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.

Research highlights potential of blood epigenetics for dementia risk assessment

New research suggests that epigenetic markers in the blood could be useful for understanding dementia risk.

28 Aug 2024

PET imaging and proteomics reveal distinct protein signatures in Alzheimer's disease progression

Researchers used PET imaging and proteomic analysis of cerebrospinal fluid to study amyloid β and tau tangle loads in Alzheimer's patients, identifying 127 proteins linked to disease progression. The findings highlight distinct molecular pathways and potential therapeutic targets.

28 Aug 2024

Dementia Australia welcomes UK approval of lecanemab to tackle Alzheimer’s

Dementia Australia welcomes the decision by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency to approve Lecanemab for use in the UK.

27 Aug 2024

Acute kidney injury linked to increased risk of dementia

Acute kidney injury is associated with an increased risk of developing dementia, according to a new study published in the journal Neurology by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and others.

26 Aug 2024

Exploring early detection of Alzheimer's disease through non-cognitive symptoms

The article presents a thorough examination of Alzheimer's disease (AD), emphasizing early detection as critical due to the disease's progression through stages from normal cognition to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and eventually dementia.

26 Aug 2024

Multiple sclerosis patients less likely to have molecular hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) are far less likely than those without the condition to have the molecular hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease, according to new research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

23 Aug 2024

Cholinesterase inhibitors may slow cognitive decline in dementia with Lewy bodies

Dementia with Lewy bodies is a type of dementia that is similar to both Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease but studies on long-term treatments are lacking.

23 Aug 2024

FDA-approved drug could revolutionize organ transplantation

Researchers at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University report that they were able to successfully put tadpoles of Xenopus laevis frogs into a hibernation-like torpor state using donepezil (DNP), a drug approved by the FDA to treat Alzheimer's. The team had previously used another drug, SNC80, to achieve similar results in tadpoles and enhance the survival of whole mammalian hearts for transplants, but SNC80 is not approved for clinical use in humans because it can cause seizures. By contrast, DNP is already being used in the clinic, meaning it potentially could be rapidly repurposed for use in emergency situations to prevent irreversible organ injury while a person is being transported to a hospital.

23 Aug 2024

Kynurenine pathway blockade shows promise for restoring brain metabolism in Alzheimer's

Among the many ways neuroscientists think Alzheimer's disease may strip away brain function is by disrupting the glucose metabolism needed to fuel the healthy brain.

22 Aug 2024

Cancer drug holds promise as a new treatment for neurodegenerative diseases

A type of drug developed for treating cancer holds promise as a new treatment for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, according to a recent study by researchers at Penn State, Stanford University and an international team of collaborators.

22 Aug 2024

Study shows frequent mitochondrial DNA insertion in the brain cells

As direct descendants of ancient bacteria, mitochondria have always been a little alien.

22 Aug 2024

UC Irvine researchers discover the neurons responsible for "item memory"

Researchers from the University of California, Irvine have discovered the neurons responsible for "item memory," deepening our understanding of how the brain stores and retrieves the details of "what" happened and offering a new target for treating Alzheimer's disease.

21 Aug 2024

Understanding gluten's role in autoimmunity and inflammation

The interaction between humans and their environment, mediated by nutrition, plays a crucial role in regulating inflammatory responses.

21 Aug 2024

New compound shows promise in Alzheimer’s preclinical models

A multidisciplinary team of scientists led by Kurt Brunden, Ph.D., at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, and Carlo Ballatore, Ph.D., at University of California San Diego, has been awarded a $6.9 million grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) to prepare a potential disease-modifying Alzheimer's treatment for future clinical trials.

21 Aug 2024

Study reveals gaps in Alzheimer's knowledge

A new study examining older Black Americans' perceptions of Alzheimer's disease has found a lack of awareness of the devastating condition. The authors propose strategies for supporting brain health in this population.

21 Aug 2024

NIH awards $6.9 million to prepare a potential Alzheimer's treatment for future clinical trials

A multidisciplinary team of scientists led by Carlo Ballatore, Ph.D., at University of California San Diego and Kurt Brunden, Ph.D., at the University of Pennsylvania has been awarded a $6.9 million grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) to prepare a potential disease-modifying Alzheimer's treatment for future clinical trials.

20 Aug 2024