Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Latest Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Study shows how new electronic medication management system reduces drug administration errors

Errors in administration of medication are a serious problem in long-term residential care. New research completed by the University of Warwick and the University of the West of England, Bristol (UWE) shows how a new electronic medication management system developed in the UK specifically for use in residential and nursing homes, has been shown to significantly reduce drug administration errors.

12 Jan 2012

Advocates react to administration's draft framework to stop Alzheimer's

The organization USAgainstAlzheimer's applauded the plan's goal of eliminating the disease by 2025 but would like to speed the timeline for development of new prevention and treatment approaches.

12 Jan 2012

Exposure to light appears to have therapeutic effects on Alzheimer's patients

Exposure to light appears to have therapeutic effects on Alzheimer's disease patients, a Wayne State University researcher has found.

12 Jan 2012

New imaging agent shows promise in detecting signs of AD

Scientists are reporting development and initial laboratory tests of an imaging agent that shows promise for detecting the tell-tale signs of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the brain - signs that now can't confirm a diagnosis until after patients have died.

12 Jan 2012

Nicotine patches may help individuals with early memory loss

Star Scientific, Inc. - A study released in the January 9th issue of the Journal of Neurology suggests that nicotine patches may help individuals with early memory loss.

11 Jan 2012

DNA decoder – cheaper and faster

Life Technologies Corp. – a biotechnology company announced Tuesday that it has developed a machine to decode an individual's DNA in a day for just $1,000. The company said it was taking orders for the technology, which it expects to deliver in about a year. The Carlsbad, California, company said three major research institutions had already signed up for the $149,000 machine: the Baylor College of Medicine, the Yale School of Medicine and the Broad Institute of Cambridge, Massachusetts.

11 Jan 2012

Agilent, Integrated Diagnostics partner to improve protein-based LC/MS assays

Agilent Technologies Inc. and Integrated Diagnostics today announced a strategic partnership to develop assays that detect major human diseases at very early stages to improve treatment outcomes.

11 Jan 2012

Disruption of circadian rhythms cause accelerated neurodegeneration and premature death

New research at Oregon State University provides evidence for the first time that disruption of circadian rhythms - the biological "clocks" found in many animals - can clearly cause accelerated neurodegeneration, loss of motor function and premature death.

11 Jan 2012

UCLA researchers identify chemical changes in brains of patients with early-onset Alzheimer's

With a lack of effective treatments for Alzheimer's, most of us would think long and hard about whether we wanted to know years in advance if we were genetically predisposed to develop the disease. For researchers, however, such knowledge is a window into Alzheimer's disease's evolution.

11 Jan 2012

Tesco selects Cancer Research UK as Charity of the Year in 2012

Today, 10 January 2012, Tesco is aiming to raise over £10 million to help Cancer Research UK's work to beat cancer by making Cancer Research UK its Charity of the Year in 2012.

11 Jan 2012

Nicotine patch may help those with mild dementia

The nicotine patch designed to help people quit smoking can also improve memory in older adults with mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, a small clinical trial found.

10 Jan 2012

ORMOSIL nanoparticles show promise as potential drug delivery vehicle

In the images of fruit flies, clusters of neurons are all lit up, forming a brightly glowing network of highways within the brain. It's exactly what University at Buffalo researcher Shermali Gunawardena was hoping to see: It meant that ORMOSIL, a novel class of nanoparticles, had successfully penetrated the insects' brains. And even after long-term exposure, the cells and the flies themselves remained unharmed.

10 Jan 2012

Nicotine patch may help improve mild memory loss in older adults

Using a nicotine patch may help improve mild memory loss in older adults, according to a study published in the January 10, 2012, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

10 Jan 2012

Experts want young athletes to become more aware of warning signs of concussion

Concussion in youth sports is a serious issue, as young athletes' brains are more susceptible to injuries. These injuries can become more serious as players suffer repeated incidents. Sports related concussions have generated a significant amount of attention, with numerous well-known school and professional athletes out of the game due to concussion.

10 Jan 2012

AAN, Wolters Kluwer Health announce launch of Neurology Today for the iPad

The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and Wolters Kluwer Health today announced the launch of Neurology Today for the iPad, a digital app of the most widely read newspaper for neurologists.

10 Jan 2012

DHA plays an essential role in creating healthy sperm

Who knew that male fertility depends on sperm-cell architecture? A University of Illinois study reports that a certain omega-3 fatty acid is necessary to construct the arch that turns a round, immature sperm cell into a pointy-headed super swimmer with an extra long tail.

10 Jan 2012

Nicotine patch may boost memory in individuals with MCI

Wearing a nicotine patch may help improve memory loss in older adults with mild cognitive impairment, according to a study published today in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

10 Jan 2012

USPTO issues patent to Lixte's lead compounds for treatment of neurological diseases

Lixte Biotechnology Holdings announces that the United States Patent and Trademark Office awarded a patent for the use of lead compounds from each of two different types of drugs, protein phosphatase inhibitors and histone deacetylase inhibitors, for the potential prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

9 Jan 2012

The sharpness of the brain dulls beyond 45: Study

Researchers from the Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health in France and University College London in the UK studied more than 7,000 people over a 10-year period and show the brain's capacity for memory, reasoning and comprehension starts waning in middle age rather than in the 60s.

9 Jan 2012

Novel class of nanoparticles hold promise as a potential vehicle for drug delivery

In the images of fruit flies, clusters of neurons are all lit up, forming a brightly glowing network of highways within the brain. It’s exactly what University at Buffalo researcher Shermali Gunawardena was hoping to see: It meant that ORMOSIL, a novel class of nanoparticles, had successfully penetrated the insects’ brains. And even after long-term exposure, the cells and the flies themselves remained unharmed.

9 Jan 2012