Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Latest Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Study describes 68 cases of chronic traumatic encephalopathy in athletes, military veterans

A study done by investigators at the Boston University Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy (CSTE) and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, in collaboration with the Sports Legacy Institute (SLI), describes 68 cases of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) among deceased athletes and military veterans whose brain and spinal cords were donated to the VA CSTE Brain Bank.

4 Dec 2012

Scientists discover new target molecule for development of treatment against Alzheimer's

Scientists from VIB and KU Leuven have discovered a new target molecule for the development of a treatment against Alzheimer's disease. There is currently no cure for this disease.

3 Dec 2012

Obstructive sleep apnea affects women more severely than men

Women suffering from sleep apnea have, on the whole, a higher degree of brain damage than men with the disorder, according to a first-of-its-kind study conducted by researchers at the UCLA School of Nursing.

3 Dec 2012

Merck commences MK-8931 Phase II/III trial in Alzheimer's

Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced it has started a Phase II/III clinical trial designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of MK-8931 versus placebo in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease.

3 Dec 2012

Vitamin D may be vital component for cognitive health of women

Two new studies appearing in the Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences show that vitamin D may be a vital component for the cognitive health of women as they age.

30 Nov 2012

HDAC6 enzyme could be possible target for therapies against Alzheimer's

Scientists from the DZNE sites in G-ttingen and Bonn, the UMG as well as from the US participated in this basic research project on Alzheimer's disease. The study is published in "EMBO Molecular Medicine".

30 Nov 2012

Longer looks: Are 'pods' the solution to our long-term care crisis?; A Liver transplant in the nick of time; Pro-life activists and the abortion drop

In November 2006, when Clara Marshall began suffering from the effects of dementia, her family moved her into ... an assisted living home in Vancouver, Wash. ... just five months into her stay, Ms. Marshall, 81, was found dead in her room apparently strangled after getting her neck caught in side rails used to prevent her from rolling out of bed.

29 Nov 2012

Suvorexant may bring help for people with insomnia

A new drug may bring help for people with insomnia, according to a study published in the November 28, 2012, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

29 Nov 2012

Microglia might play a key role in protecting brain from Alzheimer's

A new experimental study carried out in mice shows that microglia, immune cells of the brain, might play a key role in protecting the brain from Alzheimer's disease (AD).

29 Nov 2012

Review: Omega-3 fatty acids may still help prevent heart disease

Literally hundreds of clinical trials, including some that have gained widespread attention, have been done on the possible benefits of omega-3 fatty acids for the prevention of heart disease - producing conflicting results, varied claims, and frustrated consumers unsure what to believe.

29 Nov 2012

'Sharing Age' campaign receives EC grant to encourage health ageing

The European Commission has awarded €1 million to fund a campaign promoting health ageing 'Sharing Age' coordinated by Dr Sabina Brennan of the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience.

29 Nov 2012

Link between high fructose corn syrup intake and diabetes prevalence

A new study by University of Southern California (USC) and University of Oxford researchers indicates that large amounts of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) found in national food supplies across the world may be one explanation for the rising global epidemic of type 2 diabetes and resulting higher health care costs.

28 Nov 2012

Florbetapir PET scans can detect brain amyloid deposits associated with Alzheimer’s

A test to detect brain amyloid deposits associated with Alzheimer disease (AD) provides doctors with useful information on treatment and further testing for patients with cognitive impairment, according to a study published online by the journal Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders.

28 Nov 2012

Off label atypical antipsychotic use lacks safety and effectiveness in patients over 40

In older adults, antipsychotic drugs are commonly prescribed off-label for a number of disorders outside of their Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved indications - schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The largest number of antipsychotic prescriptions in older adults is for behavioral disturbances associated with dementia, some of which carry FDA warnings on prescription information for these drugs.

28 Nov 2012

Carnosic acid promotes eye health

Herbs widely used throughout history in Asian and early European cultures have received renewed attention by Western medicine in recent years. Scientists are now isolating the active compounds in many medicinal herbs and documenting their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. In a study published in the journal Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Stuart A. Lipton, M.D., Ph.D. and colleagues at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) report that carnosic acid, a component of the herb rosemary, promotes eye health.

28 Nov 2012

Short instance of moderate exercise improves memories in older adults with MCI

A short burst of moderate exercise enhances the consolidation of memories in both healthy older adults and those with mild cognitive impairment, scientists with UC Irvine's Center for the Neurobiology of Learning & Memory have discovered.

28 Nov 2012

Enrollment begins in Elan’s ELND005 Phase 2 trial for agitation/aggression associated with AD

Elan Corporation, plc today announced that it has enrolled the first patient in a Phase 2 clinical trial of ELND005 (Study AG201) for the treatment of agitation/aggression in patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease (AD).

28 Nov 2012

Kinexus releases new antibody microarray kit

Kinexus Bioinformatics Corporation, a world leader in functional proteomics research, announced today the release of its first Kinex antibody microarray kit with its latest generation KAM-850 chip.

27 Nov 2012

Health law implementation proceeds -- with fits and starts

Even as the election has altered the landscape for lawmakers who hoped to repeal the 2010 health law, some opponents are pressing on with legal challenges. Specific elements of the law, such as its health exchanges, also present logistical and financial issues for the Obama administration.

27 Nov 2012

New way to protect neurons that express mutant huntingtin proteins

By using a model, researchers at the University of Montreal have identified and "switched off" a chemical chain that causes neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and dementia. The findings could one day be of particular therapeutic benefit to Huntington's disease patients. "We've identified a new way to protect neurons that express mutant huntingtin proteins," explained Dr. Alex Parker of the University of Montreal's Department of Pathology and Cell Biology and its affiliated CRCHUM Research Centre.

27 Nov 2012