Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Latest Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

One in five U.S. hospital admissions are for patients with mental disorders

According to the latest figures from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) in the United States, one in five hospital admissions are for patients with mental disorders.

11 Nov 2008

Education delays onset of the dementia

A test that reveals brain changes believed to be at the heart of Alzheimer's disease has bolstered the theory that education can delay the onset of the dementia and cognitive decline that are characteristic of the disorder.

10 Nov 2008

Greater thinking, learning and memory abilities delay symptoms of Alzheimer's disease

Individuals with higher education levels appear to score higher on cognitive tests despite having evidence of brain plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of Neurology , one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

10 Nov 2008

Education lessens the effects of Alzheimer's

The scientists from the Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, say their research supports the 'cognitive reserve' hypothesis and individuals with levels of higher education levels score higher on cognitive tests despite having Alzheimer's disease.

10 Nov 2008

Study finds 25% of family caregivers of AD patients go to ER or are hospitalized

One quarter of all family caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients succumb to the stress of providing care to a loved one and become hospital patients themselves, according to an Indiana University study published in the November 2008 issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

10 Nov 2008

Grape seeds could ward off Alzheimer's

Australian scientists are suggesting that grape seeds may be a potential treatment in warding off Alzheimer's disease.

10 Nov 2008

Simple brain mechanisms explain arbitrary human visual decisions

Mark Twain, a skeptic of the idea of free will, argues in his essay "What Is Man?" that humans do not command their minds or the opinions they form.

10 Nov 2008

Significant weakness found in dementia screening method

A research team led by Dr Alisoun Milne, a Senior Lecturer at the Tizard Centre, University of Kent, has identified weaknesses in the most widely employed dementia screening instrument currently used in primary care.

7 Nov 2008

Artificial intelligence coaching system lessens dementia load

An artificial intelligence coaching system has been developed that will help carers of older adults with moderate dementia.

7 Nov 2008

Australian-led global initiative to improve diagnosis of genetic disorders

An Australian-led global initiative to improve the diagnosis of genetic disorders and reduce errors in the reporting of genetic variations has been published today in the prestigious scientific journal Science.

7 Nov 2008

Variations in gene pathway alter risk of esophageal cancer

Variations in a common gene pathway may affect esophageal cancer risk, a dangerous and rapidly increasing type of cancer, according to research by scientists at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

6 Nov 2008

Nicotinamide, a form of vitamin B3, reduces Alzheimer's symptoms

An over-the-counter vitamin in high doses prevented memory loss in mice with Alzheimer's disease, and UC Irvine scientists now are conducting a clinical trial to determine its effect in humans.

5 Nov 2008

Alzheimer's + diabetes + high blood pressure = a shorter life

A study has found that people with Alzheimer's disease who also suffer from diabetes and high blood pressure may die earlier.

4 Nov 2008

Diabetes and high blood pressure shorten lifespan in Alzheimer's disease

People with Alzheimer's disease who also have diabetes or high blood pressure may die sooner than people without such disorders, according to a study published in the November 4, 2008, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

4 Nov 2008

Aboriginals in the Kimberley suffer higher dementia rates

Australian researchers have found that Aboriginal people living in the Kimberley, in northern Western Australia, have significantly higher rates of dementia than the rest of the population.

3 Nov 2008

Pulsed ultrasound used to remote control brain circuits

In a twist on nontraditional uses of ultrasound, a group of neuroscientists at Arizona State University has developed pulsed ultrasound techniques that can remotely stimulate brain circuit activity.

29 Oct 2008

Professor reveals the 'Jennifer Aniston neuron'

According to a top scientist parts of the brain are wired up to be devoted to celebrities.

29 Oct 2008

High-fat diet could promote the development of Alzheimer's

A team of Université Laval researchers has shown that the main neurological markers for Alzheimer's disease are exacerbated in the brains of mice fed a diet rich in animal fat and poor in omega-3s. Details of the study-which suggests that diets typical of most industrialized countries promote the development of Alzheimer's-are outlined in the latest online edition of Neurobiology of Aging.

28 Oct 2008

Selenium and vitamin E supplements do not prevent prostate cancer

Initial, independent review of study data from the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT), funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and other institutes that comprise the National Institutes of Health shows that selenium and vitamin E supplements, taken either alone or together, did not prevent prostate cancer.

28 Oct 2008

Memory Pharmaceuticals issued key U.S. patent for series of nicotinic alpha-7 receptor agonists

Memory Pharmaceuticals Corp. has announced the issuance of U.S. Patent No. 7,429,664, which provides composition of matter patent protection for a series of nicotinic alpha-7 receptor agonists.

27 Oct 2008