Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Latest Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

New technology opens up pathways for disease cures

The understanding of diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's is set to take a step forward following groundbreaking technology at which will enable cell analysis using automated 3D microscopy.

17 Feb 2012

State roundup: U.S. Senators demand more medical board oversight; Californians losing coverage; Arizona's prison 'quandary'

"The administration never consulted us," said Susan Millerick, spokeswoman for the Hartford-based Aetna. Other Connecticut health insurers are letting the American Health Insurance Plans, a Washington-based trade association, voice their concerns. ... "We are concerned about the precedent this proposed rule would set," AHIP spokesman Robert Zirkelbach said.

17 Feb 2012

Digital games become an important tool for self-management of illness and chronic conditions

Millions of dollars and immeasurable hours of research and development are being invested to develop and employ increasingly sophisticated hardware and software technologies to deliver innovative new personalized health care interventions.

17 Feb 2012

Long-term weight training may benefit Parkinson's disease patients

New research suggests weight training for two years significantly improves the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease compared to other forms of exercise such as stretching and balance exercises. The clinical trial, which compared two forms of exercise for Parkinson's disease, was released today and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 64th Annual Meeting in New Orleans April 21 to April 28, 2012.

17 Feb 2012

Simple tests may help doctors determine risk of dementia, stroke in middle-aged people

Simple tests such as walking speed and hand grip strength may help doctors determine how likely it is a middle-aged person will develop dementia or stroke. That's according to new research that was released today and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 64th Annual Meeting in New Orleans April 21 to April 28, 2012.

16 Feb 2012

Alfred P. Sloan Foundation announces recipients of 2012 Sloan Research Fellowships

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is pleased to announce the selection of 126 outstanding U.S. and Canadian researchers as recipients of Sloan Research Fellowships for 2012. Awarded annually since 1955, the fellowships are given to early-career scientists and scholars whose achievements and potential identify them as rising stars, the next generation of scientific leaders.

16 Feb 2012

RUMC conducts early phase trial of MSDC-0160 for dementia

Researchers at Rush University Medical Center are conducting an early phase clinical trial of a novel drug therapy for patients with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. The drug is a new compound called MSDC-0160, which is an insulin sensitizer that modulates mitochondrial metabolism.

16 Feb 2012

Disrupted sleep may raise risk of Alzheimer’s disease

According to a new study, which will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 64th Annual Meeting in New Orleans, April 21st to April 28th, the amount of sleep people get may later affect their memory's function and the risk of Alzheimer's.

15 Feb 2012

Air pollution raises risk of stroke and cognitive decline

According to data from two studies published in the Archives of Internal Medicine exposure to air pollution may have serious cognitive and cardiovascular health consequences, even at levels currently deemed acceptable by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

15 Feb 2012

Mediterranean diet could prevent brain damage in the long term: Study

A new study suggests that people who follow a Mediterranean-style diet have less small blood vessel damage in the brain. The study appeared in the February issue of the Archives of Neurology.

15 Feb 2012

Disrupted sleep may lead to build-up of amyloid plaques

The amount and quality of sleep you get at night may affect your memory later in life, according to research that was released today and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 64th Annual Meeting in New Orleans April 21 to April 28, 2012.

15 Feb 2012

Tetrahydrobiopterin plays a key role in arterial health of women

Researchers studying why arteries stiffen in postmenopausal women have found a specific chemical cofactor that dramatically improves vascular function.

15 Feb 2012

Curcumin prolongs life and enhances activity of fruit flies with AD

Curcumin, a substance extracted from turmeric, prolongs life and enhances activity of fruit flies with a nervous disorder similar to Alzheimers. The study conducted at Link-ping University, indicates that it is the initial stages of fibril formation and fragments of the amyloid fibrils that are most toxic to neurons.

15 Feb 2012

AGS honors IU professor for outstanding achievement in geriatric care

In recognition of his significant contributions to the health care of older adults, Regenstrief Institute investigator Malaz Boustani, M.D., MPH, associate professor of medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine, will receive the 2012 American Geriatrics Society Outstanding Scientific Achievement for Clinical Investigation Award.

15 Feb 2012

Nilvadipine phase III trial for Alzheimer's launches in Europe

A research team today announced the launch of a European large-scale clinical trial of Nilvadipine, an Alzheimer's disease drug developed at the Roskamp Institute in Sarasota.

14 Feb 2012

Brain tissue created from human skin cells

British scientists have successfully generated brain tissue from human skin. The team has for the first time generated a crucial type of brain cells in the laboratory by reprogramming skin cells. They say it could speed up the hunt for new treatments for conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy and stroke.

14 Feb 2012

First Edition: February 14, 2012

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations include news on congressional package to payroll taxes and stop a Medicare payment cut and analysis of President Barack Obama's budget.

14 Feb 2012

Supply of childhood leukemia drug nearly exhausted

A medicine to treat children's leukemia is in such short supply that hospitals may run out within weeks; meanwhile, families of people with Alzheimer's disease are clamoring to use a skin-cancer drug after a promising study in mice.

14 Feb 2012

Two prefrontal cortex areas critical in distinguishing emotions from facial expressions

It's Valentine's Day, he forgot to bring flowers, and somehow that painfully sad look on her face is simply not registering in his mind. Could be it's a problem in his prefrontal cortex? Neuropsychology researchers at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital - The Neuro, McGill University, have found that two areas of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are critical for either detecting or distinguishing emotions from facial expressions.

14 Feb 2012

Only about 1 in 7 older individuals use hearing aid

Though an estimated 26.7 million Americans age 50 and older have hearing loss, only about one in seven use a hearing aid, according to a new study led by Johns Hopkins researchers.

14 Feb 2012