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Tag: Alzheimers

  • IBM Using AI to Advance Huntington’s Disease Research

    IBM Using AI to Advance Huntington’s Disease Research

    IBM is using artificial intelligence (AI) to map the human brain and help track the progression of Huntington disease, according to a blog post.

    Huntington’s disease is one of several neurodegenerative diseases that includes Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The disease is an inherited disorder and has no cure. Early symptoms can be hard to spot and vary from one person to the next. According to IBM, “people with HD show symptoms that start as subtle cognitive and motor changes, but gradually develop into uncontrollable movements and dementia before eventually leading to death.”

    To help researchers studying the disease, IBM teamed “with CHDI Foundation, a non-profit biomedical research organization devoted exclusively to collaboratively developing therapeutics that will substantially improve the lives of those affected by HD.” The goal of the collaboration is to use AI to spot patterns in brain scans that can give insights to the progression of the disease, even before symptoms are apparent.

    The collaboration won’t immediately result in a cure, but it will offer patients better options for care as the disease progresses, as a result of being able to better monitor the progression. IBM attributes this to the fact that “from a technical point of view HD displays a number of features that distinguish it from other neurodegenerative disorders and not only guide treatment design, but also help us to better understand the disease. In particular, genetic tests make it possible to study its progression many years before the onset of symptoms. In fact, several large studies followed hundreds of people with and without the HD mutation over time (4a, 4b, 4c). This set-up is optimal for building AI models that can learn the earliest signs of the disease in the brain and can inform ongoing and future clinical changes.”

    While there is still a long way to go in the fight against Huntington’s, IBM’s involvement is giant step in the right direction and will likely result in tangible qualify-of-life improvements for patients suffering with the disease.

  • Nancy Reagan, Former First Lady, Dies in California at 94

    Nancy Reagan died on Sunday at her home in L.A. at the age of 94. Her spokeswoman Joanne Drake, confirmed her passing.

    “Mrs. Reagan will be buried at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, next to her husband, Ronald Wilson Reagan, who died on June 5, 2004. Prior to the funeral service, there will be an opportunity for members of the public to pay their respects at the Library,” she said in a statement.

    2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney posted his thoughts on Nancy Reagan’s passing on social media.

    With the passing of Nancy Reagan, we say a final goodbye to the days of Ronald Reagan. With charm, grace, and a passion…

    Posted by Mitt Romney on Sunday, March 6, 2016

    Nancy Reagan served as first lady during husband Ronald Reagan’s eight years in the White House. She came to be known as the “Just say no” woman behind the anti-drug campaigns of that era.

    A devoted wife, Nancy Reagan never once left the hospital when when then-President Reagan was hospitalized following a 1981 assassination attempt.

    When Ronald Reagan suffered from Alzheimer’s in his post-presidential years, she was his protector. After he died in 2004, Nancy Reagan kept his memory alive.

    “She was always the one who kept the flame alive,” former Reagan adviser and CNN senior political analyst David Gergen said on Sunday.

    According to Nancy Reagan’s official biography, Ronald Reagan was the light of her life.

    “My life really began when I married my husband,” she said.

    Those closest to Nancy Reagan feared for her well being after her husband of 52 years died.

    “He was the center of her universe,” Nancy Reagan’s press secretary, Sheila Tate, said. “And I think when he died, we worried so much about how she’d hold up. But she always surprised me. Whenever the going got tough, Nancy Reagan did just fine.”

    Prior to her years in the White House, both Ronald and Nancy Reagan lived the Hollywood dream. Nancy Reagan appeared in 11 films between 1949 and 1956. It was during her Hollywood life that she met her husband.

    Funeral arrangements for Nancy Reagan will likely be announced later on Sunday or on Monday.

  • Alzheimer’s Disease Linked To Type 2 Diabetes?

    Alzheimer’s disease has been linked with Type 2 Diabetes in a new study published by Neurology.

    The study suggests the possibility that people who suffer with Type 2 Diabetes may form more of the brain “tangles” associated with the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

    The Alzheimer’s study followed 124 aging adults with Type 2 Diabetes and almost 700 without.

    Some participants had Alzheimer’s, while others had mild problems with memory and thinking.

    Some others were mentally sharp with no signs of any form of dementia.

    The study found that those with Diabetes had more thinning in the brain’s cortex and had higher levels of tau protein in their spinal fluid.

    Tau protein reportedly indicates tangles in the brain.

    One theory that researchers put out could be the cause of the link is that Type 2 Diabetes may cause brain abnormalities that pile on to other degenerative changes that ultimately lead to dementia.

    Senior researcher Dr. Velandai Srikanth, a geriatrician at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, admitted that the study shows only a correlation between Type 2 Diabetes and brain tangles associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

    He said Type 2 Diabetes may or may not be the direct cause since there are many other factors to consider, like obesity. People that have Diabetes are often obese and obese people tend to have more of these tangles.

    High blood sugar, an occurrence in those with Type 2 Diabetes, could also be a factor, according to researchers.

    The study suggested that people with Type 2 Diabetes carried nearly twice the risk of forming Alzheimer’s brain tangles as those who don’t have it.

    Interesting stuff! If you have Type 2 Diabetes, have you experienced any memory loss or other symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease?

  • Julianne Moore: ‘Still Alice’ Star Walks Red Carpet With Family

    Julianne Moore, star of the newly released film Still Alice, walked the red carpet at an event in her honor at the Museum of the Moving Image, flanked by her husband and children. Moore plays a professor in the new film–one who is losing her memory to early Alzheimer’s. Julianne Moore lost nothing during this event, however, instead gaining the gratitude of those privileged to not only meet the actress, but her beautiful family, too.

    Moore was joined on the red carpet on New York City’s Upper East Side on Tuesday by her husband, director Bart Freundlich, as well as son Caleb, who is 17, and daughter Liv, who is 12.

    As anyone in attendance at the event could see, Caleb and Liv’s fair coloring and red tresses are hand-me-downs from Julianne Moore. Both children bear striking resemblances to their mother.

    In addition to posing for pictures on the carpet, Julianne Moore and her family also snuggled together inside—at both the dinner table and around the ballroom, too. One photographer even captured a sweet moment between Liv and her father, where she rested her head on his shoulder.

    Moore was lauded at the event by Ethan Hawke and Sarah Paulson.

    Of course Julianne Moore was asked about her Oscar nomination for Best Actress for Still Alice while at the event. That’s the number one topic on everyone’s mind when they hear her name, after all. Her comments on the topic were humble. Moore also received an Oscar nod for her role in Maps to the Stars.

    “You know what? I think you have to be grateful for everything that comes your way. It’s never a guarantee—you never even know if people are going to see your movie. So the fact that we’ve got this much attention, it’s really incredible,” she said.

    It seems like family life is front and center for Julianne Moore. Many actors claim they can have a career and a family life, too, but don’t always practice what they preach. It was plain to see from the love exuded on behalf of all of Julianne Moore’s family members that it’s the real deal with them.

  • Sharon Osbourne Fears Dying of Alzheimer’s Like Her Dad

    Sharon Osbourne has long had a fear that she is just recently sharing with the media. She is terrified of dying of Alzheimer’s disease, the way her father did. Ozzy Osbourne’s wife lost her father, Don Arden, to the disease back in 2007 at the age of 81.

    “I was terrified because my dad died from Alzheimer’s. It is the most soul-destroying disease. To see someone you love come down with it… it’s wicked, it really is,” Osbourne said during a recent interview. “There is nothing I can do to prevent it, nothing. People say to take cod liver oil and do puzzles and things, but then I look at people diagnosed with dementia.”

    “My father was super active mentally, and take Margaret Thatcher, Ronald Reagan… they were all so active, and that’s what really frightens me,” she added.

    Sharon Osbourne and her husband recently shared with the media that they both underwent genome testing. In doing so they learned that Sharon has two of the four genes that are responsible for Alzheimer’s disease.

    “Ozzy and I had these tests done at a university in England, and the results took three months to come back. They test every single cell, chromosome and gene in your body; it’s like a DNA test but a million times more sophisticated,” a terrified Osbourne shared.

    “The results showed I have two of the four genes that give it to you. They’re not the two major genes, but they’re still there and I have them,” she said.

    Sharon Osbourne is already a cancer warrior. The former X-Factor judge battled colon cancer that spread to her lymph nodes. Two years following her treatment, she founded the Colon Cancer Program at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in L.A. She learned during this recent genome testing that she also has a high risk of developing breast cancer.

    Sharon Osbourne clearly has a lot on her plate–and on her mind–at the moment.

    She takes time to joke, however, about her husband, Ozzy Osbourne. Once known for his life of booze, drugs, and even eating the heads off baby bats–the rocker’s tests came out remarkably clean.

    “So Ozzy had it done and, unbelievably, he came out so clean. He came out allergic to alcohol, coffee and dust. Dust! He is so healthy, it’s ridiculous,” Sharon said.

    At least Sharon Osbourne’s sense of humor is intact. And humor–along with optimism–can be key in surviving any illness. Hopefully Sharon Osbourne never develops Alzheimer’s disease as she fears she will. Between now and them, however, strides could be made toward further slowing down the disease or perhaps one day even curing it.

  • Glen Campbell To Receive Lifetime Achievement Award

    Glen Campbell is set to be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 5th Annual Hollywood Music in Media Awards on November 4 at the Fonda Theater in Hollywood.

    Campbell’s country music career has spanned nearly five decades and includes his hits “Gentle on my Mind” and “Rhinestone Cowboy.”

    According to The Hollywood Reporter, Campbell is being recognized for his contribution to the music industry.

    Over the years, Campbell has received countless awards including: “five Grammys, three Grammy Hall of Fame honors, seven Academy of Country Music Awards, three American Music Awards, two Country Music Association Awards, three Gospel Music Association Dove Awards and a Pioneer Award honor.”

    Campbell is known as the first country music star to cross over to the pop charts. He has released more than 70 albums and has sold more than 45 million records. In 2005, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

    Sadly, Campbell’s career as a country music singer has come to an end with his advancing Alzheimer’s disease. In May, Campbell’s wife Kim Woolen told People that it was likely that her husband would never be able to perform again.

    “He can’t even tune a guitar now. If I tune one and hand it to him he can still play, [but] not like he used to,” Woolen said.

    His disease has advanced so quickly that he had to be moved to a memory-care facility. However, Kim stays by his side for the majority of the time. “It’s a very nurturing place … [and] he feels secure there,” Kim said. “I sit with him through his meals … we hug each other and cuddle. I savor every day.”

  • Seth Rogen Supports Fight Against Alzheimer’s Disease With Hilarity For Charity

    As a call to arms in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease, Seth Rogen and wife Lauren Miller recently held an event that raised more than $900,000 for the cause. Rogen and Miller staged the third annual Hilarity For Charity event on October 17, Friday, to raise money for efforts to combat Alzheimer’s disease and succeeded in getting donations while providing a variety show full of fun.

    Artists such as Rob Lowe, Taylor Lautner and Marcia Gay Harden as well as personalities like Judd Apatow and Maria Shriver showed up at The Hollywood Palladium to pledge their support for the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. They watched artists such as Sarah Silverman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Weird Al Yankovic and Craig Robertson and The Nasty Delicious give entertaining performances. A highlight of the variety show was when Rogen and Miller joined singing group Bell Biv Devoe onstage to perform their 1990s hit, “Poison.”

    — TheWrap (@TheWrap) October 19, 2014

    — Variety (@Variety) October 18, 2014

    Hilarity For Charity was a prom-themed event that had artists, donors and supporters for Alzheimer’s disease awareness showing up in their best prom wear. Rogen wore a white tuxedo and sneakers, while Miller was dressed in blue ruffles and wearing a corsage.

    Rogen has been a vocal advocate for the fight against Alzheimer’s disease for a decade, since Miller’s 63-year-old mother Adele has had it. “We look to the government and we realize that it’s ridiculously underfunded,” said Rogen in an interview with Huffington Post. Because of this, Rogen and Miller reportedly set up Hilarity For Charity, which has successfully raised money for the disease for three years.

    Rogen’s upcoming film The Interview has recently gotten some publicity due to the media disappearance of Kim Jong Un, leader of North Korea, who is a character in the comedy. “It is amazing. It’s almost as if we gave (Kim) a list of, ‘Here’s what you can do that would help promote our film.’ And he’s doing pretty much all of it,” joked Rogen.

  • Dave Mustaine of Megadeth Pleads for Help Finding Missing Mother-in-Law

    Dave Mustaine of Megadeth is distraught over a missing relative, and he is asking for the public’s help in finding her.

    Sally Estabrook, the mother of Mustaine’s wife Pamela, has been missing since October 4. She has Alzheimer’s.

    Sally Estabrook was last seen at the Pinezanita RV Park and Campground in Julian, California on October 4. Her husband returned from showering at the campground bathroom and could not find her. Police have been looking ever since.

    Dave Mustaine, lead singer and guitarist of Megadeth, and former member of Metallica, held a news conference to ask for the public’s help finding his mother-in-law.

    “We’re just asking everybody that may have been up there to take a look in your sheds, in your garages, in the thick brush around your house,” Mustaine said at the press conference.

    “A lot of times people that wander who have Alzheimer’s are found very close to their homes. They just take shelter underneath bushes,” he said.

    He asked hospitals and shelters to look for Estabrook among unidentified patients and drop-ins.

    There was a promising lead in the case just yesterday, when someone said they may have seen Estabrook walking along a road in the area. Police later determined that the woman seen was not Estabrook.

    Estabrook is white, five feet four inches tall and about 145 pounds, with shoulder-length blond hair. She may be wearing a teal top and white Capri pants. Sally Estabrook is said to be uncommunicative, but may respond to her name.

  • Fish Oil Supplements Protect Against Alzheimer’s

    A new study suggests that fish oil might be one of the most effective preventative measures against developing Alzheimer’s disease, for those who aren’t genetically inclined to develop the common form of dementia.

    There is presently no cure for Alzheimer’s; it is a progressive disease and eventually leads to death. It is most often diagnosed in those over 65 years of age, and is projected to affect 1 in 85 globally by 2050. It is presently the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.

    Researchers from Rhode Island Hospital studied three groups of adults ages 55-90, utilizing neuropsychological tests and brain magnetic resonance imaging biannually. The participants in the study, all part of the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), comprised 229 adults with no signs of the disease; 397 who were diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment; and 193 with Alzheimer’s. The ADNI study ran from 2003 until 2010.

    Results showed that adults who had not displayed any symptoms of the onset of Alzheimer’s saw a significantly less decline in cognitive function and brain shrinkage than those who weren’t taking the substance. Cognitive decline was measured using the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-cog) and the Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE).

    Though, researchers pointed that those who are genetically predisposed to developing Alzheimer’s, carriers of the APOE (apolipoprotein E) gene, might not be able to metabolize DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), the fatty acid in fish oil thought to promote cognitive benefits. Yet, taking fish oil is suggested regardless, as it might prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s from being triggered late in life.

    The most widely available dietary source of DHA comes from cold-water, oily fish, such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies and sardines.

    Doctor Andrew Weil explains some fish oil facts:

    The Hodge Twins reveal that a man who doesn’t take fish oil is pretty much a female, but likewise advise not to take fish oil:

    Aside from cognitive benefits, the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil have been shown to help in preventing heart disease. Other studies have revealed that fish oil might be beneficial to those who suffer from clinical depression, anxiety, cancer, psoriasis and macular degeneration, although benefits have yet to be proven.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • New Alzheimer’s Test Promising For Early Detection

    Researchers have found that a simple eye exam could be critical in detecting Alzheimer’s Disease years, if not decades, before memory loss begins.

    Beta amyloids are proteins that look like bright dots and are typically found in the brain of Alzheimer’s patients. However, new the new studies have shown that the beta amyloids are also found in the retina of the eye.

    “What makes it unique is that the retina is actually an extension of the brain and so we think that a lot of the pathology that is occurring in the brain may also be occurring in the retina,” said Dr. James Galvin is a neurologist at New York University Langone Medical Center.

    Shaun Frost, an Australian researcher, tested 40 people using a liquid form of curcumin – a natural substance that makes curry yellow. The curcumin sticks to the beta amyloids, making it possible for doctors to see the proteins with a simple eye exam. Frost revealed that he was able to identify 100 percent of the participants who had the disease.

    Because Alzheimer’s currently has no cure, many people have wondered why it is so important to detect it early on. Galvin explained that early detection is vital to treating the disease. “Well, for several reasons. So we have medicines today that treat the symptoms of the disease, so you’d like to be able to pick up the disease as soon as possible, so you can start someone on an available medicine. But more importantly, in order to develop new therapies, we need to be able to identify people at the earliest stages,” Galvin said.

    The full study includes 200 individuals and is expected to be completed later this year. With this test, Frost is confident that they will be able to detect the disease 15-20 years before an official diagnosis.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Glen Campbell Will Never Perform Again

    Glen Campbell Will Never Perform Again

    Kim Woolen, Glen Campbell’s wife, has revealed some shocking news about her husband.

    During a recent interview with PEOPLE, Kim explained that Glen will more than likely never be able to perform again. “He can’t even tune a guitar now. If I tune one and hand it to him he can still play, [but] not like he used to,” Woolen said at the Open Hearts Foundation’s 4th Annual Gala on Saturday.

    The Rhinestone Cowboy singer announced that he was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease in the summer of 2011. At that point, he was still hopeful that he would be able to continue performing. “I still love making music,” Glen said at the time of his announcement. “And I still love performing for my fans. I’d like to thank them for sticking with me through thick and thin.”

    The couple wanted his fans to be aware of his condition, which is why they chose to reveal his diagnosis. While Glen was hoping to perform, his condition has sadly advanced quickly and has led to him now having to live in a memory-care facility.

    Despite living away from his family, Glen is hardly ever alone. Kim is by his side as much as possible, and tries to help him remember the things he is quickly forgetting. “It’s a very nurturing place … [and] he feels secure there,” Kim said. “I sit with him through his meals … we hug each other and cuddle. I savor every day.”

    The couple has three children together, and they all have tried to remain as optimistic as possible during this trying time. “There’s a lot of sadness,” she admitted, “we just continue to try to make the best of every day and keep a sense of humor.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Glen Campbell Enters Alzheimer’s Facility

    Glen Campbell Enters Alzheimer’s Facility

    Glen Campbell has suffered from Alzheimer’s for about three years now, and last week the 78-year-old country music legend was transferred to an Alzheimer’s facility.

    Best known for his huge country hits including Rhinestone Cowboy, Wichita Lineman, and Gentle On My Mind, Campbell is a true legend in the music world. He also had his own TV show on CBS, The Glen Campbell Good Time Hour, which aired from 1969 to 1972.

    “He was moved to an Alzheimer’s facility last week,” a family friend told PEOPLE magazine. “I’m not sure what the permanent plan is for him yet. We’ll know more next week.”

    Glen Campbell and his fourth wife Kim Whoolen went public with his diagnosis back in 2011 in an interview during which the singer shared his desire to embark on a live farewell tour. They wanted fans to be aware of his condition just in case he messed up lyrics or appeared disoriented at any point during his performances.

    The Goodbye Tour launched in 2012, but appearances in New Zealand and Australia were cancelled due to his deteriorating condition. He was able to perform his final appearance on the tour in Los Angeles, however, at the Hollywood Bowl. The L.A. Times music critic Roberts wrote following that performance that Glen Campbell performed with “effortless grace, and had he not announced in 2011 that he was living with Alzheimer’s disease, few in the crowd would have been the wiser. In fact, he was sharper and more precise during this gig than he was last year at Club Nokia, where he kicked off the Farewell Tour.”

    The Goodbye Tour was filmed for a documentary called Glen Campbell … I’ll Be Me. It debuts on Friday April 18th at the 2014 Nashville Film Festival. The film follows Glen Campbell along with his wife and three adult children–Cal, Shannon, and Ashley–as they perform together on the road while contending with the progressive stages of his disease.

    “I still love making music,” Campbell told PEOPLE back in 2011. “And I still love performing for my fans. I’d like to thank them for sticking with me through thick and thin.”

    It’s heartbreaking to watch a music legend lose the ability to do what he loves most. Alzheimer’s is a cruel disease. It robs not only the patient, but those who love him, of the person he used to be.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Alzheimer’s Disease: Just How Vulnerable Are You?

    Americans are absolutely terrified of Alzheimer’s disease. A survey revealed it to be the illness that when surveyed, most Americans were afraid of developing. This disease is scarier than diabetes, heart disease, or even cancer.

    Why is Alzheimer’s so feared?

    One good reason to be wary of the illness is that there is no cure. Though researchers are working hard to understand the disease and how it attacks the brain, it’s impossible to stop and the damage is irreversible.

    There is also the devastating manner in which it seems to strip a person of their individual identity.

    It causes you to lose precious memories of life experiences and loved ones. In its most advanced stage, Alzheimer’s leaves sufferers without the ability to function on their own.

    The growing concern of many Americans over Alzheimer’s can be blamed on our aging population. It’s projected that as many as 1 in 45 could be diagnosed with the disease at some point in their lives.

    There are certain risk factors that make it more likely that some members of the population will develop Alzheimer’s than others.

    For instance, do you have a parent or sibling that suffers from Alzheimer’s? When one has a close family member that has been diagnosed, it’s possible there is a genetic risk of developing the disease. The mutation behind the increased risk is blamed for about 5% of Alzheimer’s disease cases. A minuscule number, but still a risk factor to consider.

    Past head trauma such as a severe concussion can also raise the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. This is one reason why so many NFL athletes and their families have filed lawsuits, as they were unaware of the risks that such a sport played in the development of dementia-type illnesses.

    While there are risk factors that make you more vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease, there are also ways that you can potentially lower your risk of developing it.

    Constant mental stimulation seems to be the most recommended method of protection against the disease.

    This includes reading, regularly solving puzzles like crosswords or Sudoku, taking up learning a musical instrument, or taking the time to get out of the house and regularly socialize.

    The key is to keep yourself mentally stimulated and your brain constantly being tested and challenged.

    There is no known reason why constant mental stimulation helps stave off the risks of Alzheimer’s disease. One theory is that your brain develops cell to cell connections that can protect you from the impact of Alzheimer-related changes.

    Alzheimer’s disease is scary, but it’s still wise to spend time educating yourself about the signs and symptoms. Also take the time to do what you can to become more mentally active and engaged. Such efforts can protect you in the long run.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Alzheimer’s Disease: Blood Test Foretells Illness

    Medical researchers have designed an experimental blood test that can predict Alzheimer’s disease before it fully develops.

    The disease was detected through plasma phospholipids, which researchers said was more convenient in comparison to costly methods like spinal taps or PET scans.

    “They decided to start with fats, since it was the easiest and least expensive,” according to a report by CNN. “They drew blood from hundreds of healthy people over age 70 living near Rochester, New York, and Irvine, California. Five years later, 28 of the seniors had developed Alzheimer’s disease or the mild cognitive problems that usually precede it.”

    Researchers discovered that compared to healthy seniors, the group had low levels of 10 lipids. This same scenario also matched 54 other seniors who were known to have the disease.

    The results were astonishing, especially since the blood test was 90 percent accurate. It also revealed that the Alzheimer’s process starts earlier than expected, causing a person to lose lipids as they lose brain cells.

    Neuropsychologists at the University of Rochester Medical Center plan to take the experiment even further and test people younger than 70. Doctors say that this would definitely keep them two-steps ahead of the game, and therefore, could be beneficial in treating the disease ahead of time.

    But, is it beneficial for a person to know that someday they will be completely memory impaired?

    Knowing what the future holds would be a “very personal decision” for the patient says Dr. Howard Federoff, who is the senior author of the report and a neurologist at Georgetown University Medical Center.

    According to NPR, a University of Pennsylvania professor believes that awareness of the disease could have conflicting effects on a person’s life.

    “Knowing their risk of developing cognitive impairment is very relevant to making plans around retirement and where they live,” said Dr. Jason Karlawish, a professor of medicine and health policy at the university.

    However, he was later quoted: “How will other people interact with you if they learn that you have this information? And how will you think about your own brain and your sort of sense of self?”

    Federoff suggested that counseling would be best for someone who decides to take this route, but that the decision should be carefully considered.

    Image via YouTube

  • Cholesterol Linked To Alzheimers Disease?

    Cholesterol Linked To Alzheimers Disease?

    A study being conducted on the onset of Alzheimer’s might be attributed to cholesterol. The study is showing risk factors connected to this heart damaging substance, has been observed in high levels in Alzheimer’s patients.

    “One of the important themes emerging from dementia research over the past 15 years is that there are intriguing connections between vascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease,” Bruce Reed, who led the research, told Reuters Health by email.

    Reed is a professor and associate director of the University of California Davis Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.

    “It has become increasingly clear that what have been traditionally thought of as vascular risk factors – things like hypertension, diabetes and elevated cholesterol – are also risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease,” Reed said.

    Reed and his research team have discovered a connection to vascular risk (heart disease) with the brains level of amyloid.

    “Amyloid deposition is important because it is widely believed by scientists to be a key event that initiates a chain of events that eventually, years later, results in the dementia of Alzheimer’s disease,” Reed said.

    “There was also previous work in cell cultures and with animals that suggested that cholesterol plays an important role in promoting the deposition of amyloid in the brain,” Reed said.

    For the new study, published in JAMA Neurology, 74 elderly people were studied who had normal to mildly impaired cognitive function. Their brain deposits of beta amyloid protein were studied as well.

    Those people who had high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol also had higher levels of amyloid in their brain.

    “We think this is a very important finding, but as with all novel findings it needs to be replicated,” Reed said. “Assuming that the basic pattern is found in other groups of patients, it is urgent that we try to understand the mechanism(s) behind this finding.”

    “Cholesterol in blood and cholesterol in brain are separate ‘pools,’ walled off from one another by the blood brain barrier. We measured cholesterol in blood. So that is one question that needs to be answered – how do cholesterol levels in blood and in brain influence each other,” Reed said.

    Reed and his team have not proven directly that cholesterol is the cause of amyloid deposits in the brain, it could be attributed to vascular damage and stroke, which could have left these deposits in the brains of those tested.

    People are encouraged to seek their doctors advice, and work to get to a safe level of cholesterol as set by the AMA – American Heart Association.

    “A remarkable number of people who are alive now will live into their 80s or beyond – the period of highest risk for Alzheimer’s. This study is one more piece of evidence that what we do now can shape our health positively in those years,” Reed said.

    The best bet is to work on lowering your cholesterol by eating foods that can help to not only protect your heart, but also your brain.

    Image via YouTube

  • Alzheimer’s May Be Diagnosed Sooner with New Scan

    Alzheimer’s May Be Diagnosed Sooner with New Scan

    According to CBS, researchers used a new imaging technique that they claim can spot physical brain changes in Alzheimer’s as they occur. Alzheimer’s causes brain changes that eventually lead to the loss of memories and abilities to perform everyday functions. Many of these debilitating changes can be seen in the brains of people who have already passed on from the disease or are in advanced stages, however, there was no clear way to spot these disease signs early as they’re first occuring. That is, until now.

    The brains of people with the disease often show physical damage, like abnormal clusters of built-up proteins called beta amyloid that form brain plaques and dying nerve cells full of tangled strands of protein called tau. The new imaging technology developed by these researchers targets tau proteins because those proteins are linked to the negative memory effects of the disease.

    The study was led by Dr. Makoto Higuchi, a researcher at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences in Japan. During the research, scientists developed fluorescent compounds that bind to tau proteins. That way, the proteins could easily be picked up on PET (positron emission tomography) scans, which create 3D images of the brain by picking up radioactive tracer materials that get absorbed into the brain. The signals are then turned into 3D images by computers.

    Researchers tested both mice and humans, and garnered promising results. The researchers were able to correlate the spread of the tau tangles within a brain to signs of Alzheimer’s disease progression in both animals and elderly people with the disease.

    “This is of critical significance, as tau lesions are known to be more intimately associated with (brain neuron) loss than senile plaques,” wrote Higuchi.

    The new imaging concept may also help improve diagnoses of other conditions associated with tau tangles, like Parkinson’s disease or non-Alzheimer’s forms of dementia that don’t involve the telltale plaques.

    If a scan could track progression of these tau protein tangles, it could possibly allow doctors to diagnose the disease earlier or help monitor treatments to make sure they are working. The findings could open up new avenues of research, the study authors wrote.

    The National Alzheimer’s Plan kicked off in May 2012 as part of a collaborative effort of the government and Alzheimer’s researchers to find other ways to diagnose the disease earlier and develop better treatments by 2025. The Obama administration also made available a $100 million initiative to map the brain, similar to how government scientists mapped the human genome. They were mapping the brain in order to learn more about neurological diseases.

    According to the Alzheimer’s Association, about 5.2 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, and that number is projected to increase to 13.8 million by 2050, considering the aging baby boomer population.

    Alzheimer’s is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States.

    Image via wikipedia

  • Breastfeeding Linked to Reduced Alzheimer’s Risk

    Though there are many medical reasons why breastfeeding is widely recommended, researchers at the University of Cambridge have made an unlikely connection through a new study.

    The study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, found that breastfeeding could be linked to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers interviewed 81 British women between ages 70 and 100, some of whom had Alzheimer’s. They found a “highly significant and consistent correlation” between the women who breast fed and their risk of Alzheimer’s.

    In addition, the study found a longer breastfeeding history was linked to lowered risk for Alzheimer’s. Women who had a high ratio of pregnancy time to breastfeeding time, however, were found to have a higher Alzheimer’s risk. The link between Alzheimer’s risk and breastfeeding was found to be “far less pronounced” for women with a family history of Alzheimer’s disease.

    Though the cause of the link was not determined by the study, it’s authors have floated multiple theories for why it apparently exists. One involves the hormone progesterone, which has been linked to a desensitization of the brain’s estrogen receptors. The hormone is produced in high amounts during pregnancy, but is reduced by breastfeeding. Another theory is that breastfeeding restores insulin sensitivity that is reduced by pregnancy, increasing glucose tolerance.

    “Alzheimer’s is the world’s most common cognitive disorder and it already affects 35.6 million people,” said Molly Fox, lead author of the study and a professor of biological anthropology at Cambridge. “In the future, we expect it to spread most in low and middle-income countries. So it is vital that we develop low-cost, large-scale strategies to protect people against this devastating disease.”

  • Vitamin B: Alzheimer’s Might Have Met Its Match

    A new study published this week shows that vitamin B may be just the thing scientists have been looking for when it comes to Alzheimer’s patients.

    “Our work shows that a key part of the disease process that leads to Alzheimer’s disease, the atrophy of specific brain regions, might be modified by a safe and simple intervention,” said Dr. David Smith, who led the study.

    The study–which was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences–found that people who took part in a trial had 90% less brain shrinkage when given a dose of vitamin B on a regular basis than those who took a placebo. The areas of the brain that are affected by the disease were protected by the vitamin, including the parts that determine how we learn and how we remember and organize our thoughts.

    “I’ve never seen results from brain scans showing this level of protection,” said Paul Thompson, professor of neurology and head of the Imaging Genetics Center at UCLA School of Medicine, California.

    The study was conducted previously with only 50% less brain shrinkage determined in the participants. This new trial marks the beginning of a new path for scientists, who have hit blockage after blockage while trying to find a cure–preventative or otherwise–for the disease. Those in charge of the study say that a combination of B-6, B-12, and folic acid was exactly what they were looking for. Because vitamin B keeps amino acids in check–particularly homocysteine, which becomes a brain chemical that controls memory–a healthy dose of it later in life could prevent brain shrinkage.

    “The study needs to be repeated because there’s a lot to learn about why homocysteine is damaging and whether lowering it can stop people with memory problems progressing to Alzheimer’s,’ says Professor Thompson. ‘But if the results survive retesting, homocysteine level could be a useful biomarker for Alzheimer’s risk.”

  • Alzheimer’s Linked to Inflammatory Process

    Alzheimer’s Linked to Inflammatory Process

    New research has shown that a well-known inflammatory process could play a role in the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease. The discovery could lead to new research on a different way to combat the disease.

    “This finding represents an important new clinical target for patients with Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr. Douglas Golenbock, chief of infectious diseases and immunology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. “We’ve known for years that the plaques associated with Alzheimer’s were surrounded by microglia, the resident immune cell of the central nervous system. What we didn’t know was what role, if any, inflammation played in the progression of the disease. With this link we have a new path to potentially identifying and attacking this horrible disease.”

    Golenbock and his fellow researchers found in previous studies that neurons in cultures die when the brain’s immune defense is exposed to beta amyloids. Beta amyloid peptides aggregate into plaques in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients and are believed to be the main cause of neuron death.

    Inflammation in the brain can occur when amyloids spur microglia into making neurotoxic compounds. Golenbock deciphered the mechanism at play, showing how amyloids activate a multi-protein receptor complex, known as NLRP3 inflammasome, which leads to the production of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1B), a pro-inflammatory cytokine.

    The new research has been published in the journal Nature. The technical description above means that new mechanisms have been identified as playing a part in Alzheimers. Attacking these mechanisms could represent a novel way of battling Alzheimer’s. For example, drugs that attack IL-1b already exist, and were created for rheumatoid arthritis patients.

    “These findings suggest that a knockout of NLRP3…or mature IL-1B may represent a novel therapeutic intervention for Alzheimer’s disease,” said Golenbock. “It’s possible that drugs that block NLRP3 or IL-1B – including some of which are already in clinical trials or on the market – might provide some benefit.

    “The critical part, though, is how much NLRP3 or IL-1B production can these drugs disrupt. I believe that it’s not enough to block just 90 percent; it will probably have to be closer to 100 percent.”

  • Alzheimer’s Treatment Could Restore Brain Cell Memory

    A new study has shown that a drug intended to treat diabetes could restore memory in brain cells affected by Alzheimer’s disease.

    The study, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, demonstrated that a drug named AC253, which never made it to market as a diabetes treatment, could block the effects of amyloid protein in the brain. Amyloids can lead to brain cell death, and are found in abnormally large amounts in the brains of dementia patients.

    “This is very important because it tells us that drugs like this might be able to restore memory, even after Alzheimer’s disease may have set in,” said Dr. Jack Jhamandas, the principal investigator on the study and a researcher at the University of Alberta.

    The researchers looked at brain tissue samples from animals with Alzheimer’s and tested their memory capacity by shocking them with electrical impulses. When AC253 was given to the brain cells, it was found through further shock memory tests that the cells had had their memory capacity restored to levels similar to normal brain cells.

    “I think what we discovered may be part of the solution, but I can’t say it will be the solution,” said Jhamandas. “There is a long list of drugs and approaches that haven’t panned out as expected in the fight against Alzheimer’s. I don’t think one drug or approach will solve Alzheimer’s disease because it’s a complicated disease, but I am cautiously optimistic about our discovery and its implications.”

    The researchers will continue their testing to see if the drug can be used to prevent the impairment of behavior and cognition in animals that will develop Alzheimer’s. The tests will take at least a year to complete, but Jhamandas believes clinical trials could begin within five years.

  • Dementia Alleviated in Mice Using Antibody Blocker

    A new study has shown that mice bred for Alzheimer’s testing that were given an antibody that blocked the immune molecule p40 showed “substantial” improvements in behavioral testing. The effects were seen even when the mice had already begun showing symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

    The study was conducted by Dr. Frank Heppner, director for the Institute of Neuropathology at Charité and Dr. Burkhard Becher, professor at the Institute for Experimental Immunology at the University of Zurich. The researchers looked at the accumulation of abnormal proteins, specifically amyloid beta, in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. The demonstrated that “turning off” specific immune system signal transmitters (cytokines) reduced the amyloid beta deposits in mice with Alzheimer’s disease. The strongest effects came when p40, which is a component of certain cytokines, was affected: amyloid beta deposits were reduced by around 65%.

    Based on the results of the new study, the level of p40 in the brain fluid of Alzheimer’s patients is higher. This corroborates a previous study that found increased p40 levels in the blood plasma of Alzheimer’s patients. Though this suggests the study on mice will have relevance for human therapies, the authors of the study emphasized that the mechanism of p40 in Alzheimer’s disease “requires additional clarification. However, the researchers are confident enough that they are currently planning to find an industrial partner to begin the steps toward clinical studies in humans.

    “Based on the safety data in patients, clinical studies could now be implemented without delay,” said the study’s authors. “Now, the goal is to bring the new therapeutic approach to Alzheimer patients quickly.”

    (Image courtesy UZH)