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.

Microglia contribute to loss of neurons linked with Alzheimer's disease

Microglia are the cells responsible for immune surveillance in the brain, and they initiate protective inflammatory reactions in response to tissue damage and infection. An international team under the leadership of LMU neuroscientist Professor Jochen Herms has now shown that these cells may actually make a significant contribution to the loss of neurons associated with Alzheimer's disease.

22 Mar 2010

Chao BRAIN Center receives $5M gift for study of progressive neurodegenerative diseases

Dr. Stephen Wong has received a $5 million gift from the Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation to study progressive neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's Disease. The gift will support The Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Center for Bioinformatics Research and Imaging for Neurosciences (BRAIN) at The Methodist Hospital Research Institute.

22 Mar 2010

Pressure BioSciences announces presentations on advantages of PCT

Pressure BioSciences, Inc. today announced that five presentations on the advantages of pressure cycling technology (PCT) in the preparation, processing, identification, and quantification of proteins were made at last week's annual meeting of US HUPO (Human Proteomics Organization) in Denver, Colorado.

From Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 19 Mar 2010

Penn Medicine, AstraZeneca collaborate to generate new AD drug candidates

The University of Pennsylvania and AstraZeneca today announced a new collaborative research agreement to make use of their respective talents and resources in an effort to bridge the transition from drug discovery to development.

19 Mar 2010

ETP releases presentation highlights of 2010 Epilepsy Pipeline Update Conference

The Epilepsy Therapy Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to accelerating new therapies for people living with epilepsy, today released presentation highlights following its successful 2010 Epilepsy Pipeline Update Conference held in San Francisco. Sponsored by ETP, this conference brings together leading clinical investigators, emerging CNS companies and academic innovators with investors and business development partners to facilitate professional collaboration, funding and partnerships that will accelerate patient access to new treatments.

18 Mar 2010

Research shows phenomenon of brain replay is much more complex

The hippocampus, a part of the brain essential for memory, has long been known to "replay" recently experienced events. Previously, replay was believed to be a simple process of reviewing recent experiences in order to help consolidate them into long-term memory.

18 Mar 2010

Alzheimer's disease: Gene expression level influences promotion of disorder or protection against development

Using sophisticated techniques that scan the genomes of patients, researchers at the Mayo Clinic campus in Florida have found that a gene appears to either help protect against development of Alzheimer's disease, or promote the disorder depending on the level of gene in the brain.

18 Mar 2010

Research confirms benefits of PET scan in early detection of Alzheimer's disease

Westside Medical Associates of Los Angeles and Westside Medical Imaging (WMI) of Beverly Hills announce the benefit of early positron emission tomography (PET) scanning to identify Alzheimer's in its early more treatable phase.

17 Mar 2010

Pathway Genomics' personal Genetic Health Report now available

Pathway Genomics Inc., a U.S. based genetic testing company, announced the immediate availability of its personal Genetic Health Report. This customized and innovative personal genetic health report contains information on more than 70 health conditions, including pharmacogenetics (prescription medication response), propensity for complex disease, and carrier status (pre-pregnancy health).

17 Mar 2010

Methamphetamine abuse during pregnancy leads to structural abnormalities in brain of children

It has long been known that alcohol exposure is toxic to the developing fetus and can result in lifelong brain, cognitive and behavioral problems. Now, a new report out of UCLA shows that the effects of prenatal methamphetamine exposure - or worse, a combination of methamphetamine and alcohol - may be even more damaging.

17 Mar 2010

Test tube studies offer new hope for Alzheimer’s patients

A team of scientists from SLU in Uppsala and University of Cambridge have discovered a molecule that can prevent a toxic protein involved Alzheimer's disease from building up in the brain.

17 Mar 2010

Human amniotic fluid skin cells "reprogrammed" to pluripotency

In a breakthrough that may help fill a critical need in stem cell research and patient care, researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have demonstrated that skin cells found in human amniotic fluid can be efficiently "reprogrammed" to pluripotency, where they have characteristics similar to human embryonic stem cells that can develop into almost any type of cell in the human body. The study is online now and will appear in print in the next issue of the journal Cellular Reprogramming, to be published next month.

16 Mar 2010

Viron Therapeutics' VT-346 anti-TNF protein exhibits positive results in transgenic mouse model for arthritis

Viron Therapeutics Inc. announced that VT-346, an anti-TNF protein therapeutic, demonstrated positive results in a pivotal proof of concept study in the gold standard transgenic mouse model for arthritis. VT-346 achieved a statistically significant, dose dependent impact in this preclinical model of arthritis and prevented deterioration due to disease in terms of weight gain, arthritic score and pathology parameters. VT-346 had particularly strong protective effects on therapeutically-important bone and cartilage damage in this model.

16 Mar 2010

Aging and Alzheimer's disease: Novel brain imaging technologies help create new insights

The emergence of multiple new brain imaging technologies and the combined application of these new approaches is helping to create new insights into aging and Alzheimer's disease. One of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease is the deposition of amyloid beta protein in clumps or "plaques" within the brain. These plaques can be measured in humans with PET scans that use a chemical marker or radiotracer called 11C-PIB.

16 Mar 2010

This Brain Awareness Week, Canadians are urged to take control and protect their health

With the prevalence of dementia expected to reach 1.1 million Canadians within a generation, taking care of your brain health has never been more important.

16 Mar 2010

Researchers discover microtentacles that play key role in spreading cancer to distant locations in body

Researchers at the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center have discovered that "microtentacles," or extensions of the plasma membrane of breast cancer cells, appear to play a key role in how cancers spread to distant locations in the body. Targeting these microtentacles might prove to be a new way to prevent or slow the growth of these secondary cancers, the scientists say.

15 Mar 2010

UC Irvine researchers play leading role in genome sequencing of Hydra

UC Irvine researchers have played a leading role in the genome sequencing of Hydra, a freshwater polyp that has been a staple of biological research for 300 years.

15 Mar 2010

New study finds green tea extract may prevent Alzheimer's disease and dementia

Long known to be beneficial in heart disease, diabetes and some cancers, a new study finds a specific green tea extract may delay or prevent Alzheimer's disease and dementia. A. Holliday & Company's "Teawell 50," is a 50 percent pure extraction of EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) – a flavonoid which is the most potent of four major catechins in green tea.

15 Mar 2010

Brain Science Institute, Eisai sign licensing agreement to develop GCPII inhibitors

Johns Hopkins University's newly formed Brain Science Institute's NeuroTranslational Program has entered into a licensing agreement with pharmaceutical company Eisai Inc. to discover and develop small molecule glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII) inhibitors.

15 Mar 2010

Eisai, Johns Hopkins University's BSI enter into licensing agreement for GCPII technology

Eisai Inc. today announces that it has entered into a licensing agreement with the Johns Hopkins University's Brain Science Institute related to Eisai's GCPII (glutamate carboxypeptidase II) technology.

12 Mar 2010

Alzheimer's Disease News and Research

Further Reading

Microglia contribute to loss of neurons linked with Alzheimer's disease

Chao BRAIN Center receives $5M gift for study of progressive neurodegenerative diseases

Pressure BioSciences announces presentations on advantages of PCT

Penn Medicine, AstraZeneca collaborate to generate new AD drug candidates

ETP releases presentation highlights of 2010 Epilepsy Pipeline Update Conference

Research shows phenomenon of brain replay is much more complex

Alzheimer's disease: Gene expression level influences promotion of disorder or protection against development

Research confirms benefits of PET scan in early detection of Alzheimer's disease

Pathway Genomics' personal Genetic Health Report now available

Methamphetamine abuse during pregnancy leads to structural abnormalities in brain of children

Test tube studies offer new hope for Alzheimer’s patients

Human amniotic fluid skin cells "reprogrammed" to pluripotency

Viron Therapeutics' VT-346 anti-TNF protein exhibits positive results in transgenic mouse model for arthritis

Aging and Alzheimer's disease: Novel brain imaging technologies help create new insights

This Brain Awareness Week, Canadians are urged to take control and protect their health

Researchers discover microtentacles that play key role in spreading cancer to distant locations in body

UC Irvine researchers play leading role in genome sequencing of Hydra

New study finds green tea extract may prevent Alzheimer's disease and dementia

Brain Science Institute, Eisai sign licensing agreement to develop GCPII inhibitors

Eisai, Johns Hopkins University's BSI enter into licensing agreement for GCPII technology

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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