Minds & eyes: Study shows dementia more common in older adults with vision issues

A new study lends further weight to the idea that vision problems and dementia are linked. In a sample of nearly 3,000 older adults who took vision tests and cognitive tests during home visits, the risk of dementia was much higher among those with eyesight problems – including those who weren’t able to see well even when they were wearing their usual eyeglasses or contact lenses.

AAN Issues Guidance on New Treatments for Early Alzheimer’s Disease

New therapies for early Alzheimer’s disease, monoclonal antibodies that remove amyloid-β plaques in the brain, are bringing hope to people whose lives have been affected by the disease. To help neurologists discuss these therapies with patients and caregivers, the American Academy of Neurology has developed an Emerging Issues in Neurology article, published online on July 26, 2023, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

AI Study Uncovers Olive Oil’s Potential in Combating Alzheimer’s Disease

A recent study has used Artificial Intelligence (AI) to reveal the remarkable potential of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Researchers combined AI technology, chemistry, and omics research to identify specific bioactive compounds in EVOO that show promising effects in treating and preventing AD.

Majority of older adults with cognitive impairment still drive

The majority of older adults with cognitive impairment are still driving, despite concerns raised by caregivers and others, a study finds. Researchers say it’s best for caregivers to start conversations surrounding driving earlier while the care recipient is able to understand and actively participate in the discussion.

Dr. Liana Apostolova is available to comment on new results of a phase III clinical trial of Donanemab, an Alzheimer’s disease medication for patients with early symptoms of the disease.

Liana Apostolova, MD is the associate dean of Alzheimer’s disease research at Indiana University School of Medicine. Dr. Apostolova and others presented results of the phase 3 clinical trial of Donanemab at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. The study, also published…

This eight-armed octopus-like pore detects taste

The neurons in our bodies are dotted with tiny pores that let essential molecules pass in and out of our cells. Neurons need these channels to send the signals that allow us to move, think, and perceive the world around us. Now, structural biologists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have captured never-before-seen images of one of the largest pores in human neurons.

Mount Sinai Participates in $40 Million Multisite Study of Alzheimer’s Disease in Asian Americans and Asian Canadians

Study represents a major milestone toward health equity for underrepresented populations in Alzheimer’s disease research

FAU Receives $11.5 Million Gift to Combat Life-threating Illness, Amyloidosis

Because amyloidosis doesn’t affect a specific organ and can be present throughout the body including the heart, kidneys, liver and brain, unraveling the underlying cause of amyloid fibril creation – a hallmark of this disease – is complex and challenging. A monumental $11.5 million gift from philanthropists Ann and John Wood will enable FAU’s Schmidt College of Medicine to create a game-changing infrastructure using a whole-body approach and multi-disciplinary team.

Addressing disparities in Alzheimer’s disease research

Age-related cognitive decline and the escalating prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease are pressing social challenges as the population of those 65 and older continues to expand. Age is the primary risk factor, but research has shown that social and structural determinants of health play significant roles in the higher incidence of Alzheimer’s among marginalized communities.

UC Irvine to lead multi-institutional study of single-cell vulnerabilities to Alzheimer’s disease

The University of California, Irvine has received a five-year, $10 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to lead a multi-institutional study of specific brain cell vulnerabilities to abnormal tau protein deposits in regions affected in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

Nursing home dementia residents’ care linked to majority presence, UC Irvine-led study finds

The quality of care for nursing home residents with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias is best when they are in the majority, but most facilities also accommodate a heterogeneous population, where specialized staff training is limited, according to a study led by the University of California, Irvine.

Alzheimer’s Drug Development Pipeline: Promising Therapies, Pharma Investment Drive Momentum in Clinical Trials

According to the newly released “Alzheimer’s Disease Drug Development Pipeline: 2023,” there are currently 187 clinical trials in the Alzheimer’s drug development pipeline – the most ever on record. This momentum is driven in part by greater investment from the pharma industry and a bump in biologic therapies – particularly monoclonal antibodies – that were central to the success of both recent FDA-approved drugs.

The annual report spots trends in clinical trial design and outcome measures, and also investigate the types of agents and biological targets that are being pursued.

Brain-Belly Connection: Gut Health May Influence Likelihood of Developing Alzheimer’s

UNLV study pinpoints 10 bacterial groups associated with Alzheimer’s disease, provides new insights into the relationship between gut makeup and dementia.

UC Irvine study shows traffic-related air pollution in Irvine weakens brain function

Researchers from the University of California, Irvine have found that exposure to traffic-related air pollution in Irvine led to memory loss and cognitive decline and triggered neurological pathways associated with the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

FAU and Insightec Partner to Use Focused Ultrasound to Treat Neurological Disorders

This agreement will enable FAU and Insightec to collaborate to advance scientific knowledge about the use of focused ultrasound to treat brain diseases, including Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. By harnessing acoustic energy, Insightec’s innovative technology uses focused ultrasound to treat diseases in different ways.

Sleeping pill reduces levels of Alzheimer’s proteins

Two doses of an FDA-approved sleeping pill reduced levels of Alzheimer’s proteins in a small study of healthy volunteers led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The study hints at the potential of sleep medications to slow or stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, although much more work needs to be done to confirm the viability of such an approach.

Researchers discover how some brain cells transfer material to neurons in mice

A UC Davis study is the first to report on a material transfer mechanism from cells, known as oligodendrocytes, to neurons in the brain of a mouse model. This discovery opens new possibilities for understanding brain maturation and finding treatments for many neurological conditions.

AI can spot early signs of Alzheimer’s in speech patterns, study shows

New technologies that can capture subtle changes in a patient’s voice may help physicians diagnose cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease before symptoms begin to show, according to a UT Southwestern Medical Center researcher who led a study published in the Alzheimer’s Association publication Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring.

IU neuroscientists lead new study laying groundwork for Alzheimer’s disease precision medicine

A 5-year, $41 million study will help researchers better understand the biological pathways underlying Alzheimer’s disease and ultimately create more personalized patient care through the development of a blood test for multiple pathways implicated in the disease – enabling earlier and less-invasive diagnosis.

NIH Grant Will Fund Next Steps of Research on Dance and Brain Health

Wake Forest University and Wake Forest University School of Medicine will receive $3 million over five years from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to help researchers take the next steps in nearly a decade of research that indicates dance can promote cognitive health. The grant funds a new study called IGROOVE that will help researchers determine what kinds of dance, the frequency of the dance classes and what aspects of the dance class – music, social interaction, cognitive challenge – affect fitness, memory and brain health.

10 ways to reduce your risk of dementia

Dementia affects millions of Americans — including nearly one in 10 adults over age 65. While the causes of different dementias vary, a 2020 report from a Lancet commission identified several modifiable risk factors that together account for around 40% of dementia worldwide. Neurologists share how you can reduce your risk for dementia and maintain a healthy brain throughout your life.

Study Suggests Alcohol Consumption Linked to Acceleration of Alzheimer’s Disease

In a new preclinical study, scientists at Wake Forest University School of Medicine showed that even modest amounts of alcohol can accelerate brain atrophy, which is the loss of brain cells, and increase the number of amyloid plaques, which are the accumulation of toxic proteins in Alzheimer’s disease.

Eartest by Eartone Application Detects Dementia Risk by Checking the Hearing of Words in Thai language

The Faculties of Medicine and Science, Chulalongkorn University, in collaboration with University College London (UCL), the United Kingdom, together with industrial partner have developed Eartest by Eartone Application that examines hearing with Thai words processing that the public can use to screen dementia by themselves before consulting physicians to help prevent and reduce future risk of dementia.

UC Irvine School of Medicine associate professor awarded 19th Japan Academy Medal

Kei Igarashi, associate professor of anatomy & neurobiology at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, has been named one of six scholars to win the 19th Japan Academy Medal. Widely considered the academy’s most prestigious award for Japanese researchers under the age of 45 in all fields of science and humanities, it was bestowed on Igarashi in recognition of his discoveries on the neural circuit mechanisms of associative memory and how they are affected by Alzheimer’s disease.

Rutgers to Open Alzheimer’s and Dementia Clinical Research and Treatment Center

Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS) is launching the Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s and Dementia Clinical Research and Treatment Center. Based at the Rutgers Brain Health Institute and scheduled to open in fall 2023, the center will offer research expertise from the institute, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and the Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research as well as facilitate clinical research in Alzheimer’s disease that could result in new medical treatments.

Study finds how our brains turn into smarter disease fighters

Irvine, Calif., Jan. 30, 2023 — Combating Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases by inserting healthy new immune cells into the brain has taken a leap toward reality. Neuroscientists at the University of California, Irvine and the University of Pennsylvania have found a way to safely thwart the brain’s resistance to them, vaulting a key hurdle in the quest.

Chula Medicine Reveals Innovative Detection of Latent Dementia A 10-Year Awareness May delay Alzheimer’s Onset in Elderly

Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Health Science Center, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University has researched a blood test for markers of Alzheimer’s that can give a 10-year warning, so people can be prepared to slow down the development of dementia in old age.

Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation and Harrington Discovery Institute to Support Promising Research to Protect the Alzheimer’s Brain

The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) and Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals in Cleveland have granted an ADDF-Harrington Scholar Award to Christiane Wrann, PhD, DVM, Associate Professor in Medicine at the Cardiovascular Research Center and the McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard Medical School in Boston. Dr. Wrann will receive funding and drug development guidance to help advance her research towards potential new therapies for patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.