MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'alzheimer's'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:57:36 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158929&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2F8fH_LRLuyYQ%2F Summitt in 2010. Legendary University of Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt says she has symptoms of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, though she plans to coach as long as she can. Summitt, who is 59, tells the Washington Post’s Sally Jenkins she first thought memory lapses were side effects of a rheumatoid-arthritis drug, but that Mayo Clinic physicians told her in May she was instead showing mild signs of the disease. (Summitt and Jenkins are close friends.) Alzheimer’s disease can’t be conclusively identified until after death, so a diagnosis is made based on a history of symptoms. Imaging tests may also help detect the disease. The symptoms for early-onset Alzheimer’s, when a person is under 65, are the same as for late-onset disease, says Dan... WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158929 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 18:13:52 +0100 5158929 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159892&cid=t_299694_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2F3-yasFsHnTU%2Fhow-to-get-mom-to-eatand-other-good.html "Growing up my favorite time of the year was summer",says Nataly Rubenstein, author of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias - The Caregivers Complete Survival Guide. Long lazy days spent fishing on the lake, outdoor grilling and enough corn on the cob and watermelon to fill the county fair. Just thinking about the summer of my youth brings back fond food memories and my appetite increases. For those of you who are caring for a person who has dementia one of the frequently asked questions I get is, “How do I get Mom to eat”? The obvious answer is serve food the person liked when they were growing up. You see, over time our taste buds and our food preferences changed. The foods we prefer later in life are not always food that we liked when we were younger. I love blue cheese salad... Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159892 Fri, 19 Aug 2011 14:07:00 +0100 5159892 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139725&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FAyWAH4hu6eo%2F The following is a guest post by Janice Lynch Schuster who  works at the Altarum Institute, a new voice in the field of aging and end of life issues. This post orginally ran on July 14th on Health AGEnda. By Janice Lynch Schuster. When I was a little girl, country singer Glen Campbell had a variety show on television called “The Glen Campbell Good Time Hour.” As I remember it, it was a good time; in my young imagination, I often confused him with my father, who I thought was just as handsome and talented and fun as Glen. I loved his songs and wanted to learn to play guitar so I could be more like him. Sadly, Mr. Campbell has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’ disease. As most people know, Alzheimer’s is the primary cause of dementia, a gradual loss of brain function that becomes more ... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139725 Tue, 16 Aug 2011 13:17:07 +0100 5139725 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096149&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FbrUJztOZS6E%2F Early Focus: Research increasingly suggests that Alzheimer’s disease damages the brain years before symptoms appear, raising the possibility that treatments should be focused on this early phase if there’s a hope of slowing or reversing the disease, the WSJ reports. That’s why Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and Bristol-Myers Squibb are looking to treat patients with signs of milder memory loss, the paper says. Hackable Devices: Security researcher Jay Radcliffe says insulin pumps and blood-sugar monitors can be hacked, too, raising the question of how to keep high-tech medical devices secure, the Associated Press reports. Many devices contain wireless chips, but most are too small to contain encryption technology, the AP says. Lab-Grown Sperm: Mouse sperm created from embr... WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096149 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 12:33:21 +0100 5096149 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086577&cid=t_299694_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2FWjh4QjBdhjQ%2Ftips-to-overcome-mealtime-frustrations.html Mealtime with an Alzheimer's patient can be stressful and challenging, to make sure the patient gets sufficient nutrition. To help mealtime go more smoothly consider the following: Serve meals in a quiet environment with no distractions. Clear the table of everything but basic utensils and dishes; keep dishes plain rather than with bright colors or patterns. Make sure the food isn't too hot. Serve only one or two foods at a time, and make an effort to honor the patient's food preferences. Have meals together, and don't rush the meal. Be understanding if the patient can't remember already having eaten. Above all else, try and be patient (Source: Aging with Grace CareConnection) Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086577 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 03:45:00 +0100 5086577 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050914&cid=t_299694_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FO712DJOvAhQ%2F Very interesting new data reinforcing two main themes we have been analyzing for a while: 1) We better start paying serious attention (and R&D dollars) to lifestyle-based and non-invasive cognitive and emotional health interventions, which are mostly ignored in favor of invasive, drug-based options 2) Interventions will need to be personalized. The study below analyzes data at the country level, but the same logic applies to the individual level Many fear Alzheimer’s, want to be tested: survey (Reuters): - “The telephone survey of 2,678 adults aged 18 and older in the United States, France, Germany, Spain and Poland was conducted by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health and Alzheimer Europe, with funding by Bayer AG” - “When asked to identify the most feared disea... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050914 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 15:26:15 +0100 5050914 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050516&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FOhYXUexF4lE%2F On the heels of data out yesterday from Eli Lilly showing that the company’s shelved gamma secretase inhibitor’s negative cognitive impact on participants didn’t reverse even months after treatment, Bristol-Myers Squibb said today that participants on higher doses of its own gamma secretase compound in a mid-stage trial also showed hints of negative cognitive effects. The data were presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Paris. The purpose of Bristol’s phase II trial was to determine if and at what doses its compound, BMS-708163, also known as avagacestat, was tolerable and safe, not to assess its impact on patients’ cognitive symptoms. That said, at the two lower doses, the experimental group and the placebo control group didn’t show... WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050516 Wed, 20 Jul 2011 14:50:09 +0100 5050516 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050518&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FQE4VcycYHUM%2F The worsening of cognitive symptoms in patients taking  a now-shelved Eli Lilly experimental Alzheimer’s compound wasn’t reversed even seven months after the end of treatment, according to new data presented today at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Paris. The data raise questions about the efficacy and safety of the many others in the same class of drug that are still being developed. Semagacestat aimed to slow or reverse the progression of Alzheimer’s disease by inhibiting an enzyme called gamma secretase, which is important to building a sticky substance called amyloid that can clump in the brain. Amyloid is thought to be one of the major contributors to Alzheimer’s disease. Bristol-Myers Squibb and other companies also have gamma secretase inhibitors i... WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050518 Tue, 19 Jul 2011 16:05:34 +0100 5050518 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5051270&cid=t_299694_155_f&fid=38409&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneuropathologyblog.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F07%2Fformal-guidelines-for-alzheimers.html Dr. Edward B. LeeIn recent posts, I discussed the availability of direct-to-consumer ApoE testing and the fact that I myself submitted buccal cells to 23andMe.com to discover my own ApoE status. The illustrious Eddie Lee, MD, PhD just emailed me news that the American College of Medical Genetics and the National Society of Genetic Counselors have recently issued formal guidelines regarding ApoE testing in patients. Reported and discussed on the Alzheimer Research Forum, the guidelines, published in the June issue of Genetics in Medicine, identify which individuals may benefit from genetic testing. (Source: neuropathology blog) neuropathology blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5051270 Tue, 19 Jul 2011 14:55:00 +0100 5051270 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992756&cid=t_299694_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F01%2Fis-anyone-normal-today%2F Take a minute and answer this question: Is anyone really normal today? I mean, even those who claim they are normal may, in fact, be the most neurotic among us, swimming with a nice pair of scuba fins down the river of Denial. Having my psychiatric file published online and in print for public viewing, I get to hear my share of dirty secrets—weird obsessions, family dysfunction, or disguised addiction—that are kept concealed from everyone but a self-professed neurotic and maybe a shrink. “Why are there so many disorders today?” Those seven words, or a variation of them, surface a few times a week. And my take on this query is so complex that, to avoid sounding like my grad school professors making an erudite case that fails to communicate anything to average folks like me, I often ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992756 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:03:11 +0100 4992756 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968925&cid=t_299694_155_f&fid=38409&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneuropathologyblog.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fi-have-discovered-my-apoe-status.html I just got my ApoE results back from 23andMe.com.  When I ordered the test, the first question I posed to readers was whether it was wise to even find out whether or not I have the epsilon 4 allele. One commentator, "Agent 86", quoted the ancient Greek philosopher Epictetus for guidance on this issue. In 135 AD, Epictetus argued that one should emotionally separate oneself from those things which are not one's own -- i.e., those things that over which one has no control. Therefore, had he known what a gene was at the time, Epictetus would have counted one's genome as among those things that is not one's own. As such, knowing his ApoE status would have been of no consequence either way to Epictetus. I do find it rather easy to take this Epictetusian attitude toward my ApoE status. But ... neuropathology blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968925 Thu, 23 Jun 2011 20:29:00 +0100 4968925 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4953387&cid=t_299694_155_f&fid=38409&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneuropathologyblog.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fwhats-wrong-with-finding-out-and.html In a recent blog post, I stated that I intended to publish my ApoE status on the blog when I get the results back from 23andMe.com. I was surprised to find that some people objected to this. One associate said that by publishing information about my genetic status, I would be "normalizing" the dissemination of information that should be confidential. That sets a bad precedent for the use of personal genomic data. Another individual emailed me the following suggestion: "Instead of posting your results, maybe you would consider instead the value of not doing so at the request of an 'anonymous' reader and keeping the information private in order to stimulate debate about finding out about a disease process for which there is no cure." Finally, "jd" commented in the original post about the wis... neuropathology blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4953387 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:48:00 +0100 4953387 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4876420&cid=t_299694_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F28%2Fatypical-antipsychotic-medications-not-a-good-choice-for-alzheimers%2F People with Alzheimer’s disease often suffer not only from the debilitating effects of the disease itself, but also from the secondary psychological effects. Delusions and hallucinations appear in up to 50 percent of those with Alzheimer’s, and as many as 70 percent demonstrate aggressive behaviors and agitation. Both caregivers and family members are distressed by these symptoms, and so everyone is motivated to treat the person with Alzheimer’s with antipsychotic medications. The problem? Antipsychotic medications haven’t always been well-researched on older populations, and fewer still on people with a disease like Alzheimer’s. And when the research has been done, the results are often underwhelming. Take the latest research, for instance, by Vigen and coll... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4876420 Sat, 28 May 2011 19:52:09 +0100 4876420 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862950&cid=t_299694_155_f&fid=38409&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneuropathologyblog.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fpopulation-prevalence-of-apoe4-gene.html Regarding the Alzheimer genotype, I just did a little research regarding the prevalence of the ApoE epsilon 4 allele (the allele that predisposes to Alzheimer disease). Depending on the study you read, about 20% of the population has at least one epsilon 4 allele, while about 2% have two epsilon 4 alleles. As you'd expect, having two is worse than having one in terms of Alzheimer risk. I should add that the epsilon 4 allele also predisposes to a worse outcome in recovery from traumatic brain injury and is also over-represented among those football players who suffer from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. It's important to note that this data applies only to those of European ancestry. The rates of other ethnic groups are different. I saw one study showing, for example, that the rate o... neuropathology blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862950 Wed, 25 May 2011 18:32:00 +0100 4862950 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4852836&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2F0aDeuXe8Ntc%2F In his latest print column and blog post, the WSJ’s Numbers Guy digs into the debate over Eli Lilly’s test to detect in live patients the presence of beta-amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The test involves injecting a radioactive substance called florbetapir F 18, or Amyvid, followed by a PET scan. But as the Numbers Guy points out, reading this and other imaging studies is not always as straightforward as you might think. In the Amyvid study, physicians who read the scans gave them a numerical score pegged to the level of amyloid detected. But researchers reported “the median, the middle number when a group of figures are put in numerical order. In this case, that amounted to discarding the high and low scores on each patient’s brain scans... WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4852836 Mon, 23 May 2011 15:35:47 +0100 4852836 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803557&cid=t_299694_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2F5u6cEmukrZU%2Fphysicians-focus-on-importance-of.html The Merry Widows, as they call themselves, were blinged out, Florida-style, to celebrate Elayne Weisburd’s 79th birthday at a sprawling community for seniors. Mylar balloons levitated above their table, and sparklers twinkled from a cake. The guest of honor and her two friends were beaming when Dr. Marc E. Agronin, a geriatric psychiatrist and the director of mental health, arrived with a hug for everyone long after what would be normal office hours. The Merry Widows moved to the community when their husbands developed Alzheimer’s disease and looked to Dr. Agronin to prepare them for what lay ahead. But while treating their husbands’ disease, he became their psychiatrist, too. He urged the women to attend therapy groups, made suggestions about medication for anxiety and encouraged ... Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803557 Mon, 09 May 2011 19:56:00 +0100 4803557 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4775393&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnew-alzheimer%25e2%2580%2599s-guidelines-emphasize-early-detection-frighten-some%2F2011.05.02 For the first time in 30 years, an expert panel has updated guidelines for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. The long overdue facelift should favorably impact care for millions and accelerate badly needed research on the disease. The guidelines were produced by representatives from the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer’s Association. They portray Alzheimer’s for the first time as a three-stage disease. In addition to ‘Stage 3,’—the full-blown clinical syndrome that had been described in earlier versions of the guidelines—the new guidelines describe an earlier ‘Stage 2,’ of mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s, and a ‘Stage 1, or preclinical’ phase of the disease. The latter can only be detected with biochemical marker tests and brain scans.Th... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4775393 Mon, 02 May 2011 11:00:06 +0100 4775393 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4734695&cid=t_299694_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2FHi9TaYYhoBs%2Fnew-guidelines-for-identifying.html By MONIFA THOMAS Health Reporter Chicago Sun Times Medical experts have issued new guidelines for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease that, for the first time, attempt to identify the hallmarks of the disease before symptoms occur. The original guidelines, published in 1984, dealt only with diagnosing Alzheimer’s once a person started showing signs of dementia. Since then, new discoveries have shown the disease can cause changes in the brain a decade or more before symptoms appear. The new guidelines — being published online today by the National Institute on Aging and the Chicago-based Alzheimer’s Association — are the first to include the use of brain imaging and measurement of certain proteins in the blood and spinal fluid to spot changes that could be due to Alzheimer’s. Mo... Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4734695 Wed, 20 Apr 2011 14:53:00 +0100 4734695 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4734042&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FvIGpHjyB02c%2F HIV Pill Disappointment: A study looking at whether high-risk women in Africa could take oral antiretroviral drugs prophylactically, to prevent rather than treat HIV infection, was stopped early because researchers can’t determine if there is any benefit, the WSJ reports. Last year that strategy showed success in preventing infection in gay and bisexual men; researchers speculate that a lack of adherence or physiological differences between males and females might explain these latest findings. Donor Dilemma: Living organ donors are sometimes considered by insurers to have a pre-existing condition, making it difficult or impossible to find affordable health coverage, Kaiser Health News reports. This, despite research showing that people who donate kidneys or other organs don’t ... WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4734042 Tue, 19 Apr 2011 12:35:01 +0100 4734042 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4704610&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2F6EZCJmn9Kok%2F Namenda, a popular Alzheimer’s drug approved to treat patients in the latter stages of the memory-robbing disease, doesn’t appear to work in those with more mild disease, according to a recent Archives of Neurology study. The researchers pooled and analyzed data from previously conducted clinical trials and found that for the 431 patients  with mild Alzheimer’s, there wasn’t a difference in cognitive function between those who got Namenda (generically known as memantine) and those who got a placebo. There was some benefit shown for people with moderate-stage disease. The drug is approved for more severe Alzheimer’s but often prescribed off-label in those with mild symptoms, according to the authors. The LA Times points out that this use has occurred despite t... WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4704610 Tue, 12 Apr 2011 20:07:00 +0100 4704610 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4693521&cid=t_299694_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2FgbQ58JQYjZU%2Fdarker-side-of-alzheimers-disease.html The following is an excerpt from the CNN.com article written by Madison Park. Alzheimer's patients are often vulnerable and fragile, but in rare cases, they can become the aggressor. About 5% to 10% of Alzheimer's patients exhibit violent behavior. It's unclear why the outbursts occur in certain patients. "If you don't understand what's happening because your brain is not functioning, it can be scary," said Beth Kallmyer, senior director of constituent services at Alzheimer's Association. "It's normal human behavior. You might act out, become agitated, or violent if you don't know what's going on." Before the Alzheimer's disease, Sam Cohen had never struck or hurt his family and his wife, Haya. Before the Alzheimer's disease, Sam Cohen had never struck or hurt his family and his wife, Ha... Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4693521 Fri, 08 Apr 2011 17:51:00 +0100 4693521 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4684783&cid=t_299694_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2FIfP71uo75P8%2F5-new-alzheimers-gene-identified.html Two new studies — which examined 50,000 subjects worldwide — have identified five new genes that are definitively associated with Alzheimer's, according to a study published in the journal Nature Genetics. This discovery might provide some clues as to how these genes work together, which could quicken the development of new therapies for the neurodegenerative disease, Bloomberg News reported. "These findings add key information needed to understand the causes of Alzheimer's disease and should help in discovering approaches to its treatment and prevention," said researcher David Bennett, an Alzheimer's researcher at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. (Source: Aging with Grace CareConnection) Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4684783 Tue, 05 Apr 2011 14:03:00 +0100 4684783 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4615447&cid=t_299694_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2FXQzQ81gkeP4%2Falzheimers-takes-increasing-toll-on.html Alzheimer's disease will take an increasing toll on the healthcare industry and entitlement programs, report USA Today and Reuters. Altogether, $183 billion is expected to be spent on professional caregivers in 2011, up from $172 billion a year ago, according to a new report by the Alzheimer's Foundation. Those ever-increasing expenditures will take a huge toll on Medicare and Medicaid. By 2050 it is expected that Alzheimer's and dementia-related costs for Medicare will increase six-fold and for Medicaid, four-fold. Elderly individuals with Alzheimer's are about three times more costly to care for than other patients because they often require long and repeated hospitalizations. Meanwhile, nearly 15 million Americans are caring for someone with Alzheimer's or age-related dementia--up more ... Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4615447 Mon, 21 Mar 2011 16:36:00 +0100 4615447 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4610971&cid=t_299694_137_f&fid=39091&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimmers.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F03%2Fbook-signing-in-long-beach-alzheimers.html Discussions and Book Signings for When Can I Go Home? I am pleased to say that the signings will be held at Two Neighborhood Branch Libraries of the very fine and extensive Long Beach Public Library System. First is Alamitos Neighborhood Library April 5th from 12-1 PM.Later that Day at Los Altos Neighborhood Library April 5th from 4-5 PM.Both Events are Free and open to the Public.Don't Forget April 10-16 is National Library Week (Source: Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers) Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4610971 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:19:00 +0100 4610971 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4605562&cid=t_299694_146_f&fid=38266&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsleepeducation.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F03%2Fdid-sleep-medicine-help-boost-us-life.html (Source: Sleep Education) Sleep Education blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4605562 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:14:00 +0100 4605562 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4570519&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FxKIvGvMlv_k%2F Many scientists believe that Alzheimer’s disease is caused in part by a sticky substance called amyloid that clumps in the brain to cause plaques. But scientists also have posited that the amyloid protein could be causing trouble even before it forms plaques, when it is still floating around in cerebrospinal fluid in its so-called soluble form. (Other theories suggest that other proteins, such as tau, also play a role.) The experimental Alzheimer’s vaccine bapineuzumab, being co-developed by Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson, appears to bind to soluble amyloid and “neutralize” amyloid’s downstream toxic effects, preventing it from binding to neurons, according to research presented today at an Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease conference in Barcelona. ... WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4570519 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 19:04:58 +0100 4570519 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4544936&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FJldv8yvyDdo%2F Last week we reported that Eli Lilly’s head of neurological research had resigned. Now we know why: Johnson & Johnson poached him to bolster its own hunt for new treatments for Alzheimer’s and other neurological diseases. The move underscores the fierce competition for talent in areas seen as driving growth. In December, for instance, AstraZeneca recruited Pfizer’s Asian R&D chief, Steven Yang, to take on a similar role. Bredt had headed neuroscience research at Lilly since 2006. Husseini Manji, who oversees all neuroscience R&D at JNJ, said he wooed Bredt over the last several months to oversee the work discovering potential drugs and developing ways to measure their potential worth. “We think the science is exploding, and we can enhance our efforts,&#8... WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4544936 Thu, 03 Mar 2011 17:44:15 +0100 4544936 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4544964&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FJLbG00Rj02E%2F By Robin Strongin. It wasn’t all that long ago that I discovered a real treasure in Washington DC–the Kreeger Museum.  It is a magnificent, yet intimate museum housing a stunning art collection.  It offers concerts, lectures, community events and so much more. In December, we held the Disruptive Women in Health Care annual reception at the museum – a program that highlighted the power of art and music and its relationship to health and wellness. I am writing to let everyone know about an upcoming Kreeger event—it is a program to benefit Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers and families.  We’ll hear about it at the event Tuesday, March 15 at the jewel of a museum, over champagne cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. See below for more details. Hope to see you t... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4544964 Thu, 03 Mar 2011 15:49:28 +0100 4544964 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4536510&cid=t_299694_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2FcIHcFK7nEOE%2Fstory-time-great-communicator.html Nearly 16 million Americans will be diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or another type of dementia by 2050, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Symptoms include mood and behavior changes, disorientation, memory loss and difficulty walking and speaking. The effects of anti-dementia drugs on patients' emotions and behaviors are inconsistent. Now, University of Missouri researchers have found that participation in TimeSlips, a drug-free, creative storytelling intervention, improves communication skills and positive affect in persons with dementia.TimeSlips is a nationally recognized storytelling program for people with dementia that encourages participants to use their imaginations to create short stories as a group. Rather than relying on factual recall, participants respond verbally t... Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4536510 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 20:09:00 +0100 4536510 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4517151&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FQyV_umWh9wg%2F The head of Eli Lilly’s research into Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia and other neurological diseases is unexpectedly leaving the company. David Bredt’s last day at the drug maker is Feb. 25, a company spokeswoman says. He had joined Lilly in 2004. Fellow industry drug researchers expressed surprise at the news, especially since Bredt had given no indication of his plans at recent events. His departure comes after Lilly experienced a number of setbacks in its Alzheimer’s research, in particular. Most notably, the company halted development of an  experimental Alzheimer’s drug called semagacestat last August, after studies showed it was worsening patients’ conditions. More recently, the FDA gave Lilly a scare when two staff members recommended against... WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4517151 Thu, 24 Feb 2011 18:32:44 +0100 4517151 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4532380&cid=t_299694_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FJcpGWkYHsIk%2F The 2011 SharpBrains Summit: Retooling Brain Health for the 21st Century (March 30 — April 1st) is just 5 weeks away. You can Learn More and Register Today HERE. Don’t miss the opportunity to join an incredible line-up of 36+ confirmed Speakers, 7 Sponsors/ Exhibitors, 13 Partners, and 150+ Participants as of today, all available to you without any travel involved. Sponsors Sponsorship Opportunities Want to announce or promote your service or product at the 2011 SharpBrains Summit? Maximize your marketing and business development reach & make a big splash in front of our prestigious audience! Only two Sponsorship spots are still available and going fast! Click here for information about the various ways to get involved. Summit Partners Remember… Learn More and Register Today HE... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4532380 Thu, 24 Feb 2011 16:06:23 +0100 4532380 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4517252&cid=t_299694_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FJcpGWkYHsIk%2F The 2011 SharpBrains Summit: Retooling Brain Health for the 21st Century (March 30 — April 1st) is just 5 weeks away. Rates go up THIS FRIDAY at 5PM EST, so please Learn More and Register Today HERE. Don’t miss the opportunity to join an incredible line-up of 36+ confirmed Speakers, 7 Sponsors/ Exhibitors, 13 Partners, and 150+ Participants as of today, all available to you without any travel involved. Sponsors Sponsorship Opportunities Want to announce or promote your service or product at the 2011 SharpBrains Summit? Maximize your marketing and business development reach & make a big splash in front of our prestigious audience! Only two Sponsorship spots are still available and going fast! Click here for information about the various ways to get involved. Summit Partners Rates ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4517252 Thu, 24 Feb 2011 16:06:23 +0100 4517252 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4552089&cid=t_299694_122_f&fid=35055&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsarasotaneurology.com%2F2011%2F02%2F16%2Fwhat-is-huntingtons-disease%2F Huntington’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that is a genetic, progressive neurological disorder that slowly takes away a persons ability to walk, talk, and reason. It is characterized by the initial subtle symptoms of change in personality and motor skills ability. As the condition progresses, patients develop involuntary movements known as chorea (hence Huntington’s Chorea.)  The word chorea comes from the Greek word choreia, which means “to dance”, which describes the uncoordinated, jerky body movements associated with the condition. Other motor symptoms eventually appear and may include difficulty speaking, walking or writing.  It was reported in detail in 1872 by the American physician, George Huntington (1850-1916). Symptoms of Huntington’s disease usu... Sarasota Neurology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4552089 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 05:00:18 +0100 4552089 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4446047&cid=t_299694_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2Fj9EI7ZBchv0%2F5-things-i-wish-everyone-knew-about.html by Dennis Fortier, President Medical Care CorporationThere is much needless confusion about certain aspects of the Alzheimer's field. In fact, this blog exists almost solely to help reduce that confusion.Many bloggers, and some sloppy journalists, compound the problem with their inaccurate daily descriptions and ambiguous word choices. Here are 5 things I wish they would all get straight:1. Alzheimer's is but one disease, albeit the most common, of many that can lead to dementia.Parkinsons's disease, stroke, head injuries, and a host of other medical conditions can also lead to dementia. Alzheimer's is a progressive disease that seems to begin with an accumulation of amyloid protein in the brain, followed by subtle symptoms of memory loss, and eventually, enough brain damage to render a p... Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4446047 Mon, 07 Feb 2011 22:12:00 +0100 4446047 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4429239&cid=t_299694_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2F-u0aT9wEjFA%2Fgeneration-alzheimers.html The Alzheimer’s Association has nicknamed the baby boomer generation “Generation Alzheimer’s” in a new report, since one in eight boomers is expected to develop the disease, for which there is no cure. Deaths related to Alzheimer’s are soaring, increasing 66 percent between 2000 and 2008, and scientists predict an approaching tipping point.The report finds that most of America’s greatest generation will spend their retirement years with Alzheimer’s or caring for someone who has it. About 13.5 million Americans are expected to suffer from Alzheimer’s by 2050 costing an estimated $1.078 trillion in current US dollars.The report also concludes that Alzheimer’s research is underfunded. “If you think finding a cure is expensive, consider the cost of facing people living with... Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4429239 Wed, 02 Feb 2011 20:38:00 +0100 4429239 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4419284&cid=t_299694_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FlPZS9ZfA6Hc%2F Discussion focused on Brain Fitness, to take place on Monday March 14th in honor of Brain Awareness Week 2011 (March 14-20th). Let’s discuss burning issues together: Why care about neuroplasticity and the possibilities it offers to enrich our quality of life? What does cognitive reserve research mean to the way we learn, work, play, live? What is Brain Training — and what is not? All the conversation be virtual, via social media tools. You can learn more here. This edition of SharpBrains monthly eNewslet­ter brings many articles on those topics. Enjoy! Research Bites The value of neuroimaging: Researcher Joaquin Anguera from UCSF shares with us what a par­tic­i­pant goes through when vol­un­teering for a neu­ro­science exper­i­ment these days. How to boost self-control: Dav... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4419284 Mon, 31 Jan 2011 20:47:10 +0100 4419284 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4399677&cid=t_299694_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2Fk7HhdSXLx0w%2F This article from the Washington Post explains how neuroplasticity will help Rep. Gabrielle Giffords recover from her brain injury: brain reorganization after injury is far more common and extensive than previously thought … neuroplasticity depends to a great degree on experience — which is to say, what the brain is forced to do in the critical weeks and months after it is injured. When an area with a specific function is destroyed, the brain first attempts to recruit nearby cells, which are often doing similar tasks, to change and perform the function of the destroyed cells. . 2. In this study, Dr. Yaffe and her colleagues measured risks of Alzheimer’s by measuring beta amyloid (the protein fragment that makes up Alzheimer’s plaque) levels in the blood. They found that the less ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4399677 Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:07:27 +0100 4399677 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4382739&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FJar431ZONY4%2F Also: pressure on drug prices in the U.K.; House Republicans mull health-care alternatives; hands off my Medicare; FDA panel votes on Lilly drug. (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4382739 Fri, 21 Jan 2011 13:26:02 +0100 4382739 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4382707&cid=t_299694_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2011%2F01%2Ffda-approve-alzheimer-disease-imaging-drug%2F The US FDA sees promise in the new Eli Lilly drug Amyvid to be used to image and screen for the presence of brain plaques that occur in Alzheimer’s Disease. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4382707 Fri, 21 Jan 2011 05:31:03 +0100 4382707 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4360945&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2Fd_-MpleCA20%2F An FDA advisory committee will consider the drug, administered ahead of a PET scan, on Thursday. (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4360945 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 19:40:06 +0100 4360945 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4352812&cid=t_299694_136_f&fid=35302&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FWhitePebble%2F%7E3%2F9bIjke7cAJA%2F Former President Ronald Reagan‘s youngest son suggests in a new book that his father showed signs of Alzheimer’s disease while he was in the White House. via Reagan’s son: Father showed signs of Alzheimer’s in White House – CNN Political Ticker – CNN.com Blogs. Filed under: Current Affairs Tagged: Alzheimer's disease, Ronald Reagan (Source: white pebble) white pebble blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4352812 Sat, 15 Jan 2011 15:50:48 +0100 4352812 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4338238&cid=t_299694_137_f&fid=39091&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimmers.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F01%2Fhello.html Hi Doc,Thought I stop by and wish all of your followers and your family, I am not sure about you though, a very happy new year.For me it will get worse, last year things progressed, this year maybe I will forget all and have no resentments because I cannnt remember ther.God Bless & Keep You,joe (Source: Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers) Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4338238 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 19:30:00 +0100 4338238 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4309611&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Falzheimers-disease-to-test-or-not-to-test%2F2011.01.03 The medical profession’s ability to diagnose far exceeds its ability to effectively treat the conditions discovered. Consider arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, strokes, emphysema, and many cancers. When a physician orders a diagnostic test, ideally it should be to answer a specific question, rather than a buckshot approach. A chest X-ray is not ordered because a patient has a cough. It should be done because the test has a reasonable chance of yielding information that would change the physician’s advice. If the doctor was going to prescribe an antibiotic anyway, then why order the chest X-ray? Physicians and patients should ask before a test is performed if the information is likely to change the medical management. In other words, is a test being ordered bec... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4309611 Mon, 03 Jan 2011 22:00:00 +0100 4309611 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4302274&cid=t_299694_137_f&fid=39091&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimmers.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Fhappy-new-year-national-alzheimers.html Well a Wish for a Healthy, Blessed and Happy and Safe New Year. God Bless All of you, Even the cool intellectual atheists, agnostics and everyone else that would have a hard time accepting the blessing.  I go to mass nearly every Sunday, I won't begin to tell you my Christmas Eve Mass Experience at Holy Rosary Cathedral In Duluth, MN. My God it makes me almost feel embarrasseabout being Catholic, the way some of these middle aged narcissisits and their offspring and their offspring's offspring, behave in church on the one day a year they actually go to mass. Makes it very miserable and difficult if you just want to pray in peace. Shameful and despicable, and I promise you I am not being vindictive. And we wonder why our children and each subsequent generation ... Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4302274 Fri, 31 Dec 2010 22:29:00 +0100 4302274 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4298814&cid=t_299694_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2FmR98ixk1Srs%2Fcongress-passes-national-alzheimers.html Congress has voted unanimously to create, for the first time, a national plan to combat Alzheimer’s disease with the same intensity as the attacks on AIDS and cancer.The bill, expected to be signed by President Obama, would establish a National Alzheimer’s Project within the Department of Health and Human Services, to coordinate the country’s approach to research, treatment and caregiving.Its goal, the legislation says, is to “accelerate the development of treatments that would prevent, halt or reverse the course of Alzheimer’s” and “improve the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and coordination of the care and treatment of citizens with Alzheimer’s.”The project would include an advisory council of representatives from agencies like the Centers for Disease Control ... Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4298814 Wed, 29 Dec 2010 16:27:00 +0100 4298814 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4249217&cid=t_299694_137_f&fid=39091&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimmers.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Fmr-joe-potocnys-book.html I had the pleasure of receiving in the mail a signed copy of Mr Joe Potocny's book Living With Alzheimers' [A Conversation If You Will]. It is published by Xlibris and is 311 pages. It covers Joe's blog from September 2006 to Sept 2010. Joe has had almost 50,000 visitors to his blog and the book contains those blog entries and comments from readers over 4 years. There are hundreds of entries. It basically takes you through the life of Joe and chronicles the Alzheimer's he is living with. In addition it gives a little slice of his readers and what they are going through and how they relate to Joe's journey.  We are all fortunate that Joe put this together, as it needed to be detailed not just in the cyber web land but in good old fashioned book form. He has it available in hardbou... Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4249217 Fri, 10 Dec 2010 06:32:00 +0100 4249217 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4238012&cid=t_299694_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FtJ3OAq5ZZ_0%2F It is not easy to take care of someone suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease. Quality of life for both patients and caregivers usually deteriorate as the disease progresses. This issue also has an economic side: the care provided by family members is valued at nearly $144 billion. What would happen if caregivers could not carry on anymore? As this article from the Huffington post reminds us, there is no pill to help families stay together longer, and have happier lives. However there are a growing number of non-pharmacologic interventions that could achieve this. Improving quality of life for individuals with dementia and their families is a fundamental treatment goal, but consistently receives far less attention and funding than drug research. There are a growing number of such non-pharmac... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4238012 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 16:55:14 +0100 4238012 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4233291&cid=t_299694_122_f&fid=34736&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FChannelN-PodcastsPoweredByOdiogo%2F%7E3%2FY-nXh1NSE4Q%2F Alzheimer’s Disease Care and Treatment: A New Paradigm John Zeisel, author of I’m Still Here: A New Philosophy Of Alzheimer’s Care, explains how gardening, sunlight and art therapy benefit people with dementia living in a long-term care facility. (Source: Channel N) Channel N blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4233291 Mon, 06 Dec 2010 13:30:30 +0100 4233291 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4200564&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fimproving-health-for-older-adults%2F2010.11.24 New clinical trials and published research are giving us information on how to improve health in elderly patients. Here are some brief points from the Cleveland Journal of Medicine that were surprising to me: – Each year 30 percent of people age 65 or older fall and sustain serious injuries so preventing falls and fractures is important. Vitamin D prevents both falls and fractures, but mega doses of Vitamin D (50,000 mg) might cause more falls. A better dose is 1,000mg a day in people who consume a low-calcium diet.  – Exercise boosts the effect of influenza vaccine. – The benefits of dialysis in older patients is uncertain, as it does not improve  function in people over age 80. We don’t even know if it improves survival. Older patients who receive dialysis... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4200564 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 21:00:00 +0100 4200564 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4190315&cid=t_299694_122_f&fid=35056&url=http%3A%2F%2Frenegadeneurologist.com%2Fintegrative-medicine-approaches-for-early-alzheimer%25e2%2580%2599s-disease-2%2F Warning: preg_match_all() [function.preg-match-all]: Compilation failed: unrecognized character after (? or (?- at offset 2 in /home/perlren/public_html/wp-content/plugins/abd-clickable-links.php on line 30 Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/perlren/public_html/wp-content/plugins/abd-clickable-links.php on line 50 Published in the Swedish Medical Journal David Perlmutter, MD, FACN, ABIHM It has been estimated that globally, more than 35 million people suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or other type of dementia, and without some medical breakthrough, this number will double every twenty years reaching a staggering 115.4 million people by 2050. The annual worldwide economic cost of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia is estimated at US$315 billion, while... Renegade Neurologist - A Blog by David Perlmutter, MD, FACN blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4190315 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 12:00:24 +0100 4190315 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4183394&cid=t_299694_122_f&fid=35055&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sarasotaneurology.com%2Fmedia%2FSarasota-Neurology-Podcast-Parkinsons-Disease-20101119.mp3 In this episode of the Sarasota Neurology Podcast, Dr. Kassicieh, a recognized Parkinson’s disease expert, provides an overview of the disease and current techniques for managing it. Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease seen in the United States. Only Alzheimer’s disease is more common. They both share the common fact that they are progressive neurological diseases that result in patients losing functional ability. Alzheimer’s disease affects memory, the ability to remember how to do things and general loss of mental function. Alzheimer’s patients are mostly not aware of the fact that they are neurologically deteriorating. They will make excuses for their memory short comings. Like Parkinson’s disease it is important t... Sarasota Neurology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4183394 Fri, 19 Nov 2010 19:38:36 +0100 4183394 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4179298&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FxUOhhnpDBX0%2F The idea is that a physician would look for certain red flags that might signal vulnerability to financial fraud. (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4179298 Thu, 18 Nov 2010 19:39:39 +0100 4179298 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4179532&cid=t_299694_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2FH6Tit5nvHu0%2Fhispanics-face-unique-alzheimers.html Alzheimer's specialists in Chicago have recently launched a new effort to educate the city's Latino population about the disease, as it affects Latinos about seven years earlier than it does white Americans.Experts say that low-income levels, language barriers and access to medical care contribute to higher rates of diabetes and high-blood pressure in Latinos, making them more susceptible to Alzheimer's, according to the Chicago Tribune. This has caused what the Alzheimer's Association refers to as a public health crisis. Read more... (Source: Aging with Grace CareConnection) Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4179532 Thu, 18 Nov 2010 19:18:00 +0100 4179532 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4179486&cid=t_299694_137_f&fid=39091&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimmers.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Fstream-of-consciousness-blogging-random.html Tomorrow is set-up for festival of trees. We will have some helpful info from Local Chapter of Alzheimer's Association, thanks to Esther over at the Duluth office. We will also have Help info from the National Family Caregivers Association (0NFCA) thanks to Suzanne over there in the great state of Maryland. Yes I love the Crab Cakes over at Obrycki's. and the old water taxis to Fell's Point. Of course the state is not just a suburb of DC and the inner harbor, in fact the whole state is beautiful. I sure miss the crab especially since Brian Williams told us on the NBC news last night how filthy and carcinogenic the crab and all seafood is from Thailand and Viet Nam is, it makes me realize I could eat a lot more healthy in Baltimore than I could in Duluth. - probably more... Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4179486 Thu, 18 Nov 2010 18:55:00 +0100 4179486 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4172340&cid=t_299694_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2FKa_-nSIQDVA%2Falzheimers-starts-earlier-for-heavy.html In this study, we found that the combination of heavy drinking and heavy smoking reduced the age of onset of Alzheimer's disease by six to seven years, making these two factors among the most important preventable risk factors for Alzheimer's disease." Read full article... (Source: Aging with Grace CareConnection) Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4172340 Tue, 16 Nov 2010 23:36:00 +0100 4172340 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4172060&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcaregivers%2F2010.11.16 It was a straightforward phone message (names changed): “Hey Dr. S., this is Bobbie Jones, April Dixon’s granddaughter. I was calling to inform you that April passed away today at City Hospital. They said she was bleeding in her stomach or something. I’m not quite what sure what happened, but she got real sick. But she’s gone, so, thanks so much. You’ve been a real neat doctor, and it’s been good working with you through the years taking care of my grandmother. Take care. Bye.” Bobbie Jones is a saint. Pure and simple. She took care of her 88-year-old grandmother with tender, loving care. I am certain if left to the vagaries of the “healthcare system” that her grandmother would have died at least three years ago, maybe earlier. Ms. Jone... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4172060 Tue, 16 Nov 2010 17:00:00 +0100 4172060 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4168020&cid=t_299694_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2Fr6A2AdhmgxU%2F photo: Thinkstock In as little as two years, scientists say that there could be a 30 second test to spot early signs of Alzheimer’s that could be given to people as early as in their 40s. The aim is that patients could then take steps to prevent the onset of the disease. While this sounds too good to be true for those who have lost a family member to Alzheimer’s, the question still remains: What if the prevention is unsuccessful? Would you rather know that you were going to get Alzheimer’s and spend a lot of time and money trying to delay the onset, or would you rather let nature take it’s course? Let us know in the comments section. via The Telegraph Post from: BlissTree A Test for Alzheimer's: Would You Take It? (Source: A Hearty Life) A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4168020 Mon, 15 Nov 2010 23:04:10 +0100 4168020 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4168081&cid=t_299694_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FdfcQS1SUj6s%2F CONCLUSIONS Just as the idea of hospice care revolutionized death and dying in America, the idea of bundling many aspects of Alzheimer’s care under one roof in a cognitive shop could change the way we approach this dire disease—one that has no cure and leaves no survivors. Certainly, the scope of the problem poses medical and economic risks for the country. These risks, and potential steps for a solution, were charted by the bipartisan Alzheimer Study Group in the spring of 2009. The report, issued by the Alzheimer Study Group co-chaired by former congressman Newt Gingrich and former senator Bob Kerrey, minces few words. It likens the failure to address the impact of Alzheimer’s to the failure to strengthen the levies of New Orleans against an overwhelming hurricane. “Alzheimer’... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4168081 Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:25:55 +0100 4168081 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4152013&cid=t_299694_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FxT8_KCqYxVw%2F An interesting and very well-documented article in the Los Angeles Times reviews studies looking at Vitamin B and its role in improving memory. The vitamins — including folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12 — are often touted as a way to improve memory and stave off cognitive decline. The claims are based on the finding that levels of the vitamin are low in people with various forms of cognitive impairment, including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. But experts say it’s still unclear whether taking high doses of the vitamins will keep such conditions at bay. […] Haan says the existing body of studies may be inconclusive because the causes of cognitive decline — which are incompletely understood — are probably too complex to be halted with a single vitamin supplement. Comments: ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4152013 Tue, 09 Nov 2010 17:04:05 +0100 4152013 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4134289&cid=t_299694_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2FqsdPOC6sFQ8%2Fnovember-is-alzheimers-awareness-month.html 5 Reasons Why Alzheimer's Awareness Matters Than You Thinkby Dennis Fortier,President, Medical Care CorporationMore so than with any other major disease, our near-term progress in the battle against Alzheimer’s will be determined largely by our ability to improve awareness about several aspects of this encroaching threat.Summarized here are five reasons why greater awareness about Alzheimer’s disease, and a deeper public understanding of risks and prevention strategies, will play a key role in the nation’s ability to triumph against the prospect of a devastating AD epidemic.Learn more... (Source: Aging with Grace CareConnection) Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4134289 Thu, 04 Nov 2010 17:48:00 +0100 4134289 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4122097&cid=t_299694_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2FUnejY51W0fw%2Falzheimers-disease-can-rob-you-of-your.html Gina Kolata, New York Time contributor, chronicles two affluent professionals - an attorney and a physician, both of whom lost their money and financial security due to the ravages of Alzheimer's disease.This is a must read article for any family that suspects their older loved one may have one of the many forms of dementia. (Source: Aging with Grace CareConnection) Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4122097 Sun, 31 Oct 2010 19:16:00 +0100 4122097 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4122098&cid=t_299694_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2FU6RoTY0STwo%2Fsmoking-in-your-50s-60s-increases-risk.html by Shirley S. Wang, Wall Street JournalNeed another reason not to smoke? Heavy smoking in middle age more than doubles the risk of dementia later in life, according to a study published Monday.The study counters previous evidence suggesting that smoking might actually have a protective effect against Alzheimer's disease.Researchers followed 21,000 patients in the Kaiser Permanente health system for more than 20 years and found those who smoked more than two packs of cigarettes a day in middle age had a 157% greater risk of developing Alzheimer's compared with nonsmokers. And they had a 172% greater risk of vascular dementia, the second-most common form and one that is associated with stroke and other conditions affecting blood supply to the brain. Read full article... (Source: Aging with G... Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4122098 Sun, 31 Oct 2010 01:37:00 +0100 4122098 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4118870&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FMPLe27bpSK0%2F For every dollar spent on Alzheimer's disease, another $400 is spent on caregiving for patients with the disease, McCance said. (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4118870 Thu, 28 Oct 2010 18:29:12 +0100 4118870 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4086391&cid=t_299694_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FFhw0Xv-nlrw%2F An interesting article in Nature Reviews last month reviewed several studies showing that cognitive intervention can be beneficial even for individuals already diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease (Buschert et al., 2010). The article shows that patients with mild-to-moderate dementia can benefit from a range of cognitive interventions: from training of partially spared cognitive functions to training on activities of daily living. Results suggest that such interventions can improve global cognition, abilities of daily living and quality of life in these patients. Patients with moderate-to-severe dementia seem to benefit from general engagement in activities that enhance cognitive and social functioning in a non-specific manner. In general, for patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease,... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4086391 Wed, 20 Oct 2010 19:40:46 +0100 4086391 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4060571&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FFyx8vtJ8IIk%2F Also: Cerberus/Caritas Christi deal poised to clear hurdle; bilingualism protects functioning from dementia symptoms; Ft. Bragg investigation. (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4060571 Tue, 12 Oct 2010 12:33:53 +0100 4060571 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4045070&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FDO1ted8JscQ%2F Also: global prescription sales projections for 2011; NICE changes its stance on Alzheimer's drugs; insurance is no guarantee kids will get care. (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4045070 Fri, 08 Oct 2010 12:16:58 +0100 4045070 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4040531&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2Fconnection-discovered-between-low-testosterone-and-alzheimers%2F photo via AOL Health Check out this post from Ronnie Koenig on AOL Health. A research team that includes a Saint Louis University scientist have uncovered a link between low levels of the male sex hormone testosterone in older men and the onset of early Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s is a progressive and fatal disease that destroys brain cells causing severe memory loss, as well as life-altering problems with thinking and behavior. According to the National Institute on Aging, approximately 5.1 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s and it is the seventh leading cause of death in the US. Treatment for symptoms is available, but there is no known cure. A new study that followed Chinese men has established that low testosterone may cause the disease in some men. &#8220... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4040531 Thu, 07 Oct 2010 15:51:22 +0100 4040531 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4027166&cid=t_299694_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D3516 Conclusions: The daily supplementation of vitamins B12, B6, and folic acid does not benefit cognitive function in older men, nor does it reduce the risk of cognitive impairment or dementia.” Disgracefully, this paper has hardly been reported at all. It is an excellent example of how the public is misled because of the reluctance of the media to publish negative results. Sadly that reluctance is sometimes also shown by academic journals, but not in this case. Two things went wrong, The first was near-universal failure to evaluate critically the Smith et al paper. The second was to ignore the paper that measured what actually matters. It isn’t as though there wasn’t a bit of relevant history, Prof Smith was one of the scientific advisors for Patrick Holford’s Food for... DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4027166 Sun, 03 Oct 2010 18:00:35 +0100 4027166 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3999256&cid=t_299694_137_f&fid=39091&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimmers.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fdifferences-between-delirium-depression.html Lots of D's to differentiate. Alzheimer's disease is one form or type of dementia. The most common form or type of dementia. Dementia is the loss of cognitive ability. A global generic term. There are many other causes of dementia besides the most common Alzheimer's disease. Lewy body dementia, Vascular dementia, traumatic brain injury induced, to name a couple.The different forms of dementia may look slightly different in their clinical symptoms and presentation and progression.Dementia is a chronic problem it is typically slow and often progressive. Delirium is way different. A delirium is an acute confusional state, or an encephalopathy. It generally comes in pretty quickly, hence the term "acute". There is always a cause for delirium. It may be a metabolic problem, eg. not enough oxyge... Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3999256 Fri, 24 Sep 2010 17:38:00 +0100 3999256 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3994119&cid=t_299694_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F0MLsIF1ukR0%2F Today is World Alzheimer’s Day. To raise awareness and funds, associations worldwide organize multiple activities including important Memory Walks, and a new report helps quantify the growing personal and economic burden of the disease. Among the report findings: Close to 36 million people worldwide have dementia today Dementia care costs around 1 percent of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP), or 604 billion US dollars. Of these, 252 billion represent indirect costs of care, while annual direct medical costs account for 96 billion, and direct non-medical costs for 256 billion By 2030, worldwide societal costs will increase by over 85 percent The good news? That the number 1 reason for the bad news is simple: we live longer than ever before That, while there is nothing we can... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3994119 Tue, 21 Sep 2010 17:59:59 +0100 3994119 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3993866&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FYZqJ-mNgj1Q%2F The Alzheimer's Association's latest report estimates the medical and informal care costs associated with the disease. (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3993866 Tue, 21 Sep 2010 14:00:58 +0100 3993866 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3993912&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhy-did-it-take-the-new-york-times-five-weeks-to-correct-its-alzheimers-test-assertion%2F2010.09.21 I have a lot of catching up to do after being in Europe for just 4 days. But I can’t let this one go by without comment. In fact, this issue was one of the first ones raised by German journalists I met with in Dortmund this week. Don’t think people around the world don’t notice the good AND the bad in American health/medical/science journalism — especially by The New York Times. The Times took a long time (five weeks) to comment on what critics — including me, Paul Raeburn, Charlie Petit and many other journalists (including Times’ ombudsman Arthur Brisbane) — wrote about Gina Kolata’s August 10 piece on a “100% accurate” Alzheimer’s test. But [on September 16th] the paper published a correction. (more…) *This... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3993912 Tue, 21 Sep 2010 14:00:27 +0100 3993912 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3961872&cid=t_299694_122_f&fid=35056&url=http%3A%2F%2Frenegadeneurologist.com%2Flow-levels-of-vitamin-d-link-to-cognitive-problems-in-older-people%2F Warning: preg_match_all() [function.preg-match-all]: Compilation failed: unrecognized character after (? or (?- at offset 2 in /home/perlren/public_html/wp-content/plugins/abd-clickable-links.php on line 30 Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/perlren/public_html/wp-content/plugins/abd-clickable-links.php on line 50 From ScienceDaily.com: Researchers from the Peninsula Medical School, the University of Cambridge and the University of Michigan, have for the first time identified a relationship between Vitamin D, the “sunshine vitamin”, and cognitive impairment in a large-scale study of older people. The importance of these findings lies in the connection between cognitive function and dementia: people who have impaired cognitive function are more likely to ... Renegade Neurologist - A Blog by David Perlmutter, MD, FACN blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3961872 Sun, 12 Sep 2010 17:21:00 +0100 3961872 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3899503&cid=t_299694_122_f&fid=35056&url=http%3A%2F%2Frenegadeneurologist.com%2Fbinge-on-broccoli-to-boost-the-brain%2F Warning: preg_match_all() [function.preg-match-all]: Compilation failed: unrecognized character after (? or (?- at offset 2 in /home/perlren/public_html/wp-content/plugins/abd-clickable-links.php on line 30 Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/perlren/public_html/wp-content/plugins/abd-clickable-links.php on line 50 From DNAindia.com: Eating certain fruit and vegetables could boost the memory, particularly broccoli, according to British research. The study conducted by King’s College London,provides scientific backing to the theory and has major implications for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society said. Extracts found in five fruits and vegetables —broccoli, potatoes, oranges, apples and radishes — were fou... Renegade Neurologist - A Blog by David Perlmutter, MD, FACN blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3899503 Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:04:05 +0100 3899503 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3889289&cid=t_299694_137_f&fid=39091&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimmers.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F08%2Fis-alzheimers-mental-illness.html This seems to be such a common question and issue. Everyone wants to know the answer. I have blogged about this in the past, but the question still comes up all the time. If it is not a mental illness does that make it better? If it is a mental illness, well does that somehow make it worse? Does it make AD less real if it is a mental illness.When my mother developed AD, it was so shocking, so furious, so heart-breaking, I don't remember ever really pondering that question, because I was so overwhelmed, so bewildered, my head was spinning. Being seventeen at the time, it felt like I had a million things on my mind already. The whole process was like a waking dream.My book "When Can I Go Home?" speaks to that waking dream. It also speaks to the process of me becoming a doctor and a psychiatr... Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3889289 Fri, 20 Aug 2010 19:56:00 +0100 3889289 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3876622&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FuQEhhvtG3p8%2F Why is it so difficult to develop drugs to treat Alzheimer's disease? (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3876622 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:42:12 +0100 3876622 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3865268&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Famerican-cancer-society-only-a-fundraising-ad-right%2F2010.08.13 EDITOR’S NOTE: Following Gary Schwitzer’s HealthNewsReview.org August 11th blog post below entitled “American Cancer Society: ‘Only’ A Fundraising Ad, Right?”, the American Cancer Society pulled its “Screening Is Seeing” ad the next day. See Schwitzer’s follow-up post “Screening Is Seeing” Ad By American Cancer Society-Cancer Action Network (ACS-CAN) Is Pulled” and a related article by Mary Carmichael of Newsweek: ”The American Cancer Society’s Misleading New Ads.” Also see “Common Themes In The Alzheimer’s Test Stories And The Cancer Society Screening Ad” by Schwitzer. (ORIGINAL POST) American Cancer Society: “Only” A Fundraising Ad, Right? A well-intentioned ad campaig... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3865268 Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:00:32 +0100 3865268 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3854470&cid=t_299694_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F08%2Fspinal-tap-predict-future-onset-alzheimer-disease%2F A study out in the Annals of Surgery is suggesting that a spinal tap or lumbar puncture can predict the future development of clinical Alzheimer’s disease if a certain pattern of abnormal proteins is present. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3854470 Wed, 11 Aug 2010 06:14:34 +0100 3854470 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3854505&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FhunyTwffNHk%2F Also: former head of WellPoint unit speaks out; cognitive decline in Parkinson's disease; diagnosing Alzheimer's early. (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3854505 Tue, 10 Aug 2010 12:47:33 +0100 3854505 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3827051&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FQy-Yg90o4lI%2F Also: Other cities may mimic San Francisco's cellphone law; Merck reports positive results for hepatitis C drug; Alzheimer's criteria developers defend their proposal. (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3827051 Thu, 05 Aug 2010 12:30:41 +0100 3827051 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3808835&cid=t_299694_137_f&fid=39091&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimmers.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F08%2Felder-rage-review.html Here is a review I posted on Amazon for Elder Rage, Jacqueline Marcell's book about her struggle with her father's Alzheimer's:-"As a Physician and a Caregiver for my mother diagnosed with Alzheimer's when I was a teen, I recommend this book to caregivers. Not only do I advise this book to be read by caregivers but by the general public at large. Alzheimer's is something we don't want to know about or hear about till it touches our own family. It's time we open our eyes. The book is thorough, gripping, and filled with insights that offer utility to caregivers of AD victims. No matter what age you are when a parent or loved one is affected, AD is a coming of age process. It makes people grow up, and dig down inside ones' spirit to find the courage to persevere. Jacqueline did something with... Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3808835 Sun, 01 Aug 2010 18:03:00 +0100 3808835 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3806032&cid=t_299694_155_f&fid=38409&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneuropathologyblog.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fneuropathologist-bikes-140-miles-to.html Chris Zarow, PhD (pictured in center), a neuropathology researcher at the University of Southern California, recently completed a 140-mile bike ride which was part of a cross-country ride where participants collected signatures to urge Congress to authorize more funding for Alzheimer research."Let's put ourselves out of a job, so to speak," Zarow said. Read more here. (Source: neuropathology blog) neuropathology blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3806032 Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:25:00 +0100 3806032 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3798673&cid=t_299694_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FU3wLN6Oicdw%2F Here you have the July edition of our monthly eNewslet ter covering cognitive health and brain fitness topics. Please remem ber that you can subscribe to receive this free Brain Fitness eNewsletter by email, using the box in the right column. Technology to upgrade brain care: In this extensive interview, Dr. John Docherty helps connect the dots on why new frameworks and tools are a must to put recent brain research to good use. A must read for all professionals in the field. Research Findings from NIH Expert Panel: The American Society on Aging asked Alvaro Fernandez to comment on the findings from a major cognitive health research review by the National Institutes of Health. Lifestyle still matters, and protective factors against cognitive decline are led by cognitive training, physical... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3798673 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:11:35 +0100 3798673 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3787112&cid=t_299694_137_f&fid=39091&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimmers.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Falzheimers-research.html So it appears the thrust of research at the recent consortium is to take all the research that has gone on at various facilities and share and combine and put something together meaningful. The criteria for diagnosing and staging Alzheimer's and mild cognitive impairment is being reevaluated for the first time in years. When you think about it, this is crucial. There has been a certain way of diagnosing the disease definitely by looking at microscopic tissue under a microscope. That has not changed and we still can't do that on live human beings. However if there was a way to predict or even diagnose the disease much earlier, even before it starts to clinically show itself and manifest, this may have clinical implications for treatment, as well as prevention. Seemingly the earlier you can ... Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3787112 Sun, 25 Jul 2010 18:22:00 +0100 3787112 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3784236&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FKwNJRFehMzQ%2F Also: the mental toll of war on soldiers; five NYC hospitals trying "health courts"; minor league baseball players will be tested for HGH. (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3784236 Fri, 23 Jul 2010 12:39:32 +0100 3784236 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3772237&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdr-val-tells-abc-news-how-to-stave-off-memory-loss%2F2010.07.20 Did you know that physical activity can reduce your risk for memory loss and dementia? I had the chance to speak to ABC’s Let’s Talk Live team about important lifestyle choices that can keep the mind healthy and active. The good news is that you really can teach an old dog new tricks, and those new tricks can stimulate growth of new brain cells. Watch the video and check out the Alzheimer’s Association website for more information about dementia prevention: (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3772237 Tue, 20 Jul 2010 12:00:50 +0100 3772237 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3776487&cid=t_299694_117_f&fid=34696&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.straightfromthedoc.com%2F50226711%2Folder_women_excess_weight_linked_to_memory_loss.php © mcohen.chromisteA recent study found that there is a direct relationship between excess weight in older women and diminished memory. The study, headed by Dr. Diana Kerwin from the geriatrics division of the Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, used 8745 women who had no signs of dementia or other brain abnormalities, aged between 65 and 79 years old as subjects. Data showed that every point increase in the woman's body mass index (BMI) had a corresponding decrease in her score in ... (Source: Straightfromthedoc) Straightfromthedoc blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3776487 Sun, 18 Jul 2010 08:00:00 +0100 3776487 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3763043&cid=t_299694_137_f&fid=39091&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimmers.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Ficad-huge-meeting-in-honolulu-this-past.html Well the Alzheimer's Association held its international conference this past week in Hawaii. A beautiful place for a conference I might add. Some from the NIA was there and if you were a member of ISTAART you got a savings off the price of the conference. If you went and actually had to pay for yourself the conference alone would have cost about $800 dollars. I'm not sure about everyone else but if you had to pay for your own flight,  that for example would set me back about another $900. Throw in another $800 or so for room at the Official housing of either the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beech Resort and Spa or the Sheraton Waikiki. well you get the picture if you paid for yourself to go $2500-$3000. Hopefully if you went your institution, public or private paid for you. There are also ... Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3763043 Sat, 17 Jul 2010 22:41:00 +0100 3763043 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3757864&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnew-research-on-alzheimers-disease%2F2010.07.15 Data presented at the International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease in Honolulu this week indicated that exercise and adequate vitamin D levels could help reduce risk for the disorder. Framingham Heart Study researchers found that risk for dementia was halved in “moderate to heavy exercisers” compared with more sedentary people, while researchers on a separate study found that vitamin D deficiency can greatly increase risk for mental impairment. Another study found that injecting the compound florbetapir into the brain of patients with dementia and then performing a PET scan could help pinpoint the size and location of plaques. Researchers also reported that tea consumption was linked to a slower rate of cognitive decline in older adults without cognitive impairment, bu... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3757864 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:00:00 +0100 3757864 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3757843&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2F8njEycvFmDM%2F Also: meaningful use likely to benefit GE and others; early Alzheimer's diagnosis less costly; lobbying over preventive services; weight loss drugs. (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3757843 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 12:31:58 +0100 3757843 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3753789&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FSNrbFkWe_TQ%2F Alzheimer's drugs may also reduce the presence of a protein called tau -- but what does that mean? (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3753789 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:19:36 +0100 3753789 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3750033&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2Fyvgsl-V6BUQ%2F The new criteria are a “reflection of the conviction of the field that early identification is successful for the treatment of disease," one expert says. (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3750033 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 22:11:00 +0100 3750033 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3746662&cid=t_299694_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F07%2Falzheimers-risk-patients-larger-brains%2F A new study just published in the journal Neurology reports that patients with larger brain size seem to have less risks of developing the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. The study was led by Dr. Robert Perneczky. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3746662 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 01:57:01 +0100 3746662 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3746716&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2F1bWT8tfMy6U%2F Bayer and GE are also developing diagnostic compounds to be used in tandem with imaging. (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3746716 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 17:23:52 +0100 3746716 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3737045&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpersonalized-medicine-a-bait-and-switch%2F2010.07.08 Mark Hyman, a proponent of so-called “functional medicine” promoting himself over at the Huffington Post (an online news source that essentially allows dubious medical infomercials to pass as news) has posted a particularly egregious article on personalized medicine for dementia. In the article Hyman distorts the modern practice of medicine, the current state of genetic science, and the very notion of “disease.” It is, as usual, a fine piece of medical propaganda sure to confuse many a reader. Hyman starts with some standard epidemiology of dementia –- it’s a common and growing disorder –- but then descends quickly into distortion and pseudoscience. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Science-Based Medicine* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3737045 Thu, 08 Jul 2010 12:00:38 +0100 3737045 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3706893&cid=t_299694_137_f&fid=39091&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimmers.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fmore-on-medicine-and-agitation-and.html Alzheimer's disease affects the brain. It destroys brain cells. Loosing ones memory and the ability to reason is the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. The brain whether we like it or not also regulates emotion and behavior. Essentially our ability to feel starts with the brain. One of the hardest and scariest parts of the whole process, (besides everything else) is the behavioral changes. A person with AD, can begin to behave in very strange and uncharacteristic fashions for themselves. It is bizarre and frightening quite often for family members. As the disease wears on the person with AD looses their ability to self-reflect-to have insight into their own behavior. It is not their fault and if they could they would hate it more than you do- but they can't.It is also unique in that one day ... Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3706893 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 03:25:00 +0100 3706893 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3706638&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F185764%2F Coffee may prevent Alzheimer’s, but what’s the catch? According to a story yesterday on NPR’s Morning Edition, researchers recorded improvements in lab mice with Alzheimer’s, but only if the critters got a ton of caffeine. Theoretically, the human equivalent would mean drinking at least five cups of regular coffee every day, but at this point these findings are inconclusive. So keep doing your crossword puzzles. Post from: BlissTree (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3706638 Mon, 28 Jun 2010 22:19:26 +0100 3706638 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3695567&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fusing-ultrasound-to-zap-the-brain-back-into-action%2F2010.06.24 Scientists at Arizona State University have developed a new method of non-surgical brain stimulation using pulsed ultrasound that enhances cognitive function in mice, and may one day be used to non-invasively treat patients with mental retardation, Alzheimer’s disease and other central nervous system (CNS) dysfunctions. In intact motor cortex in mice, ultrasound was found to stimulate action potentials and elicit motor responses comparable to those only previously achieved with implanted electrodes and related techniques. It also activates meaningful brain wave patterns and the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus — one of the most potent regulators of brain plasticity. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Medgad... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3695567 Thu, 24 Jun 2010 22:00:01 +0100 3695567 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3678525&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fend-of-life-planning-and-care-one-family%25e2%2580%2599s-devotion-and-pain%2F2010.06.19 Esther and I went away last weekend for a much needed break from kids, the normal routine, and pets that can wake us up when daylight arrives here in the Pacific Northwest at 5am. We stayed at a quaint bed and breakfast called “The Blue Goose” in the small town of Coupeville, Washington, on Whidbey Island northwest of Seattle. It was restful and, with great sunny weather, rejuvenating. At a bed and breakfast, of course, you typically chat with other people over coffee, egg soufflé, and bran muffins. The experience can be tiresome and too chatty. But sometimes it can be riveting. It was the latter the other morning as we chatted with Diane about health matters and she shared her pain about two episodes in her life. (more…) *This blog post was originally published... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3678525 Sat, 19 Jun 2010 22:00:03 +0100 3678525 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3655802&cid=t_299694_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F5PUnnuJkzQs%2F Developing drugs for treating, let alone curing Alzheimer’s is one of the more difficult prospects facing researchers (see here). So a new consortium called the Coalition Against Major Diseases announced plans to create databases to share research on neurodegenerative diseases. The effort, which will be managed by the non-profit Critical Path Institute, includes research foundations, patient groups and several drugmakers. The databases will be openly shared by drugmakers and other researchers in hopes of setting a voluntary industry data standard. For starters, CAMD will have data from 4,000 Alzheimer’s patients who participated in 11 failed industry studies. We spoke briefly with Marc Cantillon, the CAMD director, about the project… Pharmalot: Where is the funding coming... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3655802 Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:28:37 +0100 3655802 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3652390&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FTFb6gtDDLN4%2F What drug company execs hope to get out of the new collaboration. (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3652390 Fri, 11 Jun 2010 13:01:18 +0100 3652390 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3635994&cid=t_299694_137_f&fid=39091&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimmers.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fhelplessness-of-alzheimers.html The process of living through Alzheimer's disease in a loved one is essentially an emotional prison. You are stuck behind the walls of helplessness. You can't stop the disease from progressing, you can't reverse it, you can't cure it. you have no control of the situation. You are involved  very passively and helplessly in a process. Sort of like being caught in a tornado, and waiting for the storm to end, wondering how much destruction will be there, and if you will even make it, and of course in the middle of the storm you are not sure it will ever end.Prison, you freedom, your control is taken away. It leads to anger and frustration, we often end up lashing out at those whom are closest to us, the guilt leads to more anger. You remember the loved one in better times and you wan... Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3635994 Sun, 06 Jun 2010 21:17:00 +0100 3635994 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3621645&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FZ2FxnnNyc8I%2F Also: the price tag for a tobacco tax loophole; the downside of shorter hospital stays; unique research on Alzheimer's prevention. (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3621645 Wed, 02 Jun 2010 12:31:52 +0100 3621645 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3621926&cid=t_299694_137_f&fid=39091&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimmers.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fwell-doc-here-i-am-again.html You have nagged me to post again. So I decided to post a post that my wife posted on my blog. Is that toooo many posts. She is my main caregiver and since your blog is more to that arena, I thought it would be ok. But notice her post is not 42 paragraphs like some people we know. Love You Man.Joe posted a few weeks ago about the fact that we have had some difficulity. He has had some issues and yes I was hurt by them. But in all fairness I guess I am to blame too. As you know he can still find his way around the computer and sometimes it gets him and others into trouble. So as a caregiver and as a spouse I am going to say that we need to ask questions when our other half is doing something that we are not sure of. We need to check the bank statements and credit card statements just to make... Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3621926 Tue, 01 Jun 2010 19:18:00 +0100 3621926 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3599714&cid=t_299694_137_f&fid=39091&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimmers.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F05%2Fcourse-of-alzheimers.html Good to see Joe and Karen and the resurfacing of Lisa-so glad you are back blogging again. Very dear, Loyal and good people, I can't say enough about them. We are all  universally connected by this AD machine.One of the things I have been thinking about lately is the course of this disease. The seven stages are quite well known and popular over the last 15 years. It does not matter how you break down the timeline of the disease, on a long term basis it is always predictable. One of the confusing things is that it gets diagnosed at all different times on the continuum of the illness. So it may seem to last anywhere from five years upwards to twenty years. Someone may be several years into the process when they are actually diagnosed, or very early on in the process, depending on the fa... Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3599714 Wed, 26 May 2010 03:00:00 +0100 3599714 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3581573&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2Fis-caffeine-a-wonder-drug-for-the-brain%2F Photo: Blisstree While too much caffeine can sometimes lead to health issues (eye twitch, anyone?), a new supplement in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease explores the preventive effects of caffeine against cognitive decline caused by dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. You could be fighting dementia by drinking countless cups of joe a day – now you can say all those late nights you stayed up friending everyone in your 7th grade class on Facebook were just doctor’s orders. Caffeine has multiple beneficial effects on the brain, particularly to normalize brain function and prevent its degeneration. Caffeine also has a positive impact on memory and cognitive performance. Plus, the drug may be a disease-modifying agent with regard to Alzheimer’s. It could even prove to... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3581573 Thu, 20 May 2010 12:00:06 +0100 3581573 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3581868&cid=t_299694_155_f&fid=38409&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneuropathologyblog.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F05%2Falzheimer-patients-to-get-nerve-growth.html The Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study, a 19 year project funded by the NIA, has embarked on a clinical trial that delivers Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) directly into the brain as a possible treatment for Alzheimer’s.  A Phase II clinical study of Ceregene's CERE-110, a gene therapy product designed to deliver nerve growth factor (NGF) to the brain for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is currently in progress.This Phase II study is a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial and employs gene therapy to deliver nerve growth factor (NGF) directly into the brain. The rationale behind this study is that NGF is known to promote survival of cholinergic neurons, that degenerate in AD, and therefore may provide sustained functioning of these neurons. Direct delivery of C... neuropathology blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3581868 Thu, 20 May 2010 11:12:00 +0100 3581868 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3573966&cid=t_299694_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2FG4D5msD3VO8%2Fstudies-highlight-positive-effects-of.html Caffeine helps us stay alert. Research suggests it also could slow the progression of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.In a new collection of studies from around the world on the effects of caffeine on cognitive decline, a number of researchers present evidence of the drug's ability to slow the progression of these two diseases, as well as a number of other benefits. Here are some of the findings from the 22 new studies: Moderate caffeine intake could provide therapeutic potential for humans, caffeine was associated with lower cognitive decline in women than in men, and caffeine helps reduce the production of amyloid-beta, which is associated with Alzheimer's. Many of the studies used animal models in the tests.The studies appear in a special supplement to the recent edition of the Jou... Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3573966 Tue, 18 May 2010 13:39:00 +0100 3573966 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3560479&cid=t_299694_137_f&fid=39091&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimmers.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F05%2Fblogging-about-alzheimers-social.html      After Joe P's last post a couple of weeks ago, I started thinking about the purpose of this blog. Joe says people with AD read the blog (I am not sure who besides Joe) but then again it is a blog. Joe's posts have been fantastic and articulate, I know he works hard on them and for someone with AD, he challenges all of our stereotypes of an Alzheimer's victim.     I wish there was a way I could get rid of Joe's disease to make him well again, for every victim and every family I wish I could do that. If someone waved a magic wand and said change your blog or stop blogging or jump this high and you will cure Alzheimer's- wouldn't that be fantastic? Joe talks of the frustration in reading this blog, not always understanding what I am posting. This shows ... Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3560479 Thu, 13 May 2010 02:35:00 +0100 3560479 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3519571&cid=t_299694_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FOFU37fr3j-g%2F We are pleased to announce that, out of the 40 great entries submitted, the 10 Finalists to the 2010 Brain Fitness Innovation Awards moving to the next round are (ordered by approximate age of end user population, from younger to older): Arrowsmith School, USA Hockey, Nationwide Mutual Insurance, University Behavioral HealthCare/ University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey, Allstate, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, Saint Luke’s Brain and Stroke Institute, Oakland Unified School District, Mental Health Association of Rockland County, SCAN Health Plan. Winners will be announced during the State of Brain Fitness Innovation Webinar on May 24th, noon-1pm Pacific Time. Registration is now open ($25), and includes executive summary of SharpBrains’ 2010 market report and acc... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3519571 Fri, 30 Apr 2010 14:32:23 +0100 3519571 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3519572&cid=t_299694_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FAjxawfNl8LU%2F An independent expert panel organized by the NIH released yesterday a thoughtful report on the state of the science for prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease and cognitive decline. The report, available here, summarizes the panel’s review by saying: “Firm conclusions cannot be drawn about the association of modifiable risk factors with cognitive decline or Alzheimer’s disease.” “There is insufficient evidence to support the use of pharmaceutical agents or dietary supplements to prevent cognitive decline or Alzheimer’s disease. However, ongoing additional studies including (but not limited to) antihypertensive medications, omega-3 fatty acid, physical activity, and cognitive engagement may provide new insight into the prevention or delay of cognitive decline ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3519572 Thu, 29 Apr 2010 20:16:41 +0100 3519572 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3515331&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2F82XpAxnMuFQ%2F There's no consistent evidence that multivitamins, gingko biloba or other supplements can do anything to stave off the disease. (Source: WSJ.com: Health Blog) WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3515331 Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:26:49 +0100 3515331 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3505115&cid=t_299694_137_f&fid=39091&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimmers.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fto-dr-joe.html Doc,I am having some problems with your posts. For me they are not simple enough. We with this disease really have problems with professional type language. This is not a complaint, just telling you my side when I read your posts. I know your site is for caregivers and to help them. But I know a few of us with AD that read your blog, they may also have this problem. I still consider you a friend, even is you are a shrink. That does not make you bad. My day today is, I sucked up my blog, brain is shrinking and so is my understanding of what I read or attempt to.God Bless You My Friend,Joehttp://living-with-alzhiemers.blogspot.com/ (Source: Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers) Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3505115 Sun, 25 Apr 2010 19:27:00 +0100 3505115 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3490612&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FVAy8ovHMa2k%2F It turns out those computer games that are supposed to increase cognitive skills through short-term memory, problem-solving, and visual-spatial skills exercises actually do something: They improve users’ prowess in short-term memory, problem-solving and visual-spatial skills exercises. They do not, however, improve “mental fitness” beyond boosting performance on the tests used in the program, the WSJ reports. A study published in Nature took 11,430 healthy participants and randomly assigned them to one of three regimens: online games aimed at increasing general cognitive skills such as reasoning, problem-solving and planning; other online games targeting short-term memory, attention, and math and spatial skills; and Internet surfing in pursuit of answers to general knowledge questions. ... WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3490612 Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:50:32 +0100 3490612 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3476055&cid=t_299694_137_f&fid=39091&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimmers.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fthey-say-phsycs-know-what-they-are.html Hello,My name is Joseph Potocny, you see Dr. Joe and I have known each other for sometime now. But let us question his sanity, he is a MD I am an AD (Alhziemers person) and have FTD as well. Now who knows more him on the far left or me on the gentle right.I thank Doc for asking me to blog here, I guess he is ready to be punished for the well shall we say less than upstanding life he has led. Not true, he is a good guy. I have had the disease for over 3 yrs confirmed, by the time you know whose professsion would listen to me. So today like many days has been filled with times of where the hell am i and what am i doing.  I was going to do this as a video, but he told me creatures were not allowed to appear in person.  I read docs' blog daily as he makes posts, some I just do n... Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3476055 Fri, 16 Apr 2010 02:54:00 +0100 3476055 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4281405&cid=t_299694_122_f&fid=36506&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FBrainSciencePodcastBlog%2F%7E3%2F_ESqm5eN33E%2Falzheimers-disease-with-dr-peter-whitehouse-bsp-68.html Discussion Forum: Join our Facebook Fan Page: Send feedback to gincampbell at mac dot com or leave voice mail at 206-984-0358. (Source: the Brain Science Podcast and Blog with Dr. Ginger Campbell) the Brain Science Podcast and Blog with Dr. Ginger Campbell blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4281405 Wed, 14 Apr 2010 09:00:33 +0100 4281405 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3524319&cid=t_299694_109_f&fid=34761&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedblitz.com%2F%7E%2F10341790%2F1cfov8%2Fneuromarketing%7EUse-Your-Cell-Phone-Save-Your-Brain.htm Neuromarketing readers know I sometimes venture into the non-marketing area of brain fitness, and I couldn’t resist passing along this bit of research on cell phone use. For years, we’ve been hearing alarming claims that cell phone use causes brain cancer, though no reputable study has established such a link. Now, a study [...] CommentsWhat a bunch of phooey!! Cell phones are harmful and we need to ... by CellPhoneSafetySince this was a mouse study, Mike, I'd think twice before ... by Roger DooleyWow I never thought I'd hear that phone radiation is good for ... by Mike (Source: Neuromarketing) Neuromarketing blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3524319 Tue, 13 Apr 2010 12:43:53 +0100 3524319 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3420432&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FpHJ3K4BlwmE%2F In the effort to try to delay and ultimately prevent Alzheimer’s disease, an important question needs to be answered: how to pay for the programs. Many strategies are now in the works. At CFIT, a nonprofit program, members pay $4,000 annually. Kenneth S. Kosik, the program’s founder, helped raise more than $1 million in private donations to defray costs and offer scholarships, according to an article in today’s WSJ. But other models are also being tried. The CDC and the Alzheimer’s Association, along with institutes that are part of the National Institutes of Health, created a public-health “road map’’ to cognitive health that would involve publicly funded programs. Read the report here. In another effort, a pilot program was launched in March by SCAN Health Plan Arizona and a ... WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3420432 Tue, 30 Mar 2010 00:49:57 +0100 3420432 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3408648&cid=t_299694_155_f&fid=38409&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneuropathologyblog.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F03%2Fbest-post-of-november-09-finally-simple.html The next in our series of "Best Posts of the Month" is from November 17, 2009:In our teaching and in our autopsy reports, we neuropathologists often make reference to the transentorhinal cortex as it is -- in the Braak and Braak staging system -- the region where the earliest Alzheimer pathology appears. I have found it difficult to find a clear illustration of the anatomic location of the transentorhinal cortex in texts or on the internet. However, I came across a nice cartoon of the divisions of the parahippocampal gyrus, including the transentorhinal cortex, in an online presentation by Prof. Jillian Kril of the Pathology Department at the University of Sydney, NSW. Prof. Kril kindly emailed me a copy of the illustration, which is depicted above with the addition of a label for the pres... neuropathology blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3408648 Fri, 26 Mar 2010 02:55:00 +0100 3408648 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3346433&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FDUu0kvo5yTQ%2F African-Americans are twice as likely as Caucasians to have Alzheimer’s and related memory-robbing diseases, and Hispanics, the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population, are 1.5 times as likely, according to a new report released this morning by the Alzheimer’s Association. The higher risk is likely linked to factors like high blood pressure and diabetes, which are risk factors for dementia and more common among those minority groups than among Caucasians. Yet, African-Americans and Hispanics are less likely to be diagnosed with the disease than their Caucasian counterparts. One barrier to diagnosis of dementia among these populations is access to proper health care, Maria Carrillo, a spokeswoman for the association, told the Health Blog. Language and culture, such as th... WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3346433 Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:51:15 +0100 3346433 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3416280&cid=t_299694_137_f&fid=39091&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimmers.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F03%2Fdementia-agitation-treatment.html Now one of the biggest stressors for family members is what do you do if your loved one with Alzheimer's is agitated and lashing out, or agitated and wandering off at night. What if they are moving about and wandering and confused? Are they more likely to fall and get hurt? Sometimes. This is typically a problem in the later stages of Alzheimer's and not all people in the later stages of Alzheimer's get agitated. Some do, they may even get violent. Remember this is the disease and not your loved one. Yes it is true that there are people who have a history of violence and anger and agitation well before they develop Alzheimer's. Think of the violent or antisocial or sociopath. In my world as a psychiatrist those problems are all too common, but for the sake of those reading this blog, viole... Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimer's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3416280 Sat, 06 Mar 2010 16:44:00 +0100 3416280 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3331373&cid=t_299694_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FzkSCtSPo-8g%2F Finding a treatment or a cure for Alzheimer’s disease is keeping researchers busy across the world. Unfortunately, they aren’t having a lot of success and the latest hopeful entry has turned out to be a bust. Dimebon, a medication that was developed to help slow the progression of Alzheimers has failed in the latest round of testing of 598 patients with mild to moderate disease. The results shocked the researchers because an earlier, smaller 18-month study of the drug showed that there was improvement among the patients taking Dimebon. The companies that collaborated on the production, Pfizer and Medivation, haven’t given up completely on the drug. They are continuing with four more studies that combine Dimebon with other drugs, as well as one study that is investigating ... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3331373 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:00:54 +0100 3331373 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3335585&cid=t_299694_155_f&fid=38409&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneuropathologyblog.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F03%2Funusual-cadasil-case-or-something-else.html I recently did a brain autopsy on a 70-year-old woman who died from an intraparenchymal brain hemorrhage after a seven-year history of progressive dementia. The gross photograph (provided by Chad Jeffers, Memorial Medical Center, Springfield, IL)  follows:I know what you're thinking: an amyloid angiopathic bleed, or perhaps a hypertensive bleed, in a patient with Alzheimer disease. That's what I was thinking until I saw in the chart that abnormal white matter changes on MRI prompted the neurologist to order Notch3 genetic testing on the patient, which surprisingly came back positive for a mutation. The patient therefore carried a clinical diagnosis of Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL), despite the fact that she had no ... neuropathology blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3335585 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:02:00 +0100 3335585 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3331628&cid=t_299694_155_f&fid=38409&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneuropathologyblog.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F03%2Funusual-cadasil-case-or-something-else.html I recently did a brain autopsy on a 70-year-old woman who died from an intraparenchymal brain hemorrhage after a seven-year history of progressive dementia. The gross photograph (provided by Chad Jeffers, Memorial Medical Center, Springfield, IL)  follows:I know what you're thinking: an amyloid angiopathic bleed, or perhaps a hypertensive bleed, in a patient with Alzheimer disease. That's what I was thinking until I saw in the chart that abnormal white matter changes on MRI prompted the neurologist to order Notch3 genetic testing on the patient, which surprisingly came back positive for a mutation. The patient therefore carried a clinical diagnosis of Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL), despite the fact that she had no ... neuropathology blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3331628 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:02:00 +0100 3331628 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3331268&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FXIxOi4YQ_f0%2F Bad news on the Alzheimer’s drug development front: Pfizer and Medivation announced negative results from a large late-stage trial of Dimebon, thought to be a promising treatment more potent than those currently on the market. Dimebon, you may remember, got its start a quarter-century ago as a Russian cold medicine that Pfizer plunked down $225 million for licensing rights in 2008. The deal also included potential milestone payments of as much as $500 million. The drug, considered to be the compound furthest along of those in development to treat Alzheimer’s, had shown impressive effects in a trial 183 Russian patients. But scientists in the field have questioned the small size of the study and the whether the findings could be applied to other populations since it was conducte... WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3331268 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:42:27 +0100 3331268 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3216557&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2F_qXCXplcnOg%2F Pfizer gave its first pipeline update since it took over Wyeth in October. Bottom line: The company now has has about 500 products somewhere along the path between early-stage human trials and registration, down from about an initial 600 in the combined company’s pipeline. The company also announced it had dropped its bid to combine its Lyrica pain medication with other treatment for generalized anxiety disorder. Lyrica is already approved for fibromyalgia. Pfizer recently failed to win FDA approval to use Lyrica as a stand-alone treatment for generalized anxiety disorder. The drug maker is targeting six research areas for the post-merger company: oncology; pain; inflammation; Alzheimer’s disease; psychoses; and diabetes. It said that 70% of Pfizer’s research projects a... WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3216557 Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:37:14 +0100 3216557 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3185298&cid=t_299694_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fhealthbolt%2Fduh-study-lost-thoughts-alzheimers%2F This isn’t to make light of memory loss, but it is really a surprise to learn that “cognitive fluctuations, or episodes when train of thought temporarily is lost, are more likely to occur in older persons who are developing Alzheimer’s disease than in their healthy peers”? This was the finding of a study by researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine and the results were published in the most recent issue of the journal Neurology. Everyone experiences memory lapses, so having them doesn’t mean that you have Alzheimer’s, but the lapses, staring into space, and daytime sleepiness are found more often in people who are developing Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers studied 511 seniors who were on average about 78 years old. The study... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3185298 Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:23:01 +0100 3185298 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3142802&cid=t_299694_137_f&fid=35426&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fv%2FMpHkT1zudTY%26rel%3D0%26color1%3D0xb1b1b1%26color2%3D0xcfcfcf%26hl%3Den_US%26feature%3Dplayer_embedded%26fs%3D1 Sooner or later, you gotta say, it doesn't matter whether you win or lose -- as long as you win. Take that Alzheimer's..... By Bob DeMarco I believe many Alzheimer's caregivers are like me on this one. I try to buy my mother the things she liked before she started suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Granted she doesn't show the same enthusiasm for the gifts like she did in days gone by. This can be disconcerting. I like to buy her flowers and I do so every week. Wonder why I didn't do that for my x-wife? Hmm, file that away for future reference. Sometimes when I give the flowers to my mother she says thank you, some times she doesn't. Sometimes she looks very happy, sometimes she doesn't. And now the story begins. Often she will take long stem flowers and start hacking away at them ... Alzheimer's Reading Room, The blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3142802 Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:41:31 +0100 3142802 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3142803&cid=t_299694_137_f&fid=35426&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheAlzheimersReadingRoom%2F%7E3%2FBr7mwQvOO48%2Fnashville-man-with-alzheimers-wanders.html Wandering is not something to be taken lightly.....By Bob DeMarco Once again I am reminded about the good works of Rose Lamatt. Rose was concerned about a woman in her town that she noticed wandering around aimlessly -- Mrs J. The family didn't seem concerned, so Rose took action. At the time, Rose was concerned that Mrs J would wander off into the woods and that something terrible would happen. Nashville police say an 81-year-old man with Alzheimer's disease froze to death after he wandered outside in bitter cold weather. Officers said the body of John Anderson was found lying under a tree Monday morning in his yard. No foul play is suspected. Anderson's wife said she put him to bed about 10 p.m. Sunday. The overnight low in Nashville was 12 degrees.Wandering is not something to be... Alzheimer's Reading Room, The blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3142803 Tue, 05 Jan 2010 04:48:56 +0100 3142803 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3142804&cid=t_299694_137_f&fid=35426&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheAlzheimersReadingRoom%2F%7E3%2F7avZttEuHU0%2Fi-remember-you.html by Max Wallack I remember you. We were sweet friends, No, loyal family. We shared and trusted Each shiny day for a novel adventure. I remember you. You look familiar. I see you in my disheveled mind. Is it really you? How can I be sure? Dark shadows creep across your face. But I think I know you. Why do you look so evil? Your sweaty hands are grasping claws To snatch away my puzzled mind. Don't hurt me. Let me escape The cackling demons pursuing me. Their fiery breath Burns holes in my memory. Your eyes stare, glacial and fiendish. I feel the stench of your wrath. Don't chisel at mind. At least, Leave my soul intact. Come no closer. I tremble and quake As the paleness of death surrounds me. I think I remember you, But who am I? Max Wallack is a student at Boston University Academy.... Alzheimer's Reading Room, The blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3142804 Tue, 05 Jan 2010 02:56:40 +0100 3142804