Dementia News and Research

Latest Dementia News and Research

New therapeutic approach for preventing Alzheimer's disease

Pathological changes typical of Alzheimer's disease were significantly reduced in mice by blockade of an immune system transmitter. A research team from Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the University of Zurich has just published a new therapeutic approach in fighting Alzheimer's disease in the current issue of Nature Medicine. This approach promises potential in prevention, as well as in cases where the disease has already set in.

26 Nov 2012

Mental activities like reading and writing can preserve structural integrity in the brains of older people

Mental activities like reading and writing can preserve structural integrity in the brains of older people, according to a new study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

26 Nov 2012

Women more likely to have gray matter atrophy prior to Alzheimer's diagnosis than men

All patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) lose brain cells, which leads to a shrinking, or atrophy, of the brain. But the pattern of gray matter loss is significantly different in men and women, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

26 Nov 2012

People with Parkinson's benefit from exercise programs on stationary bicycles

People with Parkinson's disease benefit from exercise programs on stationary bicycles, with the greatest effect for those who pedal faster, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

26 Nov 2012

Active lifestyle helps preserve brain structure and could reduce burden of dementia, Alzheimer's

An active lifestyle helps preserve gray matter in the brains of older adults and could reduce the burden of dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD), according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

26 Nov 2012

Turning off particular cytokines reduces Alzheimer's typical amyloid-- deposits in mice

Alzheimer's disease is one of the most common causes of dementia. In Germany and Switzerland alone, around 1.5 million people are affected, and forecasts predict a doubling of the number of patients worldwide within the next 20 years. The accumulation of particular abnormal proteins, including amyloid-- (Aβ) among others, in patients' brains plays a central role in this disease.

26 Nov 2012

New way of long-term care for elders with memory impairments

Within a stone's throw from the hustle and bustle of Route 128, a revolutionary new way to provide elder care is quietly making a difference in the town of Westwood. From the outside, the White Oak Cottages may look like ordinary, modern family homes with lots of windows and skylights but what's going on inside is anything but ordinary. Their mission is to de-institutionalize long-term care by providing a real home-like environment for those with Alzheimer's, Dementia and other cognitive impairments.

23 Nov 2012

Six-step approach can help clinicians identify and effectively manage dementia symptoms

Behavior changes are among the most visible, disruptive and distressing symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. From confusion, repetitive questioning and combativeness to wandering, hallucinations and loss of inhibition, the symptoms carry their own risks of injury.

22 Nov 2012

Study demonstrates memory-enhancing effects of low-level light therapy

It's called the "Silver Tsunami" - the swelling number of baby boomers surpassing age 65. As medical advancements extend their lives, they're expected to live well into their 80s and 90s - outlasting any generation in American history.

22 Nov 2012

Discovery of DKK1-WNT pathway reveals new drug targets for Alzheimer's

The discovery of the molecular pathway that drives the changes seen in the brains of Alzheimer's patients is reported today, revealing new targets for drug discovery that could be exploited to combat the disease. The study gives the most detailed understanding yet of the complex processes leading to Alzheimer's.

21 Nov 2012

Scientists extract recent drug trials to tackle Alzheimer's earlier than ever before

Alzheimer's therapeutic trials have gotten bad press lately, but it is not all gloom and doom. As evident at the 5th Clinical Trials in Alzheimer's Disease (CTAD) conference, held 29-31 October in the Principality of Monaco, scientists keep extracting new data from recent drug trials to gear up for a round of new ones that aim to tackle Alzheimer's earlier than ever before.

21 Nov 2012

Young-onset Parkinson's most common in White men

Young-onset Parkinson's disease is most common among White individuals and men in America, research shows.

20 Nov 2012

New genetic insight into Alzheimer’s disease

A rare mutation in the gene encoding the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 has a potent effect on the risk for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease, two studies published in The New England Journal of Medicine suggest.

20 Nov 2012

Researchers discover new gene for susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease

A large-scale international study involving French researchers from the Inserm-Institut Pasteur Lille-Universit- Lille Nord de France "Public health and molecular epidemiology of ageing-related diseases" joint research unit led by Philippe Amouyel, has just discovered a gene for susceptibility to a rare disease that causes susceptibility to a common one, Alzheimer's disease, providing evidence of the heterogeneous aetiology of Alzheimer's disease.

20 Nov 2012

TBI, age-related dementia and stroke fuel neurologic disability in India

The 'Global Perspectives' published in the Nov. 20, 2012 issue of Neurology-, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, features "Neurologic Disability: A Hidden Epidemic for India".

20 Nov 2012

Geriatric team improves outcomes in elderly emergency department patients

Collaboration between trauma and geriatric specialists can improve outcomes for elderly patients admitted to the emergency department, indicate Canadian study findings.

19 Nov 2012

Decreased cognitive functioning associated with deterioration in kidney function

Decreased kidney function is associated with decreased cognitive functioning in areas such as global cognitive ability, abstract reasoning and verbal memory, according to a study led by Temple University. This is the first study describing change in multiple domains of cognitive functioning in order to determine which specific abilities are most affected in individuals with impaired renal function.

19 Nov 2012