Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Latest Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Suvorexant may bring help for people with insomnia

A new drug may bring help for people with insomnia, according to a study published in the November 28, 2012, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

29 Nov 2012

Microglia might play a key role in protecting brain from Alzheimer's

A new experimental study carried out in mice shows that microglia, immune cells of the brain, might play a key role in protecting the brain from Alzheimer's disease (AD).

29 Nov 2012

Review: Omega-3 fatty acids may still help prevent heart disease

Literally hundreds of clinical trials, including some that have gained widespread attention, have been done on the possible benefits of omega-3 fatty acids for the prevention of heart disease - producing conflicting results, varied claims, and frustrated consumers unsure what to believe.

29 Nov 2012

'Sharing Age' campaign receives EC grant to encourage health ageing

The European Commission has awarded €1 million to fund a campaign promoting health ageing 'Sharing Age' coordinated by Dr Sabina Brennan of the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience.

29 Nov 2012

Link between high fructose corn syrup intake and diabetes prevalence

A new study by University of Southern California (USC) and University of Oxford researchers indicates that large amounts of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) found in national food supplies across the world may be one explanation for the rising global epidemic of type 2 diabetes and resulting higher health care costs.

28 Nov 2012

Florbetapir PET scans can detect brain amyloid deposits associated with Alzheimer’s

A test to detect brain amyloid deposits associated with Alzheimer disease (AD) provides doctors with useful information on treatment and further testing for patients with cognitive impairment, according to a study published online by the journal Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders.

28 Nov 2012

Off label atypical antipsychotic use lacks safety and effectiveness in patients over 40

In older adults, antipsychotic drugs are commonly prescribed off-label for a number of disorders outside of their Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved indications - schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The largest number of antipsychotic prescriptions in older adults is for behavioral disturbances associated with dementia, some of which carry FDA warnings on prescription information for these drugs.

28 Nov 2012

Carnosic acid promotes eye health

Herbs widely used throughout history in Asian and early European cultures have received renewed attention by Western medicine in recent years. Scientists are now isolating the active compounds in many medicinal herbs and documenting their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. In a study published in the journal Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Stuart A. Lipton, M.D., Ph.D. and colleagues at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) report that carnosic acid, a component of the herb rosemary, promotes eye health.

28 Nov 2012

Short instance of moderate exercise improves memories in older adults with MCI

A short burst of moderate exercise enhances the consolidation of memories in both healthy older adults and those with mild cognitive impairment, scientists with UC Irvine's Center for the Neurobiology of Learning & Memory have discovered.

28 Nov 2012

Enrollment begins in Elan’s ELND005 Phase 2 trial for agitation/aggression associated with AD

Elan Corporation, plc today announced that it has enrolled the first patient in a Phase 2 clinical trial of ELND005 (Study AG201) for the treatment of agitation/aggression in patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease (AD).

28 Nov 2012

Kinexus releases new antibody microarray kit

Kinexus Bioinformatics Corporation, a world leader in functional proteomics research, announced today the release of its first Kinex antibody microarray kit with its latest generation KAM-850 chip.

27 Nov 2012

Health law implementation proceeds -- with fits and starts

Even as the election has altered the landscape for lawmakers who hoped to repeal the 2010 health law, some opponents are pressing on with legal challenges. Specific elements of the law, such as its health exchanges, also present logistical and financial issues for the Obama administration.

27 Nov 2012

New way to protect neurons that express mutant huntingtin proteins

By using a model, researchers at the University of Montreal have identified and "switched off" a chemical chain that causes neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and dementia. The findings could one day be of particular therapeutic benefit to Huntington's disease patients. "We've identified a new way to protect neurons that express mutant huntingtin proteins," explained Dr. Alex Parker of the University of Montreal's Department of Pathology and Cell Biology and its affiliated CRCHUM Research Centre.

27 Nov 2012

Johns Hopkins receives $1.9M NIH grant to establish new center for sleep research

More than one-quarter of the adult population of the U.S. suffers from sleep disturbances known to contribute to life-threatening illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and dementia as well as depression, chronic pain, and fatigue. Often such sleeplessness is a consequence of obesity, lifestyle, and work.

27 Nov 2012

Word-training program found to restore key words in some dementia patients

A simple word-training program has been found to restore key words in people with a type of dementia that attacks language and our memory for words.

26 Nov 2012

Accera commences clinical efficacy trial of AC-1204 for mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease

Accera, Inc., a privately-held, commercial-stage, healthcare company focused on the discovery and development of innovative clinical applications to address acute and chronic neurodegenerative diseases, announced today the initiation of a clinical efficacy trial examining the effects of AC-1204 in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD).

26 Nov 2012

New therapeutic approach for preventing Alzheimer's disease

Pathological changes typical of Alzheimer's disease were significantly reduced in mice by blockade of an immune system transmitter. A research team from Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the University of Zurich has just published a new therapeutic approach in fighting Alzheimer's disease in the current issue of Nature Medicine. This approach promises potential in prevention, as well as in cases where the disease has already set in.

26 Nov 2012

Mental activities like reading and writing can preserve structural integrity in the brains of older people

Mental activities like reading and writing can preserve structural integrity in the brains of older people, according to a new study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

26 Nov 2012

Women more likely to have gray matter atrophy prior to Alzheimer's diagnosis than men

All patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) lose brain cells, which leads to a shrinking, or atrophy, of the brain. But the pattern of gray matter loss is significantly different in men and women, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

26 Nov 2012

People with Parkinson's benefit from exercise programs on stationary bicycles

People with Parkinson's disease benefit from exercise programs on stationary bicycles, with the greatest effect for those who pedal faster, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

26 Nov 2012