Study: Blood Test Can Predict Alzheimer's Disease

Researchers have developed a blood test that is astonishingly accurate at predicting a healthy individual's likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease.

During the study, the researchers tested the blood of hundreds of healthy people for lipids, a byproduct of DNA and RNA. Five years into the study, 28 of the people they tested had developed Alzheimer's. The researchers examined the lipids of these 28 seniors and found that they had low levels of 10 particular lipids when compared with healthy seniors. To confirm their findings, they then looked at the blood of 54 other people who had Alzheimer's or mild cognitive impairment and found that those individuals also had low levels of the lipids in question.

The test was able to catch Alzheimer's disease before the individual was exhibiting any symptoms, suggesting that the disease begins to develop long before people's memories begin to fail. The lead researcher suggested that perhaps lipid levels start decreasing at the same time that brain cells start dying.

Although a great deal of work still needs to be done, the developers hope the test will one day be available in doctors' offices and replace current testing methods that are often expensive, unreliable, impractical and sometimes risks, such as PET scans and spinal taps. It will likely be quite a while before the test finds its way to physicians as it still needs to be validated by other labs and with larger groups of people.

To learn more, click here.

Study: Common Drugs Can Trigger Alzheimer's

Researchers at Mt. Sinai Medical Center have found that some widely prescribed medications can trigger or slow the progress of Alzheimer's disease.

The researchers looked at 1,600 FDA-approved medications and found that 800 of them reduced amyloid beta accumulation and 240 of them promoted it. Amyloid beta plaques build up in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.

The researchers focused primarily on drugs used to treat cardiovascular conditions. They found that some blood pressure medications, such as propranolol and nicardipine reduce amyloid beta production. Furosemide, on the other hand, had the opposite effect.

To learn more, click here.

Study: Beta Blockers Could Lower Risk of Alzheimer's

A study of 774 elderly Japanese-American men found that those who took beta blockers for high blood pressure were also receiving an additional benefit: a reduced chance of brain changes linked to Alzheimer's disease.

The men whose hypertension was treated with beta blockers showed fewer brain lesions associated with Alzheimer's disease than the men who had not been treated at all for their high blood pressure.

Men who took other blood pressure medication in addition to beta blockers also showed fewer brain abnormalities than the men whose hypertension was untreated, but more than the men whose hypertension was treated with beta blockers alone.

To learn more, click here.

Surgeon Implants "Pacemaker" In Brain of Alzheimer's Patient

In a surgery that was the first of its kind in the U.S., a surgeon at Johns Hopkins implanted a pacemaker-like device in the brain of an Alzheimer's patient in the early stages of the disease.

The device, which has also been used in Parkinson's disease patients, is designed to help boost memory and reverse the mental deterioration of Alzheimer's patients. It provides deep brain stimulation and low-voltage electrical charges.

Approximately 40 Alzheimer's patients are expected to receive the device implant both at Johns Hopkins and other facilities across North America.

To learn more, click here.

Late-Onset Alzheimer's Harder to Detect, Less Aggressive

New research is showing that Alzheimer's disease progresses more slowly in adults over 80. However, this makes it more difficult to detect and treat. Caregivers are less likely to notice the disease developing in the very old because the symptoms may be less apparent at first than they are in other age groups.

The study was performed by researchers at the University of California, who used data compiled by the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative.

To read the study, click here.

HHS Expands Vision on Alzheimer's National Action Plan

Back in January, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it was creating a national action plan against Alzheimer's disease. Now they're offering additional details.

A draft released by the HHS on Wednesday calls for:

• Registries to better direct Alzheimer's patients into clinical trials
• Establishing a national inventory of research investments
• Private partners to work with government officials in formulating evidence-based guidelines for Alzheimer's care
• Creating a national clearinghouse to publicize the above-mentioned guidelines
• Analyzing healthcare entities and accountable care organizations for outcomes among Alzheimer's patients

To read the full draft, click here.

Obama Administration Devotes $130 Million to Alzheimer's Research

As part of its goal to identify a treatment for Alzheimer's disease by 2025, the Obama administration has announced it will devote $50 million to research this year and an additional $80 million in 2013.

The funds will assist the National Institutes of Health in creating a treatment for the disease and better identifying those who are at risk for developing it.

To learn more, click here.

Familial Alzheimer's Could Be Detected 20 Years Before Symptoms Appear

Researchers at the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimers Network have concluded that it might be possible to predict the age at which Alzheimer's disease will appear based on when a person's parent first began exhibiting symptoms of the disease.

Certain types of Alzheimer's disease, known as "familial" strains, are inheritable. In these cases, individuals have gene mutations that make them more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease in middle age.

The researchers hope that this information will allow them to study Alzheimer's progression before symptoms are even visible in the hopes of delaying or preventing future dementia symptoms. By the time dementia symptoms appear, there has already been too much damage to the brain to reverse or prevent additional cognitive dysfunction.

To learn more, click here.

You Might Be Surprised at What Can Contribute to Dementia

Researchers have long known that heart disease, strokes and other conditions that affect the brain and circulatory system can contribute to dementia and Alzheimer's disease - but did you know that poor eyesight could contribute as well? What about bone fractures?

According to an article in in Time, researchers in Canada have linked the development of dementia to more than a dozen additional conditions, including arthritis, bone fractures, incontinence, poor eyesight and hearing, sinus trouble and skin problems. Each of these conditions only increase the risk of dementia by about 3 percent, but that risk adds up if someone has several of the conditions.

To learn more, click here.

Could Asthma Drug Fight Alzheimer's?

A study out of Temple University has found that the asthma drug Zileuton (5-lipoxygenase) helps reduce the formation of beta amyloid, a brain peptide linked to the development of Alzheimer's disease.

The researchers found that 5-lipoxygenase controls the part of the brain responsible for the production of beta amyloid. Alzheimer's specialists measure the levels of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain to determine the severity of Alzheimer's disease.

Since Zileuton is already FDA-approved, the researchers are hopeful that clinical trials involving for new applications of the drug could begin quickly.

To learn more, click here.

Cheers! Senior Drinkers Less Likely to Develop Alzheimer's, Dementia

Here's some news worth raising a glass for - German researchers have found that seniors who consume about two alcoholic drinks per day are at a significantly lower risk of a developing Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Subjects in the study who consumed a moderate amount of alcohol were 40 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease and 30 percent less likely to develop dementia when compared to the non-drinking study participants.

To learn more, click here.

Could Alzheimer's Brain Plaques Actually Start in the Liver?

Scientists at Scripps Research Institute have shared some surprising new findings - they believe it's possible that the brain plaques commonly associated with Alzheimer's disease might actually originate in the liver.

The researchers used mouse models for Alzheimer's disease to evaluate the effect of three different genes on the presence of amyloid-beta plaques in the brain. They discovered that lower gene activity in the liver was associated with greater protection in the brain. Of the three genes, one (Presenilin2) is associated with both greater production of amyloid-beta plaques in the liver and early-onset Alzheimer's disease.

To learn more, click here.

Study: Many Alzheimer's Diagnoses Incorrect

A new study, scheduled to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting in April, found that Alzheimer's disease might not be as prevalent as currently believed.

Researchers reviewed the post-mortem brains of 211 study subjects who were diagnosed with Alzheimer's while alive. Only roughly half of the subjects had brain conditions that are commonly associated with Alzheimer's disease, such as amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Instead, they often had other brain abnormalities, including hippocampal sclerosis and generalized brain atrophy.

The study results have not yet undergone peer review. To learn more, click here.

Congress Passes Bill to Create National Alzheimer's Project

This week, Congress voted unanimously to create a National Alzheimer's Project within the Department of Health and Human Services, the goal of which 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."

Part of the project is the creation of an advisory council of representatives from agencies such as the CDC, NIH, FDA and Department of Veterans Affairs. The council will draft a yearly report on federally funded programs that involve research, treatment, nursing homes and home care. The report will include recommendations on whether to expand or eliminate any of the programs.

To learn more, click here.

Chicago Tribune Article: Latinos Have Unique Alzheimer's Challenges

An article in the Chicago Tribune is shedding light on the unique challenges that Latinos face when given an Alzheimer's disease diagnose.

As a whole, Latinos have an above-average risk of developing Alzheimer's disease because of limited access to medical services and health insurance, low levels of education and income and higher rates of blood pressure and diabetes. There are also cultural stigmas attached to Alzheimer's in the Latino community. For example, some Mexicans from rural areas believe that the disease is punishment for sins committed during a person's youth.

The situation is "a looming but unrecognized public health crisis," according to the Alzheimer's Association. It is predicted that by 2050, Alzheimer's and related dementias could affect 1.3 million older Latinos. The current tally is about 200,000.

To learn more, click here.

November is National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month!

Today, November 1, marks the beginning of National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month. According to the Alzheimer's Association, there are currently more than 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer's disease.

The event was established in 1983 by then-President Ronald Reagan, who called members of the Alzheimer's Association to the White House to sign a proclamation declaring November to be National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month.

To learn more, click here.

Could Two Cups of Apple Juice a Day Help Keep Alzheimer's at Bay?

A new study published in the American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias (AJADD) found that apple juice can help soften the anxiety, agitation and delusions common among people with moderate to advanced Alzheimer's disease.

During the study, institutionalized Alzheimer's patients were given four ounces of apple juice twice a day for a month. After 30 days, caregivers didn't notice any improvement in the patients' dementia symptoms, but they did see improved behavioral and psychotic symptoms. Specifically, there was 27% improvement, mainly in the areas of anxiety, agitation and delusions.

The study's authors say that their results support the use of nutritional-based approaches to help delay the onset of Alzheimer's as well as other dementias.

To view the full study (it's available as a free download for a limited time only) click here.

Study: Alzheimer's Patients Still Recall Emotions

Great news for caregivers and loved ones of people with Alzheimer's disease has come out of the University of Iowa. A new study found that even though patients might not be able to recall a joke or conversation, the warm feelings associated with those experiences can stick around and boost their mood.

These findings could have direct implications for the care that Alzheimer's patients receive, according to Justin Feinstein, the study's lead author. "A simple visit or or phone call from family members might have a lingering positive influence on a patient's happiness even though the patient may quickly forget the visit or phone call," said Feinstein. "On the other hand, routine neglect from staff at nursing homes may leave the patient feeling sad, frustrated and lonely even though the patient can't remember why."

During the study, researchers showed individuals with memory loss clips of happy and sad movies. Even though the participants couldn't recall what they had watched, they still retained the emotion that the clips stirred in them.

To learn more about the study, click here.

Alzheimer's Association: Minorities at Greater Risk

A new report from the Alzheimer's Association revealed that African Americans and Hispanics are at an increased risk of developing the disease. African Americans are about twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's than whites, and Hispanics are about 1.5 times more likely.

The report notes there is no known genetic factor that accounts for these differences. However, health conditions such as high blood pressure, which are prevalent in African American and Hispanic communities, are known to increase Alzheimer's risk.

Interestingly, although African Americans and Hispanics have a higher Alzheimer's rate, they are less likely than whites to have a diagnosis.

The report also includes updated key facts about Alzheimer's disease, including the following:

• 5.3 million people in the United States have Alzheimer's disease
• Alzheimer's in the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S.
• $172 billion is spent annually on Alzheimer's-related costs
• There are 10.9 million unpaid caregivers tending to people with Alzheimer's
• Between 2000 and 2006, Alzheimer's disease deaths increased by 46.1 percent while other causes of death (including stroke, prostate cancer, breast cancer, heart disease and HIV) decreased

To view the report in its entirety, please click here.

Celebrity Recall Might Hold Key to Alzheimer's Risk

Do you remember who starred in True Grit? How about the names of the two men who dressed as women in Some Like It Hot? It turns out this knowledge might come in handy for more than trivia games. New research suggests that knowledge about celebrities might hold a clue in the early detection of Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers at the University of Montreal showed a group of 117 healthy seniors (aged 60 to 91) pictures of 30 celebrities and asked them to recall information about the celebrities, such as name, profession, nationality and biographical information. With the healthy seniors, researchers found that the ability to recall a subject's name decreased over time, but the ability to recall details about a celebrity is less affected.

The same researchers then performed a similar test on seniors who had mild cognitive impairment or the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. In this group, the seniors had an easier time recalling celebrities' names, but they were less able to recall details.

The researchers think that this type of semantic memory test might prove useful in assessing those at risk for dementia and Alzheimer's. Semantic memory is the information that we gather throughout our lives to help us remember and recognize other people.