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.

FDA approves tetrabenazine for Huntington's disease

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved tetrabenazine, the first drug approved for use in the United States to treat Huntington's disease, a fatal, inherited neurodegenerative disorder for which there is no cure. The action comes about eight months after an advisory panel unanimously voted to advise FDA to make the medication available to treat the disease.

17 Aug 2008

URMC & NIH partner to expand, accelerate clinical research in neurological diseases

The University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke are hosting a week-long training session designed to create a new generation of researchers with the specialized skills necessary to conduct clinical trials in neurological disorders.

14 Aug 2008

Robot controlled by biological brain provides insights into how the brain works

A multidisciplinary team at the University of Reading has developed a robot which is controlled by a biological brain formed from cultured neurons. This cutting edge research is the first step to examine how memories manifest themselves in the brain, and how a brain stores specific pieces of data.

13 Aug 2008

Study finds caregivers of spouses with dementia report sadness and loneliness

Spouses of husbands and wives with dementia pay an emotional toll as they care for their ailing spouse. This has prompted a call for new interventions and strategies to assist caregivers in coping with the demands of this difficult time, according to a study from Case Western Reserve University's Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences.

12 Aug 2008

PET scans spot signs of early Alzheimer's

Scientists in Finland say a type of imaging technique known as positron emission tomography (PET) scanning may be a useful and non-invasive way of diagnosing the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

11 Aug 2008

Subtle signs of Alzheimer's appear many years before symptoms appear

Scientists from the University of South Florida and the University of Kentucky report that people who develop Alzheimer's disease may show signs of this illness many decades earlier in life, including compromised educational achievement.

11 Aug 2008

Therapies which boost the clearance of faulty proteins in cells may slow down ageing

Scientists say as people age, their cells become less efficient at getting rid of damaged protein and the result is a buildup of toxic material; this is particularly apparent in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders associated with ageing.

11 Aug 2008

Scientists stop age-related decline in an entire organ

As people age, their cells become less efficient at getting rid of damaged protein - resulting in a buildup of toxic material that is especially pronounced in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, and other neurodegenerative disorders.

10 Aug 2008

Cannabinoid cell surface receptor plays a tumor-suppressing role in human colorectal cancer

CB1 is well-established for relieving pain and nausea, elevating mood and stimulating appetite by serving as a docking station for the cannabinoid group of signaling molecules. It now may serve as a new path for cancer prevention or treatment.

3 Aug 2008

Living with someone reduces risk of developing Alzheimer's

Living with a spouse or a partner decreases the risk of developing Alzheimer's and other dementia diseases. This according to a study by Krister Hakansson, researcher in psychology at Vaxjo University and Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.

31 Jul 2008

Promising new therapy for Alzheimer's

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center announced today the nine-month interim results of an ongoing Phase II clinical trial of GAMMAGARD Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IGIV) for Alzheimer's disease at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD) in Chicago.

From Baxter International Inc. 30 Jul 2008

Rember, new Alzheimer's drug offers hope to sufferers

An experimental drug to treat Alzheimer's disease has had some promising results in early trials with patients.

30 Jul 2008

Estrogen treatments may sharpen mental performance in some women

Estrogen treatments may sharpen mental performance in women with certain medical conditions, but University of Florida researchers suggest that recharging a naturally occurring estrogen receptor in the brain may also clear cognitive cobwebs.

29 Jul 2008

Healthy children of Alzheimer's patients show early brain changes

Medical College of Wisconsin researchers in Milwaukee have reported that children of Alzheimer's patients who are carriers of a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease have neurological changes that are detectable long before clinical symptoms may appear.

29 Jul 2008

Australian Alzheimer's trial published in the Lancet

Prana Biotechnology Limited announced today the publication of the results of its Phase 2a clinical trial on Alzheimer's disease patients in The Lancet Neurology journal.

29 Jul 2008

Markers in blood and spinal fluid, and a new imaging agent, show promise for early detection of Alzheimer's

With the continued aging of the population and the growing epidemic of Alzheimer's, early detection of the disease is crucial for risk assessment, testing new therapies, and eventual early intervention with better drugs, once they are developed. Four studies reported today at the Alzheimer's Association's 2008 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD 2008) in Chicago bring us closer to that goal of early detection by describing advances in biomarkers.

29 Jul 2008

Alzheimer's disease patients show improvement in trial of new drug

A new drug has been shown to improve the brain function of people with early stage Alzheimer's disease and reduce a key protein associated with the disease in the spinal fluid, in a small study published today in the journal Lancet Neurology and presented at the 2008 Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease.

29 Jul 2008