Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Latest Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

High beta-amyloid levels may affect brain performance in healthy adults

High levels of the protein beta-amyloid in the brain that is associated with Alzheimer's disease may affect brain performance even in healthy adults, according to a study published in the February 1, 2012, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

2 Feb 2012

Viewpoints: Debt estimates and Medicare plans; Sen. McConnell on fate of health law

Debt projections released Tuesday by the Congressional Budget Office illustrate three fiscal paths: dangerous, dumb and smart. ... President Obama has called for a balanced solution but has neither proposed serious tax reform nor adequately outlined the ways in which he would get entitlement spending, particularly Medicare, under control. The position of most Republicans, on the presidential campaign trail and in Congress, is wildly less responsible.

2 Feb 2012

Abnormal tau protein propagates along linked brain circuits

For decades, researchers have debated whether Alzheimer's disease starts independently in vulnerable brain regions at different times, or if it begins in one region and then spreads to neuroanatomically connected areas. A new study by Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers strongly supports the latter, demonstrating that abnormal tau protein, a key feature of the neurofibrillary tangles seen in the brains of those with Alzheimer's, propagates along linked brain circuits, "jumping" from neuron to neuron.

2 Feb 2012

Ligand announces results from melphalan Phase II study on multiple myeloma

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated announced that results from the Phase II study of its Captisol-enabled, propylene glycol-free (PG-free) Melphalan program were featured this evening in a poster presentation at the combined annual meetings of the Center for International Blood & Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) and the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (ASBMT) in San Diego.

2 Feb 2012

Canadian Government announces investment in personalized medicine

The Harper Government today announced an important investment that will help Canadians in getting more effective treatments and make the healthcare system more sustainable through personalized medicine.

1 Feb 2012

Decaffeinated coffee may improve brain energy metabolism linked with type 2 diabetes

Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine have discovered that decaffeinated coffee may improve brain energy metabolism associated with type 2 diabetes.

1 Feb 2012

Study finds no link between BDV and psychiatric illness

Over the past 30 years, numerous studies have linked Borna disease virus (BDV) with mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorder and dementia. Genetic fragments and antibodies to this RNA virus, which causes behavior disorders in a range of mammals and birds, have been found to be prevalent in psychiatric patients, but study results have been inconsistent. Now, the first blinded, case-control study to examine this issue finds no association between the virus and psychiatric illness.

1 Feb 2012

Caffeine intake may change a woman’s estrogen levels: Study

The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, looked at more than 250 women ages 18 to 44, and found that for white women, caffeine appeared to lower estrogen levels, while in Asian women it seemed to raise them.

31 Jan 2012

Differences in systolic blood pressure between arms indicate possibility of vascular risk, death: Study

A systematic review and meta-analysis carried out by researchers at the University of Exeter Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry has found that differences in systolic blood pressure between arms could be a useful indicator of the likelihood of vascular risk and death.

30 Jan 2012

Breakthroughs in Alzheimer’s disease research

Researchers are closer to understanding Alzheimer’s disease using a new stem cell technique. They have successfully replicated Alzheimer’s disease neurons with stem cells for the first time.

26 Jan 2012

Aphios receives NIH's Phase II SBIR grant to develop APH-0703 for AD

Aphios Corporation has received a Phase II SBIR grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) amounting to $2.4 million over two years. The National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the NIH, awarded the grant to the Aphios Corporation to develop an "Alzheimer's Disease Therapeutic."

24 Jan 2012

Alzheimer’s disease may be kept at bay with regular brain stimulation: Study

A new study shows that regularly doing puzzles and reading books could be linked to a decreased risk of Alzheimer's disease. It says that these activities reduce the accumulation of harmful proteins in the brain.

24 Jan 2012

More efficient diagnostic tools are not always used for neuropathy patients

Researchers at the University of Michigan analyzed the tremendous cost of diagnosing peripheral neuropathy and found that less expensive, more effective tests are less likely to be used.

24 Jan 2012

First Edition: January 24, 2012

In today's news, a new survey shows that the percentage of Americans lacking health insurance coverage rose for the fourth straight year in 2011.

24 Jan 2012

Researchers analyze tremendous cost of peripheral neuropathy diagnosis

Researchers at the University of Michigan analyzed the tremendous cost of diagnosing peripheral neuropathy and found that less expensive, more effective tests are less likely to be used.

24 Jan 2012

Power3, Amarantus sign license agreement for NuroPro Blood Test for Parkinson's

Amarantus BioSciences, Inc., a biotechnology company developing MANF, a first-in-class disease-modifying therapeutic protein being developed for the treatment of Parkinson's Disease, today announced an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Power3 Medical Products, Inc. for the NuroPro Blood Test as it relates to Parkinson's disease diagnosis.

24 Jan 2012

Scientists reveal structure of cellular protein degradation machinery

Defective proteins that are not disposed of by the body can cause diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute (MPI) of Biochemistry recently succeeded in revealing the structure of the cellular protein degradation machinery (26S proteasome) by combining different methods of structural biology.

24 Jan 2012

Baxter to commence second GAMMAGARD LIQUID Phase III trial in Alzheimer's

Baxter International Inc. today provided an update on its clinical program evaluating the use of its GAMMAGARD LIQUID 10%, for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.

From Baxter International Inc. 24 Jan 2012

Possible link between vascular lesions and Alzheimer's disease

Approximately 20 percent of all stroke survivors will develop cognitive problems later in life, including vascular dementia. Experts with the Methodist Neurological Institute in Houston say recent research showing a possible link between vascular lesions and Alzheimer's disease is yet another reason to be more vigilant in our efforts to prevent a stroke.

24 Jan 2012

Pets help women manage HIV/AIDS: Study

A spoonful of medicine goes down a lot easier if there is a dog or cat around. Having pets is helpful for women living with HIV/AIDS and managing their chronic illness, according to a new study from the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University.

24 Jan 2012