Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Latest Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

UAB scientists explore gene therapy for frontotemporal dementia

Gene therapy has shown promise for treating a neurodegenerative disease known as frontotemporal dementia and a related condition called neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis, according to new findings presented in the Journal of Neuroscience by researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

1 Mar 2018

A tale of love, family conflict and battles over care for an aging mother

"Edith + Eddie," a short documentary vying for an Academy Award Sunday, is a gripping look at a couple in their 90s caught up in an intense family conflict over caring for an aging parent.

1 Mar 2018

Traumatic brain injuries may increase risk of Alzheimer’s disease earlier in life

Concussions and other traumatic brain injuries may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease earlier in life, according to a study from UT Southwestern's Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute.

1 Mar 2018

Study sheds light on a key protein associated with brain diseases and dementia

A new study has increased understanding of the connection between angiogenin and neurological disorders such as ALS and Fronto-temporal dementia.

1 Mar 2018

Gluten-free diet may help protect against neuropathic pain

A strict gluten-free diet may help protect against the nerve pain that some people with gluten sensitivity experience, according to a preliminary study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 70th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, April 21 to 27, 2018.

1 Mar 2018

InSysBio evaluates tau protein phosphorylation related targets for treatment of AD

InSysBio continues to investigate the mechanisms underlying Alzheimer's disease using the quantitative systems pharmacology modeling approach. The part of QSP model describing tau protein was published in the PLOS ONE journal. This is one of more than dozen InSysBio publications in AD area during last seven years.

28 Feb 2018

Frequent exposure to diesel exhaust increases risk of ALS

People who are frequently exposed to diesel exhaust while on the job may have a higher risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and that risk may increase with greater exposure, according to a preliminary study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 70th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, April 21 to 27, 2018.

28 Feb 2018

Study shows importance of family history in onset of Alzheimer's disease

You're about to turn 60, and you're fretting. Your mother has had Alzheimer's disease since the age of 65. At what age will the disease strike you? A Canadian study published in JAMA Neurology shows that the closer a person gets to the age at which their parent exhibited the first signs of Alzheimer's, the more likely they are to have amyloid plaques, the cause of the cognitive decline associated with the disease, in their brain.

27 Feb 2018

People with central hearing loss more likely to have mild cognitive impairment

Some people with a certain type of hearing loss may be more likely to also have the memory loss and thinking problems called mild cognitive impairment, according to a preliminary study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 70th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, April 21 to 27, 2018. Hearing loss is one of the most common disabilities in elderly people, affecting about one-third of people over age 65.

27 Feb 2018

Trump’s perfect score on brain test spawns DIY cognitive exam

When Donald Trump aced a cognitive test in January, scores of people tried to take it, too, based mostly on media reports that invited them to match wits with the president.

26 Feb 2018

DASH diet may lower rates of depression over time

People who eat vegetables, fruit and whole grains may have lower rates of depression over time, according to a preliminary study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 70th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, April 21 to 27, 2018.

26 Feb 2018

Tears may be reliable, noninvasive biological marker of Parkinson's disease

Tears may hold clues to whether someone has Parkinson's disease, according to a preliminary study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 70th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, April 21 to 27, 2018.

24 Feb 2018

Older adults with dementia more likely to be readmitted to hospital after discharge

About 25 percent of older adults admitted to hospitals have dementia and are at increased risk for serious problems like in-hospital falls and delirium (the medical term for an abrupt, rapid change in mental function). As a result, older adults with dementia are more likely to do poorly during hospital stays compared to older adults without dementia.

23 Feb 2018

High protein diet reduces risk of Alzheimer’s disease, research finds

A diet high in protein-rich foods such as meat and legumes reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, new research from Edith Cowan University has found.

23 Feb 2018

New intervention improves communication behaviors in couples affected by dementia

They do it with the best of intentions. "Do you remember our wedding day?" "Who is that person next to you in the picture?" For couples with decades of shared memories, a partner's decline in the ability to communicate is one of the most frightening and frustrating consequences of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

22 Feb 2018

MSD and Ferring Pharmaceuticals Complete Largest Ever Clinical Trial in Postpartum Haemorrhage

Today, Ferring Pharmaceuticals and MSD, via its MSD for Mothers initiative, announced the completion of CHAMPION (Carbetocin Haemorrhage Prevention), a global clinical trial conducted by the Human Reproduction Program (HRP) at the World Health Organization (WHO).

22 Feb 2018

Researchers explore how people with Alzheimer's disease use end-of-life medical services

Because people are now living longer and often healthier lives, the rate of some illnesses that are more likely to develop with age has risen. These illnesses include dementia. In fact, the number of us living with dementia was already 47 million worldwide in 2015. It could reach 131 million by 2050.

22 Feb 2018

Liquefied brain tissue after stroke may harm surviving brain, UA study finds

Scientists have known for years that the brain liquefies after a stroke. If cut off from blood and oxygen for a long enough period, a portion of the brain will die, slowly morphing from a hard, rubbery substance into liquid goop.

21 Feb 2018

Study reveals a significant link between heavy alcohol use and dementia

New research has found alcohol use disorders to be one of the most vital avoidable risk factors for the onset of all types of dementia, early-onset dementia in particular.

21 Feb 2018

Study reveals biological relevance of sex in effects of D-galactose induced aging

A research study by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona in collaboration with the University of La Laguna demonstrates in mice the biological relevance of sex in the effects of accelerated ageing caused by a chronic treatment of D-galactose, a sugar found abundantly in milk and to a lesser extent in fruits and vegetables.

20 Feb 2018