Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Latest Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Researchers develop first images of physical changes in brain cells thought to underlie memory

University of California, Irvine researchers have developed the first images of the physical changes in brain cells thought to underlie memory, a discovery that is already uncovering clues about memory loss linked to cognitive disorders.

17 May 2007

Merits and risks of postmenopausal hormone therapy

The study was categorized as a primary prevention trial for coronary heart disease, although the fact that mean age at recruitment was 63 years was not given enough importance at that time. WHI investigators concluded that hormone therapy (HT) was not cardioprotective, and, in fact, its riskbenefit ratio did not favor the use of postmenopausal hormones for prevention of chronic diseases.

17 May 2007

Researchers catch moving proteins in mid-fold

Any photographer can vouch for the difficulty of capturing a clear picture of a moving target.

17 May 2007

Testosterone gel helps men multiple sclerosis

Close on the heels of a large-scale clinical trial just underway to confirm that the female hormone estriol combats the effects of multiple sclerosis (MS) in women, a just completed pilot study at UCLA now shows promise for the use of testosterone to combat its effects in men.

16 May 2007

Radically different approach to nuclear magnetic resonance

Detecting the molecular structure of a tiny protein using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) currently requires two things: a million-dollar machine the size of a massive SUV, and a large sample of the protein under study.

16 May 2007

Alzheimer's patients who gain weight show improved intellectual abilities

Swedish researchers have found a way to increase the weight of people with Alzheimer's, by improving communication and patient involvement, altering meal routines and providing a more homely eating environment.

16 May 2007

Mediterranean diet found to halve the risk for lung disease

French researchers say eating a Mediterranean diet halves the risk of serious lung disease such as emphysema and bronchitis.

15 May 2007

Breakdown of myelin implicated in Alzheimer's

Wisdom comes with age (doesn't it"), but not without a process that takes place in the brain called myelination.

15 May 2007

Better care for baby boomers

As the first wave of "want to be forever young" baby boomers turns 60, Saint Louis University is creating a new center for research, education and clinical care to help them reach their goal.

15 May 2007

AIRMA seeks to fund Alzheimer's research projects

Association Internationale pour la Recherche sur la Maladie d'Alzheimer (AIRMA) now is taking applications for funding from French-based scientific teams studying Alzheimer's disease, announced Janet R. Michaels, the organization’s chairwoman.

15 May 2007

Evidence that dementia can be successfully stalled

A University of Sydney academic is part of a team whose research could profoundly change the way we look at and treat dementia.

11 May 2007

Cardiotrophin 1 molecule shows potential for diagnosing hypertensive cardiopathy

Scientists from the Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA) from the University of Navarra investigate whether cardiotrophin 1, a molecule that can be measured in blood, can be used as a diagnostic marker for hypertensive cardiopathy.

11 May 2007

Study finds large number of new proteins implicated in Huntington's disease

Researchers from four organizations have identified more than 200 new proteins that bind to normal and mutant forms of the protein that causes Huntington's disease (HD).

11 May 2007

Omega-3 fatty acids may lower risk of Alzheimer's

Nutritionists have long endorsed fish as part of a heart-healthy diet, and now some studies suggest that omega-3 fatty acids found in the oil of certain fish may also benefit the brain by lowering the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

10 May 2007

Sigma-Aldrich acquires Molecular Medicine BioServices

Sigma-Aldrich Corporation has announced that it has acquired Molecular Medicine BioServices Inc. (MMB), a biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing organization (CMO) located in Carlsbad, California, to further enhance the biologics capabilities within its SAFC Pharma business segment.

9 May 2007

Research sheds light on memory by erasing it

For years, scientists have studied the molecular basis of memory storage, trying to find the molecules that store memory, just as DNA stores genetic memory.

9 May 2007

Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes similar at the molecular level

Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes, the human version of mad cow disease (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease), and other degenerative diseases are more closely related at the molecular level than many scientists realized, an international team of researchers, including an ESRF researcher, report in the journal Nature.

8 May 2007