Alzheimer's disease

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New Drug Twice as Effective Against Alzheimer's: Study

Treatment breaks apart protein clusters in brain cells of patients with disease

(Newser) - A new treatment could slow Alzheimer’s patients’ mental decline twice as fast as current drugs, the Chicago Tribune reports. A recent study found that the treatment—a chemical known commercially as “rember” that has been previously used to treat other conditions, and in blue dye—significantly reduces the...

'Pre-Dementia' on the Rise
 'Pre-Dementia' on the Rise
Jul 29, 2008 5:33 AM CDT

'Pre-Dementia' on the Rise

Mild impairment strikes nearly a million elderly a year, especially men

(Newser) - Almost a million Americans each year develop a mild form of memory loss that is often a precursor to Alzheimer's, according to new research. Mild Cognitive Impairment—more serious than normal "senior moments"—was found to be more common in men, the Los Angeles Times reports. Doctors warn...

Don't Talk Down to Alzheimer's Patients: Docs

Trouble communicating leads to frustration, uncooperative behavior

(Newser) - Even after they lose the ability to communicate easily, Alzheimer’s disease patients remain aware of the world around them and know when they're being talked down to, a study shows. Video evidence suggests patients are twice as likely to accept help from caregivers, and to not shut down or...

MRIs Hold Promise of Early Alzheimer's Detection

Brain plaque spotted in rabbits

(Newser) - Researchers are a step closer to early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease using conventional MRI scanners. Plaque associated with Alzheimer's has been detected in rabbits by a team in Canada using MRI equipment, Reuters reports. Currently, the disease is diagnosed based on a series of tests, but a diagnosis can only...

Exercise May Slow Alzheimer's
 Exercise May Slow Alzheimer's 
Jul 15, 2008 8:30 AM CDT

Exercise May Slow Alzheimer's

Study finds fit patients have less brain atrophy

(Newser) - Alzheimer's patients may be able to slow the progression of the disease with exercise, a new study has discovered. Patients who were in poorer physical condition experienced up to four times more brain shrinkage than those who were physically fit, WebMD reports.

Brains Get Noisier as They Age
Brains Get
Noisier as
They Age
Jul 10, 2008 1:36 PM CDT

Brains Get Noisier as They Age

Study finds neural complexity generates more cranial static

(Newser) - Just because you can't hear it doesn't mean your brain isn't making noise. It is, and scientists using high-tech gear to record it have now discovered that it increases as you mature, reports LiveScience. A comparison of noise generated by groups of children and young adults indicates that brain noise,...

High Blood Pressure Linked to Dementia

Risk rockets stunning 600%: study

(Newser) - High blood pressure increases an individual's risk of suffering dementia in old age by an astonishing 600%, reports the Daily Telegraph. The study, conducted in the UK—where 1 in 3 people have high blood pressure by middle age—found that hypertension increased the incidence of vascular dementia. The second...

Study IDs Plaque Linked to Alzheimer's

Scientist uncover key clue to cause of illness

(Newser) - Researchers have triggered Alzheimer's disease in rats by injecting them with a particular type of sticky plaque found in the brains of human dementia patients, AP reports. Only one of three different types of plaques found in elderly brains sparked the disease—compelling evidence that scientists may have narrowed down...

Alzheimer's Drug Shows Some Promise
Alzheimer's Drug Shows Some Promise
Jun 17, 2008 6:10 PM CDT

Alzheimer's Drug Shows Some Promise

Bapineuzumab could be a blockbuster if it passes final trials

(Newser) - A drug currently in experimental trials seems to be effective in battling Alzheimer's disease, the pharmaceutical companies developing it tell the Wall Street Journal. Bapineuzumab—developed by Elan and Wyeth—seems to be helpful in improving cognitive ability in those stricken by the disease, though much more so in patients...

Light May Slow Dementia
 Light May
 Slow Dementia 
Jun 11, 2008 11:53 AM CDT

Light May Slow Dementia

Brighter environs cut depression in research hailed as 'spectacular'

(Newser) - Brighter daytime lighting can significantly soften dementia symptoms, according to a Dutch study that found better moods and sleep patterns correlated with brighter environs. Combined with extra doses of the hormone melatonin, lighting slowed onset of symptoms by up to 5%, which “may not sound like a huge amount,...

Dementia Sufferers Get Unusual Help

Fake bus stops give restless elderly patients a destination

(Newser) - German retirement homes have found a new way to help patients: building fake bus stops. Dementia sufferers who insist they have somewhere to go now have a destination, giving them a sense of control. That helps calm them, even if they forget where they're "going" after spending some time...

Antipsychotic Drugs Triple Health Risks in Elderly

Dementia research finds even brief use is dangerous

(Newser) - Elderly dementia patients given antipsychotic drugs, even briefly, are three times as likely to end up hospitalized or dead within a month, new research has found. The study looked at 40,000 elderly Canadians, half of them in nursing homes, and found that the drugs increased the risk of...

'Family Circus' Mommy Dies at 82
'Family Circus'
Mommy
Dies at 82
May 26, 2008 2:42 AM CDT

'Family Circus' Mommy Dies at 82

Real-life mom inspired long-running cartoon character

(Newser) - The inspiration for the mom in the popular Family Circus cartoon has died at the age of 82 of Alzheimer's disease. Thelma Keane was the wife of cartoonist Bil Keane, who based the long-running strip of domestic hilarity on the couple's experience raising five children, reports the Arizona Republic. "...

Ibuprofen Cuts Alzheimer's Risk: Study

Anti-inflammatory drugs reduced risk 40%, but experts sound note of caution

(Newser) - Long-term use of ibuprofen and some similar drugs cut the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, according to new research. The study found the drugs cut the risk of dementia by more than 40%, WebMD reports. Doctors warn, however, that such medications can have serious side effects and that it 's...

Depression Linked to Alzheimer's

Those prone to the blues may also be prone to dementia

(Newser) - Nearly 50% of Alzheimer's patients also suffer from depression, and new studies suggest the depression came first, WebMD reports. Researchers found that elderly people with a history of depression were much more likely to develop dementia. The findings give greater urgency to early treatment for depression, experts warn.

Blood Test May Predict Dementia 6 Years Early

Some worry over boost in insurance costs; others want wider study

(Newser) - A new blood test can warn of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases six years before symptoms appear, its makers say. The assessment, set to launch this summer, could allow patients to begin fighting the ailments early with through dietary changes, exercise and drugs, the Daily Mail reports. But some...

A Coffee a Day May Keep Dementia Away: Study

Daily caffeine helps protect the brain from damaging cholesterol

(Newser) - A daily fix of caffeine helps shield the brain from the damaging effects of cholesterol, which is apparently the way coffee helps reduce the risk of dementia, new research suggests. The "blood-brain barrier" protects the brain from toxins in the bloodstream, but scientists have discovered that cholesterol makes it...

Big Bellies Raise Risk of Alzheimer's

Those in their 40s better trim down, study suggests

(Newser) - People who have big bellies in middle age have a much greater risk of getting Alzheimer's or dementia as senior citizens, a new study says. The bigger the belly, the bigger the risk, reports the Washington Post. The findings raise more concern about America's expanding waist lines and offer more...

Mental Decline Strikes 1/3 of Seniors
Mental Decline Strikes 1/3
of Seniors
Mar 18, 2008 12:53 PM CDT

Mental Decline Strikes 1/3 of Seniors

Alzheimer's will afflict 1 in 8 baby boomers, report projects

(Newser) - Cognitive problems ranging from forgetting what day it is to full-blown dementia are affecting one-third of the nation's seniors, reports a new study by the National Institute on Aging. The report says 22% of those over 71 have mild impairment, added to 16% suffering dementia, the Washington Post reports. An...

Aging Baby Boomers Spur Brain Fitness Industry

Software sales have more than doubled as Boomers look to avoid Alzheimer's

(Newser) - Aging baby boomers, looking for answers on how to avoid—or at least forestall—dementia and Alzheimer’s, are driving the growth of a new industry that uses computer software to help maintain brain fitness, reports Reuters. Sales in the brain stimulation software industry have more than doubled since 2005...

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