Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Latest Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Targeting specific enzyme could combat Alzheimer’s disease on two fronts

UQ researchers have discovered a potential drug target for Alzheimer’s disease — an enzyme which has effects on both the immune and nervous systems.

19 Sep 2019

Protein prevalent in older people interferes with bone healing

Broken bones are a bigger deal the older you are: even after they've healed, the bones of older people are weaker and more likely to re-fracture. And since more than 6 million Americans break a bone each year, figuring out how to help people heal better would make a big difference.

19 Sep 2019

AAN recommends assessment of people aged 65 and older for memory problems

People with mild cognitive impairment have thinking and memory problems but usually do not know it because such problems are not severe enough to affect their daily activities.

19 Sep 2019

New device uses electromagnetic waves to reverse Alzheimer’s

A new study, to be published in the September 3, 2019, issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, provides something to cheer about for the estimated 44 million patients who have Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in the US, and their hard-pressed caregivers.

18 Sep 2019

New peptides improve memory in mice with Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) affects over 44 million people the world over. But now, neurologist Jack Jhamandas and his team have found two short peptides which, on daily injection into mice with symptoms of AD for just five weeks, led to a significant improvement.

18 Sep 2019

Exercise may delay brain deterioration in people at high risk for Alzheimer's

Exercising several times a week may delay brain deterioration in people at high risk for Alzheimer's disease, according to a study that scientists say merits further research to establish whether fitness can affect the progression of dementia.

18 Sep 2019

World Alzheimer’s Day 2019: A timely reminder of urgent need for new drugs to tackle disease

As World Alzheimer’s Day 2019 approaches (21 September), with the aim this year of raising global awareness and understanding of the stigma, stereotypes and myths that surround a dementia diagnosis;

17 Sep 2019

Researchers identify potential target for diabetes-associated Alzheimer's disease

Researchers have identified a protein that may contribute to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease pathology in type-2 diabetes, reports a new study of male mice and human brain tissue. The research could have implications for future drug development.

From Society for Neuroscience 17 Sep 2019

Strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease impairs function of human microglia

A study carried out with a new human stem cell-derived model reveals that the most prevalent genetic risk factor of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4), impairs the function of human brain immune cells, microglia. These findings pave the way for new, effective treatment approaches for AD. The results were published in Stem Cell Reports.

17 Sep 2019

Chemist explores link between Alzheimer's and copper protein molecules in brain cells

A University of Houston chemist is exploring the link between copper protein molecules in brain cells and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.

17 Sep 2019

Tea improves brain circuits, structure and memory

A recent study showed that people who drink tea regularly have brains which function better and also show a greater degree of organization. This could strengthen the case for drinking tea to help prevent dementia. The study is important because, unlike most others which look only at tests of mental ability, it also examined structural brain changes with tea drinking.

16 Sep 2019

Brain activity intensity appears to increase our need for sleep

The intensity of brain activity during the day, notwithstanding how long we've been awake, appears to increase our need for sleep, according to a new UCL study in zebrafish.

16 Sep 2019

Alzheimer's drug associated with two-fold higher risk of hospitalization for rhabdomyolysis

A drug commonly used to manage symptoms of Alzheimer disease and other dementias -- donepezil -- is associated with a two-fold higher risk of hospital admission for rhabdomyolysis, a painful condition of muscle breakdown, compared with several other cholinesterase inhibitors, found a study in CMAJ.

16 Sep 2019

Researchers identify changes in retinal layers of patients with mild Alzheimer's disease

Researchers at the Complutense University of Madrid have identified changes in retinal layer thickness, inflammation or thinning in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease, confirming that the retina is one of the most important biomarkers for early diagnosis of the disease.

13 Sep 2019

Four reasons to prioritize family health and fitness

Many people think about ways to stay physically fit as individuals. But what about creating a health and fitness plan for the entire family?

12 Sep 2019

Brain changes may help track people most likely to develop dementia

Even before dementia diagnosis, people with mild cognitive impairment may have different changes in the brain depending on what type of dementia they have, according to a study published in the September 11, 2019, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

11 Sep 2019

Pupil dilation provides clues to future Alzheimer’s risk

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects the quality of life of those affected by the disease. The most common form of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease negatively impacts thinking, memory, behavior. Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease but treatments can slow its progression.

11 Sep 2019

Novel protein biomarker can help improve dementia risk prediction

Identifying those who are at risk of dementia, a type of neurodegenerative disease, is crucial for early treatment and development of new therapies, a new study suggests.

11 Sep 2019

Calcium channel blockers may help effectively treat memory loss in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia but the changes in brain cell function underlying memory loss remains poorly understood.

11 Sep 2019

California hospitals and nursing homes brace for wildfire blackouts

California has seen a relatively slow start to this year's wildfire season, but Wanda Chaney still frets every time it's hot and windy in Chico, a college town about two hours north of Sacramento. She's far less worried about an actual wildfire than the power company shutting off her electricity to prevent one.

11 Sep 2019