . . . will advance the science of brain health in tangible ways to transform the lives of millions of people affected by neurodegenerative diseases today and into the future," said Ronald. T. Brown, dean of the UNLV School of Integrated Health Sciences. The center's core element is its clinical trial observatory, which will track most Alzheimer's clinical trials throughout the world, compiling data from each trial's successes and failures to help scientists learn how to improve trials and expedite drug development. "The observatory will strengthen the science of treatment development and systematically reveal how to make trials better, faster, and cheaper," said center director and UNLV Professor Jeffrey Cummings. "Application of these lessons will accelerate treatments to dramatically improve people's lives."

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday ruled 6-3 that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects gay and transgender employees from workplace discrimination, reports the New York Times . Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on race, religion, national origin, and sex. The question for the court was whether discrimination based on sex applies to gay and transgender workers. The landmark decision covered three cases. Two pertained to gay men who said they were fired because of their sexual orientation. A third case pertained to a transgender woman who said her company fired her when she announced that she would embrace her gender identity at work.

Tiffany DiPanni has founded Social Savvy Seniors, a company in Florida that helps seniors cope with isolation during the coronavirus pandemic by digitally connecting them with the outside world, reports ABC Action News . Through classes, DiPanni is training older men and women to overcome the digital world's obstacles, by instructing them on social media use, and ordering basic staples like food, medication, and transportation online. "Even before COVID, we had a real concern for senior isolation because we are living in a digital world," DiPanni said. She also thinks it is valuable to teach her senior learners how to distinguish fact from fiction online. Group classes offered by Social Savvy Seniors are free, but individual classes require a fee, with most of the training currently virtual.

A multi-ethnic study of almost 4,000 Americans aged 54 to 76 published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found older adults with low vitamin K levels were more likely to die within 13 years versus those with adequate levels, reports ScienceDaily . Analysis revealed no significant associations between vitamin K levels and heart disease, but participants with the lowest vitamin K levels had a 19 percent higher risk of death, compared to the those with levels indicating adequate vitamin K intake. "The possibility that vitamin K is linked to heart disease and mortality is based on our knowledge about proteins in vascular tissue that require vitamin K to function," said Kyla Shea at Tufts University's Jean Mayer U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging. "These proteins help prevent calcium from building up in artery walls, and without enough vitamin K, they are less functional." Tufts Medical Center's Daniel Weiner said age-related calcification of blood vessels reduces the efficiency of blood flow, which can lead to complications. "That is why measuring risk of death, in a study such as this, may better capture the spectrum of events associated with worsening vascular health," he noted.

It is common for baby boomers to remain employed well into their 60s, 70s, or even 80s due to various factors, according to U.S. News & World Report . The leading reasons for not retiring include finding fulfillment in employment, supplementing retirement income, maintaining support for worthy causes, and staying engaged and mentally sharp. The article's author interviewed several boomers as case studies. Gary Wordlaw came to regret his retirement as general manager of a TV station in Tallahassee, Fla., out of a sense of unused, pent-up energy. Howard Wooley, a 33-year veteran of the communications industry, opted to come out of retirement as a public policy consultant, which still allowed him the flexibility of much-needed family time. Sandra McPeak at Wells Fargo Advisors noted that many people follow a non-traditional retirement pathway or even un-retire. "A lot of times, people, when they retire, think they will have all this time . . . but after a while, they are drumming their fingers," she said. "They don't feel engaged. They feel like they aren't contributing."

Infectious disease experts in the United States are warning that the coronavirus will be making life difficult for the foreseeable future, reports the New York Times , with some leaders in New York, Texas, and elsewhere threatening renewed lockdowns in an effort to get people to take the persistent threat of the virus seriously. Public health officials have estimated that without a vaccine, approximately 70 percent of the population will need to be infected and develop herd immunity in order to stop the virus' spread. The current number of confirmed cases in the U.S. is estimated at about two million, less than 1 percent of the country's population. In Houston, officials warn that a lockdown might be re-imposed as cases continue to tick upward. The region is now at what officials call "Code Orange," meaning there is an uncontrolled level of coronavirus spread. Jay Butler of the Centers for Disease Control recently said that "if cases begin to go up again, particularly if they go up dramatically, it's important to recognize that more mitigation efforts such as what were implemented back in March may be needed again."

A new report from AARP and the Women's Alzheimer's Movement consolidates 10 years of lessons to help explain why women are disproportionately affected by Alzheimer's disease, and to outline a five-year plan to reduce that burden, according to Being Patient . The plan specifies a global strategy to help women and families coping with Alzheimer's and dementia, no matter their income, ethnicity, education, or cultural background. The five-point approach involves eliminating the stigma of dementia; empowering women to maintain their brain health; guaranteeing inclusivity in research; supporting family caregivers; and improving medical training for dementia. "We recognize that we can't simply sit back and wait for a cure for Alzheimer's disease and dementia," said AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins. "We need to work to reduce risk, improve care, and help people keep their brains healthy while they age. But no one organization or researcher can do it alone. We need to tap into everyone's strengths and also make a call for women to take ownership of their own brain health."

Researchers have determined that the lion's mane mushroom can not only preserve cognitive function, but actually improve it, reports the Daily Mail . The mushroom may help shield against Alzheimer's disease, according to animal studies. A study in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies found that this mushroom and its extracts have reduced symptoms of memory loss in mice, and prevent neuronal damage induced by amyloid-beta plaques. A separate analysis in Phytotherapy Research of older adults with mild cognitive impairment discovered that consuming three grams of powdered lion's mane mushroom each day for four months significantly improved mental functioning, although this effect dissipated when supplementation was discontinued. Another study in the International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms found that the mushroom contains hericenones and erinacines — compounds that can stimulate the growth of brain cells.