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.

Highlights for December 2012 issue of GSA’s Genetics journal

Listed below are the selected highlights for the December 2012 issue of the Genetics Society of America's journal, Genetics.

5 Dec 2012

VTT's PredictAD system promises to enable earlier diagnosis of Alzheimer's

A software tool called PredictAD developed by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland promises to enable earlier diagnosis of the disease on the basis of patient measurements and large databases. Alzheimer's disease currently takes on average 20 months to diagnose in Europe.

4 Dec 2012

psi-GSH prevents neurodegeneration associated with Alzheimer's in mouse model

Researchers at the University of Minnesota's Center for Drug Design have developed a synthetic compound that, in a mouse model, successfully prevents the neurodegeneration associated with Alzheimer's disease.

4 Dec 2012

New antibodies effective at preventing formation of toxic protein particles linked to Parkinson’s, AD

Antibodies developed by researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are unusually effective at preventing the formation of toxic protein particles linked to Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, as well as Type 2 diabetes, according to a new study.

4 Dec 2012

Study describes 68 cases of chronic traumatic encephalopathy in athletes, military veterans

A study done by investigators at the Boston University Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy (CSTE) and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, in collaboration with the Sports Legacy Institute (SLI), describes 68 cases of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) among deceased athletes and military veterans whose brain and spinal cords were donated to the VA CSTE Brain Bank.

4 Dec 2012

Scientists discover new target molecule for development of treatment against Alzheimer's

Scientists from VIB and KU Leuven have discovered a new target molecule for the development of a treatment against Alzheimer's disease. There is currently no cure for this disease.

3 Dec 2012

Merck commences MK-8931 Phase II/III trial in Alzheimer's

Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced it has started a Phase II/III clinical trial designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of MK-8931 versus placebo in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease.

3 Dec 2012

Vitamin D may be vital component for cognitive health of women

Two new studies appearing in the Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences show that vitamin D may be a vital component for the cognitive health of women as they age.

30 Nov 2012

HDAC6 enzyme could be possible target for therapies against Alzheimer's

Scientists from the DZNE sites in G-ttingen and Bonn, the UMG as well as from the US participated in this basic research project on Alzheimer's disease. The study is published in "EMBO Molecular Medicine".

30 Nov 2012

Suvorexant may bring help for people with insomnia

A new drug may bring help for people with insomnia, according to a study published in the November 28, 2012, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

29 Nov 2012

Microglia might play a key role in protecting brain from Alzheimer's

A new experimental study carried out in mice shows that microglia, immune cells of the brain, might play a key role in protecting the brain from Alzheimer's disease (AD).

29 Nov 2012

Florbetapir PET scans can detect brain amyloid deposits associated with Alzheimer’s

A test to detect brain amyloid deposits associated with Alzheimer disease (AD) provides doctors with useful information on treatment and further testing for patients with cognitive impairment, according to a study published online by the journal Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders.

28 Nov 2012

Short instance of moderate exercise improves memories in older adults with MCI

A short burst of moderate exercise enhances the consolidation of memories in both healthy older adults and those with mild cognitive impairment, scientists with UC Irvine's Center for the Neurobiology of Learning & Memory have discovered.

28 Nov 2012

Enrollment begins in Elan’s ELND005 Phase 2 trial for agitation/aggression associated with AD

Elan Corporation, plc today announced that it has enrolled the first patient in a Phase 2 clinical trial of ELND005 (Study AG201) for the treatment of agitation/aggression in patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease (AD).

28 Nov 2012

Kinexus releases new antibody microarray kit

Kinexus Bioinformatics Corporation, a world leader in functional proteomics research, announced today the release of its first Kinex antibody microarray kit with its latest generation KAM-850 chip.

27 Nov 2012

Health law implementation proceeds -- with fits and starts

Even as the election has altered the landscape for lawmakers who hoped to repeal the 2010 health law, some opponents are pressing on with legal challenges. Specific elements of the law, such as its health exchanges, also present logistical and financial issues for the Obama administration.

27 Nov 2012

Johns Hopkins receives $1.9M NIH grant to establish new center for sleep research

More than one-quarter of the adult population of the U.S. suffers from sleep disturbances known to contribute to life-threatening illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and dementia as well as depression, chronic pain, and fatigue. Often such sleeplessness is a consequence of obesity, lifestyle, and work.

27 Nov 2012

Accera commences clinical efficacy trial of AC-1204 for mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease

Accera, Inc., a privately-held, commercial-stage, healthcare company focused on the discovery and development of innovative clinical applications to address acute and chronic neurodegenerative diseases, announced today the initiation of a clinical efficacy trial examining the effects of AC-1204 in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD).

26 Nov 2012

New therapeutic approach for preventing Alzheimer's disease

Pathological changes typical of Alzheimer's disease were significantly reduced in mice by blockade of an immune system transmitter. A research team from Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the University of Zurich has just published a new therapeutic approach in fighting Alzheimer's disease in the current issue of Nature Medicine. This approach promises potential in prevention, as well as in cases where the disease has already set in.

26 Nov 2012

Mental activities like reading and writing can preserve structural integrity in the brains of older people

Mental activities like reading and writing can preserve structural integrity in the brains of older people, according to a new study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

26 Nov 2012

Alzheimer's Disease News and Research

Further Reading

Highlights for December 2012 issue of GSA’s Genetics journal

VTT's PredictAD system promises to enable earlier diagnosis of Alzheimer's

psi-GSH prevents neurodegeneration associated with Alzheimer's in mouse model

New antibodies effective at preventing formation of toxic protein particles linked to Parkinson’s, AD

Study describes 68 cases of chronic traumatic encephalopathy in athletes, military veterans

Scientists discover new target molecule for development of treatment against Alzheimer's

Merck commences MK-8931 Phase II/III trial in Alzheimer's

Vitamin D may be vital component for cognitive health of women

HDAC6 enzyme could be possible target for therapies against Alzheimer's

Suvorexant may bring help for people with insomnia

Microglia might play a key role in protecting brain from Alzheimer's

Florbetapir PET scans can detect brain amyloid deposits associated with Alzheimer’s

Short instance of moderate exercise improves memories in older adults with MCI

Enrollment begins in Elan’s ELND005 Phase 2 trial for agitation/aggression associated with AD

Kinexus releases new antibody microarray kit

Health law implementation proceeds -- with fits and starts

Johns Hopkins receives $1.9M NIH grant to establish new center for sleep research

Accera commences clinical efficacy trial of AC-1204 for mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease

New therapeutic approach for preventing Alzheimer's disease

Mental activities like reading and writing can preserve structural integrity in the brains of older people

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