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Stressful events in midlife, like the death of a spouse or loss of a job, increased the risk of dementia for women in old age, according to a Swedish study. The researchers couldn't say whether some women's habits, such as regular exercise, lowered the risk from stress.

The worldwide population of older people in need of care for Alzheimer's and related diseases will reach 277 million by the middle of the century, the authors say.

The research gives a glimmer of hope about the health of aging populations. But both studies were conducted in Western Europe and may not reflect trends in the American population.

Pansy Greene, 73, is still in the early stages of Alzheimer's. She and her husband, Winston, describe their "journey," a term they use to refer to much more than Pansy's struggle with the disease.

Alzheimer's disease and depression have a lot in common, and people with depression face a greater risk of dementia as they age. Researchers aren't sure why and are seeking clues. They are trying to find out if treating depression will then help prevent or delay dementia.

More than 5 million Americans currently have Alzheimer's disease, and the number is only going to increase — in part, due to aging baby boomers. But researchers say increased awareness and early detection is helping patients live with the disease.

When Rebecca Posamentier was pregnant with her first child, she visited StoryCorps with her mother, Carol Kirsch. The soon-to-be mother tried to glean all she could about parenting from her own mother, before it was too late.

"What's good for the heart is good for the brain," one neuroscientist says. In addition to physical exercise, researchers say mental exercise, socializing and a good diet can help preserve memory.

Drug companies have developed several Alzheimer's drugs that seemed to work in mice but did not help people with the disease. So scientists inserted human genes into rats in hopes of getting a better model for testing the drugs.

Deaths from the disease have increased by 68 percent between 2000 and 2010. One reason: We're living longer, and deaths from other causes, like heart disease and prostate cancer, are going down.