Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Latest Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

50 new scientists sought after in the field of biomedical research

The Institute is looking for candidates from the full range of biological and biomedical inquiry who demonstrate exceptional promise early in their careers as independent researchers. Nearly 200 universities, medical schools, and research institutes have been invited to nominate their best scientists for the competition. Between 30 and 50 scientists will be chosen to join the Institute in 2005.

19 May 2004

1.3 million Hispanics will have Alzheimer’s disease by 2050

Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias are projected to increase more than six-fold among Hispanics in the U.S. during the first half of the 21st century, according to a new report released today by the Alzheimer’s Association. This increase means that 1.3 million Hispanics will have Alzheimer’s disease by 2050, compared to fewer than 200,000 currently living with the disease.

17 May 2004

Scientists move closer toward treatment for degenerative diseases

Scientists at McGill University's Faculty of Medicine have discovered a key step that will provide new targets for treatments of many degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Cystic Fibrosis and Diabetes.

17 May 2004

$1.4 million to investigate how strokes and other events that cut off blood flow to the brain disrupt the blood-brain barrier

The Cleveland Clinic has been awarded a four-year, $1.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to investigate how strokes and other events that cut off blood flow to the brain disrupt the blood-brain barrier. Researchers hope to use their findings to develop new methods to limit the damage caused by such events.

17 May 2004

Speaking their language aids dementia patients

Elderly dementia patients from non-English speaking backgrounds communicate more with others and take fewer psychiatric medications when living in ethno-specific nursing homes, an Australian study at Monash University has revealed.

17 May 2004

Technology will help as world's population over 60 doubles

It's just a collection of bloody nuts and bolts." That was the damning reaction of a 69-year-old resident at a Scottish nursing home - let's call him William Brown - when asked if he would like a robotic pet as a companion to help relieve his boredom and loneliness. But once he realised that the robot could play games with him, he quickly changed his mind.

15 May 2004

End-of-life options for seriously ill patients have improved considerably, but still have a ways ago

End-of-life options for seriously ill patients have improved considerably, but still have a ways ago, says a national expert who drew upon the recent experience of his father’s death to take stock of the status of end-of-life care in the United States.

14 May 2004

Study shows states will see an average 44 percent increase in Alzheimer’s disease by 2025

According to the May 11 issue of Neurology, U. S. states will see an average 44 percent increase in Alzheimer’s disease by 2025, with the Western and Southeastern states to be hit the hardest.

11 May 2004

Indicators identify shingles patients who have an increased risk of developing persistent pain

Researchers have recently confirmed a set of indicators that, alone and in combination, identify shingles patients who have an increased risk of developing persistent pain after the shingles rash heals. Results and implications of their study will be presented in the May 11 issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

10 May 2004

Researchers fast track the commercial development of a simple and inexpensive screening test for Alzheimer’s disease

The computer-based system will undergo a major trial this year, with researchers able to create a commercially ready test thanks to a grant from the Telstra Broadband Fund.

10 May 2004

A computer-based test that detects impaired cognition has been developed

A computer-based test that detects impaired cognition has been developed by researchers from Monash University's Psychology department and could be used to identify people who are affected by drugs, chronic fatigue or even hangovers.

10 May 2004

No evidence of CJD associated with the Garden State Racetrack

The Department of Health and Senior Services released a report today on an investigation of a suspected cluster of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) associated with the Garden State Racetrack.

8 May 2004

The First International Congress on Antioxidant Methods

The First International Congress on Antioxidant Methods will be held June 16-18 in Orlando, Fla., in an effort to reach agreement on techniques for measuring and reporting on antioxidants, beneficial compounds found in foods, cosmetics and certain vitamins that are believed to fight cancer, heart disease and aging.

6 May 2004

Neurobiologists pinpoint region of the brain responsible for storing distant memories

For the first time, UCLA neurobiologists have pinpointed a region of the brain called the anterior cingulate as responsible for retrieving and storing distant memories. Published in the May 7 edition of Science, the findings may suggest new ways of treating memory disorders, including Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.

6 May 2004

Research into Chinese herbal medicine Qian Ceng Ta may help Alzheimer’s

Georgetown University Medical Center researchers today opened a new clinical trial designed to test if huperzine A, a natural product derived from a Chinese herb, can slow down or prevent cognitive decline in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).

6 May 2004

SPECT imaging may lead to early diagnosis of Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's disease (AD) currently afflicts approximately 4.5 million Americans. One of the most feared diseases of old age, AD robs its victims of their memories and personalities long before it takes their lives.

5 May 2004

New hope for advances in treatment methods for AIDS, Alzheimer's and age-related blindness

Pharmaceutical science leaders from the FDA, research institutions and top pharmaceutical companies will gather at the 2004 AAPS National Biotechnology Conference, AAPS' spring annual meeting.

4 May 2004

Substance use disorders don’t discriminate by age

Substance use disorders don’t discriminate. In fact, anyone can have a problem with prescription medication, alcohol, or illicit drugs—including adults aged 55 and older.

3 May 2004

New research could reduce risk of strokes in younger people

The study published in this month's edition of the international journal Stroke is the first to provide evidence that blood vessels elsewhere in the body, apart from the brain, in CADASIL sufferers are abnormal in over-constricting in response to the hormone Angiotensin II.

1 May 2004

$9 billion cost of depression in senior citizens

A new study reveals that depression among senior citizens carries a huge unrecognized cost: many extra hours of unpaid help with everyday activities, delivered by the depressed seniors’ spouses, adult children and friends.

1 May 2004