Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Latest Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Positive results from Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma's LATUDA trials for bipolar I depression

Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd. announced today results from two Phase 3 clinical trials designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of LATUDA as adjunctive therapy and monotherapy, respectively, in patients with bipolar I depression (PREVAIL 1 and PREVAIL 2; PRogram to EValuate the Antidepressant Impact of Lurasidone).

7 May 2012

Researchers discover how diabetes affects specific brain area leading to memory loss

Badly controlled diabetes are known to affect the brain causing memory and learning problems and even an increased incidence of dementia, although how this occurs is not clear.

7 May 2012

Regular jogging increases life expectancy

Undertaking regular jogging increases the life expectancy of men by 6.2 years and women by 5.6 years, reveals the latest data from the Copenhagen City Heart study presented at the EuroPRevent2012 meeting.

4 May 2012

Current research does not support use of smell tests for Alzheimer's dementia

Current research does not support the use of smell tests for predicting Alzheimer's dementia, according to a comprehensive review by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars at the University of Michigan and the VA Center for Clinical Management Research.

4 May 2012

Repeated blows to the head associated with long term cognitive, pathologic changes

NFL great Junior Seau's apparent suicide might shock the sports world, but to neurosurgeons and neurologists accustomed to seeing an increase in the incidence of concussions, especially among football players, the news isn't as surprising.

3 May 2012

Senior Health Implementation Center to disseminate Aging Brain Care Program tools

The resources developed for an innovative collaborative model of dementia care, which reduces emergency room and hospital visits and improves the quality of care for those with dementia, are now available to institutions, clinicians and caregivers around the globe with the establishment of the Aging Brain Care Program.

3 May 2012

Non-invasive imaging technique measures specific brain chemical changes

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a major neurodegenerative disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. New and accurate techniques for early diagnosis are critical. Pravat K. Mandal, PhD, and his colleagues have developed a completely non-invasive brain imaging technique to measure specific brain chemical changes. This provides a signature of the early stages of AD from the hippocampal region of the brain.

3 May 2012

Probiodrug AG, collaborators explain interplay of key suspects in Alzheimer’s

Probiodrug AG (Probiodrug), a biotech company developing products for the treatment of neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases with a particular focus on Alzheimer's disease (AD), today announced its scientists and academics collaborators published seminal findings on the role of pyroglu Aβ in AD pathology in the May 2, 2012 online edition of the journal Nature (DOI: 10.1038/nature11060). The new findings add to the growing body of evidence that pyroglu Aβ plays a crucial role in the initiation of AD. In addition, the research results further elucidate the mechanism by which pyroglu Aβ triggers neuronal toxicity.

3 May 2012

Middle-aged and older adults with diabetes show substantial survival rates

Middle-aged and older adults with diabetes showed substantial survival rates in a new University of Michigan Health System study of retirees.

3 May 2012

Biosynthetic polyphenol improves cognitive function in mice with AD

Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers have succeeded in developing a biosynthetic polyphenol that improves cognitive function in mice with Alzheimer's disease.

3 May 2012

JAD honors Norwegian scientist with 2012 Alzheimer Award

Anders L-nneborg, PhD, has been chosen as the recipient of the 2012 Alzheimer Award presented by the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease in recognition of his outstanding work on the detection of early Alzheimer's disease.

3 May 2012

Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids linked with lower blood beta-amyloid levels

A new study suggests that eating foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish, chicken, salad dressing and nuts, may be associated with lower blood levels of a protein related to Alzheimer's disease and memory problems.

3 May 2012

Ligand first quarter total revenues increase to $5.6 million

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2012, and provided an operating forecast and program updates.

3 May 2012

Grape-derived compound may prevent neurodegenerative disorders involving tau neuropathology

Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have gained insight into the mechanism by which a pathological brain protein called tau contributes to the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative disorders. This finding, published in the most recent issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, may provide the basis for future investigations on how to prevent tau from damaging brain circuits involved in cognitive function.

2 May 2012

Biosynthetic polyphenol may improve cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease patients

Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers have succeeded in developing a biosynthetic polyphenol that improves cognitive function in mice with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The findings, published in a recent issue of the Journal of Neuroscience, provide insight in determining the feasibility of biosynthetic polyphenols as a possible therapy for AD in humans, a progressive neurodegenerative disease for which there is currently no cure.

2 May 2012

Combination of exercise and computer decreases risk of MCI

Combining mentally stimulating activities, such as using a computer, with moderate exercise decreases your odds of having memory loss more than computer use or exercise alone, a Mayo Clinic study shows. Previous studies have shown that exercising your body and your mind will help your memory but the new study, published in the May 2012 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, reports a synergistic interaction between computer activities and moderate exercise in "protecting" the brain function in people better than 70 years old.

2 May 2012

Report: Nursing homes and anti-psychotic drugs

A report by the Boston Globe based on government information finds many nursing homes use powerful sedatives on patients who should not be getting them.

30 Apr 2012

Mirror-microRNAs control multiple aspects of brain function

Our genes control many aspects of who we are - from the colour of our hair to our vulnerability to certain diseases - but how are the genes, and consequently the proteins they make themselves controlled? Researchers have discovered a new group of molecules which control some of the fundamental processes behind memory function and may hold the key to developing new therapies for treating neurodegenerative diseases.

30 Apr 2012

Cedars-Sinai scientist receives ALS Association Golden West Chapter Commitment to a Cure Award

Robert H. Baloh, MD, PhD, director of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's Neuromuscular Division, has received the ALS Association Golden West Chapter Commitment to a Cure Award.

30 Apr 2012

First idiothetic memory study in humans

It's night time. The light suddenly goes out in the room where you are. At the same time you hear somebody crying: "Fire!". You bolt. Will you be able to find your way out in total darkness? Most likely, yes - if the room is somewhat familiar to you and not too big. Escape will be possible because of idiothetic memory, one of two types of human spatial memory. This type of memory relies not on visual information, but on information coming from the body. In the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw it was investigated whether this type of memory can be affected by age.

30 Apr 2012