Latest news with #UniversityOfNottingham
The Sun
2 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
The 6 money habits that could warn of dementia a decade before a diagnosis
KEY money habits could provide clues that someone is experiencing cognitive decline - up to 10 years before a dementia diagnosis. Frequently losing bank cards or requesting PIN resets could serve as early signals of the memory-robbing disease, researchers said. A study from University of Nottingham's School of Economics suggests that routine banking data could be used to flag dementia years before it is diagnosed. Early detection of dementia through financial behaviours could help support vulnerable people, researchers added. When a person starts to have problems with their memory and thinking, this is called mild cognitive impairment. For some people, these issues can be early signs of a disease that will eventually cause dementia. The research team - led by Professor John Gathergood from the University of Nottingham and David Leake at Lloyds Banking Group - examined anonymised banking records from more than 66,000 people. They also compared data from 16,742 people who were registered for power of attorney (PoA) due to a loss of financial capacity with a group of 50,226 individuals of the same age who had recorded no loss in capacity. PoA is a legal mechanism that allows someone to appoint another person to make financial decisions on their behalf if they lose mental capacity. " Alzheimer's disease and related dementias is considered the single biggest cause of mental incapacity among older adults," study authors wrote in JAMA Network Open. The study found that people with cognitive decline start to show small but significant changes in their banking behaviour. These include being more likely to lose bank cards, request new PINs and report fraud. Five simple tests that could indicate dementia Spending less money on travel and hobbies like gardening, logging into online banking less and increasing household bills were also red flags. Specifically, researchers found that people who registered for PoA were 9.6 per cent less likely to spend money on travel five years before doing so. They were also 7.9 per cent less likely to splurge on hobbies such as gardening. Researchers said cognitive decline could be prompt people to fewer activities outside their homes and spend more money on their home life. On average, they logged into online banking one fewer time each month and they were more likely to report fraud, lose cards, and request PIN resets. This suggested that people who eventually lost financial capacity were "gradually losing the ability to monitor their finances, which in turn increased the likelihood of unwanted transactions going unnoticed", researchers suggested. The changes occurred up to a decade before people were formally identified as lacking financial capacity, they went on. Prof Gathergood explained: 'These patterns provide the first large-scale evidence that behavioural data held by financial institutions can reveal the early emergence of cognitive decline. Is it ageing or dementia? Dementia - the most common form of which is Alzheimer's - comes on slowly over time. As the disease progresses, symptoms can become more severe. But at the beginning, the symptoms can be subtle or mistaken for normal memory issues related to ageing. The US National Institute on Aging gives some examples of what is considered normal forgetfulness in old age, and dementia disease. You can refer to these above. For example, it is normal for an ageing person to forget which word to use from time-to-time, but difficulting having conversation would be more indicative of dementia. Katie Puckering, Head of Alzheimer's Research UK's Information Services team, previously told The Sun: 'We quite commonly as humans put our car keys somewhere out of the ordinary and it takes longer for us to find them. 'As you get older, it takes longer for you to recall, or you really have to think; What was I doing? Where was I? What distracted me? Was it that I had to let the dog out? And then you find the keys by the back door. 'That process of retrieving the information is just a bit slower in people as they age. 'In dementia, someone may not be able to recall that information and what they did when they came into the house. 'What may also happen is they might put it somewhere it really doesn't belong. For example, rather than putting the milk back in the fridge, they put the kettle in the fridge.' 'It is a powerful demonstration of how anonymised banking data can be used responsibly to protect the most vulnerable members of society.' In the UK, more than a million people aged 65 years or older have some form of dementia. This number is expected to surpass 1.4 million by 2040. Researchers said banking data - which is already collected by banks - may be used to screen for early signs of dementia or cognitive difficulties in the future. "In addition to highlighting the financial vulnerability associated with losing financial capacity, this study illustrates how granular financial data can help us understand how declining financial capacity manifests in everyday behaviours," they said. "In contrast to biomarkers [biological clues in the blood or tissues], cognitive and functional measures, such behavioural financial data, are already stored in large volumes by financial institutions, which have a direct interest in protecting vulnerable customers. "If data privacy and individual consent considerations allow, combining these data sources could provide valuable insights into how behavioural markers vary across specific conditions (eg, Alzheimer's disease vs frontotemporal dementia). "Such insights may inform the development of screening strategies." Prof Gathergood added: 'As a society, we need to better support people at risk of losing financial capacity – long before the signs become obvious to friends or family. "Early detection through financial behaviour may be a key part of that solution. 'By better understanding behavioural markers of declining capacity, banks can explore how to strengthen safeguards for customers.'
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Is it true that … we're all a little bit intolerant to dairy?
Most of us aren't inherently dairy intolerant, but we can go through periods where we become more sensitive to lactose in our diet, says Amanda Avery, an associate professor in nutrition and dietetics at the University of Nottingham. She says that when people talk about being 'dairy intolerant', they're usually referring to lactose, the sugar found in milk and dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yoghurt. In most people, that sugar is broken down by an enzyme called lactase, which is found in our small intestine. It helps our bodies digest and absorb lactose without causing discomfort. 'We're born with plenty of lactase. But as our diets diversify, our lactase levels decline,' says Avery. 'If there is minimal milk in the dairy diet then lactase levels may be zero, thus people from some cultural backgrounds and countries where dairy intake is negligible may be intolerant.' People who don't produce enough lactase may find themselves having gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating and loose stools when they consume dairy. Some people can find their lactase activity is temporarily reduced when their gut function is disrupted by antibiotics or stress. This can lead to 'transient lactose intolerance' – a period where your body struggles to digest dairy even if you weren't previously sensitive. If people cut out dairy and then reintroduce it, they might also experience abdominal symptoms for a short period while their lactase activity is being restored, says Avery. But this doesn't necessarily mean you're permanently intolerant. It could just be your gut enzymes playing catchup. 'Good practice, even if you do think you are slightly intolerant, is to try to keep a little dairy in your diet – cheese or yoghurt should be OK. Cheese has very little lactose, and in yoghurt, much of the lactose is broken down by the bacteria. Even having a little bit of milk in your tea helps,' says Avery. So, is it true that we're all a little bit intolerant to dairy? No, but our ability to digest it can definitely fluctuate. For many, it's not a lifelong intolerance but a temporary reaction.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Is it true that … we're all a little bit intolerant to dairy?
Most of us aren't inherently dairy intolerant, but we can go through periods where we become more sensitive to lactose in our diet, says Amanda Avery, an associate professor in nutrition and dietetics at the University of Nottingham. She says that when people talk about being 'dairy intolerant', they're usually referring to lactose, the sugar found in milk and dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yoghurt. In most people, that sugar is broken down by an enzyme called lactase, which is found in our small intestine. It helps our bodies digest and absorb lactose without causing discomfort. 'We're born with plenty of lactase. But as our diets diversify, our lactase levels decline,' says Avery. 'If there is minimal milk in the dairy diet then lactase levels may be zero, thus people from some cultural backgrounds and countries where dairy intake is negligible may be intolerant.' People who don't produce enough lactase may find themselves having gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating and loose stools when they consume dairy. Some people can find their lactase activity is temporarily reduced when their gut function is disrupted by antibiotics or stress. This can lead to 'transient lactose intolerance' – a period where your body struggles to digest dairy even if you weren't previously sensitive. If people cut out dairy and then reintroduce it, they might also experience abdominal symptoms for a short period while their lactase activity is being restored, says Avery. But this doesn't necessarily mean you're permanently intolerant. It could just be your gut enzymes playing catchup. 'Good practice, even if you do think you are slightly intolerant, is to try to keep a little dairy in your diet – cheese or yoghurt should be OK. Cheese has very little lactose, and in yoghurt, much of the lactose is broken down by the bacteria. Even having a little bit of milk in your tea helps,' says Avery. So, is it true that we're all a little bit intolerant to dairy? No, but our ability to digest it can definitely fluctuate. For many, it's not a lifelong intolerance but a temporary reaction.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
University of Nottingham ranked in the world's top 100 universities
The University of Nottingham has ben ranked among the world's top 100 universities, according to a new league table. The city's university has been placed at 97 out of more than 1,500 institutions globally and 17 out of 90 institutions in the UK by the 2026 QS World University Rankings. Professor Jane Norman, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nottingham, said: 'We are proud to be ranked among the top 100 universities in the world, this is testament to the dedication and excellence of colleagues who provide world-class education, deliver outstanding research, and support our graduates to achieve their career ambitions. The QS World University Rankings evaluate hundreds of universities globally using six key performance indicators that assess research, teaching, employability, reputation, sustainability and internationalisation. The methodology relies on global surveys focusing on academic reputation and employer reputation. READ MORE: The landmark buildings set to be demolished under Nottingham Forest's City Ground plans READ MORE: 'I live in Nottingham tower endangered by construction defects - please crack on with fixing it' Nottingham performed strongly for employability and employer reputation, reflecting its position as the UK's leading university for graduates entering highly skilled employment and 3rd in the UK for university's targeted by top employers. The richness and diversity of the university's international research partnerships also played a key role in its placement in this year's ranking, recognising the role that Nottingham's research plays in changing lives and finding solutions to global challenges. Nottingham is known internationally as the birthplace of MRI and for its work driving advances in cancer treatment and pharmacy and discovering new insights into virology. The university has the world's largest group of researchers dedicated to ending modern day slavery by 2030 through evidence-based strategies and global collaboration and its experts are helping to tackle climate change by accelerating green technology innovations to achieve a zero-carbon future.
The Independent
18-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
The highest placed UK universities in global rankings revealed
Imperial College London has cemented its position as the UK's leading university, outperforming both Oxford and Cambridge for the second consecutive year in global rankings. The QS Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings placed Imperial College London second globally, trailing only the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US, which retained its top spot. Meanwhile, Oxford slipped from third to fourth place, and Cambridge fell from fifth to sixth for 2026. In total, four British universities made the top 10 in the international league table, with University College London (UCL) retaining ninth place. However, 54 UK universities dropped in the new rankings, released on Thursday, including the University of Glasgow, the University of Manchester, the University of Warwick and the London School of Economics (LSE). Some 11 UK universities maintained their position in the 2026 table, while 24 improved their position, as the University of Sheffield and the University of Nottingham returned to the global top 100 at 92nd and 97th respectively. Jessica Turner, chief executive of QS said that the UK government is 'seeking to slash capital funding in a higher education system that has already sustained financial pressure, introduce an international student levy and shorten the length of the graduate visa route to 18 months from two years'. 'This could accumulate in a negative impact on the quality and breadth of higher education courses and research undertaken across the country. 'While the UK Government has placed research and development as a key part of the recent spending review, universities across the country will need more support to ensure their stability going ahead. 'At the same time, global competitors are seeing their governments increase investment in higher education and research, leading to international peers gaining and, in many cases, overtaking UK universities in the QS World University Rankings.' 'The UK has until now been one of the countries to dominate QS World University Rankings, but institutions in the country are facing heightened competition internationally. 'A targeted approach is necessary by both government and individual institutions to ensure that the higher education excellence the country is renowned for is secured for the future, essential to delivering productivity in a knowledge-based economy and attracting top global talent.'
