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This page shows you the latest news and research items in this category.

Eye Tests May Predict Alzheimer's RiskEye Tests May Predict Alzheimer's Risk
Retinal blood vessel changes may serve as biomarkers for amyloid plaque in the brain, which in turn may signal early stages of Alzheimer's disease, new research shows. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)
Source: Medscape Today Headlines - March 1, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Psychiatry News Source Type: news

Medications May Be Able To Help Slow Buildup Of Amyloid Plaques Linked To Cognitive Decline
Researchers have identified a possible treatment window of several years for plaques in the brain that are thought to cause memory loss in diseases such as Alzheimer's. The Mayo Clinic study is published in the online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. "Our study suggests that plaques in the brain that are linked to a decline in memory and thinking abilities, called beta amyloid, take about 15 years to build up and then plateau," says lead author Clifford Jack, Jr., M.D... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
Source: Health News from Medical News Today - March 1, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Alzheimer's / Dementia Source Type: news

Researchers Identify Possible Treatment Window for Memory Problems
MINNEAPOLIS – Researchers have identified a possible treatment window for plaques in the brain that are thought to cause memory loss in diseases such as Alzheimer's, according to a new study published in the February 27, 2013, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. (Source: American Academy of Neurology)
Source: American Academy of Neurology - February 28, 2013 Category: Medical Law Source Type: news

Scientists map progression of key hallmark of Alzheimer's
Scientists have identified a pattern of how amyloid plaques – a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease – develop. (Source: Alzheimers Society)
Source: Alzheimers Society - February 28, 2013 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: news

Animal Memory Discovery May Lead To Research On Memory Impairment Diseases
If you ask a rat whether it knows how it came to acquire a certain coveted piece of chocolate, Indiana University neuroscientists conclude, the answer is a resounding, "Yes." A study newly published in the journal Current Biology offers the first evidence of source memory in a nonhuman animal... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
Source: Health News from Medical News Today - February 28, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Alzheimer's / Dementia Source Type: news

Sugar-Coated Web-Like Scaffold For Stem Cells Offers Hope For New Therapeutics
Scientists have used sugar-coated scaffolding to move a step closer to the routine use of stem cells in the clinic and unlock their huge potential to cure diseases from Alzheimer's to diabetes. Stem cells have the unique ability to turn into any type of human cell, opening up all sorts of therapeutic possibilities for some of the world's incurable diseases and conditions. The problem facing scientists is how to encourage stem cells to turn into the particular type of cell required to treat a specific disease... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
Source: Health News from Medical News Today - February 28, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Stem Cell Research Source Type: news

Helping Dementia Patients Remember To Eat Well Improves Physical And Mental Health
A new analysis has found that a combination of methods that help patients with dementia remember proper eating habits can improve their physical health and lessen symptoms of depression. Published early online in the Journal of Advanced Nursing, the study indicates that clinicians should consider using this intervention in individuals with dementia who also have poor nutrition and signs of depression. In patients with dementia, poor nutrition or decreased food intake may cause symptoms of depression... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
Source: Health News from Medical News Today - February 28, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Alzheimer's / Dementia Source Type: news

New model could lead to improved treatment for early stage Alzheimer's
(University of Florida) Researchers at the University of Florida and The Johns Hopkins University have developed a line of genetically altered mice that model the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease. This model may help scientists identify new therapies to provide relief to patients who are beginning to experience symptoms. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)
Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science - February 28, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Source Type: news

Imaging Suggests Wide Window for Alzheimer's Tx (CME/CE)
(MedPage Today) -- The biological path to Alzheimer's disease might continue for more than a decade, suggesting a broad window of opportunity for intervention, according to a study of amyloid plaque accumulation. (Source: MedPage Today State Required CME)
Source: MedPage Today State Required CME - February 27, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Mars mission plan launched by US millionaire Dennis Tito
Former rocket scientist, who became the first private space tourist, wants to send two people on a round trip to Mars in 2018A US millionaire who became the first private space tourist has unveiled ambitious plans to send a man and woman – probably a married couple – on a round trip to Mars when planetary alignment allows in 2018.Dennis Tito, 72, a former rocket scientist who made his fortune through investments, said his Mission for America aims to spur a new era of space exploration.Tito, who became the first private space tourist when he paid the Russians $20m (£13m) for a ticket to the International Space Sta...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - February 27, 2013 Category: Science Authors: Ian Sample Tags: The Guardian United States World news Mars Science Space Source Type: news

BBC Concert Orchestra teams up with Alzheimer's Society Singing for the Brain groups to bring music to people living with dementia
BBC Concert Orchestra will join five of Alzheimer’s Society’s regional Singing for the Brain™ groups to engage with people dealing with the impact of dementia through music. (Source: Alzheimers Society)
Source: Alzheimers Society - February 27, 2013 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: news

Chippenham craft event raises over £1,000 for Alzheimer's Society
Susan Tanner, a dedicated member of the Alzheimer's Society North Wiltshire fundraising group, held a successful craft sale event in her home in November 2012 and donated the proceeds. (Source: Alzheimers Society)
Source: Alzheimers Society - February 27, 2013 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: news

Is Dennis Tito planning a manned mission to Mars in 2018?
Tito's Inspiration Mars Foundation will announce audacious plans on Wednesday for a mission to the red planetIn March 2001, Dennis Tito, a US millionnaire, was an unpopular man in some corners of Nasa. Tito, an engineer by training, had offered the Russians $20m for a ride into space. That prompted an outburst from Daniel Goldin, then Nasa administrator. "We don't have time to hand-hold tourists that don't have the proper training," he raged.A month later, Tito blasted off on a Russian Soyuz mission and spent nearly eight days in orbit on the International Space Station. He fell around the planet, looked out the windows, a...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - February 27, 2013 Category: Science Authors: Ian Sample Tags: Blogposts World news guardian.co.uk Mars Science Space Source Type: news

IU discovery on animal memory opens doors to research on memory impairment diseases
(Indiana University) A study newly published in the journal Current Biology offers the first evidence of source memory in a nonhuman animal. The findings have "fascinating implications," said principal investigator Jonathon Crystal, both in evolutionary terms and for future research into the biological underpinnings of memory, as well as the treatment of diseases marked by memory failure such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's, or disorders such as schizophrenia, PTSD and depression. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)
Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science - February 27, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Source Type: news

A 12-week multidomain intervention versus active control to reduce risk of Alzheimer's disease: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
DiscussionThe BBL program is a novel online intervention to reduce the risk of AD in middle-aged adults at risk. The trial is currently under way. It is hypothesized that participants in the intervention arms will make lifestyle changes in several domains, and that this will lead to a reduction in their AD risk profile. We also expect to show that health behavior change is underpinned by changes in psychological determinants of behavior. If successful, the findings will contribute to the development of further dementia risk reduction interventions, and thus contribute to the urgent need to lower dementia risk factors in th...
Source: Trials - February 27, 2013 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Kaarin AnsteyAlex Bahar-FuchsPushpani HerathGeorge RebokNicolas Cherbuin Source Type: research

Mayo Clinic researchers identify possible treatment window for memory problems
(Mayo Clinic) Researchers have identified a possible treatment window of several years for plaques in the brain that are thought to cause memory loss in diseases such as Alzheimer's. The Mayo Clinic study is published in the Feb. 27 online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)
Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science - February 27, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Source Type: news

Medicine: Stem cells guide Alzheimer's drugs
Nature 494, 7438 (2013). doi:10.1038/494404c Neural cells grown from stem cells of patients with Alzheimer's disease could be used to evaluate drugs for subsets of patients.Teams led by Haruhisa Inoue of Kyoto University, and Nobuhisa Iwata of Nagasaki University, both in Japan, generated induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells from (Source: Nature)
Source: Nature - February 27, 2013 Category: Research Tags: Research Highlights Source Type: research

Record numbers of people with dementia in care homes
Eighty per cent of people living in care homes – more than ever thought before - have either dementia or severe memory problems according to a new Alzheimer’s Society report published today. (Source: Alzheimers Society)
Source: Alzheimers Society - February 26, 2013 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: news

Genes Linked To Human Neurological Disorders Discovered In Sea Lamprey Genome
Scientists at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) have identified several genes linked to human neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and spinal cord injury, in the sea lamprey, a vertebrate fish whose whole-genome sequence is reported in the journal Nature Genetics. "This means that we can use the sea lamprey as a powerful model to drive forward our molecular understanding of human neurodegenerative disease and neurological disorders," says Jennifer Morgan of the MBL's Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
Source: Health News from Medical News Today - February 26, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Alzheimer's / Dementia Source Type: news

Minocycline: Far beyond an antibiotic
Summary Minocycline is a second‐generation, semi‐synthetic tetracycline that has been in therapeutic use for over 30 years because of its antibiotic properties against both Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria. It is mainly used in the treatment of acne vulgaris and some sexually transmitted diseases. Recently, it has been reported that tetracyclines can exert a variety of biological actions that are independent of their anti‐microbial activity, including anti‐inflammatory and anti‐apoptotic activities, and inhibition proteolysis, angiogenesis, and tumour metastasis. These findings specifically concern to...
Source: British Journal of Pharmacology - February 26, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: N Garrido‐Mesa, A Zarzuelo, J Gálvez Tags: Review Article Source Type: research

Record Numbers Of People With Dementia In Care Homes
Alzheimer's Society demands low expectations and quality of life must be tackled Eighty per cent of people living in care homes - more than ever thought before - have either dementia or severe memory problems according to a new Alzheimer's Society report published today (Tuesday 26 February 2013). However, while excellent care exists, less than half of these 322,000 people are enjoying a good quality of life. 'Low Expectations' finds evidence of a deep-seated pessimism about life in care homes... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
Source: Health News from Medical News Today - February 25, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Alzheimer's / Dementia Source Type: news

A potent antioxidant small molecule aimed at targeting metal-based oxidative stress in neurodegenerative disorders
Chem. Commun., 2013, Advance ArticleDOI: 10.1039/C2CC36808K, CommunicationKimberly M. Lincoln, Paulina Gonzalez, Timothy E. Richardson, David A. Julovich, Ryker Saunders, James W. Simpkins, Kayla N. GreenConversion of 1 to 2 results in enhanced antioxidant and radical scavenging capacity thus encouraging applications for neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.To cite this article before page numbers are assigned, use the DOI form of citation above.The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry (Source: RSC - Chem. Commun. latest articles)
Source: RSC - Chem. Commun. latest articles - February 25, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Kimberly M. Lincoln Source Type: research

Brian Entwistle: Husband of Alzheimer's victim has been 'banned from seeing his wife for years in care home'
Brian Entwistle, 73, has been refused all access to his wife of 52 years, with police threatening to arrest him on his last attempted visit. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Source: the Mail online | Health - February 25, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Black Santa of Clogher raises £2,200 for the Alzheimer’s Society
Reverend Canon Noel Regan, Rector of St Macartan’s Cathedral was Clogher’s very own Black Santa for a day in December, raising £2,200 in vital funds for the Alzheimer’s Society. (Source: Alzheimers Society)
Source: Alzheimers Society - February 25, 2013 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: news

Gareth and Neill - 2 athletes, 2 challenges, 4 charities
Gareth and Neill from Belfast will take on the 320km Ireland Coast to Coast Race and the Ireman and ½ Ireman Triathlons to raise funds for Alzheimer’s Society, NICHS, NICFC, and Marie Curie Hospice (Source: Alzheimers Society)
Source: Alzheimers Society - February 25, 2013 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: news

Father and son running together for Alzheimer's Society
John Doughty, 59, is a regular volunteer fundraiser from Charvil near Reading, and is competing in the Reading Half Marathon this March in order to raise money for Alzheimer's Society. (Source: Alzheimers Society)
Source: Alzheimers Society - February 25, 2013 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: news

Advances In IPSC Technology Lead To Improved Modeling Of Alzheimer's Disease
Working with a group from Nagasaki University, a research group at the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA) at Japan's Kyoto University has announced in the online publication of Cell Stem Cell that it has successfully modeled Alzheimer's disease (AD) using both familial and sporadic patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and revealed stress phenotypes and differential drug responsiveness associated with intracellular amyloid beta oligomers in AD neurons and astrocytes... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
Source: Health News from Medical News Today - February 25, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Alzheimer's / Dementia Source Type: news

Molecular System Identified That Could Help Develop Treatments For Alzheimer's Disease
Scientists from the University of Southampton have identified the molecular system that contributes to the harmful inflammatory reaction in the brain during neurodegenerative diseases. An important aspect of chronic neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's or prion disease, is the generation of an innate inflammatory reaction within the brain... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
Source: Health News from Medical News Today - February 25, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Alzheimer's / Dementia Source Type: news

For Alzheimer's Caregivers, Patience and Compassion Are Key
Title: For Alzheimer's Caregivers, Patience and Compassion Are KeyCategory: Health NewsCreated: 2/22/2013 12:35:00 PMLast Editorial Review: 2/25/2013 12:00:00 AM (Source: MedicineNet Alzheimer)
Source: MedicineNet Alzheimer - February 25, 2013 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: news

Blood-brain barrier transport of amyloid beta peptides in efflux pump knock-out animals evaluated by in vivo optical imaging
DiscussionAfter appropriate circulation time, the fluorescence concentration in the head ROI measured in vivo was close to background values in both wild-type and Abcb1-KO or Abcg2-KO mice injected with either free dye or scrambled Abeta40-1-Cy5.5. In animals injected with Abeta1-40-Cy5.5, the deficiency in either Abcb1 or Abcg2 resulted in significant increases in fluorescence concentration in the head ROIs 2 hours after injection compared to wild-type animals. Fluorescence decay (elimination rate) over 2--8 hours after injection was similar between wild-type (t1/2 = 1.97 h) and Abcg2-KO (t1/2 = 2.34 h) and was slightly f...
Source: Cerebrospinal Fluid Research - February 25, 2013 Category: Neurology Authors: Wandong ZhangHuaqi XiongDebbie CallaghanHong LiuAimee JonesKe PeiDorothy FatehiEric BrunetteDanica Stanimirovic Source Type: research

Carnosine: can understanding its actions on energy metabolism and protein homeostasis inform its therapeutic potential?
Carnosine, a compound found in meat, has a range of beneficial properties, and may aid in the treatment of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other age-related diseases. This review discusses the mechanisms that could accommodate the uniquely disparate effects of carnosine on cellular activity (Source: Chemistry Central Journal)
Source: Chemistry Central Journal - February 25, 2013 Category: Chemistry Authors: Alan HipkissStephanie CartwrightClare BromleyStephane GrossRoslyn Bill Source Type: research

Memantine‐associated renal impairment in a patient with Alzheimer's disease
(Source: Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences)
Source: Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences - February 25, 2013 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Naoki Horikawa, Hidetaka Yamada, Naohisa Uchimura Tags: Letters to the Editor Source Type: research

CHMP recommends approval of generic memantine products
Source: European Medicines Agency Area: News The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended the granting of a marketing authorisation for the following memantine products for the treatment of patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease: . Memantine LEK (Pharmathen S.A) . Memantine Mylan (Generics (UK) Ltd) . Nemdatine (Actavis Group PTC) These products are all generics of Ebixa®, which has been authorised in the EU since May 2002. Studies have demonstrated the satisfactory quality of these products and th...
Source: NeLM - Mental Health - February 25, 2013 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: news

Exelon (rivastigmine) capsules and oral solution and patches - all strengths - Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Ltd - revised SPC
Source: eMC (electronic Medicines Compendium) Area: Other Library Updates > SPC Changes Section 4.8 Undesirable effects has been updated to include disseminated cutaneous hypersensitivity reactions (frequency not known). Additionally, decreased appetite, urinary incontinence (common), psychomotor hyperactivity (uncommon), erythema, urticaria, vesicles, allergic dermatitis (not known) have been added as additional adverse reactions that have been observed in patients with Alzheimer's dementia using Exelon transdermal patches. Depression has been removed as an adverse reaction experienced by patients with dem...
Source: NeLM - Mental Health - February 25, 2013 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: news

DNMT1 mutation hot spot causes varied phenotypes of HSAN1 with dementia and hearing loss
Conclusion: Clinicians should consider DNMT1 mutations in patients presenting with FTD or primary memory decline who also have sensory neuropathy and hearing loss. Amino acid Tyr495 is a hot spot for HSAN1E, distinct from exon 21 mutations associated with narcolepsy. (Source: Neurology)
Source: Neurology - February 25, 2013 Category: Neurology Authors: Klein, C. J., Bird, T., Ertekin-Taner, N., Lincoln, S., Hjorth, R., Wu, Y., Kwok, J., Mer, G., Dyck, P. J., Nicholson, G. A. Tags: Peripheral neuropathy, Memory, All Neurotology, All Genetics ARTICLE Source Type: research

Physiological genomics analysis for Alzheimer's disease
Viroj WiwanitkitAnnals of Indian Academy of Neurology 2013 16(1):72-74Alzheimer's disease is a common kind of dementia. This disorder can be detected in all countries around the world. This neurological disorder affects millions of population and becomes an important concern in modern neurology. There are many researches on the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Although it has been determined for a long time, there is no clear-cut that this is a case with genetic disorder or not. A physiological genomics is a new application that is useful for track function to genes within the human genome and can be appl...
Source: Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology - February 25, 2013 Category: Neurology Authors: Viroj Wiwanitkit Source Type: research

Changes in painting styles of two artists with Alzheimer's disease.
A substantial body of literature supports the idea that systematic changes can occur in artists' painting styles after the onset of degenerating neurological illnesses like Alzheimer's disease or Fronto-temporal dementia. However, these studies have typically been descriptive and qualitative in their analyses. Our study was motivated to show that quantitative methods can be applied to the neuropsychology of art production and to determine whether there are systematic changes in the art produced by two individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Using the Assessment of Art Attributes which probes 6 formal characteristics (de...
Source: Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts - February 25, 2013 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: van Buren, Benjamin; Bromberger, Bianca; Potts, Daniel; Miller, Bruce; Chatterjee, Anjan Source Type: research

Stability of art preference in frontotemporal dementia.
We examined aesthetic preference for reproductions of paintings among frontotemporal dementia (FTD) patients, in two sessions separated by 2 weeks. The artworks were in three different styles: representational, quasirepresentational, and abstract. Stability of preference for the paintings was equivalent to that shown by a matched group of Alzheimer's disease patients and a group of healthy controls drawn from an earlier study. We expected that preference for representational art would be affected by disruptions in language processes in the FTD group. However, this was not the case and the FTD patients, despite severe langu...
Source: Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts - February 25, 2013 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Halpern, Andrea R.; O'Connor, Margaret G. Source Type: research

Cangene to explore Alzheimer's disease therapies using UBC technology
Canada-based biopharmaceutical company Cangene is planning to use new technology developed at The University of British Columbia (UBC) to advance Alzheimer's disease research. (Source: Drug Development Technology)
Source: Drug Development Technology - February 24, 2013 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: news

The metalloproteases meprin α and meprin β: unique enzymes in inflammation, neurodegeneration, cancer and fibrosis.
Abstract The metalloproteases meprin α and meprin β exhibit structural and functional features that are unique among all extracellular proteases. Although meprins were discovered more than 30 years ago, their precise substrates and physiological roles have been elusive. Both enzymes were originally found to be highly expressed in kidney and intestine, which focused research on these particular tissues and associated pathologies. Only recently it has become evident that meprins exhibit a much broader expression pattern, implicating functions in angiogenesis, cancer, inflammation, fibrosis and neurodegenerative di...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - February 24, 2013 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Broder C, Becker-Pauly C Tags: Biochem J Source Type: research

New Gene Associated With Alzheimer's Plaques Identified In Genome-Wide Imaging Study
A study combining genetic data with brain imaging, designed to identify genes associated with the amyloid plaque deposits found in Alzheimer's disease patients, has not only identified the APOE gene -- long associated with development of Alzheimer's -- but has uncovered an association with a second gene, called BCHE. A national research team, led by scientists at the Indiana University School of Medicine, reported the results of the study in an article in Molecular Psychiatry posted online... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
Source: Health News from Medical News Today - February 24, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Alzheimer's / Dementia Source Type: news

Resveratrol in grapes and wine protects from deafness and Alzheimer's
There's new hope for a natural way to prevent two of the most dreaded conditions that most often hit elders - hearing loss and Alzheimer's disease. According to a new study just published online ahead of print in the journal Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, resveratrol... (Source: NaturalNews.com)
Source: NaturalNews.com - February 24, 2013 Category: Consumer Health Advice Source Type: news

Nutritional Strategies for Frail Older Adults
The objectives of this continuing education article are to analyze the aging process and its effect on the nutritional status of frail older adults; determine how sarcopenia, anorexia, malnutrition, and Alzheimer disease increase the risk for pressure ulcer development and impact the healing process; and to apply evidence-based nutrition guidelines and implement practical solutions for wound healing. (Source: Advances in Skin and Wound Care)
Source: Advances in Skin and Wound Care - February 24, 2013 Category: Dermatology Tags: Features: Clinical Management Extra Source Type: research

MBL scientists find genes linked to human neurological disorders in sea lamprey genome
(Marine Biological Laboratory) Scientists at the Marine Biological Laboratory have identified several genes linked to human neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and spinal cord injury, in the sea lamprey, a vertebrate fish whose whole-genome sequence is reported this week in the journal Nature Genetics. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - February 24, 2013 Category: Biology Source Type: news

Diverging patterns of amyloid deposition and hypometabolism in clinical variants of probable Alzheimer's disease
This study assessed the relationship between amyloid deposition, glucose metabolism and clinical phenotype in Alzheimer’s disease, and investigated how these relate to the involvement of functional networks. The study included 17 patients with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (age at onset <65 years), 12 patients with logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia and 13 patients with posterior cortical atrophy [whole Alzheimer’s disease group: age = 61.5 years (standard deviation 6.5 years), 55% male]. Thirty healthy control subjects [age = 70.8 (3.3) years, 47% male] were also included. Subjects underw...
Source: Brain - February 24, 2013 Category: Neurology Authors: Lehmann, M., Ghosh, P. M., Madison, C., Laforce, R., Corbetta-Rastelli, C., Weiner, M. W., Greicius, M. D., Seeley, W. W., Gorno-Tempini, M. L., Rosen, H. J., Miller, B. L., Jagust, W. J., Rabinovici, G. D. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research

Antedependence models for nonstationary categorical longitudinal data with ignorable missingness: likelihood‐based inference
AbstractTime index‐ordered random variables are said to be antedependent (AD) of order (p1,p2, … ,pn) if the kth variable, conditioned on the pk immediately preceding variables, is independent of all further preceding variables. Inferential methods associated with AD models are well developed for continuous (primarily normal) longitudinal data, but not for categorical longitudinal data. In this article, we develop likelihood‐based inferential procedures for unstructured AD models for categorical longitudinal data. Specifically, we derive maximum likelihood estimators (MLEs) of model parameters; penalized likeliho...
Source: Statistics in Medicine - February 24, 2013 Category: Statistics Authors: Yunlong Xie, Dale L. Zimmerman Tags: Research Article Source Type: research

How to Not Stick Your Foot in Your Mouth
Most of us have had that uncomfortable feeling of, "Ooh, maybe I shouldn't have said that" in response to a diagnosis or health challenge of a family member or friend. Or, perhaps, we should've had that uneasy concern but we were blissfully unaware of our misstep. Several of us who write for the Health Channel at About.com have heard multiple stories of reactions that are good, bad or terrible to readers' life circumstances, and that's resulted in the compilation of "What Not to Say" articles about various topics to help each other avoid the Bad Comment Syndrome. Here are mine about Alzheimer's disease and Dementia: Wha...
Source: About Alzheimers Disease - February 24, 2013 Category: Consumer Health Advice Source Type: news

Multiple biological properties of macelignan and its pharmacological implications.
Abstract Macelignan found in the nutmeg mace of Myristica fragrans obtains increasing attention as a new avenue in treating various diseases. Macelignan has been shown to possess a spectrum of pharmacological activities, including anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-diabetes, and hepatoprotective activities; recently, it has also been shown to have neuroprotective activities. This review summarizes the current research on the biological effects of macelignan derived from M. fragrans, with emphasis on the importance in understanding and treating complex diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's diseas...
Source: Archives of Pharmacal Research - February 24, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Paul S, Hwang JK, Kim HY, Jeon WK, Chung C, Han JS Tags: Arch Pharm Res Source Type: research

A review on cholinesterase inhibitors for Alzheimer's disease.
Abstract Alzheimer's disease (AD), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, is characterized by the deficits in the cholinergic system and deposition of beta amyloid (Aβ) in the form of neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques. Since the cholinergic system plays an important role in the regulation of learning and memory processes, it has been targetted for the design of anti-Alzheimer's drugs. Cholinesterase inhibitors enhance cholinergic transmission directly by inhibiting the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) which hydrolyses acetylcholine. Furthermore, it has been also demonstrated that both acetylcholines...
Source: Archives of Pharmacal Research - February 24, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Anand P, Singh B Tags: Arch Pharm Res Source Type: research

Brain-wide pathway for waste clearance captured by contrast-enhanced MRI
The glymphatic system is a recently defined brain-wide paravascular pathway for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and interstitial fluid (ISF) exchange that facilitates efficient clearance of solutes and waste from the brain. CSF enters the brain along para-arterial channels to exchange with ISF, which is in turn cleared from the brain along para-venous pathways. Because soluble amyloid β clearance depends on glymphatic pathway function, we proposed that failure of this clearance system contributes to amyloid plaque deposition and Alzheimer’s disease progression. Here we provide proof of concept that glymphatic pathwa...
Source: Journal of Clinical Investigation - February 23, 2013 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Jeffrey J. Iliff, Hedok Lee, Mei Yu, Tian Feng, Jean Logan, Maiken Nedergaard, Helene Benveniste Source Type: research