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.

Dopamine drug may lead to new ways of treating Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases

Researchers have shown that a drug which mimics the effects of the nerve-signaling chemical dopamine causes new neurons to develop in the part of the brain where cells are lost in Parkinson's disease

4 Jul 2006

Gabapentin is as effective as estrogen for menopause symptoms

University of Rochester researchers, who have been investigating new therapies for hot flashes for several years, report in the July Obstetrics and Gynecology journal that the seizure drug gabapentin is as effective as estrogen

3 Jul 2006

New discovery boosts basic understanding of prion infections

Brittleness is often seen as a sign of fragility. But in the case of infectious proteins called prions, brittleness makes for a tougher, more menacing pathogen.

28 Jun 2006

Probable cause for Parkinson's found

Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Lou Gehrig's disease and other brain disorders are among a growing list of maladies attributed to oxidative stress, the cell damage caused during metabolism when the oxygen in the body assumes ever more chemically reactive forms.

28 Jun 2006

FDA approves Exelon to treat dementia of Parkinson's disease

FDA approves Exelon (rivastigmine tartrate) for the treatment of mild to moderate dementia associated with Parkinson's disease.

27 Jun 2006

Mild cognitive impairment: Evaluation with 4-T functional MR imaging

Memory loss associated with early Alzheimer's disease (AD) may be linked to altered activity in several areas of the brain, according to a study in the July issue of Radiology.

27 Jun 2006

Discovery of gene behind iron accumulation in brain has implications for Parkinson's, Alzheimer's

Oregon Health & Science University researchers have identified the gene behind a group of rare, progressive childhood disorders caused by an abnormal buildup of iron in the brain.

18 Jun 2006

Restricting carbohydrates may prevent Alzheimer's disease

A recent study directed by Mount Sinai School of Medicine suggests that experimental dietary regimens might calm or even reverse symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease (AD).

14 Jun 2006

Government scientist accused of profiting from selling human tissue samples

It has been reported that a senior researcher at the U.S. National Institutes of Health has possibly profited by as much $285,000 from the sale of human tissue samples collected from the public for research.

14 Jun 2006

Vaccine to treat Alzheimer's effective and safe

According to researchers in Japan they have developed a DNA vaccine that reduces the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in mice without causing side-effects.

13 Jun 2006

Lessons from our patients: development of a warm autopsy program

Thanks in large part to a dying patient's generosity, researchers have for the first time begun to analyze the progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a degenerative illness distinguished by lung inflammation, scarring and diminished breathing capacity that typically leads to death within about five years of diagnosis.

7 Jun 2006

Gene mutation potentially involved in breast cancer initiation

Researchers have found evidence suggesting that a mutation in a gene that normally helps block the formation of breast tumors could play a role in the initiation of a major form of breast cancer.

6 Jun 2006

Calpain protein key to preventing or promoting cell death

A protein called calpain can be the key either preventing or promoting the cell death, a Queen's University study has found.

6 Jun 2006

Researchers show that different forms of amyloid beta lead to neural damage in different ways

Researchers at UC Irvine have shown that different forms of amyloid beta lead to neural damage in different ways, leading to an increasingly complex view of amyloid toxicity in the Alzheimer brain.

6 Jun 2006

Naturally produced protein that helps protect us from cancer may also determine how long we live

The reason why people are at greater risk of developing cancer as they get older may be explained by research published today.

From The University of Manchester 1 Jun 2006

Moderate alcohol intake helps women think

Research involving more than 7,000 older women found that those who drink a moderate amount of alcohol have slightly higher levels of mental function than non-drinkers, particularly in verbal abilities.

1 Jun 2006

Lowering blood pressure does not appear to prevent cognitive or dementia-related disorders

Lowering blood pressure does not appear to prevent cognitive or dementia-related disorders, a desired effect in light of the large number of elderly adults who suffer from both cognitive impairment and hypertension.

29 May 2006

Sleeping pill rouses people in a permanent vegetative state

South African researchers have found that a drug commonly used as a sleeping pill can temporarily revive people in a permanent vegetative state to the point where they can have conversations.

25 May 2006

Poor physical function associated with increased risk of dementia in older adults

Poor physical function may be associated with an increased risk for dementia and Alzheimer's disease in elderly adults, according to a report in the May 22 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

23 May 2006

Study identified characteristics of caregivers that may increase symptoms in dementia patients

Troublesome symptoms that accompany dementia - including wandering, hallucinations and restlessness - may increase if the patients' caregivers are young, less educated, over-burdened or depressed.

23 May 2006

Alzheimer's Disease News and Research

Further Reading

Dopamine drug may lead to new ways of treating Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases

Gabapentin is as effective as estrogen for menopause symptoms

New discovery boosts basic understanding of prion infections

Probable cause for Parkinson's found

FDA approves Exelon to treat dementia of Parkinson's disease

Mild cognitive impairment: Evaluation with 4-T functional MR imaging

Discovery of gene behind iron accumulation in brain has implications for Parkinson's, Alzheimer's

Restricting carbohydrates may prevent Alzheimer's disease

Government scientist accused of profiting from selling human tissue samples

Vaccine to treat Alzheimer's effective and safe

Lessons from our patients: development of a warm autopsy program

Gene mutation potentially involved in breast cancer initiation

Calpain protein key to preventing or promoting cell death

Researchers show that different forms of amyloid beta lead to neural damage in different ways

Naturally produced protein that helps protect us from cancer may also determine how long we live

Moderate alcohol intake helps women think

Lowering blood pressure does not appear to prevent cognitive or dementia-related disorders

Sleeping pill rouses people in a permanent vegetative state

Poor physical function associated with increased risk of dementia in older adults

Study identified characteristics of caregivers that may increase symptoms in dementia patients

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