Dementia News and Research

Latest Dementia News and Research

RanBP9 protein targeted for developing new Alzheimer's drugs

"N60" might not be the first thing that comes to mind when people think of Alzheimer's disease, but thanks to researchers from the United States, South Korea and France, this might change. That's because these researchers have found that the N60 section of a protein called "RanBP9" might be the key that unlocks an entirely new class of Alzheimer's drugs, and with them, hope. In a research report published online in The FASEB Journal, these scientists describe how the N60 fragment of the RanBP9 protein increases the production of the amyloid beta protein, which is present in excessive amounts in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.

3 Sep 2009

Optimized turmeric extracts may prevent memory loss

scientists with HerbalScience Group LLC, working with researchers from other organizations and medical institutions, conducted an in-depth study of optimized turmeric extracts, demonstrating that key bioactives in the botanical extracts inhibit aggregation and release of amyloid, a protein fragment considered a prime causal suspect in Alzheimer's disease.

3 Sep 2009

Pfizer pleads guilty of defrauding Medicare, Medicaid and other government-funded health care programs

Pfizer, Inc. announced today it has agreed to plead guilty to criminal conduct and to pay more than $2 billion in criminal and civil fines, penalties and damages to settle allegations made in multiple whistleblower lawsuits that the pharmaceutical giant defrauded Medicare, Medicaid and other government-funded health care programs in connection with its market practices for four of its drugs. The settlement is the largest qui tam settlement in U.S. history.

3 Sep 2009

New tool developed for dementia affected people

The elderly who suffer from dementia aren't able to say when something hurts or is sore. They may demonstrate their pain through behaviours like rocking or striking out, and we often dismiss these actions as symptoms of the dementia instead of pain, which is usually from a different problem. Arthritis, diabetic neuropathy, fractures, muscular contractures, bruises, abdominal pain and mouth ulcers are among the list of common ailments that go undetected.

2 Sep 2009

BRNI announces agreement to advance research on brain and neurological disorders

The Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute (BRNI) announced today an agreement with a group of neurological specialists (Brain Injury Group) to examine possible confluences of the Group's work with brain injuries, head trauma, and strokes and BRNI's research.

2 Sep 2009

Structural MRI for early diagnosis of neurodegenerative disorders

A new Mayo Clinic study may help physicians differentially diagnose three common neurodegenerative disorders in the future. The study will be presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease on July 11 in Vienna.

2 Sep 2009

Waist-hip ratio is a better of measure of obesity in older patients

Body mass index (BMI) readings may not be the best gauge of obesity in older adults, according to new research from UCLA endocrinologists and geriatricians. Instead, they say, the ratio of waist size to hip size may be a better indicator when it comes to those over 70.

2 Sep 2009

White matter hyperintensities could lead to permanent thinking problems

Elderly people with no memory or thinking problems are more likely to later develop thinking problems if they have a growing amount of "brain rust," or small areas of brain damage, according to a study published in the July 14, 2009, print issue of NeurologyÂ®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

2 Sep 2009

Children suffering from chronic headache may outgrow the condition

Most children who suffer from chronic daily headache may outgrow the disabling condition, according to research published in the July 15, 2009, online issue of NeurologyÂ®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Nearly 1.5 percent of middle school children are affected by chronic daily headache, which includes chronic migraines and tension-type headaches.

1 Sep 2009

VAERS calls for reporting of GBS cases following 2009 H1N1 flu vaccination

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) are requesting neurologists to report any possible new cases of Guillain-Barr- syndrome (GBS) following 2009 H1N1 flu vaccination using the CDC and U. S. Food and Drug Administration Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).

1 Sep 2009

FDA provides 510(k) clearance for Neurologica's inSPira HD system

NeuroLogica Corporation announced today at the XIV World Congress of Neurological Surgery in Boston, MA, receipt of 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its portable high resolution SPECT system: inSPira HD (www.inspirahd.com).

1 Sep 2009

HIV subtype D infected patients more likely to develop dementia

Patients infected with a particular subtype of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, are more likely to develop dementia than patients with other subtypes, a study led by Johns Hopkins researchers shows. The finding, reported in the September Clinical Infectious Diseases, is the first to demonstrate that the specific type of HIV has any effect on cognitive impairment, one of the most common complications of uncontrolled HIV infection.

28 Aug 2009

People with high diastolic blood pressure more likely to have cognitive impairment

High blood pressure is linked to memory problems in people over 45, according to research published in the August 25, 2009, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

24 Aug 2009

Nervous system integrity could play a central role in preventing prion diseases

A new study shows that nervous system integrity and axonal properties may play a key role in prion diseases. The findings, from researchers at the Rudolf Virchow Center and the Institute of Virology of the University of W-rzburg, expand our understanding of the development of prion disease and suggest novel targets for therapeutic and diagnostic approaches in its early stages.

24 Aug 2009

Greg Peet elected as Chairman of Vigil Health Solutions

Vigil Health Solutions Inc. ("Vigil") (TSX VENTURE:VGL) is pleased to announce the completion of its 2009 AGM. Shareholders elected Greg Peet (as Chairman), Troy Griffiths, Harry Jaako, Stephen Martin and Tanner Philp as Directors of Vigil. KPMG LLP was appointed auditors of Vigil. The shareholders also approved an amendment to the Omnibus Plan to increase the number of Common Shares reserved for issuance under the Omnibus Plan to 15,000,000 Common Shares (being approximately 15.0% of the total outstanding Common Shares of the Company).

24 Aug 2009

Physicians lack knowledge of off-label drug use and FDA approval status

In a recent national survey, a substantial minority of physicians erroneously believed that certain off-label uses of prescription drugs were approved by the Food and Drug Administration. This mistaken belief could encourage them to prescribe these drugs, despite the lack of scientific evidence supporting such use.

21 Aug 2009

Research reveals brain activity networks of Alzheimer's disease affected patients become more random and unstructured

Different types of dementia show dissimilar changes in brain activity. A network mapping technique described in the open access journal BMC Neuroscience has been applied to EEG data obtained from patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD, a less common type of dementia with more prominent behavioral symptoms).

21 Aug 2009

The Dilemma of an Aging Society research study classifies elder people into four groups

A lot of discussion has centered on proposed legislation regarding "death panels" and end of life counseling.

20 Aug 2009

George Rehm and David Mahoney joins Adamas' Board of Directors

Adamas Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held company, announced today that it has closed a $40 million Series D round of funding led by aeris CAPITAL AG and DAG Ventures. Earlier investors MDV-Mohr Davidow Ventures and Northgate Capital also participated in the round. In conjunction with the financing, the company announced the election of George M. Rehm, Managing Partner of aeris CAPITAL AG, and David L. Mahoney, a private equity investor, to the company's Board of Directors.

19 Aug 2009

Mediterranean-type diet and exercise lowers Alzheimer's risk

Both being more physically active and adhering to a Mediterranean-type diet appears to be associated with reduced Alzheimer's risk, according to a new report in the August 12, 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

18 Aug 2009