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.

Stroke survivors with depression more likely to die

People who are depressed after a stroke may have a tripled risk of dying early and four times the risk of death from stroke than people who have not experienced a stroke or depression, according to a study that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 65th Annual Meeting in San Diego, March 16 to 23, 2013.

16 Jan 2013

Jan. issue of Behavioural Neurology features papers on aphasia and hemispatial neglect

Approximately half a million individuals suffer strokes in the US each year, and about one in five develops some form of post-stroke aphasia, the partial or total loss of the ability to communicate. By comparing different types of aphasia, investigators have been able to gain new insights into the normal cognitive processes underlying language, as well as the potential response to interventions.

16 Jan 2013

People with early Parkinson's frequently experience many non-motor symptoms

While movement problems are the main symptom of Parkinson's disease, a new study shows that even early in the course of disease people frequently experience many non-motor symptoms such as drooling, anxiety and constipation.

16 Jan 2013

Vanderbilt University, AstraZeneca partner to identify candidate drugs for major brain diseases

Today, AstraZeneca and Vanderbilt University announced they have signed a research collaboration agreement to identify candidate drugs aimed at treating psychosis and other neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with major brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia.

16 Jan 2013

Dementia care services: an interview with Sue McLean

The term 'dementia' is used to describe symptoms that occur when the brain is affected by specific diseases and conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy Bodies or Korsakoff’s syndrome.

From Community Integrated Care 15 Jan 2013

Off-label drug ineffective in frontotemporal dementia

A randomized, controlled trial has dashed hopes that memantine therapy could benefit patients with frontotemporal dementia.

14 Jan 2013

Scientists track electrical signals in the brain region linked to spatial awareness

Research at the University of Edinburgh tracked electrical signals in the part of the brain linked to spatial awareness.

11 Jan 2013

Blocking interaction of JNK enzyme may counteract neuron destruction

Oxidative stress is a primary villain in a host of diseases that range from cancer and heart failure to Alzheimer's disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Parkinson's disease.

11 Jan 2013

Saliva gland test shows promise for Parkinson's

New research suggests that testing a portion of a person's saliva gland may be a way to diagnose Parkinson's disease.

11 Jan 2013

Apparent stem cell transplant success in mice may hold promise for people with ALS

Apparent stem cell transplant success in mice may hold promise for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease.

11 Jan 2013

Link between environmental tobacco smoke and dementia syndromes

Passive smoking, also known as 'second-hand' smoke or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), is known to cause serious cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, including coronary heart disease and lung cancer.

10 Jan 2013

Dopamine-related drug exposure, Parkinson's increase risk of impulse control problems

Parkinson's disease itself does not increase the risk of impulse control problems such as compulsive gambling and shopping that have been seen in people taking certain drugs for Parkinson's disease, according to new research published in the January 8, 2013, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

9 Jan 2013

Beta blockers can reduce risk of Alzheimer's, other types of dementia

People taking the blood pressure drugs called beta blockers may be less likely to have changes in the brain that can be signs of Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 65th Annual Meeting in San Diego, March 16 to 23, 2013.

9 Jan 2013

Study demonstrates effects of obesity on 'Taupathies'

In France, more than 860,000 people suffer from Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, making them the largest cause of age-related loss of intellectual function. Cognitive impairments observed in Alzheimer's disease result from the accumulation of abnormal tau proteins in nerve cells undergoing degeneration . We know that obesity, a major risk factor in the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, increases the risk of dementia during the aging process.

9 Jan 2013

Education for dementia staff may need improvement

Staff who work with dementia patients should receive education about the condition as a mandatory component of both employment criteria and staff development programs, say Australian researchers.

8 Jan 2013

Fertility window research uncovers miscarriage mechanism

Research in animals has shed light on how recurrent miscarriage is related to a dysregulation of the monthly “fertility window.”

8 Jan 2013

Dementia diagnosis: an interview with Dr Andrew Blackwell, Chief Scientific Officer, Cambridge Cognition

Dementia is a huge public health problem, affecting about 800,000 people in the UK and 36 million people around the world.

8 Jan 2013

Study investigates prolonged pathological outcomes of traumatic brain injury

Researchers from the University of South Florida and colleagues at the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital studying the long-term consequences of traumatic brain injury using rat models, have found that, overtime, TBI results in progressive brain deterioration characterized by elevated inflammation and suppressed cell regeneration.

7 Jan 2013

Link between Parkinson's and benomyl

For several years, neurologists at UCLA have been building a case that a link exists between pesticides and Parkinson's disease. To date, paraquat, maneb and ziram - common chemicals sprayed in California's Central Valley and elsewhere - have been tied to increases in the disease, not only among farmworkers but in individuals who simply lived or worked near fields and likely inhaled drifting particles.

6 Jan 2013

Calphotin essential in keeping cellular calcium concentration low

All living cells keep their cellular calcium concentration at a very low level. Since a small increase in calcium can affect many critical cellular functions (an elevated calcium concentration over an extended period can induce cell death), powerful cellular mechanisms ensure that calcium concentration quickly returns to its low level.

4 Jan 2013