Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Latest Alzheimer's & Dementia News and Research

Brain cell growth diminishes long before old age strikes, animal study shows

Even early in adulthood, aging begins to slow the mind's growth -- but it does not have to stop it altogether, suggests a Princeton University study on the brains of adult monkeys.

17 Oct 2007

Homocysteine appears to be play a part in retinal damage and vision loss

Homocysteine, an amino acid believed to contribute to heart attack, stroke and dementia, likely also is a player in retinal damage and vision loss, researchers say.

16 Oct 2007

The importance of the endocannabinoid-system

Cannabis (marijuana) is the most widely produced plant-based illicit drug worldwide and the illegal drug most frequently used in Europe.

15 Oct 2007

Statins appear to preserve lung function

Statins are known to be good for lowering cholesterol and maybe even fighting dementia, and now they have another reported benefit: they appear to slow decline in lung function in the elderly - even in those who smoke.

15 Oct 2007

First high-res 3D structures of first mammalian GRP94 protein solved

Dr. Dan Gewirth, Hauptman-Woodward senior research scientist, has just solved the structure of the first mammalian GRP94 protein implicated in immune diseases such as sepsis, AIDS and certain cancers.

15 Oct 2007

Benefits of exercise on the aging brain

Bradley Hatfield, professor in the University of Maryland, College Park, School of Public Health, uses high tech brain imaging to study the benefits of exercise on the aging brain.

15 Oct 2007

Six years advance warning of Alzheimer's

One of the most distressing aspects of Alzheimer's disease is the difficulty in determining whether mild memory problems are the beginning of an inevitable mental decline.

15 Oct 2007

Simple blood test 90% accurate in predicting Alzheimer's

A new blood test which has been developed by scientists in California may enable doctors to predict just who is likely to develop the the degenerative brain disease Alzheimer's.

15 Oct 2007

Peripheral ehanolamine plasmalogen deficiency - likely factor in Alzheimer's and dementia

Dayan B. Goodenowe and colleagues report in the November 2007 issue of the Journal of Lipid Research that people with Alzheimer's disease and related conditions exhibit decreased blood levels of an important brain chemical called ethanolamine plasmalogen, even at the very early stages of the disease.

12 Oct 2007

Gene SIRT1 could lead to new cholesterol strategies

MIT researchers have discovered a link between a gene believed to promote long lifespan and a pathway that flushes cholesterol from the body. The finding could help researchers create drugs that lower the risk of diseases associated with high cholesterol, including atherosclerosis (clogged arteries) and Alzheimer's disease.

12 Oct 2007

Patients with mild cognitive impairment have difficulty making medical decisions

New research from UAB (University of Alabama at Birmingham) indicates that patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), considered a pre-cursor to Alzheimer's disease (AD), have diminished skills in making important medical decisions compared to healthy adults.

12 Oct 2007

Advanced 3D mapping technique captures brain damage linked to Alzheimer's disease

Using an advanced three-dimensional mapping technique developed by UCLA researchers, the team analyzed magnetic resonance imaging data from 24 patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 25 others with mild Alzheimer's disease.

12 Oct 2007

Recognizing and assessing the progression of cognitive impairment and dementia in primary care

Dementia is a growing burden for society, propelling patients and caregivers to increasingly use the health-care system. A year ago, local researchers, health-care professionals, and community advocates came together to form the Indianapolis Discovery Network for Dementia (IDND) to enhance dementia care in the nation's twelfth largest city.

12 Oct 2007

Brookhaven microgrid allows simultaneous study of multiple variables

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a method for correlating the results of microscopic imaging techniques in a way that could lead to improved understanding, diagnosis, and possibly treatment of a variety of disease conditions, including Alzheimer's disease. The Laboratory has filed a U.S. provisional patent application for the invention.

10 Oct 2007

Tooth loss may predict the development of dementia

Tooth loss may predict the development of dementia late in life, according to a study by University of Kentucky researchers.

10 Oct 2007

Cautious optimism for new Alzheimer's medications

Alzheimer's disease takes a long time to develop, which suggests that it may be possible to design drugs that work early in the disease process, to delay the start of symptoms.

10 Oct 2007

Relatives of Parkinson's disease victims more prone to dementia

According to a new study the relatives of people with Parkinson's disease are at an increased risk of developing dementia.

9 Oct 2007

Injectable antibody reverses cognitive deficits in mice

A special protein can be injected into the body to reverse learning problems in mice that have an animal version of Alzheimer's disease, Saint Louis University researchers have found.

9 Oct 2007

Relatives of patients with Parkinson's disease may have an increased risk of developing dementia

Parkinson's disease is characterized by a decline in the functions of the central nervous system, such as motor skills and speech. Several studies have shown an increased risk of dementia in first-degree relatives of Parkinson's disease patients, while other studies have not confirmed the association, according to background information in the article.

9 Oct 2007

New thoracic imaging protocol

University of Cincinnati (UC) radiologists have developed a new technique for capturing images of chest veins that eases diagnosis of venous diseases.

9 Oct 2007