Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Latest Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Research program aims to thwart prion-like spread of tau pathology in Alzheimer’s disease

Tangles of misfolded tau proteins in the brain are closely associated with memory loss in patients with Alzheimer's disease. In order for this tau pathology to spread, the protein must interact with heparan sulfate, a sugar molecule found on the surface of neurons.

28 Oct 2020

Study finds no association between leisure activities and lower dementia risk

Studies have suggested that taking part in leisure activities such as playing cards or gardening may be associated with a lower risk of developing dementia.

28 Oct 2020

Antiseizure drug use during pregnancy linked with double the risk of having children with autism

Women with epilepsy who take the antiseizure drug valproic acid while pregnant are at more than double the risk of having children with autism spectrum disorder and nearly double the risk of having children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a study in the October 28, 2020, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

28 Oct 2020

Cognitive disorders associated with risk for developing severe COVID-19

Dementia and other cognitive disorders now appear to be risk factors for developing severe COVID-19, according to research from the University of Georgia. The findings highlight the need for special care for populations with these preexisting conditions during the pandemic.

28 Oct 2020

Grant programs will provide $2.2 million to support biomedical research on healthy aging

The Glenn Foundation for Medical Research and the American Federation for Aging Research announce the 2020 recipients of three grant programs: the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research and AFAR Grants for Junior Faculty, the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research Postdoctoral Fellowships in Aging Research, and the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research Breakthroughs in Gerontology Awards.

28 Oct 2020

Researchers investigate why people with dementia go missing

People with dementia are more likely to go missing in areas where road networks are dense, complicated and disordered – according to new research from the University of East Anglia.

28 Oct 2020

'White matter lesion' mapping tool can detect early signs of cognitive decline

A new tool for analyzing tissue damage seen on MRI brain scans can detect with more than 70 percent accuracy early signs of cognitive decline, new research shows.

27 Oct 2020

Hard physical work can increase risk of dementia, confirms study

The muscles and joints are not the only parts of the body to be worn down by physical work. The brain and heart suffer too.

27 Oct 2020

New technique can detect TDP-43 protein in patients with ALS and frontotemporal dementia

A test to diagnose two very serious diseases such as ALS and FTD when the pathologies have not yet appeared, thereby providing doctors and patients with essential information tools to tackle them early and develop new treatments.

27 Oct 2020

Interaction between PTSD and klotho gene may cause premature aging in the brain

Study Finds PTSD Interacts With Klotho Gene, May Cause Premature Aging In The Brain

27 Oct 2020

Researchers generate a transcriptomic map of the COVID brain

COVID-19 is known to be associated with multiple changes in gene expression, but many of these are also seen in chronic brain conditions as well as in some abnormal mental conditions. A recent study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in October 2020 uncovers the molecular basis of this association.

26 Oct 2020

$14 million grant awarded to mitigate the impact of cancer on Pacific Islanders

The University of Guam and the University of Hawai'i Cancer Center were each awarded five-year grants totaling more than $14 million to mitigate the impact of cancer on Pacific Islanders through cancer research, career training, and community outreach.

23 Oct 2020

Initial phase of COVID-19 lockdown decreased sleep, exercise and mental health

A first-of-its-kind global survey shows the initial phase of the COVID-19 lockdown dramatically altered our personal habits, largely for the worse.

23 Oct 2020

$109 million NIH grant awarded to expand Alzheimer's disease and Down syndrome research

The Alzheimer's Biomarkers Consortium - Down Syndrome, a multi-institution research team, co-led by members from the University of California, Irvine, has been awarded an unprecedented five-year, $109 million grant by the National Institutes of Health, to expand research on the biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease in adults with Down syndrome.

22 Oct 2020

Researchers validate new radiolabeled molecule used in imaging tests to detect brain injury

Researchers have validated a new radiolabeled molecule that can be used with imaging tests to accurately detect and characterize brain injury.

22 Oct 2020

Metabolite of dietary soy may lower risk factor for dementia

A metabolite produced following consumption of dietary soy may decrease a key risk factor for dementia--with the help of the right bacteria, according to a new discovery led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health.

22 Oct 2020