Feature Channels: Alzheimer's and Dementia

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UCLA researchers have identified a new biomarker that could help them track how effectively the immune system is able to clear the brain of amyloid beta, which forms the plaques considered one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. The pilot study demonstrates how the immune gene MGAT3, which is essential in clearing amyloid beta, is expressed differently in different Alzheimer's patients. The finding may be useful in providing more highly individualized disease prognoses in the future.

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Residing in a psychosocially hazardous neighborhood is associated with worse cognitive function in older age for persons with the apolipoprotein E ε4 allele (an alternative form of the gene), according to a report in the March issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

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Stroke survivors who have an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation may be at higher risk of developing dementia than stroke survivors who do not have the heart condition, according to research published in the March 8, 2011, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found that lactate, a type of energy fuel in the brain, plays a critical role in the formation of long-term memory. These findings have important implications for common illnesses like Alzheimer’s disease, other neurodegenerative disorders, aging-related memory impairment and diabetes. The research is published in the March 4th issue of the journal Cell.

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Unexpected results from a Scripps Research Institute and ModGene, LLC study could completely alter scientists’ ideas about Alzheimer’s disease—pointing to the liver instead of the brain as the source of the “amyloid” that deposits as brain plaques associated with this devastating condition. The findings could offer a relatively simple approach for Alzheimer’s prevention and treatment.

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By mimicking the structure of the silk moth's antenna, University of Michigan researchers led the development of a better nanopore---a tiny tunnel-shaped tool that could advance understanding of a class of neurodegenerative diseases that includes Alzheimer's.

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Results from a new study contribute to growing evidence that if one of your parents has Alzheimer’s disease, the chances of inheriting it from your mother are higher than from your father. The study is published in the March 1, 2011, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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New research shows that Alzheimer’s disease and other dementing illnesses may be easily misdiagnosed in the elderly, according to early results of a study of people in Hawaii who had their brains autopsied after death. The research is being released today and will be presented as part of a plenary session at the American Academy of Neurology’s 63rd Annual Meeting in Honolulu April 9 to April 16, 2011.

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Commentary in JAMA suggests that physicians should help family and caregivers of patients with dementia understand the risks of financial incapacity, to reduce the likelihood that a patient losing cognitive function will suffer a financial loss, or financial abuse.

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Seniors with hearing loss are significantly more likely to develop dementia over time than those who retain their hearing, a study by Johns Hopkins and National Institute on Aging researchers suggests. The findings, the researchers say, could lead to new ways to combat dementia, a condition that affects millions of people worldwide and carries heavy societal burdens.

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UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists have helped develop a novel technology to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease from blood samples long before symptoms appear.

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People who have memory problems or other declines in their mental abilities may be at higher risk for stroke, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 63rd Annual Meeting in Honolulu April 9 to April 16, 2011.

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The Johns Hopkins Brain Sciences Institute has funded a total of $5 million to 12 different research groups at Hopkins to launch the new Synapses, Circuits and Cognitive Disorders Program. The new BSi program aims to understand the fundamentals of brain function by focusing on the synapse — the point of contact between two nerve cells — to better understand cognitive disorders.

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Prescriptions of second-generation medications were already declining before FDA ‘black box’ warning, according to U-M analysis.

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Douglas Rosenberg sets $10 million goal for fund to develop treatment based on promising small molecule screening.

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Slightly over over 5 percent of the nearly 39 million Americans age 65 and older in 2007 reported one or more cognitive disorders, such as senility or dementia.

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University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers are co-leading a national study to examine whether middle-aged people’s physical health influences their risk of dementia later in life.

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Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine have identified a therapy that may enhance memory and prevent the loss of long-term memory. The research is published in the January 27th issue of Nature.

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An influential article in the journal Progress in Neurobiology provided one of the first comprehensive reviews of how estrogen potentially can protect against Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders.

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As the population ages, neurologists will be challenged by a growing population of patients with stroke, dementia, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy.

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Preliminary research suggests that use of a type of molecular imaging procedure may have the ability to detect the presence of beta-amyloid in the brains of individuals during life, a biomarker that is identified during autopsy to confirm a diagnosis of Alzheimer disease, according to a study in the January 19 issue of JAMA.

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Mutant presenilin is infamous for its role in the most aggressive form of Alzheimer’s disease—early-onset familial Alzheimer’s—which can strike people as early as their 30s. In their latest study, researchers at the Salk Institute uncovered presenilin’s productive side: It helps embryonic motor neurons navigate the maze of chemical cues that pull, push and hem them in on their way to their proper targets. Without it, budding motor neurons misread their guidance signals and get stuck in the spinal cord.

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A quick online assessment tool developed by Johns Hopkins researchers can help worried seniors find out if they are at risk of developing dementia and determine whether they should seek a comprehensive, face-to-face diagnosis from a physician, according to a new study.

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Though the cause of Alzheimer’s disease still is unknown, recent studies have implicated three proteins strongly in its onset., amyloid beta, tau, and Fyn. New research from UAB and others indicates that interactions between those three proteins might lead to brain dysfunction and AD in a mouse model of the disease.

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The Mediterranean diet, rich in vegetables, fish and olive oil and moderate in wine and alcohol, is associated with slower rates of cognitive decline in older adults, according to researchers at Rush University Medical Center.

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Neuroscientists had assumed that a mutation in the progranulin gene, which makes the progranulin protein and supports brain neurons, was sufficient to produce a kind of dementia known as frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). But now an international team of scientists led by researchers at Mayo Clinic’s campus in Florida have found another genetic factor they say appears to protect against the disorder in progranulin mutation carriers.

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With a rapidly expanding population of elders, the number of dementia caregivers in Florida is increasing exponentially. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, nearly 10 million caregivers provide unpaid care to people with Alzheimer’s disease. Finding the best way to support caregivers, especially with fewer state resources available, is one focus of ongoing research at Mayo Clinic in Florida.

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People with a known, high risk for Alzheimer’s disease develop abnormal brain function even before the appearance of telltale, amyloid plaques that are characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study from researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The findings suggest that a gene variant affects brain function long before the brain begins accumulating the amyloid that will eventually lead to dementia.

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Neurologists have answered one of the most important questions about Alzheimer's: Do rising brain levels of a plaque-forming substance mean patients are making more of it or that they can no longer clear it as effectively? Researchers found clearance rates decline in Alzheimer's patients.

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Many people believe that the popular herb ginseng can improve thinking ability and prevent or even treat dementia. However, a comprehensive review of research failed to find convincing evidence of these benefits.

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The NJ Institute for Successful Aging can provide experts can provide experts to comment on the impact of Alzheimer's, including research, disease diagnosis, clinical care and strategies for caregivers.

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Researchers at the Mayo Clinic campus in Florida have found a clue as to how some people develop a form of dementia that affects the brain areas associated with personality, behavior, and language.

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A protein known to exist in the brain for more than 30 years has been found to play a regulatory role in the formation of the amyloid beta in the brain, the major component of plaques implicated in the development of Alzheimer’s disease

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There is growing evidence that exposure to a group of chemicals known as type-2 alkenes -- which are found in the smoke inhaled from cigarettes, the exhaust of automobiles and even in French fries – can increase the chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. Can Curry, Wine and Apple Skins Offer an Antidote?

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New results from a study by neuroscientists at Rush University Medical Center suggest that people at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease exhibit a specific structural change in the brain that can be visualized by brain imaging. The findings may help identify those who would most benefit from early intervention.

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When a relative experiences memory loss associated with Alzheimer’s disease, holiday gatherings can be trying. Dr. Stephen Moelter, associate professor of psychology at USciences, believes that adults and children can arm themselves with ways to engage people with memory difficulty to ensure a more meaningful holiday season.

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Contrary to earlier research, a new, long-term study suggests that cholesterol level in mid-life may not be linked to later development of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study published in the November 10, 2010, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. However, the results suggest that large decreases in cholesterol levels in old age could be a better predictor of developing the memory-robbing disease.

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High cholesterol levels in middle age do not appear to increase women’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia later in life, new Johns Hopkins-led research finds, despite a body of scientific evidence long suggesting a link between the two.

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For Alzheimer's Awareness Month, the University of South Carolina's Office of Media Relations offers this list of faculty experts and story as to how caregivers can take care of the ones they love.

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Anti-TNF therapies commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis have been found to potentially reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s dementia among people with rheumatoid arthritis, according to research presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Atlanta.

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Add beets to the list of superfoods vital to your diet: A new study suggests that a daily dose of beet juice boosts blood flow to the brain, keeping your mind sharp and potentially creating a safeguard against dementia as you age. Researchers with Wake Forest University’s Translational Science Center; Fostering Independence in Aging took a closer look at beet juice because it is rich in nitrate.

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Large doses of B-complex vitamins could reduce the rate of brain shrinkage by half in elderly people with memory problems and slow the progression of dementia.

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A new study shows that vitamin B12 may protect against Alzheimer’s disease, adding more evidence to the scientific debate about whether the vitamin is effective in reducing the risk of memory loss. The research will be published in the October 19, 2010, issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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Volunteers in New York, NY are being sought for a clinical study examining the subtle changes that may take place in the brains of older people many years before overt symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) appear. Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center are specifically looking for people with the very earliest complaints of memory problems that affect their daily activities.

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A new study in mouse models by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center has found that the brain’s mitochondria -- the powerhouses of the cell -- are one of the earliest casualties of the disease. The study, which appeared in the online Early Edition of PNAS, also found that impaired mitochondria then injure the neurons’ synapses, which are necessary for normal brain function.

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Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers have found that a gene associated with the onset of Type 2 diabetes also is found at lower-than-normal levels in people with Alzheimer’s disease.

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Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have created an experimental vaccine against beta-amyloid, the small protein that forms plaques in the brain and is believed to contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

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A set of proteins found in blood serum shows promise as a sensitive and accurate way to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found as part of a statewide study.

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A research team that includes a Saint Louis University geriatrician found that having low testosterone may put older men at risk for Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers say the next step is to conduct a large study on testosterone to treat Alzheimer’s disease.

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The Alzheimer’s Association has awarded a three-year, $200,000 grant to Claudio Soto, Ph.D., UTHealth professor of neurology, to pursue a procedure that could detect pre-symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease.