Dementia News and Research

Latest Dementia News and Research

Antidepressant just as effective as antipsychotic in treating dementia

Research in Canada has revealed that when it comes to treating the aggressive behaviour seen in people with Alzheimer's disease, antidepressants work just as well as a commonly prescribed antipsychotic medication but without the severe side-effects.

11 Sep 2007

HIV patients with declining platelet counts appear to be at increased risk for HIV-associated dementia

Therapies leading to longer life for HIV patients have paradoxically increased the prevalence of this condition. Identifying biological markers for the development of HIV–associated dementia is critical both for diagnosing the disorder and for understanding its underlying mechanisms.

11 Sep 2007

Antidepressant citalopram shows promise in treating symptoms of dementia

Researchers have found surprising evidence that an antidepressant (citalopram) may perform as well as a commonly-prescribed antipsychotic (risperidone) in the alleviation of severe agitation and psychotic symptoms of dementia.

11 Sep 2007

Smoking ups Alzheimer's risk by 50%

According to a new Dutch study people over the age of 55 who are smokers put themselves at a far greater risk of developing dementia than people who do not smoke.

5 Sep 2007

Smoking and Alzheimer's disease

People who smoke are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease or dementia than nonsmokers or those who smoked in the past, according to a study published in the September 4, 2007, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

4 Sep 2007

Ranbaxy receives tentative approval for Galantamine tablets

Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited (RLL), has announced that the Company has received tentative approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to manufacture and market Galantamine Hydrobromide Tablets, 4mg (base), 8mg (base), and 12mg (base).

30 Aug 2007

Early surgical removal of the ovaries increases a woman's risk of neurological disorders

New research suggests that premenopausal women who have their ovaries removed have an increased risk of developing neurological disorders such as dementia and Parkinsonism.

30 Aug 2007

Ovary removal before menopause leads to memory and movement problems

Women who have their ovaries removed before menopause are at an increased risk of developing memory problems or dementia and movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease, according to two studies published August 29, 2007, in the online edition of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

30 Aug 2007

Estrogen protects women's brains prior to menopause

In the largest study of its kind, Mayo Clinic researchers have shown that women who had one or both ovaries removed before menopause faced an increased long-term risk of cognitive impairment or dementia, compared to women who retained their ovaries.

30 Aug 2007

High stress and genetic risk factor lead to increased memory decline

High stress levels may contribute to memory loss among people at risk for developing Alzheimer's disease.

28 Aug 2007

Cholesterol-lowering statins may also reduce the risk of Alzheimer's

Researchers in the United States say they believe cholesterol-lowering drugs may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's.

28 Aug 2007

Leading experts meet to help advance motor neurone research

World renowned experts on motor neurone disease will share their work at an international symposium hosted by the University of Edinburgh tomorrow (WED) to enable greater understanding of the condition.

28 Aug 2007

Weight loss in women may be a precursor for Alzheimer's

Scientists in the U.S. say they suspect that women who develop Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia may start losing weight at least a decade before being diagnosed with the condition.

21 Aug 2007

HIV protein both causes brain injury and prevents its repair

New evidence reported in the August issue of Cell Stem Cell, a publication of Cell Press, offers a novel perspective on how the HIV/AIDS virus leads to learning and memory deficits, a condition known as HIV-associated dementia.

17 Aug 2007

Scientists discover how HIV/AIDS disrupts the normal replication of stem cells in the adult brain

A prominent problem in AIDS is a form of dementia that robs one's ability to concentrate and perform normal movements.

17 Aug 2007

Longer term effects of dementia drugs to be investigated

A £50,000 grant from the Alzheimer's Research Trust will look at whether ACE inhibitors used to treat Alzheimer's could have a longer term effect.

15 Aug 2007

FDA tells drug giant to come clean about Alzheimer's drug

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. has warned a major drug company about misleading the medical profession over a drug for dementia.

15 Aug 2007

UK mental health services discriminate against the elderly

An independent panel in the UK has found that when it comes to mental health services, many elderly people face discrimination.

13 Aug 2007

High-tech diagnosis pinpoints causes of behavioral and psychiatric problems in patients

Is there a definitive test for mental illness? Not yet, but using advanced neuropsychiatric diagnostic tools including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET), mental health professionals at The Menninger Clinic in Houston are pinpointing the causes of behavioral and psychiatric problems in patients.

12 Aug 2007

Thyroid disease: Understanding hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism

Doctors often mistake the symptoms of thyroid disease for another disorder such as heart failure, high cholesterol, or even dementia, says a new edition of a report from Harvard Medical School.

11 Aug 2007