Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Latest Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Benjamin Wolozin receives $500,000 award in Alzheimer's Disease Drug Discovery Research

Research that leads to improved therapies for Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients is one goal of Boston University School of Medicine professor of pharmacology and neurology Benjamin Wolozin, MD, PhD. He was one of six researchers awarded a two-year, $500,000 award in Alzheimer's Disease Drug Discovery Research by the Edward N. & Della L. Thome Memorial Foundation.

22 Dec 2015

Heidelberg neurobiologists identify Dnmt3a2 protein that boosts memory performance

Increasing the level of a certain DNA-modified enzyme in the brain significantly improves cognitive ability. The discovery was made by the research team led by Prof. Dr. Hilmar Bading at the Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences of Heidelberg University. Mouse experiments showed that the Dnmt3a2 protein can boost memory performance in the animals.

21 Dec 2015

USC-led study finds link between anxiety and dementia

People who experienced high anxiety any time in their lives had a 48 percent higher risk of developing dementia compared to those who had not, according to a new study led by USC researchers.

20 Dec 2015

Novel drug candidate prevents nerve cell damage in mouse model of Parkinson's disease

A team of scientists at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and Longevity Biotech, Inc., has demonstrated that neuroprotection could be attained in preclinical models by a novel drug candidate that changes immune responses.

18 Dec 2015

New study sheds light on the molecular basis of memory and learning

The brain still harbours many unknowns. Basically, it is assumed that it stores experiences by altering the connections between brain cells. This ability to adapt - which is also called "plasticity" - provides the basis for memory and learning, which is the ability to draw conclusions from memories. On a molecular scale these changes are mediated by modifications of expression of specific genes that as required strengthen or weaken the connections between the brain cells.

18 Dec 2015

Epilepsy deaths should be considered a public health priority, say doctors

Epilepsy is not a public health priority, yet it takes more lives than sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or fires, according to an article reviewing the topic. Doctors say epilepsy deaths should be a focus of research and education to understand and prevent those deaths, according to the "Views and Reviews" article published in the December 16, 2015, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

17 Dec 2015

Men perform wayfinding tasks better than women

It's been well established that men perform better than women when it comes to specific spatial tasks. But how much of that is linked to sex hormones versus cultural conditioning and other factors? Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) decided to explore this idea by administering testosterone to women and testing how they performed in wayfinding tasks in a virtual environment.

17 Dec 2015

Anemia associated with increased risk of mild cognitive impairment

In a large population-based study of randomly selected participants in Germany, researchers found that participants with anemia, defined as haemoglobin <13 g/dl in men and <12 g/dl in women, showed lower performances in verbal memory and executive functions.

17 Dec 2015

Major clinical trial launched to test ways to slow or halt mental decline in seniors

Some decline in memory and cognitive function is a normal part of aging, but what if it could be prevented? Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Washington University in St. Louis have launched a major clinical trial to investigate whether mental decline in seniors can be slowed or halted through exercise and other health-related interventions.

16 Dec 2015

CTE can be diagnosed by neuropathological examination of brain tissue

For the first time, CTE has been confirmed as a unique disease that can be definitively diagnosed by neuropathological examination of brain tissue. A consensus panel of expert neuropathologists concluded that CTE has a pathognomonic signature in the brain, an advance that represents a milestone for CTE research and lays the foundation for future studies defining the clinical symptoms, genetic risk factors and therapeutic strategies for CTE.

16 Dec 2015

Report uncovers how Down syndrome hampers nervous system that plays key role in health, longevity

While most Down syndrome research has focused on the brain, a new report by Johns Hopkins University biologists uncovers how the disorder hampers a separate part of the nervous system that plays a key role in health and longevity.

14 Dec 2015

Perceived stress increases likelihood of amnestic mild cognitive impairment in older people

Feeling stressed out increases the likelihood that elderly people will develop mild cognitive impairment—often a prelude to full-blown Alzheimer's disease. In a new study, scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health System found that highly stressed participants were more than twice as likely to become impaired than those who were not.

13 Dec 2015

Identifying and avoiding wasteful or unnecessary medical tests

Too many tests at the doctor's office could cost you more than just dollars. In addition to the huge hit to your wallet, there's also the potential harm of false positives, and just because a test has traditionally been done for a condition doesn't mean it's the best way to treat it.

13 Dec 2015

New biobank initiative may help unlock some of the mysteries linked to Down syndrome

Nationwide Children's Hospital and research advocacy group DownSyndrome Achieves have joined forces to create the first biobank in the country dedicated to collecting and managing blood samples from people with Down syndrome.

12 Dec 2015

Slow walking speed may herald Alzheimer’s disease

A slow walking speed in elderly people is associated with the presence of β-amyloid in their brains, research shows.

11 Dec 2015

Androgen deprivation therapy elevates Alzheimer’s risk

US researchers find that androgen deprivation therapy increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in men with prostate cancer, with the risk rising with greater duration of therapy.

11 Dec 2015

Benefits of early dementia diagnosis may lead to challenging issues, new study shows

A new epidemiologic study showed that patients with early stage dementia, who had been referred to a specialist, have twice the risk of institutionalization compared to those who are not, according to a research study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease this month.

11 Dec 2015

New guidelines may help reduce medication use among seniors

We're not getting any younger. According to the Administration for Community Living, by 2060, there will be about 98 million older persons in the United States — more than twice their number in 2013.

11 Dec 2015

Vagus nerve stimulation prevents hemorrhagic complications following surgery

Stimulating the vagus nerve is a potentially efficacious and safe way to stop the flow of blood and prevent hemorrhagic complications following surgery and other invasive procedures, according to a researcher in the Center for Bioelectronic Medicine at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research.

11 Dec 2015

NeuroQuest to start U.S. clinical validation trials of blood test for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease

NeuroQuest Development Center, Inc., today announced they have entered into a service agreement with the University of California, San Diego for collection and processing of blood samples for their U.S. clinical validation trials.

10 Dec 2015

Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Latest Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Benjamin Wolozin receives $500,000 award in Alzheimer's Disease Drug Discovery Research

Heidelberg neurobiologists identify Dnmt3a2 protein that boosts memory performance

USC-led study finds link between anxiety and dementia

Novel drug candidate prevents nerve cell damage in mouse model of Parkinson's disease

New study sheds light on the molecular basis of memory and learning

Epilepsy deaths should be considered a public health priority, say doctors

Men perform wayfinding tasks better than women

Anemia associated with increased risk of mild cognitive impairment

Major clinical trial launched to test ways to slow or halt mental decline in seniors

CTE can be diagnosed by neuropathological examination of brain tissue

Report uncovers how Down syndrome hampers nervous system that plays key role in health, longevity

Perceived stress increases likelihood of amnestic mild cognitive impairment in older people

Identifying and avoiding wasteful or unnecessary medical tests

New biobank initiative may help unlock some of the mysteries linked to Down syndrome

Slow walking speed may herald Alzheimer’s disease

Androgen deprivation therapy elevates Alzheimer’s risk

Benefits of early dementia diagnosis may lead to challenging issues, new study shows

New guidelines may help reduce medication use among seniors

Vagus nerve stimulation prevents hemorrhagic complications following surgery

NeuroQuest to start U.S. clinical validation trials of blood test for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease

Innovation in neuroscience drug discovery - eBook eBook

Real-time Raman monitoring for pharmaceutical hot melt extrusion

Synthetic Psychedelics: A Growing Public Health Concern

How the Vutara VXL simplifies single-molecule imaging

Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Latest Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Innovation in neuroscience drug discovery - eBook eBook

Real-time Raman monitoring for pharmaceutical hot melt extrusion

Synthetic Psychedelics: A Growing Public Health Concern

How the Vutara VXL simplifies single-molecule imaging

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