Alzheimer's Disease News and Research

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Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks of daily living. In most people with AD, symptoms first appear after age 60. AD is the most common cause of dementia among older people, but it is not a normal part of aging. Dementia refers to a decline in cognitive function that interferes with daily life and activities. AD starts in a region of the brain that affects recent memory, then gradually spreads to other parts of the brain. Although treatment can slow the progression of AD and help manage its symptoms in some people, currently there is no cure for this devastating disease.

Study estimates the global prevalence of dementia in 2050

The number of adults (aged 40 years and older) living with dementia worldwide is expected to nearly triple, from an estimated 57 million in 2019 to 153 million in 2050, due primarily to population growth and population aging.

6 Jan 2022

Study reinforces the link between microglia and some cases of brain disease

Certain subtle differences in DNA sequences are known to raise the chances a person may develop Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease.

6 Jan 2022

Researchers discover how oral bacteria increase vulnerability to infection

Researchers from the University of Louisville School of Dentistry and their colleagues have discovered details of how proteins produced by oral epithelial cells protect humans against viruses entering the body through the mouth.

5 Jan 2022

A closer look at the relationship between COVID-19 and Alzheimer’s disease

Researchers discuss the findings of previous studies on the role of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the progression of Alzheimer's Disease.

4 Jan 2022

Recommended choline intake during pregnancy improves child's sustained attention

Seven-year-old children performed better on a challenging task requiring sustained attention if their mothers consumed twice the recommended amount of choline during their pregnancy, a new Cornell study has found.

3 Jan 2022

Alzheimer’s disease risk genes disturb the brain protective mechanism

The brain has a natural protective mechanism against Alzheimer's disease, and researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital and collaborating institutions have discovered that gene variants associated with risk of developing the disease disturb the protective mechanism in ways that can lead to neurodegeneration.

3 Jan 2022

New study shows how cells eat the things around them

A new study shows how cell membranes curve to create the "mouths" that allow the cells to consume things that surround them.

31 Dec 2021

AAN issues new guideline on oral and topical treatments for painful diabetic neuropathy

Diabetic neuropathy refers to nerve damage due to diabetes and it may lead to pain and numbness, most often in the hands and feet. To help neurologists and other doctors determine the best treatment for people with diabetic neuropathy, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) has issued a guideline on oral and topical treatments for painful diabetic neuropathy.

28 Dec 2021

APOE4 allele gene linked to increased risk of severe COVID-19

A study conducted at the University of Helsinki and the Helsinki University Hospital suggests that the APOE4 allele may also increase cerebral microhemorrhages related to COVID-19 and associate with mental fatigue related to long COVID.

27 Dec 2021

Study finds abrupt decline in the prevalence of cognitive impairment among older Americans

A new nationally representative study published online in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease found an abrupt decline in the prevalence of cognitive impairment among American adults aged 65 and older compared to the same age group a decade earlier.

26 Dec 2021

Study finds abrupt decline in the prevalence of cognitive impairment among older American adults

23 Dec 2021

Study points toward an alternative drug strategy to stall Alzheimer’s neurodegeneration

Boosting levels of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine with atomoxetine, a repurposed ADHD medication, may be able to stall neurodegeneration in people with early signs of Alzheimer's disease, a study conducted at Emory Brain Health Center suggests.

22 Dec 2021

Study focuses on inherited Alzheimer’s up to 25 years before expected dementia onset

Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis is launching an international clinical trial aimed at preventing Alzheimer's disease in people genetically destined to develop the illness at a young age. Unlike most other Alzheimer's prevention trials, this one will enroll people before the disease has taken hold - up to 25 years before the expected onset of dementia.

21 Dec 2021

New tool provides an unprecedented view of brain cell activity in a synapse

To solve the mysteries of how learning and memory occur, Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists have created a system to track millions of connections among brain cells in mice — all at the same time — when the animals' whiskers are tweaked, an indicator for learning.

20 Dec 2021

New $15.7 million NIH grant to provide continued support for Arizona Alzheimer's Disease Research Center

Researchers from Arizona State University are among the leads for a new prestigious grant expected to total $15.7 million over the next five years from the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health, to provide continued support for the Arizona Alzheimer's Disease Research Center.

17 Dec 2021

Brain research explains why visual information increases attention

"Look at me!" we might say while attempting to engage our children. It turns out there is a neurochemical explanation for why looking at mom or dad actually helps kiddoes pay better attention.

17 Dec 2021

Novel imaging method used to map glycosylation patterns linked with Alzheimer’s disease

Using new methodology, University of Kentucky researchers have mapped the variations in sugar chains attached to brain proteins from deceased healthy individuals or individuals with Alzheimer's disease.

15 Dec 2021

"Supermere" discovery may offer clues to earlier diagnoses and treatment of several diseases

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have discovered a nanoparticle released from cells, called a "supermere," which contains enzymes, proteins and RNA associated with multiple cancers, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease and even COVID-19.

14 Dec 2021

Wartime trauma hits close to home for scholar of dementia

Oanh Meyer was a postdoctoral fellow studying the experiences of caregivers for those with dementia in 2012 when her research took a very personal turn.

13 Dec 2021

Rare population of toxic senescent cells in the brain could be a target for Alzheimer's treatment

For the first time, scientists have identified a rare population of potentially toxic senescent cells in human brains that can serve as a target for a new Alzheimer's disease treatment.

11 Dec 2021