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.

New approach to prevention and management of Alzheimer's disease

With the aging of nearly 80 million baby boomers, Alzheimer's disease is an impending epidemic that requires a new approach to prevention as well as management of the disease, according to a UC Santa Barbara professor who has co-authored a new book on the topic.

26 May 2010

Spouses face hurdles when caring for themselves, ill loved ones

Reporting for Kaiser Health News, in collaboration with The Washington Post, Paula Span writes: "They met on a blind date in 1949 and married two years later.

26 May 2010

First Edition: May 25, 2010

Today's headlines reflect health policy action at the federal level as the Obama administration issues a warning to the insurance industry about mergers and urges the courts to dismiss Virginia's lawsuit against the health reform law.

25 May 2010

BIO praises Obama Administration’s dissemination of Therapeutic Discovery Project Program

The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) praised the Obama Administration for its new guidance, released today, that will lead to many small biotechnology companies receiving needed funding to support critical on-going research and development programs. The guidance document initiates the Therapeutic Discovery Project Program (TDPP), which was created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed into law by President Obama on March 23.

25 May 2010

New campaign to raise awareness about soul wrenching realities of Alzheimer's disease

The Alzheimer Society is launching a new campaign in an effort to raise awareness about the soul wrenching realities of Alzheimer's disease, and the Society's efforts to fund research towards a cure.

25 May 2010

Yissum introduces Dralgo platform to accelerate discovery of promising drug candidates

Drug discovery and development is a highly risky process, with only one in 10,000 initial candidate compounds reaching the market. When taking into account the aborted candidates, the cost of developing one successful drug may even reach $1 billion, and the development process may take as long as 15-20 years.

25 May 2010

Shrink files patent related to rapid prototyping system for manufacture of Lab-on-a-Chip devices

Shrink Nanotechnologies, Inc., an innovative nanotechnology company developing products and licensing opportunities in the solar energy production, medical diagnostics and sensors, and biotechnology research and development tools businesses, announced today that patent applications related to its rapid prototyping system for the manufacture of microfluidic chips, or Lab-on-a-Chip (LOC) devices, have been filed.

25 May 2010

ADDF provides $248,000 grant to ALSP to allow its lead drug candidate towards clinical trials

The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation announced today that it is providing a grant of $248,000 to American Life Science Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to allow for manufacture of its lead drug candidate to be used in preclinical toxicology testing in preparation for entering Phase I clinical trials early in 2011.

25 May 2010

Traumatic brain injuries may disrupt sleep patterns, says study

People with brain injuries may produce low amounts of melatonin, which affects their sleep, according to a study published in the May 25, 2010, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

25 May 2010

New study suggests protective effect of alcohol consumption on risk of AD in female nonsmokers

Knowledge regarding environmental factors influencing the risk of Alzheimer's disease is surprisingly scarce, despite substantial research in this area. In particular, the roles of smoking and alcohol consumption still remain controversial. A new study published this month in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease suggests a protective effect of alcohol consumption on the risk of Alzheimer's disease, particularly in women who do not smoke.

24 May 2010

Researchers look for new ways of targeting Alzheimer's disease

The Alzheimer's Association released a report on Wednesday, May 19, predicting that the cost of Alzheimer's disease over the next 40 years would reach $20 trillion if newer treatments are not on the horizon.

24 May 2010

Lithium reduces brain inflammation by adjusting metabolism of DHA: Researchers

Though it has been prescribed for over 50 years to treat bipolar disorder, there are still many questions regarding exactly how lithium works. However, in a study appearing in this month's Journal of Lipid Research, researchers have provided solid evidence that lithium reduces brain inflammation by adjusting the metabolism of the health-protective omega-3-fatty acid called DHA.

24 May 2010

SiMoA technology measures individual PSA molecules in prostate cancer patients: Nature Biotechnology

Quanterix Corporation, the single molecule diagnostics company focused on developing and commercializing high sensitivity tests, announced the publication of a breakthrough study of the company's proprietary technology that demonstrates an unprecedented sensitivity for measuring a biomarker for prostate cancer recurrence.

24 May 2010

UF awarded $1.2M grant to support UF-HHMI Science for Life Program

Imagine a chemistry professor and a neuroscientist working together to test a new drug to fight Alzheimer's disease, or a biomedical engineer working with an orthopedic surgeon to help patients walk again.

21 May 2010

COTI reports positive results from first phase of HIV integrase inhibitor discovery program

Critical Outcome Technologies Inc. today announced positive results from the first phase of its HIV integrase inhibitor discovery program. These results provide novel intellectual property to the Company and further validation of the CHEMSAS® drug discovery technology.

21 May 2010

Basque researchers find new Alzheimer's-related mechanism

Researchers from the University of the Basque Country have found a new Alzheimer's-related mechanism that could give rise to the development of new therapies against this disease. The study was recently published in the Cell Calcium journal, and the authors have already applied for a European patent to protect the commercial exploitation of this new discovery.

20 May 2010

Study confirms inverse association of increase in BMI with lower brain volumes

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine determined that excess abdominal fat places otherwise healthy, middle-aged people at risk for dementia later in life. Preliminary findings suggest a relationship between obesity and dementia that could lead to promising prevention strategies in the future. Results of this study are published early online in Annals of Neurology, a journal of the American Neurological Association.

20 May 2010

275% rise in dementia cases for Australia over next 40 years: Study

According to an Access Economics study commissioned by the Alzheimer’s Australia the number of Victorian dementia patients will quadruple in the next 40 years. At present the figures stand at 66,000 and are expected to touch 246,000 in 2050. The rise is an alarming 275% and is fueled by population growth, reduced physical activity, and an increasingly ageing population. Alzheimer’s Australia warns Victorian Health authorities to start planning for measures to curb the epidemic.

19 May 2010

Targacept commences Phase 2 clinical proof of concept trial of TC-5619 in adults with ADHD

Targacept, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel NNR Therapeutics (TM), today announced that it has initiated a Phase 2 clinical proof of concept trial of TC-5619 in adults with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). TC-5619 is a novel small molecule that is highly selective for the alpha7 neuronal nicotinic receptor, which Targacept refers to as NNR, and was discovered by Targacept scientists using Targacept's proprietary drug discovery platform known as Pentad (TM).

19 May 2010

Research team converts astroglia into two main classes of cortical neurons

The research team led by Professor Magdalena Götz of Helmholtz Zentrum München and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) Munich reports a major step forward in discovering a therapy for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's or stroke. The researchers were able to convert glial cells of the brain into two different functional classes of neurons. The findings are published on May 18th in the renowned journal PLoS Biology.

19 May 2010

Alzheimer's Disease News and Research

Further Reading

New approach to prevention and management of Alzheimer's disease

Spouses face hurdles when caring for themselves, ill loved ones

First Edition: May 25, 2010

BIO praises Obama Administration’s dissemination of Therapeutic Discovery Project Program

New campaign to raise awareness about soul wrenching realities of Alzheimer's disease

Yissum introduces Dralgo platform to accelerate discovery of promising drug candidates

Shrink files patent related to rapid prototyping system for manufacture of Lab-on-a-Chip devices

ADDF provides $248,000 grant to ALSP to allow its lead drug candidate towards clinical trials

Traumatic brain injuries may disrupt sleep patterns, says study

New study suggests protective effect of alcohol consumption on risk of AD in female nonsmokers

Researchers look for new ways of targeting Alzheimer's disease

Lithium reduces brain inflammation by adjusting metabolism of DHA: Researchers

SiMoA technology measures individual PSA molecules in prostate cancer patients: Nature Biotechnology

UF awarded $1.2M grant to support UF-HHMI Science for Life Program

COTI reports positive results from first phase of HIV integrase inhibitor discovery program

Basque researchers find new Alzheimer's-related mechanism

Study confirms inverse association of increase in BMI with lower brain volumes

275% rise in dementia cases for Australia over next 40 years: Study

Targacept commences Phase 2 clinical proof of concept trial of TC-5619 in adults with ADHD

Research team converts astroglia into two main classes of cortical neurons

Aneuro: A Year of Neuroscience in Review eBook

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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