Alzheimer's Disease Archives

People seek early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease

International survey highlights great public desire to seek early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s — Results from Europe and US highlight interest in early diagnosis despite wide fear of and familiarity with the condition – Results of an international survey reveal that over 85% of respondents in the five countries surveyed say that if they were exhibiting confusion and memory loss, they would want to see a doctor to determine if the cause of the symptoms was Alzheimer’s disease. Over 94% would want the same if a family member were exhibiting the symptoms.

Lithium may prevent brain damage in patients with Parkinson’s disease

Lithium profoundly prevents brain damage associated with Parkinson’s disease — Buck Institute research in mice moves into preclinical stage; working toward human trials – Researcher are focusing on lithium as a potential treatment for Parkinson’s disease — PD — as well as its efficacy in combination with drugs currently used to control the symptoms of the disease. Lithium profoundly prevents the aggregation of toxic proteins and cell loss associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD) in a mouse model of the condition.

Memory problems often not present in middle aged people with Alzheimer’s disease

Study: Memory problems often not present in middle-aged people with Alzheimer’s disease – A new study suggests more than half of people who develop Alzheimer’s disease before the age of 60 are initially misdiagnosed as having other kinds of brain disease when they do not have memory problems.

Anti inflammatory drugs reduce effectiveness of SSRI antidepressants

Anti-inflammatory drugs reduce effectiveness of SSRI antidepressants – Anti-inflammatory drugs, which include ibuprofen, aspirin and naproxen, reduce the effectiveness of the most widely used class of antidepressant medications, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, taken for depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety disorders.

Potential Alzheimer’s disease diagnostic test using spinal fluid

Work Underway on Potential Alzheimer’s Diagnostic Test Using Spinal Fluid – Researchers at the University of Kentucky are working on a potential diagnostic test for Alzheimer’s disease, based on biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid.

Musical activity may improve cognitive aging

Musical activity may improve cognitive aging – A study conducted by Brenda Hanna-Pladdy, PhD, a clinical neuropsychologist in Emory’s Department of Neurology, and cognitive psychologist Alicia MacKay, PhD, found that older individuals who spent a significant amount of time throughout life playing a musical instrument perform better on some cognitive tests than individuals who did not play an instrument.

Brain size predicts dementia in advance in Alzheimer’s disease

Differences in brain structure indicate risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease — Thinning of key cortical areas predicts dementia up to a decade in advance – Subtle differences in brain anatomy among older individuals with normal cognitive skills may be able to predict both the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in the following decade and how quickly symptoms of dementia would develop.

Gene therapy clearing toxic proteins in brain may prevent Alzheimer’s disease

Boosting protein garbage disposal in brain cells protects mice from Alzheimer’s disease — Gene therapy shows that clearing toxic proteins inside brain cells prevents plaque formation outside neurons – Gene therapy that boosts the ability of brain cells to gobble up toxic proteins prevents development of Alzheimer’s disease in mice that are predestined to develop it, report researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center.

Skin cells converted to beating heart cells

Scripps Research scientists convert skin cells to beating heart cells — Breakthrough discovery offers hope for new therapies for range of diseases – Adult skin cells are converted into beating heart cells efficiently without generating embryonic-like stem cells, revealed by researchers.

Imaging can identify biomarker of alzheimer’s disease

Imaging Procedure Can Identify Biomarker Associated With Alzheimer Disease – Preliminary research suggests that use of a type of molecular imaging procedure may have the ability to detect the presence of beta-amyloid in the brains of individuals during life, a biomarker that is identified during autopsy to confirm a diagnosis of Alzheimer disease.

Elderly must start tai chi to prevent falls

New guidelines for preventing falls in the elderly include: start tai chi, cut-back on meds – In the first update of the American Geriatrics Society and the British Geriatric Society’s guidelines on preventing falls in older persons since 2001, they now recommend that all interventions for preventing falls should include an exercise component and that a number of new assessments should be used, including; feet and footwear, fear of falling, and ability to carry out daily living activities.

A new way to test blood for Alzheimer’s disease

A blood test for Alzheimer’s disease? – Using a new technology that relies on thousands of synthetic molecules to fish for disease-specific antibodies, researchers have developed a potential method for detecting Alzheimer’s disease with a simple blood test.