Auburn men's basketball head coach Bruce Pearl paid tribute to Charlie Kirk during his appearance on OutKick's "Don't @ Me" with Dan Dakich on Friday.Kirk was assassinated on Wednesday, and Pearl was one of the many sports figures to offer prayers in the immediate aftermath of his death."Charlie was a man of faith. He knew where he was going when his time came. I know thats not what he was planning on, because he had so much to live for here," Pearl began.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM"He was living, I think, the most important revival taking place in our country, and that was young, conservative, Christian people who were on fire for God, who are on fire for Jesus, who are on fire for this country to help get involved in service and process, and also began to see that the other side was so different than how they felt about faith and family and the right to life. So many things that we take for granted as part of our DNA."Pearl then ripped "the opposition" for the political attack against Kirk because "they couldn't beat him" in debate.AARON BOONE RECALLS 'SPECIAL NIGHT' AFTER TRUMP'S MEETING WITH YANKEES ON 9/11 ANNIVERSARY"The opposition is pulling farther apart from us and getting more violent. I think the reason theyre getting more violent is because, like Charlie Kirk proved every time he debated and had discussion, he was on the side of right, he was on the side of good, he was on the side of accurate history for the most part of what he talked about, and they couldnt beat him. So they killed him. They murdered him. They assassinated him. They eliminated him. But what they didnt realize is they actually didnt. Because he is going to live on through all of us that followed him, that learn from him."Heres the deal none of us could touch Charlie. He had a different gift, and hell be sorely missed."A suspect, Tyler Robinson, was arrested by police in Utah. President Donald Trump announced a suspect was in custody on "Fox & Friends" on Friday morning.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X,and subscribe tothe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

FIRST ON FOX:An assistant campus director at George Washington University took to social media shortly after the assassination of Charlie Kirk and said it is "fair" that Kirk was gunned down due to his support of gun ownership and the Second Amendment."If nothing else, it is fair, in a nation where children get massacred by gun violence on the regular, the people who advocate for continued gun ownership at the expense of those children are not immune from the consequences of their advocacy," Anthony Pohorilak, Assistant Director of Academic Initiatives at George Washington Universitys Mount Vernon Campus, posted on his personal Facebook after Kirk was killed."No thoughts no prayers," the GWU employee added.The Facebook post, exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital, received 37 likes and love reactions from Pohorilaks friend group.CHARLIE KIRK'S SUSPECTED ASSASSIN IDENTIFIED AFTER FATAL SHOOTING OF INFLUENTIAL CONSERVATIVE VOICE IN UTAHThe George Washington University website lists Pohorilak, who uses the pronouns "He/Him" in his bio, as working for theCampus Living & Residential Education department."The George Washington Universityunequivocally condemns all forms of violence," a university spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement."As a university with one of the most politically engaged campus communities in the country, we believe everyone is entitled to their beliefs and no one should ever be subject to violence for expressing their views. This individual employee is not authorized to speak on behalf of GW and his opinions do not reflect those of the university."PENTAGON ANNOUNCES 'ZERO TOLERANCE' FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL MOCKING CHARLIE KIRK'S ASSASSINATIONFollowing news of Kirk's death, social media has been littered with examples of individuals celebrating or justifying the assassination, some of which have resulted in termination.The NFL's Carolina Panthers fired a member of the teams communications department this week after a social media post from the employee appeared to show him questioning why people were sad that Kirk had been shot and killed. The song "Protect Ya Neck" from the Wu-Tang Clan was also shared.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPAfter Kirk was shot Wednesday afternoon, MSNBC's Matthew Dowd suggested it was caused by a chain reaction from his "hateful words" against various groups. Kirk, a leading conservative activist and top ally of President Donald Trump, later died at the age of 31.Dowd was later fired from the network and an apology was issued.Several examples have come from academia, including at the University of Mississippi where a staff member was terminated after making insensitive remarks on social media, Mississippi Today reported.At Middle Tennessee State University, a dean was fired after saying she has "zero sympathy" for Kirk, USA Today reported.Fox News Digital's Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report

Light up your yard this Halloween with massive inflatables or terrifying animatronics. These towering decorations are easy to set up and feature built-in, glowing lights to dial up the spookiness. Here are 10 options you can shop now.Original price: $149.99Thiseight-foot inflatable rooster skeleton, complete with internal lighting, adds a delightfully eerie yet family-friendly vibe to your yard. It self-inflates in seconds and includes stakes and tethers for easy setup.Original price: $100Set the scene with this toweringFrankenstein inflatable archway and create a bold entryway for trick or treaters. It self-inflates and comes with ropes and stakes to secure it.SLEEP BETTER WITH THESE UPGRADES BLACKOUT CURTAINS, WEIGHTED BLANKETS, SOUND MACHINES AND SMART GOGGLESThis impressive15-foot airblown skeleton is the perfect spooky touch for your home this Halloween. To set it up, you just need to plug it in, stake it down and it will self-inflate in seconds. Lawn stakes and tethers are included.Original price: $65.99Thismassive eight-foot inflatable spider has built-in LEDs that glow brightly at night and it self-inflates in seconds. Just plug it in and secure it with the included ropes and stakes to let the scares begin.Bring nightmares to life with this12-foot Wendigo animatronic. Its glowing eyes, moving head and eerily shifting arms make it a terrifying addition to your Halloween decorations.Original price: $108.99Set the scene for an alien invasion in your yard with thisnine-foot, self-inflatable UFO. It comes with LED lights that create a glowing tractor beam.Original price: $39.99This12-foot ghost is a striking, easy-to-set-up centerpiece for your Halloween display. It features built-in multicolor LEDs that make it glow in the dark, creating a dramatic silhouette.11 HALLOWEEN COSTUMES ADULTS WILL LOVEGive your yard a friendly fright with this adorable5.7-foot skeleton puppy. This inflatable has built-in LEDs to glow at night and self-inflates in seconds.Go big this Halloween with a towering20-foot pumpkin inflatable. It self-inflates in under a minute and includes ropes and ground stakes for a secure setup.For more deals, visitwww.foxnews.com/dealsOriginal price: $599This massive25-foot Stay Puft Marshmallow Man is ready to haunt your neighborhood and is perfect for Ghostbusters fans. This illuminated inflatable can be set up quickly and comes with tether cords and ground stakes to keep it securely in place.If youre anAmazon Prime member, you can get these items to your door ASAP. You canjoin or start a 30-day free trial to start your shopping today.

SALT LAKE CITY Taylor Bentley, a Utah resident who said he was 15 to 20 yards from Charlie Kirk when he was assassinated, told Fox News Digital that there was a moment he didn't believe it was real."He was talking about gun violence and the initial thought, for just a millisecond, was like, Is this a bit that he's doing, where he leans back? And then immediately, it's like, no."Bentley said he was close enough to Kirk to see the blood pouring down his neck. While briefly in disbelief, he then quickly jumped into action."After just a second of shock, I pulled my friends down," Bentley said. "And we're on the ground for about 15 seconds, just kind of feeling helpless before people start running to the buildings surrounding the courtyard, and we took off and sheltered in there for about 20 minutes."ENGRAVINGS ON SHOOTER'S AMMO EXPOSES CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION MOTIVEDuring those 20 minutes sheltering, Bentley said he was worried, but he didn't feel unsafe."We felt pretty sure that this was a targeted assassination. We knew immediately that Charlie wasn't gonna make it. We were close enough to see what the shot was like and knew that he was probably not going be able to make it out," Bentley said.In the two days since Kirk's assassination, he told Fox News Digital that he's loved the message from community leaders, including Gov. Spencer Cox, R-Utah, who has consistently addressed the public at news conferences since Wednesday.Cox called Kirk's assassination a "watershed in American history," after announcing the suspect's arrest.RILEY GAINES SHARES EMOTIONAL CHARLIE KIRK TRIBUTE AFTER UTAH ASSASSINATION: WE DONT HAVE TO LIVE LIKE THIS'The governor said Kirk's "political assassination" is an "attack on the American experiment.""History will dictate if this is a turning point for our country, but every single one of us gets to choose right now if this is a turning point for us. We get to make decisions. We have our agency. And I desperately call on every American Republican, Democrat, liberal, progressive, conservative, MAGA, all of us to please, please, please follow what Charlie taught me," Cox said Friday.Bentley said Cox has "done a phenomenal job in pushing a message of unity, of faith, of hope, and of embracing the message that Charlie pushed out there of open dialogue, and of avoiding violence, and of approaching our disagreements with words instead of violence."Since the assassination on Wednesday, Utah has organized several vigils. In Orem City Park on Thursday evening, several students and local residents paid their respects during a candlelit vigil.A memorial honoring Kirk at the Timpanogos Regional Hospital is flooded with "We love you, Charlie" posters, flowers and American flags. More signs and flowers can be found for Kirk on Utah Valley University's campus.Flags are flying throughout the state at half-staff this week, and many gathered for a vigil at the Utah State Capitol on Wednesday evening.

The Chicago Cubs flew the American flag at half-staff for Fridays home game against the Tampa Bay Rays in honor of conservative activistCharlie Kirk, who was assassinated during a campus event in Utah on Wednesday.The flag at Wrigley Field appeared to be flown at half-staff in accordance withMLBs request that teams follow President Donald Trumps presidential proclamation.In a statement to Fox News Digital on Thursday, the league confirmed that it "asked all of the Clubs to follow the direction of the White House Presidential Proclamation and fly flags at half-staff in their ballparks."CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMThe proclamation from the White House ordered that flags be flown at half-staff until sunset on Sunday. In addition to the flag, Tyler Bowyer, the Chief Operating Officer of Turning Point USA, reported on "The Charlie Kirk Show" that the Cubs would be "recognizing" Kirk in some way during the game."He loved the Cubs," Andrew Kolvet, Turning Point USA spokesman, added. "His grandma was a lifelong Cubs fan and she got to seethe Cubs win the World Series and then passed away.""She lived to see the greatest thing as a sports fan for her and that meant a lot to him."RILEY GAINES SHARES EMOTIONAL CHARLIE KIRK TRIBUTE AFTER UTAH ASSASSINATION: 'WE DONT HAVE TO LIVE LIKE THIS'The Cubs broke a 108-year drought when they defeated Cleveland in seven games to win the 2016 World Series. Kirk shared a photo on X of him and his grandmother celebrating the teams victory at the time."We are thankful that after 108 years the CUBS ARE WORLD CHAMPS," he wrote in a post on Thanksgiving Day.In March, Kirk shared another photo of his family at a Cubs game.The Cubs flew the flag at half-staff, but did not hold a moment of silence as the New York Yankees did for Kirk on Wednesday night.Police confirmed Friday that a suspect in Kirks killing was arrested. He was identified as Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old Utah resident. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox stated that a family member of Robinsons contacted a family friend who then reached out to the Washington County Sheriffs Office "with information that Robinson had confessed to them or implied that he had committed the incident."Follow Fox News Digitals sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

President Donald Trump said "deeply troubled" Memphis, Tenn., is next on the list for a potential deployment of National Guard troops after a decrease in crime following the federal law enforcement surge in Washington, D.C.Memphis has the highest violent crime rate in the entire United States of cities with over 250,000 people, with a rate of 2,501 per 100,000 people, WSMV reported, citing FBI data. Oakland, California, Detroit, Michigan, and Baltimore, Maryland, are right behind it, respectively.The president said on "Fox & Friends" on Friday morning that he would have "preferred" sending troops into Chicago, where Democratic leaders have opposed a surge, but a major immigration enforcement operation is underway."CHICAGO CRIME, NATIONAL GUARD PUSH MOVE TO FOREFRONT OF TRUMPS WEEK"We'll straighten out the National Guard and anybody else we need," he later added.The president then touted Memphis as "a great music city" and the "home of Elvis."Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris condemned the move to send troops into the city in a statement to Fox News Digital on Friday."The Presidents announcement that troops will occupy Tennessee communities is disappointing, anti-democratic, and violates American norms and possibly US laws," Harris stated."In the short term, the Presidents incursion will likely cause confusion and fear in many of our communities, particularly the most vulnerable ones. In the long term, the mark of Tennessee communities being occupied by federal forces will hurt our states reputation for generations," he continued.GOP SENATORS SAY THEY'RE OPEN TO TRUMP DEPLOYING NATIONAL GUARD IN THEIR STATES' BLUE CITIESHarris added that it will "have a chilling effect" on Tennesseans wanting to "exercise critical freedoms, such as the freedom to protest and the liberty to travel." He added that they will do "everything" possible to "prevent this incursion into Tennessee."Memphis Mayor Paul Young said in a statement on Thursday to the local outlet that he is aware of the possibility of troop deployment, saying he is "working to ensure any efforts to strengthen our community" and asked for more "financial resources" for law enforcement, saying progress is being made in tackling crime in the city, according to according to WREG."We agree with Governor Lee that effective support for Memphis comes through focused initiatives that deliver results like we have seen with the FBI, state troopers, and other law enforcement partnerships," Young stated.Trump said during the Friday interview that "the mayor is happy." In the capital city, Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser was strongly critical about the federal takeover at first, but then praised the drop in crime.The nationwide debate continues whether sending troops into cities is the right move as opposed to just federal law enforcement agencies, as the D.C. policy is considered a collaborative effort.TRUMP'S WEEK SHAPED BY CRIME AGENDA, POTENTIAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT TO CHICAGOSen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., praised the move as a step forward to curbing urban crime."Today, President Trump answered my call to do whatever it takes to Make Memphis Safe Again, and I applaud his decision to send the National Guard to Memphis following his tremendous success in reducing violent crime in Washington, D.C.," she stated.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPThe federal surge in Bluff City could also be part of "Operation Viper," which is an effort to have the FBI and the DEA boost their enforcement in West Tennessee.The White House deferred to the presidents remarks when reached out to by Fox News Digital. Fox News Digital reached out to the mayor of Memphis.

Author Stephen King apologized Friday for a now-deleted social media post in which he claimed that assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk advocated for "stoning gays to death.""He advocated stoning gays to death. Just sayin," King posted to X on Thursday.Following fierce backlash online, King deleted the post and apologized."I apologize for saying Charlie Kirk advocated stoning gays. What he actually demonstrated was how some people cherry-pick Biblical passages," he wrote.ANTI-TRUMP VOICES PRAISE CHARLIE KIRK'S LEGACY AFTER ASSASSINATION, SAY HE WAS DOING POLITICS 'THE RIGHT WAY'"I was wrong, and I apologize. I have deleted the post," he later stated on X, and he also responded to others criticizing him.Kirk, a 31-year-old father of two, was shot and killed during a campus event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.CHARLIE KIRK PAINTED AS 'CONTROVERSIAL,' 'PROVOCATIVE' IN MEDIAS ASSASSINATION COVERAGEThe Turning Point USA founder was struck in the neck as he spoke to a large crowd from under a white pop-up tent. He was rushed to the hospital and pronounced dead Wednesday afternoon.Tyler Robinson, 22, has been identified as the suspect in the killing.Social media users were quick to call out King for his now-deleted post, including Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, who suggested that Kirk's estate sue the author.CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE"Please share if you agree that the estate of Charlie Kirk should sue Stephen King for defamation over this heinously false accusation," Lee wrote on X Thursday. "Hes crossed a line. It will prove costly."Kirk's death has been met with widespread mourning and outrage. President Donald Trump, who counted Kirk as a friend and close political ally, called him a patriot and a man of deep faith.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"He was such a great guy that he had to end this way," Trump said Friday on "Fox & Friends." "But you know, in many ways, hes bigger now because of what happened."Fox News Digital has reached out to King for comment.

The White House unleashed on The Washington Post for its reporting on the stabbing murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska by a career criminal on a train in North Carolina in August."White House: The career criminal who murdered Iryna Zarutska shouldve been locked up. Murderers mother: My son shouldve been locked up. Washington Post citing 'experts': Actually, locking up violent criminals is draconian!" White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted to X on Wednesday.Leavitt was reacting to a Washington Post article titled, "Trump blames Democrats for Charlotte stabbing. Records complicate the story," which detailed the White House's position that left-wing cities have created violent trends via soft-on-crime policies such as no-cash bail. The article focused on the murder of Zarutska and the suspect allegedly behind the tragedy, Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr.Brown had a lengthy arrest record ahead of Zarutska's death, racking up 14 arrests over the last decade, as well as convictions including larceny and breaking and entering in 2013, and a 2015 conviction for robbery with a dangerous weapon, which landed him behind bars for six years, Fox Digital previously reported.LIBERAL MEDIA FUEL 'REPUBLICANS POUNCE' NARRATIVE AS CHARLOTTE STABBING OF UKRAINIAN REFUGEE SPARKS OUTCRYMore recent charges included communicating threats and misuse of the 911 system earlier this year. Brown, however, was not under state supervision at the time of Zarutska's killing.Brown's own mother, whom the Washington Post noted in its Wednesday report, told local media that her son should have been detained at the time of the killing, and lamented the court system released him despite previous arrests and mental health concerns. The White House provided its own statement to the outlet arguing violent criminals should be detained and not out on the streets, which the Washington Post included."This is not a complicated issue, like many Democrats and left-wing media outlets have tried to claim; it is very simple: violent criminals belong behind bars, not sitting behind innocent bystanders on public transportation," White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told the Washington Post for the story in question.The White House took issue with the outlet, noting the mother's concern over her son's release, and Jackson's statement, before citing experts who reported to the outlet that "permanently confining people who are mentally ill for minor offenses is a draconian and inhumane response."CHARLOTTE MAYOR SLAMMED OVER COMMENTS AFTER WOMAN STABBED TO DEATH ON TRAIN"The Trump Administration will not let it go unnoticed that the failing left-wing media and out-of-touch, privileged reporters continue to bend over backwards to defend career criminals instead of the innocent victims that are murdered by these monsters," White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told Fox Digital of the media report. "Enough is enough: the American people deserve better and that begins by acknowledging the truthabout how soft-on-crime policies fuel this unacceptable violence."Fox News Digital reached out to The Washington Post for comment on the White House's response.Brown's mom, who did not identify herself, told local outlet WSOC-TV in August that her son had long struggled with mental illness, noting that he "started saying weird things" after his release from prison for the 2015 robbery conviction."My heart goes out to the victims family. What he did was atrocious. It was horrible. It was wrong," she told outlet WSOC-TV.CNN'S BRIAN STELTER SAYS 'PRO-TRUMP ACTIVISTS' SEIZED ON CHARLOTTE STABBING, RIPS 'BALDLY RACIST' COMMENTSAhead of the murder, Brown was charged by police for misusing the 911 system in January, when he claimed to operators that he was being controlled by a microchip, the New York Post reported. He was released from jail on cashless bail and provided a "written promise" to appear in court at a later date.There were concerns over his mental health, however, with a prosecutor questioning if Brown could proceed in the court case before a judge ordered a forensic evaluation, according to WSOC-TV. Brown was not detained despite the concerns.DEM GOVERNOR BREAKS SILENCE ON MURDER OF UKRAINIAN REFUGEE AFTER SOCIAL MEDIA BACKLASHHis mother told the local outlet that the court should not have allowed him to be among the community, citing his mental state and previous arrests, while adding that "the system failed him."The Department of Justice announced on Tuesday that it federally charged Brown with one count of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system.Leavitt, during a White House press briefing on Tuesday, railed against media outlets for their slow response in covering the fatal stabbing after it unfolded on Aug. 22."This is madness. This monster should have been locked up, and Iryna should still be alive, but Democrat politicians, liberal judges, and weak prosecutors would rather virtue signal than lock up criminals and protect their communities," Leavitt said on Tuesday. "Perhaps most shamefully of all, the majority of the media, many outlets in this room, decided that her murder was not worth reporting on originally because it does not fit a preferred narrative."Fox News Digital's Sarah Rumpf-Whitten and Alexander Hall contributed to this report.

Taylor Swift is being pulled into the ongoing legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni.The pop superstar may be deposed in Livelys sexual assault lawsuit against Baldoni but only if she is "forced" to.Swifts attorney said the "Bad Blood" singer "did not agree" to a deposition, according to a Sept. 12 letter to Judge Lewis Liman obtained by Fox News Digital. The letter also stated her team has "consistently maintained that my client [Swift] has no material role in this action."The letter said that if the singer "is forcedintoadeposition," she will make time during the week of Oct. 20th if the parties are able to work out their disputes.BLAKE LIVELY SLAMS JUSTIN BALDONI'S SINISTER CAMPAIGN AGAINST HER, DEMANDS LAWSUIT BE DISMISSED"We take no role in those disputes," the letter stated.Baldoni's legal team filed a letter on Sept. 11, stating that Swift had agreed to sit down for a deposition between Oct. 20 and Oct. 25, according to Variety.LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSOn the same day, Livelys attorneys filed a letter directed at Wayfarer Studios, after the company requested an extension of the discovery schedule to depose Swift.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER"In this latest effort, the Wayfarer Defendants assertthough, notably, without evidencethat Ms. Swift has supposedly agreed to sit for a deposition sometime between October 20-25 (some three weeks after the close of fact discovery in this matter)," Michael Gottlieb, a lawyer for Lively, wrote in the filing. "Yet, even if one were to take the Wayfarer Defendants representation at face value, they have not come close to establishing good cause for their requested relief."Representatives for Swift and Baldoni did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.Lively sued Baldoni first for sexual harassment after the two starred together in the Colleen Hoover-adapted film "It Ends With Us." Since the premiere of the movie in August 2024, Lively has also accused Baldoni of participating in a deliberate smear campaign to ruin her reputation.Baldoni later accused Lively of tormenting him, his family and colleagues in a lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York in Jan. Baldoni's legal team claimed Lively has no evidence of a deliberate smear campaign and instead worked to repair her reputation by accusing the actor and others of sexual harassment.Lively's husband, Ryan Reynolds, was also named in Baldoni's lawsuit against Lively. In documents related to the case, the "Deadpool" actor was accused of "defamation, false light invasion of privacy, tortious interference, and civil extortion," and was referred to as a "co-conspirator."Judge Liman dismissed Baldoni's lawsuit against Lively and Reynolds in June.Lively and Baldoni's back-and-forth legal battle seemingly has no end in sight. After they filed their respective lawsuits against each other, the two have shown no signs of settling outside of court.Fox News Digital's Lauryn Overhultz contributed to this report.

Levels of iron in the brain could be a warning sign of future Alzheimers disease, a new study suggests.High levels of the chemical element have been shown to increase brain toxins and trigger neurodegeneration, resulting in cognitive decline especially when they interact with theabnormal amyloid and tau proteins that are the hallmark pathologies of Alzheimers disease.Researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that a special MRI technique called quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) can measure levels of brain iron.EARLY ALZHEIMERS SIGNS DETECTED IN 3 MINUTES WITH NEW BRAINWAVE TEST"QSM is an advanced MRI technique developed over the last decade to measure tissue magnetic susceptibility with good precision," said the studys senior author Xu Li, PhD, associate professor of radiology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, in a press release."QSM can detect small differences in iron levels across different brain regions, providing a reliable and non-invasive way to map and quantify iron in patients, which is not possible with conventional MR approaches."Compared to traditional imaging options for Alzheimers diagnosis, including PET scans,QSM MRI is "non-invasive and much more affordable," according to the researchers.This measurement could help predict the likelihood of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and cognitive decline, even if the person has shown no symptoms.DEMENTIA RISK SLASHED WITH ONE COMMON HEALTH INTERVENTION, STUDY FINDSIn the study, which was published in the journal Radiology, the researchers tested the MRI technique on 158 cognitively unimpaired participants from a previous research project.After a follow-up period of 7- years, the team concluded that higher iron levels in two key parts of the brain were linked to a higher risk of mild cognitive impairment, which is typically a precursor to the development of Alzheimers dementia."The key takeaway of our study is that higher brain iron levels, especially in some critical brain regions related to memory and learning (entorhinal cortex and putamen, as shown in our study), are linked to a two- to four-times higher risk of developing MCI and faster cognitive decline," Li told Fox News Digital."And such brain iron changes may be measured years before memory loss, when the participants are still cognitively normal.""Using QSM, we found higher brain iron in some memory-related regions that are linked to a higher risk of developing cognitive impairment and faster cognitive decline," Li said. "This risk is even higher when the participants have higher levels of amyloid pathologies."The study did have some limitations, Li noted, including the smaller group of participants."The study population is from a specialized cohort consisting of mainly white, highly educated participants with a strong family history of Alzheimers disease," the researcher noted.If larger, more diverse studies confirm these findings, it could support the use of this MRI technique for patients at a higher risk of dementia, the release stated.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER"I think we should be hopeful," Li said."We can use this kind of tool to help identify patients at higher risk of developing Alzheimers disease and potentially guide early interventions as new treatments become available. Also, besides serving as a biomarker, brain iron may become a future therapeutic target."The researchers also hope to make the QSM technology more standardized, faster and more widely accessible in clinical practice, he added.Li noted thatwhile brain iron is associated with neurodegeneration and could lead to faster cognitive decline, it is also an important element for cognitive health and neurodevelopment at a young age."While iron chelation (to remove iron) therapies for Alzheimers are currently explored, their effect is still not very clear andmuch more research is needed," he said.For more Health articles, visitwww.foxnews.com/healthThe study was supported by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institute on Aging and the National Institutes of Health.