MedWorm.com provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest items from the 'About Alzheimers Disease' source. Thu, 16 Jun 2011 23:58:07 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733213&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2011%2F04%2F19%2Fnew-diagnostic-guidelines-for-alzheimers-disease-released-today.htm This week will in all likelihood be an important one historically in the world of Alzheimer's Disease. As I pointed out in a September blog post, the realization that in Alzheimer's disease damage to the brain begins years or even decades before symptoms begin to show themselves has led to the first major changes in how Alzheimer's is diagnosed in 27 years. On April 16 the documents describing these new criteria were made public, published in the journal Alzheimer's and Dementia. The key differences between how Alzheimer's disease has been diagnosed since 1984 and how it will be diagnosed going forward reflect much of what's been learned since then. First of all, it's now well known that some people may have many amyloid plaques in their brain, but no symptoms of illness. Second, the fact... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733213 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733213 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4714316&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2011%2F04%2F14%2Fmemantine-judged-ineffective-for-mild-alzheimers.htm Of all the Alzheimer's drugs currently approved by the FDA, memantine is the only one that is in a class of drugs called NMDA receptor antagonists, drugs which act to regulate the brain chemical glutamate. The others (Aricept, Exelon, and Razadyne) are all cholinesterase inhibitors, which act to increase levels of acetylcholine in the brain. Memantine (trade name Namenda) is approved for use in patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease, but many doctors also prescribe it "off-label" for use in people with only mild or mild-moderate disease. One way researchers and clinicians characterize disease severity in this way is by scores on the Mini-Mental State Exam, or MMSE. But in an article published April 11 in the on-line edition of the Archives of Neurology , Lon Schneider, MD an... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4714316 Wed, 13 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4714316 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4676286&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2011%2F04%2F04%2Fnew-insights-on-genetics-of-alzheimers-disease.htm After a few weeks without a front page story about Alzheimer's disease, the New York Times was back with an important one today. The piece described two large studies which analyzed the genes of over 50,000 people in the United States and Europe. The discoveries double the number of genes known to be involved in Alzheimer's from 5 to 10, and shed new light on contributing factors such as cholesterol, inflammation, and the concept of innate immunity. While having the newly discovered genes don't seem to increase a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's nearly as much having one or two copies of  the APOE 4 gene, they are likely to be very helpful in understanding the disease and hopefully developing therapies. One of the most fascinating aspects of the article was the reference to the g... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4676286 Sun, 03 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4676286 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4642014&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2011%2F03%2F28%2Fnew-insights-on-depression-and-dementia.htm The relationship between depression and dementia has never been completely understood, although clearly depression has become more and more accepted as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. What hasn't been clear is whether having depression actually worsens cognitive decline in people with dementia. A recent study, just published in the April 2011 American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, sheds more light on this interesting relationship. In a study of over 300 elderly nursing home residents, cognitive decline was measured over 36 months using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), a commonly used dementia screening test. The findings were most interesting. Those residents who had both dementia and depression showed a much steeper cognitive decline than those suffering from dementia ... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4642014 Sun, 27 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4642014 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4610472&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2011%2F03%2F18%2Fmickey-rooney-and-elder-abuse.htm Riveting testimony by 90 year old Hollywood legend Mickey Rooney earlier this month to the US Senate Special Committee on Aging highlighted our country's growing elder abuse crisis. Since people with Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias are especially vulnerable, I thought it was time to devote another blog piece to this emotional and tragic topic. A few compelling minutes of Rooney's testimony may be viewed here. Describing his experience as one of  "exploitation, manipulation, and emotional blackmail," Rooney urges victims to seek help, assuring them they are not alone. Admitting that the problem "doesn't get the attention it deserves," Committee Chairman Senator Herb Kohl noted that  in his state of Wisconsin alone in 2009, over 5000 elder abuse cases were reported. People do it ... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4610472 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4610472 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4610473&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2011%2F03%2F17%2Flifespan-and-caregiving.htm Coincidentally, two news items caught my attention today, both pointing in their own ways to how critical things are becoming when it comes to Alzheimer's disease. First, the CDC reported that lifespans in the U.S. have reached another new high, to 78 years two months for a child born in 2009. They attributed the increase to a combination of factors, including better medical care, vaccine campaigns, and anti-smoking measures. Today in this country, someone develops Alzheimer's disease every 69 seconds, a figure which is projected to change to an astonishing 33 seconds by 2050. Now let's look at the second news item from today, namely that according to the March issue of the journal Alzheimer's and Dementia, nearly 15 million Americans are now providing care for someone with Alzheimer's di... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4610473 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4610473 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4605524&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2011%2F03%2F17%2Flifespan-and-caregiving.htm Coincidentally, two news items caught my attention today, both pointing in their own ways to how critical things are becoming when it comes to Alzheimer's disease. First, the CDC reported that lifespans in the U.S. have reached another new high, to 78 years two months for a child born in 2009. They attributed the increase to a combination of factors, including better medical care, vaccine campaigns, and anti-smoking measures. Today in this country, someone develops Alzheimer's disease every 69 seconds, a figure which is projected to change to an astonishing 33 seconds by 2050. Now let's look at the second news item from today, namely that according to the March issue of the journal Alzheimer's and Dementia, nearly 15 million Americans are now providing care for someone with Alzheimer's di... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4605524 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4605524 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4580681&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2011%2F03%2F13%2Ftruth-and-deceit-in-alzheimers-disease.htm One aspect of Alzheimer's Disease that I've always found fascinating is that of truthfulness vs. deceit. Few diseases present as many ethical dilemmas as Alzheimer's disease. Whether the issue is giving medications surreptitiously, disguising exit doors in assisted living facilities, or telling someone who wants to go home that they can't go today because "their doctor is waiting for some test results," people often have different opinions about when harmless "therapeutic fibbing" crosses the line into harmful deceit. Let's take the simple issue of doctors telling someone they even have Alzheimer's disease. In a fascinating Journal of Medical Ethics article from 2000 called: "Would you like to know what is wrong with you? On telling the truth to patients with dementia," Marek Marzanski re... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4580681 Sun, 13 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4580681 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4559724&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2011%2F03%2F08%2Ftelling-someone-they-have-alzheimers-disease.htm A survey of 55 geriatric psychiatrists and geriatricians published in 2000 found that only 40% regularly tell patients with Alzheimer's disease of their diagnosis. Another study found that 95% of of doctors regularly informed patients of a terminal cancer diagnosis while only 39% revealed a dementia diagnosis. This all seems to contradict what most patients and caregivers think: 92% of patients in one study with mild dementia wished to be informed of their diagnosis, and 72% of caregivers in another study felt that patients should be told. In fact, some evidence suggests that most patients and caregivers do just fine psychologically after being told the diagnosis. while coping with the grief of a loved one's Alzheimer's diagnosis my be traumatic, learning to deal with that grief will undou... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4559724 Tue, 08 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4559724 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4540272&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2011%2F03%2F02%2Fwe-really-do-fear-alzheimers-disease.htm On Feb. 24, the results of a Harris Interactive survey of over 1000 people done for the MetLife Foundation were released, and the results may surprise you. The telephone survey, completed in September 2010, found that 31% of Americans fear developing Alzheimer's disease, second only to cancer (41%). The next most feared diseases were heart disease and stroke, each far behind at 8%. Compared with a similar survey done in 2006, the highest percentage increase in fear was for Alzheimer's disease, which climbed from only 20% who feared getting it then. A majority of those polled (62%) admitted they knew little or nothing about Alzheimer's disease (how can I get more people to read this site?!), and less than 1 in 5 people had done any planning for its possibility. Ironically, American familie... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4540272 Wed, 02 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4540272 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4524890&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2011%2F02%2F26%2Ffrequent-misdiagnosis-of-alzheimers.htm During my fellowship training in geriatric psychiatry back in the mid-90's, we were taught repeatedly that as long as you were thorough and followed the rules, it was fairly easily to make a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and have reasonable confidence you were right. In fact, I recall specifically being told that clinicians diagnose Alzheimer's disease with 90% accuracy. A little research today led me to one of the articles supporting that idea. As the authors from Johns Hopkins University pointed out back in 1996: "We conclude that the criteria of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke/Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders Association for possible or probable AD are highly accurate..." 15 years later, we clinicians are looking a lot dumber than we used to w... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4524890 Sat, 26 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4524890 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4516845&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2011%2F02%2F24%2Falternative-theory-of-alzheimers.htm While most researchers studying Alzheimer's disease still believe in the amyloid hypothesis, the disappointments of proposed treatments and other setbacks in the past few years have rekindled interest in other theories of what causes Alzheimer's. One such theory, the mitochondrial cascade theory of Alzheimer's disease, argues that a person's genes determine how durable their mitochondria are (mitochondria are the power generators of our body's cells), and the rate of mitochondrial decline determines the age at which dementia begins. Believers in this theory suggest that proposed treatments for Alzheimer's should target declining mitochondrial function. My feeling is that since there are so many unanswered questions about this disease, a theory like this deserves a lot of attention and su... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4516845 Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4516845 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4506931&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2011%2F02%2F22%2Fparkinsons-disease-dementia.htm Recently an astute reader of our Alzheimer's site here at About.com pointed out that an article published a few years ago called Parkinsons Disease Dementia was actually about Parkinson's disease itself as opposed to the dementia that often accompanies it. It turns out the reader was absolutely right, so I took the liberty of writing another article covering Parkinson's Disease dementia (PDD). As I point out in the new piece, PDD is a type of dementia that occurs when a person with Parkinson's disease develops a progressive dementia at least two years after a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease has been made. After having Parkinson's disease for 15 years, two-thirds of people develop PDD. There are differences between PDD and Alzheimer's disease, which are explained in the new piece. Since ... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4506931 Tue, 22 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4506931 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4489147&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2011%2F02%2F16%2Fdoubling-of-alzheimers-patients-predicted-in-some-states.htm While most of us are aware that the epidemic of Alzheimer's disease is showing no signs of abating, fewer people delve into the statistics more closely. Consider a few fascinating points I picked up from a 2004 study called "State-specific projections through 2025 of Alzheimer's disease prevalence." First of all, although the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease is expected to increase across the entire country, the regions with projected increases of >30% are the West, the South, and the Midwest. Amazingly, six states are expected to double their numbers of Alzheimer's patients: Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Nevada, Arkansas, and Colorado. By 2025 California and Florida will likely each have more than half a million people with Alzheimer's disease, while six other states should have more than 20... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4489147 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4489147 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4470048&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2011%2F02%2F12%2Fwhat-the-heck-is-a-snoezelen-room.htm As I've commented many times by now, using medications like antipsychotics is becoming more and more frowned upon for the treatment of agitation, wandering and sundowning in Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Fortunately, there are plenty of other ideas and strategies that often help, and may decrease or even eliminate the need for medications. One of these, oddly enough called Snoezelen therapy, uses light, sounds, scents, and music to promote well-being in people with dementia, autism, and other developmental disabilities. Pronounced SNOO-zeh-lehn, and sometimes called multi-sensory stimulation rooms, snoezelen rooms are felt to be calming and soothing for people with Alzheimer's disease. They seem to be growing in popularity in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, and al... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4470048 Sat, 12 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4470048 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4438840&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2011%2F02%2F05%2Fanother-good-reason-to-exercise.htm It's certainly not news that physical exercise is good for your health and probably even good for lowering your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Not only does exercise strengthen the pumping force of your heart, increase the blood flow to the brain, and increase good cholesterol, a study just showed it can actually increase the size of a key area of the brain crucial in Alzheimer's disease. The study, published Jan 31st in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that one year of moderate physical exercise can increase the size of the brain's hippocampus in adults age 55 and older, as well as improve spatial memory. The hippocampus is crucial for converting short-term memories to more permanent ones, as well as for recalling spatial relationships in the world arou... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4438840 Sat, 05 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4438840 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4418780&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2011%2F01%2F30%2Fcan-the-sentiment-get-any-more-negative.htm It's amazing how fast optimism about a cure or even effective treatments for Alzheimer's Disease has dissolved into pessimism in just a short couple of years. For me I think this finally hit home today, when I was reading a book review in the Wall Street Journal of Susan Jacoby's new book Never Say Die: The Myth and Marketing of the New Old Age. Consider what the reviewer has to say about her chapter on Alzheimer's disease: "Ms. Jacoby has a chapter on Alzheimer's that will take the curl out of your hair, if you are still young enough to have much remaining. First thing to know is that any cure for this cruel disease, feared only less than cancer, is not near. Exercise, of the body or mind, is no guarantee against it. Nor is inheritance a factor in acquiring it, at least in the case of th... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4418780 Sun, 30 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4418780 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4411305&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2011%2F01%2F28%2Falzheimers-as-defining-disease-for-baby-boomers.htm Today CNN's web site ran a dramatic piece complete with video clip highlighting the realization among baby boomers that Alzheimer's disease is the feared disease of their lives. The video begins with a woman stating she feels like Alzheimer's is like a serial killer that is stalking her; she "knows his tactics, but just doesn't know if she can escape." Harry Johns, the President and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association, refers to Alzheimer's as "as much a thief as a killer." With one of eight baby boomers on track to develop Alzheimer's, and with more and more people becoming aware of its ravages and inadequate treatments, CNN's reference to Alzheimer's as a defining illness may well be true. But rather than panicking and uses terms like serial killer and thief, I prefer to look at the many... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4411305 Fri, 28 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4411305 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4388957&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2011%2F01%2F23%2Fvirtual-dementia-experience.htm In an era where movies like Avatar and virtual reality environments like Karga begin to become mainstream, I knew it was just a matter of time before someone came up with a virtual reality dementia experience. An article in the January 20 Palm Desert Sun describes how at a senior living community in Palm Desert, family members and caregivers were able to don goggles and experience dementia in a very unusual way. Developed by a geriatric psychologist, the experience involves a simultaneous combination of sensory disruptions and distractions in the areas of vision, hearing , and touch. While wearing the goggles, the participant is asked to perform five tasks in ten minutes. The tasks included finding a sweater, writing a note and putting it in an envelope, setting a table for four, folding ... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4388957 Sun, 23 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4388957 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4352629&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2011%2F01%2F14%2Fbullying-is-not-just-for-kids.htm One of the first memories of my visiting assisted living facilities to assess and treat residents back in the late 1990's was how there seemed to be cliques that formed. I remember telling my wife it felt like being back in high school. There were whispers (whispers in older people are often quite audible) about certain residents in the dementia unit, for example, or about certain people who "have no business playing bridge with us."  Now, years later, my observations seem to bear some truth. In an interesting article called "Bullying reported in retirement communities" from the Arizona Republic, a woman describes being bullied for the first time in her life at age 76 after moving in to a retirement community in Arizona. "There is a clique here that is meaner than mean," she says, as she... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4352629 Fri, 14 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4352629 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4337508&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2011%2F01%2F11%2Fdementia-in-children.htm After publishing a recent blog post on Alzheimer's disease and lysosomes, I got an email from the father of twin girls who have the genetic lysosomal disorder referred to in the piece, Niemann Pick Type C. He informed me that this rare fatal disease, which is one of 50 lysosomal storage diseases, is often referred to as the "Childhood Alzheimer's." His twins are the first children in the U.S. to receive experimental treatment with cyclodextrin, a compound that has extended the lives of mice with Niemann-Pick Type C. Having not been well informed about dementia in children, I decided to do some reading. I found a fascinating guide for parents, teachers and care professionals of children with dementia. It is clearly written, practical, and informative. What was most interesting to me was ho... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4337508 Tue, 11 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4337508 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4326817&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2011%2F01%2F09%2Ftau-proteins-the-good-and-the-bad.htm As you read and learn more about Alzheimer's disease, you'll find that the two most mentioned proteins that contribute to its cause are beta amyloid and tau. While amyloid plaques are made up of beta amyloid, neurofibrillary tangles are composed of tau proteins. Tau proteins play a crucial role in the structure of the brain cell, and the neurofibrillary tangles that they form result in the death of these brain cells. To shed some light on the role of these tau proteins, a new study, presented recently at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in San Diego,  showed that lack of tau leads to iron accumulation and development of parkinsonism in mice. Having already found that people with Parkinson's disease have lower levels of tau in their brains, the study team then found that... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4326817 Sun, 09 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4326817 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4309227&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2011%2F01%2F03%2Fgiving-alzheimers-patients-chocolate-doesnt-hurt.htm The New York Times decided to start the new year on an upbeat note, featuring a front-page story on Saturday titled Giving Alzheimer's Patients Their Way, Even Chocolate. The article focused on a nursing home named Beatitudes, where staff go out of their way to use nonpharmacologic strategies to help their patients with dementia. For example, residents are allowed to sleep, be bathed and dine whenever they want (even at 2am), and are allowed "practically anything that brings comfort, even an alcoholic nip at night." The philosophy is a good one, since it's clear that meeting unmet needs and creating positive emotional experiences for people with dementia help to minimize distress, agitation and aggression. Hundreds of doctors, medical students, and staff members at other Arizona nursing h... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4309227 Mon, 03 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4309227 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4300409&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F12%2F30%2Flysosomes-and-alzheimers-disease.htm With the catchy headline: Key to Alzheimer's: Waste in Cells, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that a promising avenue for Alzheimer's research is the accumulation of waste products in the brain's cells that contribute to the buildup of plaques and tangles that are the disease's hallmarks. The key to this process is the part of the cell called the lysosome, a structure that contains many enzymes that break down damaged proteins. The research connecting lysosomes to Alzheimer's is not new, with Dr. Ralph A. Nixon, professor of psychiatry and cell biology at NYU's Langone Medical Center and the Nathan Kline Institute, publishing on the lysosome-Alzheimer's connection since at least 1992. Now Dr. Nixon is featured in the Wall Street Journal story, describing how he and his colleagues... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4300409 Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4300409 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4293589&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F12%2F28%2Fan-impressive-letter-to-the-editor.htm It's not every day that a scathing letter to the editor has Alzheimer's disease as its topic. Yet that's just what Samuel E. Gandy, MD, PhD and Mount Sinai Professor of Alzheimer's Disease Research(among other distinguished titles) did on Monday, December 20. Writing to the Providence Journal, Dr. Gandy notes that less than 0.1 percent of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget goes to Alzheimer's research, and that many Alzheimer's research labs in the US are "on the ropes, trying to staunch the financial hemorrhage." As a result, existing labs are closing, and "the overwhelming likelihood is that Alzheimer's research in the U.S. will never recover." Dr. Gandy was apparently as impressed as I was (see my recent blog post) about how South Korea is handling the burgeoning crisis. H... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4293589 Tue, 28 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4293589 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4277615&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F12%2F21%2Ffine-tuning-how-we-screen-for-alzheimers.htm While the underdiagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias is well accepted, we have to guard against overdiagnosing dementia as well. As I noted in a recent article on screening tests for Alzheimer's disease, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is a widely used, valid and reliable screening tests that takes about 10 minutes to administer. But one of the disadvantages of the MMSE is that the score needs to be adjusted for the education level of the person being tested. Now a recent study shows just how this flaw translates into the problem of overdiagnosing people with dementia who don't really have it. Instead of asking people to either count backwards from 100 by 7's or to spell the word WORLD backwards, the study of 222 people found that it was more accurate to ask people... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4277615 Tue, 21 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4277615 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4264943&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F12%2F17%2Fart-therapy-and-alzheimers-disease.htm I've often been amazed at how often my patients with Alzheimer's disease are better able to express themselves through art and music than with words. While I've written before about how art and music therapy, exercise and aromatherapy have all been used to help with agitation in dementia, new research is adding to our knowledge about the benefits of art therapy in particular. According to Cordula Dick-Muehlke, PhD, executive director of the Alzheimer's Family Services Center in Huntington Beach, California, art allows people with Alzheimer's disease to use their preserved cognitive skills. By tapping into what a person can still feel successful at, art helps people express essential features of themselves. Since memory of special days like getting married or spending Christmas day with th... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4264943 Fri, 17 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4264943 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4264942&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F12%2F17%2Fpassage-of-the-national-alzheimers-project-act.htm As I reported in a September blog post, one of the major goals of the first Alzheimer's Breakthrough Ride cycling event was to support passage of the National Alzheimer's Project Act, a bill that develops a coordinated national Alzheimer's disease plan. The 112,000 petition signatures and nearly 10,000 phone calls paid off: on Wednesday of this week the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the bill, meaning that the historic legislation is now on its way to President Obama for his signature. As noted by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in a statement released after passage of the bill, "We at the Department of Health and Human Services recognize the devastating impact Alzheimer's has on America's seniors, families and our health care system. The disease currently afflicts more th... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4264942 Fri, 17 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4264942 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4237085&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F12%2F07%2Fsmall-scale-living-facilities.htm There are over 90,000 special care nursing home beds dedicated to Alzheimer's disease throughout the country, yet it's not at all clear how much better (if at all) the lives of those residents are compared with those dementia residents in more typical nursing home beds. Other new dementia care settings are being directed toward small-scale and homelike environments. These group living situations are aimed at providing nursing care in small groups (6-10 residents per house) with an emphasis on normalizing daily life and meaningful activities. While this certainly sounds terrific, a study published in the November 2010 Journal of the American Medical Directors Association was unable to demonstrate convincing overall effects of these small-scale living facilities. The study, conducted in the... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4237085 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4237085 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4224721&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F12%2F03%2Fsepsis-wreaks-havoc-on-cognition.htm While Alzheimer's disease is of course the number one cause of cognitive impairment, there are unfortunately many others. Those we typically think of, like vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, and Parkinson's disease dementia, are sometimes considered non-Alzheimer's dementias. While specific infections that may cause dementia include HIV/AIDS and Creutzfelt-Jacob Disease, sepsis, a common cause of critical illness and death, is now being viewed as a major cause of cognitive problems in people who recover. The study, published in the October 27th Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), included almost 1200 sepsis patients who were enrolled in the National Institute on Aging's Health and Retirement Study. The authors found that older people who develop sepsis are 3.3 t... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4224721 Fri, 03 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4224721 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4202918&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F11%2F26%2Fsouth-korea-taking-the-lead-in-alzheimers-training.htm Ironically, Asian countries are known to have some of the highest levels of stigma and social ostracism of people with mental illness. Now, a story in yesterday's New York Times turns this fact on its head: South Korea is making great strides at early recognition, education of its population, and de-stigmatization of Alzheimer's disease. South Korea's "war on dementia" involves not only education and emphasizing early recognition, but also real hands-on experience. Children 11-13 years old are taught to do hand and foot massages for nursing home patients with dementia, and outreach is done to bank tellers, bus drivers, hair stylists and postal workers. In 2009, about $1 billion of government and public insurance money in South Korea was spent on dementia patients. Still, with the over-65 ... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4202918 Fri, 26 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4202918 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4196542&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F11%2F23%2Fincontinence-in-alzheimers-not-always-urinary.htm Even though Alzheimer's disease often causes both urinary and fecal incontinence, it's urinary incontinence that seems to get all the attention. Probably because of shame and stigma more than anything, fecal incontinence often stays hidden and undisclosed, worsening both caregiver burden and distress for the person with Alzheimer's disease. One of the advantages of working in nursing homes is that there is little embarassment about this topic: I'll never forget the first time I noticed the "Defacation Log" filed neatly on the shelf next to the "Activities Log." In reality, the log proved quite helpful, noting the time the fecal incontinence occurred, the place it occurred, and the person's mood and dietary intake that day. It's a mistake to assume that fecal incontinence is just "from the... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4196542 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4196542 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4175317&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F11%2F17%2Fstigma-and-misinformation-among-latinos.htm While minimizing stigma and fostering education are two key goals to improve Alzheimer's care, the challenges faced in Latino communities are particularly large. In an article in today's Chicago Tribune, a new effort to address these problems was described, involving free memory screenings and distribution of educational materials throughout the large Chicago-area Latino community. In the Chicago area, where 1.7 million residents of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Central American or South American descent reside, the challenges are immense. For example, only one Spanish-language support group for families of Alzheimer's patients is available. And even though adult day care may be a lifesaver for caregivers and improve the quality of lives of Alzheimer's patients, it is too often considered a form... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4175317 Wed, 17 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4175317 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4158758&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F11%2F12%2Ffish-oil-supplements-dont-replace-the-real-thing.htm While a brain-healthy diet that emphasizes dark-skinned fruits, vegetables, and cold water fish containing omega-3 fatty acids may contribute to Alzheimer's prevention by reducing some risks, the same apparently can't be said for taking fish oil supplements. In a recent 18 month study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease who took fish oil supplements (DHA) did not improve in measures of cognitive and functional ability compared with those who took a placebo. Of course, it may be that if these patients had received the supplements in mid-life their Alzheimer's disease may have been delayed, but in general more research is needed in this area. Fish oil supplements may have other health benefits, with the mos... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4158758 Fri, 12 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4158758 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4138877&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F11%2F05%2Fconcealing-medications-in-alzheimers-disease.htm In reviewing some of the older articles written by previous guides to the About.com Alzheimer's site, I came across a fascinating article from 2006 about concealing medications in the food and drink of a person with Alzheimer's disease. As pointed out in the piece, a large nursing home study in Norway found that while 95% of the residents had medications that were routinely put in their food or drink, only 40% of the patients' records recorded the covert administration. As noted in a recent paper on the subject, "Covert medication may seem like a minor matter, but it touches on legal and ethical issues of a patient's competence, autonomy, and insight. Medicating patients without their knowledge is not justifiable solely as a shortcut for institutions or families wishing to calm a troubleso... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4138877 Fri, 05 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4138877 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4124585&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F11%2F01%2Fhow-technology-and-alzheimers-disease-can-partner.htm As today marks the start of Alzheimer's Disease Awareness month, I thought I'd say a few words about the use of technology to help both Alzheimer's patients and their caregivers. With all of the news lately seemingly focused on early diagnosis, delaying onset, and preventing Alzheimer's, less has been written to help those of you who find it too late to benefit from prevention or delay. Fortunately, technology is making things a little easier. Something as simple as a Skype video phone may enhance a person's ability to focus his or her attention and have an enjoyable interaction with a grandchild or other family member. From a safety perspective, I have previously written here about wandering and its growing contribution to tragic outcomes in people with Alzheimer's disease. A service cal... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4124585 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4124585 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4117764&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F10%2F26%2Fsmoking-and-alzheimers-risk.htm While we've known for some time that along with diabetes and high blood pressure smoking is one of the major vascular risk factors that increases one's risk of Alzheimer's disease, a recent study gives us an idea of just how high that risk is with smoking. The study, published online yesterday in the  Archives of Internal Medicine, analyzed data from over 20,000 members of a health care system who participated in a survey between 1978 and 1985. Over a quarter of those people ultimately developed dementia, and compared with nonsmokers those who smoked more than 2 packs per day in middle age were more than twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. Those heavy smokers were also more than twice as likely to develop Vascular Dementia. Those who smoked one to two packs per day had a 44% ... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4117764 Mon, 25 Oct 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4117764 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4096732&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F10%2F21%2Fvitamin-b12-and-alzheimers-risk.htm A new study, published in the Oct. 19, 2010 issue of Neurology, finds an association between vitamin B12 blood levels and Alzheimer's risk. While it is well known that the symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency include depression, confusion, and memory loss, it is less well known whether there is truly a protective effect on Alzheimer's risk with higher vitamin B12 levels. The present study looked at 271 elderly Finnish people who did not have dementia at the start of the study. Over seven years, while blood samples were taken regularly, 17 people developed Alzheimer's disease. The risk of developing Alzheimer's was significantly higher in people whose levels of homocysteine were elevated, while the risk was lower in people whose vitamin B12 levels were higher. Interestingly, higher levels of ... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4096732 Wed, 20 Oct 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4096732 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4073480&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F10%2F15%2Fwomen-dominate-the-epidemic-of-alzheimers-disease.htm Yesterday Maria Shriver and the Alzheimer's Association released The Shriver Report: A Woman's Nation Takes on Alzheimer's. The report, which I plan to review here in the near future, highlights the effect of Alzheimer's disease on women as caregivers, advocates, and patients. Since women account for almost two-thirds of all Americans with Alzheimer's disease and comprise 60% of the unpaid caregivers for family and friends with Alzheimer's, the report is certainly both timely and necessary. Of the many times I've been asked to give a community lecture or presentation on Alzheimer's disease, the audience is invariably 80-90% women. Of the several personal essays highlighted on the report's web site, I found the one entitled Emotional Roller Coaster to be particularly compelling. The essay'... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4073480 Thu, 14 Oct 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4073480 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4060067&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F10%2F11%2Fis-alzheimers-the-new-buzz-word.htm In a comment to a recent blog post, Shaye observed that based on her parents' experiences she thinks Alzheimer's disease is the new "buzz word." Specifically, she implies that once a person receives an Alzheimer's diagnosis "not enough tests are done to complete exclude other diseases/causes." I thought this was quite a provocative comment, considering that most of us still view Alzheimer's disease as underdiagnosed and underrecognized. But Shaye makes a valid point that due to the stigma of Alzheimer's disease and the ageism that our society still exhibits, people with Alzheimer's disease are too easily labelled and judged. Once they are labelled as having Alzheimer's, their needs, symptoms, and comorbid medical problems may be minimized or ignored. If delirium is superimposed on dementi... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4060067 Sun, 10 Oct 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4060067 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4025465&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F10%2F02%2Fmore-evidence-of-a-diabetes-and-alzheimers-link.htm The intriguing link between diabetes and Alzheimer's disease just got even more interesting. In a previous piece on this site, a study was cited that found that men who had insulin problems at age 50 and were followed for over 30 years were 1.5 times as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than those who did not have insulin problems, even after factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol, education level, and body mass index were controlled for. The latest study to foster this diabetes-Alzheimer's disease link was  presented at the 2010 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease. The four month study  found that intranasal insulin boosted cognitive function in patient with both mild cognitive impairment and early stage Alzheimer's disease. One of the study's authors, Dr. Suzanne ... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4025465 Fri, 01 Oct 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4025465 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4017854&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F09%2F30%2Fthe-new-perspective-on-alzheimers-disease.htm There is a growing consensus that the amyloid plaques that are characteristic of Alzheimer's disease actually begin accumulating in the brain decades before symptoms like memory loss and personality changes begin to display themselves. This is one of the main reasons that the whole process of diagnosing Alzheimer's disease is set to change for the first time in over 25 years. If Alzheimer's disease is viewed as a disease with a lengthy (years or decades) preclinical phase, the new goal is to identify people at risk of developing the clinical phase of Alzheimer's disease in the future, so that drugs that can slow, modify, or halt the disease's progression will have the most effect. One of the key driving forces behind this new perspective on Alzheimer's is the role of biomarkers, biologica... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4017854 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4017854 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3993120&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F09%2F22%2Fworld-alzheimers-day-and-its-striking-report.htm As luck would have it, I had the good fortune to be present at yesterday's culmination of the first Alzheimer's Breakthrough Ride at the Upper Senate Park in Washington, D.C. Coinciding with World Alzheimer's Day, the festive and moving event featured over 40 Alzheimer's researchers dressed in their full biking gear who collected more than 110,000 petition signatures to raise awareness of Alzheimer's Disease during their 4500 mile relay style bike ride from San Francisco to Washington, D.C. Several passionate and thoughtful presentations were made, including those by Harry Johns, the President and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association, and Bruce Lamb, Ph.D., Chair of the Breakthrough Ride. The original goal of 50,000 petition signatures was far exceeded, and an announcement that a meeting had... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3993120 Tue, 21 Sep 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3993120 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3965172&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F09%2F13%2Fapproaching-world-alzheimers-day.htm As we approach World Alzheimer's Day on September 21, I wanted to provide an update to my post on July 17th introducing the first Alzheimer's Breakthrough Ride, a cycling event that has more than 55 researchers collecting signatures to present to Congress on World Alzheimer's Day. The initial goal of 50,000 petition signatures to urge lawmakers to make Alzheimer's disease a national priority has been far exceeded, with over 100,000 signatures to be presented at 10:30am Eastern Standard Time at Upper Senate Park on Capitol Hill. One of the goals is to support passage of the National Alzheimer's Project Act, a bill that develops a coordinated National Alzheimer's Disease Plan. With a recent report from King's College in London predicting that over 115 million people across the globe will su... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3965172 Sun, 12 Sep 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3965172 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3938159&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F09%2F06%2Fhow-good-for-our-brains-is-doing-crossword-puzzles-after-all.htm Just when I started to become a tad proud of myself for successfully completing a fair number of the USA Today's crossword puzzles (I gave up on the New York Times' puzzles a while back), a new study sheds some light on how good this really may be for me (and you, of course). The study, published this past week in the journal Neurology, sheds some interesting light on the impact of brain activity on Alzheimer's disease. For many years the idea that keeping your mind active through crossword puzzles and other mental activities may delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease has been widely promoted. Physical exercise , book reading and even internet searching have been shown to improve brain function. Now along comes a government-funded study  of 1157 people age 65 or older who had no dementi... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3938159 Sun, 05 Sep 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3938159 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3911426&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F08%2F27%2Fdementia-in-nursing-homes-the-new-reality.htm Although some people and organizations don't like to or want to admit it, the reality is that most nursing home residents really do have dementia. They may become agitated or aggressive, and they are more medically compromised and generally more complicated than they were 10 years ago. In a January 2009 review article in Annals of Long-Term Care, the authors noted that nursing assistants working in long-term care facilities have the highest incidence of workplace violence of any American worker, with 27% of all workplace violence occurring in nursing homes.  Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) are physically assaulted nine times per month on average. These behaviors so well known to nursing home staff include biting, grabbing, hitting, kicking, punching and scratching. Verbally agitated ... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3911426 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3911426 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3891573&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F08%2F22%2Fi-dont-believe-anythings-wrong-with-me.htm Although most people with Alzheimer's disease are unaware of their deficits, I have always been amazed at the occasional person who, despite being in the moderate stage of the disease, will matter-of-factly point out that she has Alzheimer's disease "just like my mother did." A practical definition considers insight as the ability to judge both the presence and the severity of illness. Individuals with dementia are often aware of some deficits but not others, and while they may be aware of a particular deficit they may be unaware of the consequences of that deficit. I've worked with many patients who knew they had a memory problem but had no idea that they were paranoid or aggressive.  Others would admit their memory was poor but would attribute it to normal aging, even when the memory l... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3891573 Sat, 21 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3891573 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3876369&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F08%2F17%2Flatest-alzheimers-drug-to-have-development-halted.htm The bad news continued today for Alzheimer's drugs that many scientists and researchers once held great promise for. The latest failure, a gamma-secretase inhibitor known as Semagacestat, was announced today by the drug company Eli Lilly after preliminary results from 2 large studies showed worsening of cognitive function and functional abilities when compared with placebo. In addition, the data showed that people in the studies who took the drug had a higher rate of skin cancer compared with those who received placebo. According to the President of Eli Lilly Research Laboratories, Jan M. Lundberg, PhD., "This is disappointing news for the millions of Alzheimer's patients and their families wordwide who anxiously await a successful treatment for this devastating illness." Unlike the curr... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3876369 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3876369 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3854166&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F08%2F11%2Fspinal-taps-for-all.htm At the risk of sounding like a broken record, yesterday presented us with yet another front page New York Times article on Alzheimer's disease. In my July 14th blog post, I noted Alzheimer's expert Dr. Paul Aisen's prediction that people in their 50's without any memory problems will routinely undergo tests such as MRI scans or spinal taps that will predict their likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease. Now that prediction looks even more plausible: a study in the August 10 Archives of Neurology found that measuring levels of amyloid and tau in a person's cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) can accurately predict a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. The aspect of the study getting the most press is the finding that in a subset of the data involving 57 people with Mild Cognitive Im... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3854166 Tue, 10 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3854166 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3843664&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F08%2F08%2Fpros-and-cons-of-participating-in-clinical-trials.htm Halfway through Lisa Genova's excellent novel Still Alice, about a 50 year-old Harvard professor diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease in the prime of her life, I was struck by the scene where Alice's neurologist is recommending that she participate in a clinical drug trial. When she realizes she might get the placebo and not the active drug, she "suspected that amyloid-beta didn't give a shit about placebo effects or the power of wishful thinking." Clinical trials are the primary way that researchers find out if a promising treatment is safe and effective for patients. They take place at private research facilities, memory clinics, teaching hospitals, specialized AD research centers, and doctors' offices. An excellent discussion of dementia clinical trials in question and answer... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3843664 Sat, 07 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3843664 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3794330&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F07%2F27%2Fsirtuins-and-alzheimers-disease.htm Just when I thought I at least knew the major theories about what causes Alzheimer's and what are the most promising avenues for treatments, the New York Times succeeds in humbling me and my ignorance. In an article published Saturday July 24th, it was reported that researchers from MIT found that by activating a protein called sirtuin, the decline in memory typical of Alzheimer's was "clearly suppressed" in the Alzheimer's-prone mice with abundant sirtuin. In other words, if drugs that boost the activity of these enzymes can be developed that are safe and cross the blood-brain barrier, they may help prevent the formation of amyloid plaques and protect the brain against stress. Sirtuin seems to play a key role in extending life spans: it has similar anti-aging effects as drastic reduction... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3794330 Mon, 26 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3794330 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3780113&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F07%2F22%2Fwhen-youre-accused-of-being-unfaithful.htm As if caring for your spouse with dementia isn't stressful enough, imagine the additional strain posed by your spouse's adamant belief that you're being unfaithful. One of my nursing home patients with a loving, devoted wife was extremely angry with her for what he described as her "sleeping with three different men down the hall." Knowing he would become enraged by her visits, she began to visit less and less frequently. Despite three psychiatric hospitalizations, numerous medication trials, and attempts at psychotherapy, his delusion persisted. The details would never be the same, yet the overall theme of unfaithfulness persisted. Two years later, only after his dementia worsened noticeably, did the delusion finally decrease in prominence, never disappearing completely. Delusional thoug... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3780113 Wed, 21 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3780113 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3757566&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F07%2F15%2Fcycling-for-world-alzheimers-day.htm Observed every year on September 21st, World Alzheimer's Day raises awareness of the public, people with dementia, their family and friends, medical professionals, and researchers about Alzheimer's Disease. Having a globally coordinated awareness day sends a strong message to governments and policymakers that dementia is fast becoming a public health crisis as the world's population grows older. The day can also be used to educate and challenge  people's misconceptions as well as the stigma of dementia. In an exciting event leading up to World Alzheimer's Day this year, Alzheimer's researchers will leave the lab and take to the road beginning this Saturday July 17th in the First Alzheimer's Breakthrough Ride. More than 55 researchers will cycle cross-country segments from San Francisco t... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3757566 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3757566 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3753473&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F07%2F14%2Fnew-guidelines-for-alzheimers-diagnosis-proposed.htm It seems that hardly a week goes by these days without a front page article in the New York Times about Alzheimer's Disease. Today's piece addresses a proposed revamping of the way Alzheimer's is diagnosed: specifically, it would reflect advances in brain imaging that can now be used to detect brain evidence of dementia years before actual clinical evidence. Dr. Paul Aisen, a well-known Alzheimer's researcher who is working on the proposed guidelines, observed that "we now view dementia as a late stage in the process." He predicts that people in their 50's without any evidence of memory loss or other cognitive problems will routinely have tests such as MRI scans or spinal taps that will predict their likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease: by then we will hopefully have medications t... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3753473 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3753473 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3746499&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F07%2F12%2Fpsychiatric-medications-in-dementia-are-not-always-bad.htm It is absolutely true that the interventions for dementia-related behavior problems like agitation and aggression that are most effective and carry the least risk are non-pharmacologic ones, such as behavior management. However, they are sometimes even more effective when combined with appropriate medications. Similarly, the current medications approved for Alzheimer's disease really have been shown to modestly improve aspects of cognition, function and behavior, and generally the earlier treatment is begun the better the chances of achieving benefits. The tide may even be beginning to turn for the atypical antipsychotic medications often used to treat dementia-related psychosis and behavioral problems. Consider a paper presented at the July 2009 International Alzheimer's Disease Conferen... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3746499 Sun, 11 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3746499 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3726449&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F07%2F05%2Fthe-stigma-of-alzheimers-disease.htm As a result of  symptoms like hallucinations and agitation, people with Alzheimer's disease often are burdened with the stigma and unfair judgements of others. 57% of caregivers in a March 2009 survey of 539 caregivers conducted by Harris Interactive said that the diagnosis of Alzheimer's was delayed because either they were, or the person with the illness was, in denial about having the disease or feared the social stigma associated with it. 11% said the patient's own shame over the disease held them back from seeking help, while 5% of the caregivers said they themselves were the ones who feared the stigma. This latter group reported an average time of six years between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis. Beyond caregiver and patient issues, one  consequence of the lack of geriatric e... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3726449 Sun, 04 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3726449 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3706299&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F06%2F28%2Fptsd-may-increase-dementia-risk.htm I recently wrote a piece about the link between stress and memory: With chronic stress, hormones that turn on the fight-or-flight response, like adrenaline, may remain active in your brain too long. This may eventually injure and even kill cells in the hippocampus, a brain area critical for memory and learning. Interestingly, it is the hippocampus that is affected early on in Alzheimer's disease. Now, a study published in the June 2010 Archives of General Psychiatry finds a link between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and dementia risk among US Veterans. The study, involving a total of 181,093 veterans, found that the 53,155 veterans who had PTSD were more than twice as likely to develop dementia than the veterans that didn't have PTSD. Even when veterans who had a history of  head... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3706299 Sun, 27 Jun 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3706299 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3683309&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F06%2F21%2Fevidence-for-prevention-advice-slim.htm As if to shoot down my emerging optimism about diet and lifestyle changes as prevention strategies for Alzheimer's disease, a comprehensive analysis by an independent government panel has found there is not enough scientific evidence to support these strategies. The study, published in the June 14, 2010 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, summarized results from 165 scientific papers published from 1984-2009. The good news is that the study supported the view that smoking, diabetes, depression, and metabolic syndrome are all associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease,  while lifestyle changes such as eating a Mediterranean diet, exercising, and fostering extensive social relationships are linked to a lower risk. But the bad news is that none of these relationships are... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3683309 Sun, 20 Jun 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3683309 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3635489&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F06%2F06%2Fnew-study-in-early-onset-alzheimers-disease.htm This past Wednesday's New York Times had a fascinating and lengthy page one article on a new study that will examine whether treating young people without symptoms but with a genetic mutation predisposing them to Alzheimer's disease can delay or prevent the onset of dementia. Most of the family members come from one Andes region of Columbia, Antioquia. Over three centuries, many in this lineage of 5,000 people have inherited a single genetic mutation guaranteeing that they will develop Alzheimer's. The mutation is an altered protein on the presenilin 1 gene on chromosome 14. Mutations on three genes have been linked to familial, early-onset Alzheimer's disease. These genes have been labeled PS1, PS2 and APP by researchers. Although home genetic testing for Alzheimer's and other diseases h... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3635489 Sat, 05 Jun 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3635489 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3614094&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F05%2F30%2Fupdate-on-gingko-biloba.htm In another blow to past optimism about remedies for memory loss and Alzheimer's disease, a large randomized trial recently published found no improvement in slowing cognitive decline in older adults receiving gingko biloba compared with people receiving placebo. Gingko is one of the oldest living tree species, and the extract of its leaves is one of the most popular medicinal herbs in North America. Of the many reasons people use gingko, several relate to memory and Alzheimer's disease: improving mental function, preventing age-related memory decline, and slowing or preventing Alzheimer's disease. The recent study, known as the Gingko Evaluation of Memory study, was published in the December 23, 2009 Journal of the American Medical Association. Conducted by researchers at six academic me... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3614094 Sat, 29 May 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3614094 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3595330&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F05%2F24%2Fantipsychotic-use-in-nursing-home-patients.htm The theme of a recent blog post here, the growing number of people with Alzheimer's disease , has another dark side: namely, the equally worrisome increase in antipsychotic medication use. Despite my belief that when used appropriately and judiciously these medications may be beneficial and even outweigh their risks, I have to admit the problem has spiraled out of control. In 2007 nearly one in three nursing home residents in the U.S. received an antipsychotic drug, the highest reported level of use in more than a decade. A large 2006 study involving over 16,000 patients showed that 41% of nursing home residents with dementia but no psychosis received antipsychotics, despite the FDA's black box warning issued in 2005 that these drugs are associated with excess mortality in elderly patients... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3595330 Sun, 23 May 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3595330 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3591986&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F05%2F24%2Fwhen-power-of-attorney-just-isnt-enough.htm In the unpredictable world of Alzheimer's disease, sometimes doing everything right can still seem inadequate. Lately I've seen several people with dementia whose lack of insight and poor judgement made it almost impossible for their loved ones to help them. In one recent case a gentleman living with his wife at an assisted living facility became increasingly preoccupied with driving and kept threatening to leave the facility and make it to a different state where he has a cottage. He withdrew several thousand dollars from his bank account and demanded that his daughter drive him to the airport. The cottage was in such a state of disrepair it was uninhabitable. His wife couldn't handle the stress and left to stay with one of their children. Despite having durable power of attorney for fin... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3591986 Sun, 23 May 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3591986 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3585236&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F05%2F20%2Fthe-growing-crisis-of-alzheimers-disease.htm Every month or so it seems like the projections worsen. It's already a crisis involving numbers that are staggering: a recent report from King's College in London predicted that over 115 million people across the globe will suffer from dementia by 2050. This crisis involves the convergence of many factors: demographics, advances in medicine, social and environmental improvements, and a health-care system ill-equipped to handle the magnitude of the problem. Direct and indirect costs of Alzheimer's and other dementias  amount to more than $172 billion annually, and, as put succinctly by the Alzheimer's Association, these illnesses "rob the nation of vast resources." The latest projections, released by the Alzheimer's Association and titled "Changing the Trajectory of Alzheimer's Disease: A... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3585236 Wed, 19 May 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3585236 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3563623&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F05%2F13%2Fhome-genetics-testing-for-alzheimers.htm As I pointed out in yesterday's blog post, learning more about genes found in people with Alzheimer's disease does not mean the ability to predict our risk of developing Alzheimer's gets any better. That fact is even more important now that Walgreens is close to selling a home genetic testing kit that the Washington Post reported on Tuesday can scan genes for a propensity for Alzheimer's disease, breast cancer, diabetes and other ailments. The testing kit, marketed by Pathway Genomics, involves sending in a saliva sample to produce a DNA sample that is tested for genetic markers. The FDA acted quickly in criticizing the kit as lacking in safety, efficacy, and accuracy, and Walgreens announced yesterday that is postponing sales of the kit. In Alzheimer's disease, genetic testing is only a... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3563623 Wed, 12 May 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3563623 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3559917&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F05%2F12%2Fmore-on-alzheimers-genes-and-risk-prediction.htm In today's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), researchers identified two new genetic variants associated with Alzheimer's disease, but found that these genes did not improve the ability to predict who will develop Alzheimer's. More than 35,000 people were included in the study, of which 8,371 had Alzheimer's disease. Rather than being useful for predicting risk of developing Alzheimer's, the discovery may shed light on the underlying causes of the disease. For predicting risk of developing Alzheimer's, the most important factors are age, female gender, family history, and presence of the gene APOE4 . An editorial accompanying the article noted that researchers should start looking more at the interactions between genes and the environment. It pointed out on... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3559917 Tue, 11 May 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3559917 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3533582&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F05%2F05%2Fthe-growing-crisis-of-wandering-in-dementia.htm Today's New York Times features a front page article on wandering in dementia. As many caregivers are painfully aware, wandering is both a real and frightening problem. As my father-in-law discovered when his wife wandered out of their home last year, local law enforcement is much more savvy about this issue than ever before (a police helicopter was on the scene within minutes of his call). As with most dementia-related behavior problems, there are many possible causes of wandering, and many common reasons for wandering behavior in Alzheimer's. Wandering occurs at all stages of Alzheimer's disease and at all places where people with dementia reside: home, assisted living facilities, and even nursing homes. What I found most refreshing about today's New York Times article was its emphasis... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3533582 Tue, 04 May 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3533582 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3511218&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F04%2F28%2Fdining-room-incidents-and-dementia.htm My recent blog post on turmeric and Alzheimer's disease got me thinking more about the importance of eating to people with Alzheimer's disease. In assisted living facilities residents love to talk about the food: some complain about it, some praise it, but everyone has something to say. Mealtimes place people together, around a table, and offer an opportunity to interact with others in a socially meaningful way. Ideally mealtimes should be a relaxing, enjoyable experience for people with dementia, especially since many of their early pleasurable life experiences involved food. As many caregivers and assisted living facility staff know, however, there are challenges that also go along with a group dining experience. It is in the dining areas that tensions mount: residents bicker, and they ... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3511218 Tue, 27 Apr 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3511218 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3480757&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F04%2F17%2Findian-food-and-alzheimers-disease.htm As a true lover of Indian food, I'm excited to learn more and more about the benefits of the curry spice curcumin, an ancient Indian herb that has been extensively studied in modern medicine. Curcumin is the source of the spice turmeric, which has been used for centuries as a pain relieving, anti-inflammatory agent, and has also been shown to have anti-cancer properties. Studies in animal models of Alzheimer's disease indicate a direct effect of curcumin in decreasing the amyloid pathology in Alzheimer's. In addition to its actions  as an anti-inflammatory agent and an anti-oxidant, circumin actually binds to amyloid plaques and clears them from the brains of people with Alzheimer's. A small study published as a poster presentation in 2008 found that oral circumin given over 24 weeks was... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3480757 Fri, 16 Apr 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3480757 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3471481&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F04%2F15%2Femotions-may-outlast-memories.htm An intriguing new study finds that the experience of an emotion may persist once the memory for what induced the emotion has been forgotten. The authors studied a select group of patients with severe amnesia following damage to their hippocampus, the part of the brain most important for storing and retrieving memories. The patients were shown a string of movie clips designed to induce sadness, such as the scene in Forrest Gump when Forrest is crying at his deceased wife Jenny's grave. After the study patients' moods were returned to normal with uplifting film clips, their memories were tested and showed they couldn't remember the facts about the film clip. But amazingly, their levels of sadness persisted well beyond their point of forgetting the facts about the film. Similarly, patient's m... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3471481 Wed, 14 Apr 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3471481 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3424404&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F03%2F31%2Fresults-of-alzheimers-drug-dimebon-disappoint.htm Illustrating once again the difficulty in finding drugs that work effectively in Alzheimer's disease, the Russian antihistamine Dimebon became the latest in a series of recent disappointments in the world of Alzheimer's clinical trials. On March 3rd it was reported by both Pfizer and Medivation that the drug did not improve cognition or global functioning in its large phase 3 trial that included 598 patients with mild-moderate Alzheimer's disease. The disappointing results were unexpected, since the development of dimebon represented the one recent Alzheimer's drug with strikingly positive earlier study results. Dimebon, also known as latrepirdine, was sold as an antihistamine in Russia in the early 1980's. Early tests for Alzheimer's in animals and humans were promising, and a July 2008 ... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3424404 Tue, 30 Mar 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3424404 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3424403&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F03%2F31%2Fcaregiver-involvement-encouraged.htm Traditionally doctors and other providers have given caregivers a more passive role in the care of their loved ones with Alzheimer's disease. A daughter sits in the waiting room while her mom meets with the provider. But that attitude is finally starting to change. In the program "New Perspectives on Caregivers of Patients With Alzheimer's Disease," presented at the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry's 2010 Annual Meeting on March 6, 2010, caregivers are increasingly being encouraged to work more closely with clinicians. They are being taught to watch for side effects of drugs, to monitor other medical problems like diabetes, and to report new symptoms such as incontinence, gait change, and hallucinations. They are even being encouraged to administer dementia screening tools (s... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3424403 Tue, 30 Mar 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3424403 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3407934&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F01%2F21%2Fmuscle-strength-and-alzheimers-risk.htm We usually think of age and family history as two of the primary risk factors for Alzheimer's disease. But muscle strength? Loss of muscle strength is common as we age, but not usually thought of as leading to a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's. In a fascinating new study, researchers found that increased muscle strength led to reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease as well as a slower rate of cognitive decline in older persons. The study, published in the November 2009  Archives of Neurology, involved more than 900 older people without dementia at the initial (baseline)  evaluation. Strength was measured in 9 muscle groups that was summarized in a composite measure of muscle strength. Participants were followed for an average of 3.6 years, and 138 people developed Alzheimer's. Ev... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3407934 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3407934 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3407935&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F01%2F19%2Fbrooke-astors-son-reports-to-prison-today.htm In one of the most publicized cases ever of elder financial abuse and mental capacity of a person with Alzheimer's disease, Brooke Astor's son Anthony Marshall was expected to report to prison today to begin serving his one to three year sentence. Brooke Astor, the legendary society doyenne and philanthropist who died in 2007 at age 105, was known to have made more than 30 wills in her lifetime. Marshall was found guilty of 14 of the 16 counts against him, including one of two first-degree grand larceny charges,  the most serious he faced. Elder financial abuse is growing in prevalence, with the perpetrator in at least half of cases being a family member, friend, neighbor, or caregiver. As noted by Sharon Merriman-Nai, comanager of the National Center on Elder Abuse: "if financial abus... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3407935 Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3407935 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3407936&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F01%2F17%2Fdementia-and-the-nfl.htm Over the past few years the controversy over whether concussions cause brain injuries and dementia in football players has escalated, with a recent series of New York Times articles adding further fuel to the fire. Specifically, the Times reported  that a survey commissioned by the NFL found that Alzheimer's disease or other dementias appear to have been diagnosed in the league's former players vastly more often than in the national population. Rates as high as 19 times the normal rate for men ages 30-49 were reported. The survey, conducted at the University of Michigan's Center for Social Research, was a telephone survey in which 1063 retired players were asked questions on a variety of health topics. The survey was not designed to determine whether repeated blows to the head actually... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3407936 Sun, 17 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3407936 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3145706&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2010%2F01%2F06%2Ffda-approves-generic-version-of-aricept.htm There may soon be a potentially cheaper treatment option for those suffering from Alzheimer's disease. The FDA recently approved a generic version of Aricept (donepezil) in the form of a tablet that dissolves in the mouth. The drug helps to treat the dementia that can result from Alzheimer's, and the orally dissolving formula may help older adults who have difficulty swallowing. Eisai, the company that manufactures Aricept, says that their patent on the drug is in effect until November 2010. People considering taking donepezil should know that potential side effects include diarrhea, nausea, seizures, vomiting, gastrointestinal bleeding, and bladder problems, among others. Talk to your doctor about whether this drug is right for you.FDA approves generic version of Aricept originally appe... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3145706 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3145706 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3092467&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F12%2F15%2Fbrain-plaques-alzheimers-risk.htm Scientists at Washington University in St. Louis have discovered that healthy people with amyloid brain plaques have an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease later on. The researchers analyzed the results of cognitive tests over the years, and found that people with the brain plaques had declining scores -- but those without the plaques did not. In addition, certain areas of the brain that are affected by Alzheimer's were smaller in people with the plaques. The hope is that the scientists' work will eventually lead to a way to diagnose Alzheimer's earlier. Read more about the research at Newswise.Study connects brain plaques to Alzheimer's risk originally appeared on About.com Alzheimers Disease on Tuesday, December 15th, 2009 at 14:41:41.Permalink | Comment | Email this (Sou... About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3092467 Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3092467 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2456882&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F06%2F02%2Fearly-detection-blog-series-supports-those-in-search-of-an-accurate-diagnosis.htm If you are a proponent of the early detection of Alzheimer's disease, check out the Alzheimer's Association's Early Detection Blog Series, where the organization's Early Stage Advisors share their personal... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2456882 Tue, 02 Jun 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2456882 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2436701&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F05%2F27%2Fthe-alzheimers-project-a-must-see.htm If you missed The Alzheimer's Project -- the multi-part HBO special on Alzheimer's disease and caregiving, you can still watch it for free online. I highly recommend this excellent series... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2436701 Wed, 27 May 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2436701 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2414245&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F05%2F12%2Fmay-13-is-national-call-in-day-for-including-long-term-care-services-in-health-care-reform.htm It's only about six weeks before scheduled Committee votes in the Senate, so the National Alliance for Caregiving wants your help. The organization has organized a national call-in day on... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2414245 Tue, 12 May 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2414245 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2353327&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F04%2F21%2Fnew-beginnings.htm First of all, I want to apologize to everyone who reads this site for not posting in awhile. The last several weeks have been extremely busy as I made preparations... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2353327 Tue, 21 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2353327 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2274115&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F03%2F17%2Fsoybean-product-tackles-alzheimers-related-protein.htm A recent study by researchers in Taiwan showed that a particular soy product may prevent the formation of protein clumps associated with Alzheimer's disease. The soy product is natto, a fermented... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2274115 Tue, 17 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2274115 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2274114&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F03%2F17%2Fcan-apple-juice-delay-alzheimers-disease.htm Maybe. Dr. Thomas B. Shea of the Center for Cellular Neurobiology at the Neurodegeneration Research University of Massachusetts - Lowell and his colleagues have conducted a number of studies that... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2274114 Tue, 17 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2274114 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2274113&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F03%2F17%2Flow-vitamin-d-levels-linked-to-cognitive-impairment.htm We already know that Vitamin D is essential for maintaining bone health and keeping our immune systems strong. Now, based on a study by Peninsula Medical School, the University of... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2274113 Tue, 17 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2274113 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2259952&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F03%2F10%2Fdiabetes-high-cholesterol-may-speed-alzheimers-decline.htm A recent study by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center indicated that a history of diabetes and high cholesterol was associated with a faster rate of cognitive decline among those... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2259952 Tue, 10 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2259952 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2259951&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F03%2F10%2Fmetabolic-syndrome-could-spike-risk-for-cognitive-impairment.htm A large study involving almost 5,000 older women showed that those with metabolic syndrome had a 66% higher risk of developing cognitive impairment than women who did not have metabolic... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2259951 Tue, 10 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2259951 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2216664&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F02%2F25%2Falzheimers-association-ceo-wants-public-policy-advocates-nationwide.htm Harry Johns, President and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association, recently posted a blog that caught my attention. The Alzheimer's Association is planning an ambitious Public Policy Forum to take place... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2216664 Wed, 25 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2216664 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2194953&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F02%2F17%2Fhouse-passes-national-silver-alert-bill.htm A great thing happened last week for families dealing with Alzheimer's disease: The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation that will help law enforcement across the country rapidly locate missing... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2194953 Tue, 17 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2194953 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2137652&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F01%2F27%2Fcoffee-consumption-may-reduce-alzheimers-risk.htm Since I've been burning the midnight oil quite a bit lately, I perked up a bit when I read about a study by Finnish and Swedish scientists that explored whether... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2137652 Tue, 27 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2137652 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2121789&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F01%2F20%2Fmore-evidence-that-healthy-lifestyle-can-reduce-alzheimers-risk.htm Two new studies add to our scientific knowledge that a healthy lifestyle can reduce our risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. In a study at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, a... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2121789 Tue, 20 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2121789 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2101017&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F01%2F13%2Fwebsite-launched-for-canadian-alzheimers-caregivers.htm Canadians who are caring for relatives with Alzheimer's disease now have a new web resource designed just for them. A website called ForgetfulNotForgotten.com, which launched on January 6, 2009, offers general... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2101017 Tue, 13 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2101017 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2084075&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F01%2F06%2Falzheimers-research-on-list-of-suggestions-for-daschle.htm Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, President-Elect Obama's choice for Secretary of Health and Human Services, didn't waste any time finding out what the public wants to see changed in... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2084075 Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2084075 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2081138&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F01%2F05%2Fmy-medicare-matters-website-helps-make-sense-of-prescription-drug-program.htm If you're confused about the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program, the My Medicare Matters website can help. Sponsored by the National Council on Aging and the Access to Benefits Coalition,... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2081138 Mon, 05 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2081138 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2081137&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2009%2F01%2F05%2Fcms-offers-star-quality-rating-system-for-us-nursing-homes.htm The Nursing Home Compare Tool at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) website just got even better: It now includes, for the first time ever, a star rating... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2081137 Mon, 05 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2081137 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2074279&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2008%2F12%2F30%2Fa-tribute-to-slingin-sammy-baugh.htm You don't have to be a football fan to appreciate the greatness of "Slingin'" Sammy Baugh, arguably the greatest football player in the history of the game. Baugh died earlier this... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2074279 Tue, 30 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100 2074279 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2065365&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2008%2F12%2F24%2Fmerry-christmas-to-those-with-alzheimers-and-their-families.htm I wanted to take a moment to say Merry Christmas to all of my readers, particularly those with Alzheimer's disease and the caregivers who are caring for them. May you... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2065365 Wed, 24 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100 2065365 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2056114&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2008%2F12%2F20%2Fpeter-falks-daughter-reports-actor-has-alzheimers.htm Like most people, the first thing that comes to mind when I hear the name Peter Falk is the show "Columbo." He was wonderful in that, and I hold many... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2056114 Sat, 20 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100 2056114 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2035841&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2008%2F12%2F13%2Fhow-will-foreclosures-affect-long-term-care.htm This question first occurred to me when the following headline came across my desktop: Grants Pass Alzheimer's Disease Facility Could Foreclose. The news blurb gave no information about what might... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2035841 Sat, 13 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100 2035841 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2027165&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2008%2F12%2F09%2Fdude-can-marijuana-prevent-alzheimers-disease.htm Disclaimer: This is not an endorsement to start smoking marijuana! But I must admit, this study piqued my interest. Researchers at Ohio State University have found that specific elements of marijuana... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2027165 Tue, 09 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100 2027165 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2005894&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2008%2F12%2F02%2Fcan-fast-food-put-you-on-the-fast-track-to-alzheimers.htm Before you take another bite of that triple-burger combo meal, you might want to read about Susanne Akterin's research at the Karolinska Institute. Akterin was a doctoral student at the Swedish... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2005894 Tue, 02 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100 2005894 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1990872&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2008%2F11%2F27%2Falzheimers-disease-six-reasons-to-be-thankful.htm When we think of Alzheimer's disease, the word "thankful" doesn't often come to mind. Alzheimer's is emotionally painful for everyone involved, and caregiving sometimes feels like a thankless job. But... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1990872 Thu, 27 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100 1990872 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1980889&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2008%2F11%2F21%2Fetanercept-treatment-for-alzheimers-elicits-increased-attention.htm I'm pleased to see that etanercept treatment for Alzheimer's disease is receiving more attention among the scientific community. For those not familiar with this approach, it involves a perispinal injection of... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1980889 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100 1980889 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1960812&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2008%2F11%2F14%2Fdid-you-participate-in-memory-walk-this-year.htm Many of you know that Memory Walk is the Alzheimer's Association's signature event to raise awareness about Alzheimer's disease and raise funds for Alzheimer's research and services. Memory Walks are held... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1960812 Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100 1960812 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1951975&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2008%2F11%2F11%2Fnovember-18-is-national-memory-screening-day.htm The Alzheimer's Foundation of America (AFA) is sponsoring its 6th annual National Memory Screening Day on Tuesday, November 18 by offering free memory screenings at over 2,000 sites across the... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1951975 Tue, 11 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100 1951975 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1951974&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2008%2F11%2F11%2Fillinois-governor-announces-nearly-200000-in-grants-to-study-alzheimers-disease.htm I was born in Illinois, so it makes me all the more pleased to report that Governor Rod R. Blagojevich not only declared November Alzheimer's Awareness Month in Illinois; he... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1951974 Tue, 11 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100 1951974 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1951973&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2008%2F11%2F11%2Fnew-gene-variations-linked-to-alzheimers-disease-risk.htm What causes Alzheimer's disease? If only it was just one thing -- then scientists could develop a "silver bullet" and make it go away. Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Most scientists... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1951973 Tue, 11 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100 1951973 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1934041&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2008%2F11%2F04%2Fdid-you-help-someone-with-dementia-vote-in-this-election.htm When we talk about decision-making capacity among people with Alzheimer's disease and other kinds of dementia, we're often thinking about the capacity to make choices about health care, finances, and... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1934041 Tue, 04 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100 1934041 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1934040&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2008%2F11%2F04%2Fask-the-next-president-to-make-alzheimers-disease-a-priority.htm The Alzheimer's Association is seeking 50,000 signatures for its Proclamation to the Next President. The proclamation details the urgency of finding a way to cure or prevent Alzheimer's disease before... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1934040 Tue, 04 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100 1934040 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1934039&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2008%2F11%2F04%2Fpractical-ways-to-help-a-family-facing-alzheimers-disease.htm November is National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month, which is a great opportunity to learn more about the disease and advocate for more Alzheimer's research and services. But it's also a... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1934039 Tue, 04 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100 1934039 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1914706&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2008%2F10%2F28%2Fa-new-approach-to-treating-alzheimers-disease.htm Researchers at the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease are approaching the treatment of Alzheimer's disease in a new way -- they want to harness the brain's natural processes to clear... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1914706 Tue, 28 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1914706 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1914705&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2008%2F10%2F28%2Fcan-a-smart-pill-prevent-alzheimers-disease.htm No, this pill isn't designed to help you get better grades in school, but it does show promise as a preventive treatment for Alzheimer's disease. The Smart Pill, a formulation of... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1914705 Tue, 28 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1914705 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1914704&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2008%2F10%2F28%2Fvalproic-acid-shows-evidence-of-reducing-brain-plaques-in-mice.htm Beta amyloid -- the protein that accumulates into brain plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease -- has been getting a lot of attention lately. In the latest edition of the Journal... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1914704 Tue, 28 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1914704 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1895046&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2008%2F10%2F21%2Ftired-of-crossword-puzzles-try-searching-the-internet.htm If you're tired of hearing that you should do more crossword puzzles in order to exercise your brain and reduce your risk for Alzheimer's disease, you'll be happy to know... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1895046 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1895046 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1886439&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2008%2F10%2F17%2Fsleep-problems-affect-cognitive-performance-among-older-african-americans.htm Here's a study that raises awareness about the potential effects of sleep loss on memory and also explores the issue among African Americans, who have historically been underrepresented in psychological... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1886439 Fri, 17 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1886439 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1883381&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2008%2F10%2F16%2Fnew-research-partnership-aims-to-prevent-memory-loss.htm A new research partnership between the National Institute on Aging and the McKnight Brain Research Foundation will award $20 million in research grants over the next five years to learn... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1883381 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1883381 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1876117&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2008%2F10%2F11%2Fsteer-clear-of-procaine-as-treatment-for-alzheimers.htm A new review by The Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates medical research, discourages the use of procaine as a cognitive enhancer or treatment for Alzheimer's disease, stating that... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1876117 Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1876117 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1876116&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F2008%2F10%2F11%2Fcaregivers-who-feel-captive-experience-more-burden.htm In an interesting study by researchers at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research and the University of Birmingham, feeling captive in a caregiving role was the greatest factor in a... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1876116 Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1876116 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1870880&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F%3Fp%3D139 A new review by The Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates medical research, discourages the use of procaine as a cognitive enhancer or treatment for Alzheimer's disease, stating that... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1870880 Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1870880 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1870879&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F%3Fp%3D140 In an interesting study by researchers at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research and the University of Birmingham, feeling captive in a caregiving role was the greatest factor in a... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1870879 Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1870879 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1870881&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2F%3Fp%3D138 I'm notifying you about this teleclass well in advance because I think it might fill up quickly. The National Family Caregivers Association is offering a FREE teleclass for family caregivers... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1870881 Sat, 04 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1870881 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1847977&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000137.htm Maybe the scientific community is becoming more open-minded after all. Dr. Edward Tobinick -- pioneer of perispinal etanercept treatment for Alzheimer's disease -- will be the keynote speaker at Cambridge... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1847977 Thu, 02 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1847977 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1833259&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000136.htm Here's a study that made me a little nervous. Researchers at the University of Washington - Seattle found an association between difficulty hearing in complex situations and memory impairment. They call... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1833259 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1833259 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1829204&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000135.htm While I'm grateful for the current selection of Alzheimer's treatments, it's common knowledge that there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, and the FDA-approved medications available are only thought to... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1829204 Thu, 25 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1829204 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1825812&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000133.htm Earlier this month, I attended the 6th Annual Rocky Mountain Geriatrics Conference (RMGC) in Salt Lake City, Utah. Since this was my first time attending, I wasn't sure what to... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1825812 Tue, 23 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1825812 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1825811&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000134.htm Could a nutrient-rich drink actually improve brain function in those with mild Alzheimer's disease? Researchers in Amsterdam think so after a successful clinical trial based on research findings from the... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1825811 Tue, 23 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1825811 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1812825&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000131.htm Today, Alzheimer's organizations around the world worked together to raise awareness of Alzheimer's as a global health problem. It's often noted that as many as 5 million people in the... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1812825 Sun, 21 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1812825 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1812824&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000132.htm I was intrigued by the title of the teleclass that Caregiving.com is offering to family caregivers: Your Truth that Leads to Your Team. The 3-week class is designed to "help... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1812824 Sun, 21 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1812824 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1806343&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000130.htm The United States Postal Service (USPS) did a great thing today by unveiling the Alzheimer's Social Awareness Postage Stamp. The stamp will be available for purchase starting October 17, 2008.... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1806343 Thu, 18 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1806343 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1798209&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000127.htm A recent study testing the efficacy of AZD3480, an experimental drug for Alzheimer's disease, obtained inconclusive results. This isn't surprising, considering that other experimental Alzheimer's medications have created false hopes before... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1798209 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1798209 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1798208&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000128.htm On October 16, 2008, the Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute (BRNI) will celebrate the scientific achievements of nine renowned researchers whose discoveries have helped us better understand the aging brain, memory,... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1798208 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1798208 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1798207&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000129.htm A study that recently appeared in Archives of Neurology indicated that highly educated older adults may score higher on the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE), the most commonly used screening measure... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1798207 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1798207 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1794444&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000126.htm The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will launch a new web resource on September 18, 2008 designed specifically for caregivers of those with Medicare. Ask Medicare will help caregivers... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1794444 Mon, 15 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1794444 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1750230&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000122.htm A few months ago, I expressed concern over the frequent use of antipsychotic medications to manage behavioral symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, given that those taking these kinds of drugs are... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1750230 Mon, 01 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1750230 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1750229&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000123.htm Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Elders (SAGE) will offer its Fourth Annual National Conference on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Aging on October 12 -... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1750229 Mon, 01 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1750229 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1750228&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000124.htm A study that appeared in a recent issue of Archives of Internal Medicine reported that both low and high levels of the hormone thyrotropin are associated with an increased risk... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1750228 Mon, 01 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1750228 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1750227&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000125.htm A six year, $16 million grant from the National Institute on Aging will help Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis lead an international coalition to study early-onset Alzheimer's... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1750227 Mon, 01 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1750227 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1742791&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000121.htm The Copper Ridge Institute, an Alzheimer's disease research and education facility affiliated with the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, has developed a new online training program for family caregivers. Caring... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1742791 Fri, 29 Aug 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1742791 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1739235&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000120.htm When Barack Obama received the Democratic presidential nomination by acclamation, emotions were running high throughout the convention. But one delegate's statement overwhelmed me. Sondra Hollinger-Samuels' father has Alzheimer's disease. As a... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1739235 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1739235 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1734049&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000117.htm Here's another reason to step up your strength training: A study recently published in the journal Neurology found that physical frailty may be linked to Alzheimer's disease. The study looked at... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1734049 Tue, 26 Aug 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1734049 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1734048&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000118.htm If you're middle-aged and tend to ruminate about stressful events in your daily life, here's one thing you might not have to worry about: An Israeli study of 9,000 men... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1734048 Tue, 26 Aug 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1734048 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1717233&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000116.htm A few months ago, I blogged about a little boy in the UK with Neimann-Pick Disease-Type C (NPC), a rare genetic disorder that creates symptoms in children that resemble Alzheimer's... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1717233 Tue, 19 Aug 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1717233 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1709251&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000114.htm You may have heard of the Lifespan Respite Care Act, which provides competitive grants across the country to increase respite care services for family caregivers of those with special needs,... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1709251 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1709251 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1709250&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000115.htm Researchers from the University of Nottingham have created the first mouse model with the type of brain pathology found in those with Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) or dementia due to... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1709250 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1709250 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1689052&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000113.htm The Wednesday edition of The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet on Fox News featured a segment on etanercept treatment for Alzheimer's disease. I was excited to see it since... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1689052 Fri, 08 Aug 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1689052 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1689053&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000112.htm When we think of caregivers, we usually think of spouses or adult children of those who have Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia. But with the increase in cases of... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1689053 Wed, 06 Aug 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1689053 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1679432&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000111.htm I wish I could have attended the 2008 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease last week in Chicago. Over 5,000 Alzheimer's researchers from around the world were there. Attending in person... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1679432 Mon, 04 Aug 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1679432 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1674915&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000110.htm In 2004, PBS first aired The Forgetting: A Portrait of Alzheimer's, the Emmy Award winning show highlighting what we know about the disease's causes and treatments as well as how... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1674915 Fri, 01 Aug 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1674915 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1671569&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000109.htm My final report on the 2008 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease is a call for cautious interpretation. Researchers from Sweden shared results from a study about marital status in mid-life... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1671569 Thu, 31 Jul 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1671569 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1668480&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000108.htm The 2008 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease continues to turn out interesting reports. Case in point: A study in Scotland indicated that a drug that's been around for years to... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1668480 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1668480 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1664335&cid=s_35360_91_f&fid=35360&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimers.about.com%2Fb%2Fa%2F000107.htm I was pleased to see that the 2008 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease is focusing on quality care issues as well as findings about possible causes and potential treatments for... (Source: About Alzheimers Disease) About Alzheimers Disease news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1664335 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1664335