The Latest on Alzheimer’s
Behind a dangerous new test approved by the FDA is a new drug by the same company. Meanwhile, new research offers better natural solutions.
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a new test from Eli Lilly & Co that detects the presence of proteins in the brain that have been connected to Alzheimer’s disease.
The test uses a $1,600-per-dose radioactive chemical called Amyvid that tags clumps of a sticky substance called amyloid proteins. Some of these proteins may become prions, that is, misfolded proteins that become toxic, but other amyloid proteins are relatively harmless. The chemical is then detected using a PET scan, a brain imaging technique.
In the October 12 issue of his Second Opinion newsletter, Dr. Robert J. Rowan warns that people who do not show signs of dementia should avoid this test—it’s not reliable. (Click the title to read the rest of the article.)
More on Natural Substances to Combat Alzheimer’s (2010)
More on Natural Substances to Combat Alzheimer’s (2010)
New studies show that other natural substances are also offering big breakthroughs, and the drug industry is trying to jump on the bandwagon with them too.
A biological medication already widely used to treat plaquepsoriasis may be able to slow the accumulation of amyloid plaques in the brain that are the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, a new study has found. The same study found that in older mice with established Alzheimer's, this treatment approach, which suppresses the brain's immune reaction to beta amyloid, brought a marked improvement in cognitive function and may even halt or reverse early signs of Alzheimer's.
We must develop new "languages" to help those with cognitive disorders communicate with us, for they still have much to say. Dr. Potts asserts that people with Alzheimer's disease are still "rich" with thoughts and ideas, but need new channels to express those thoughts and ideas. His father used water colors while others have used music, poetry or dance. Rather than park them in front of a television, we must explore alternative channels of communication that bypass the blocked channels in their brain. Dr. Potts tell us that we must provide the tools that provide an environment that focuses on the person, not the disease, and offer a variety of opportunities for expression that bypass the person's disability.
Harding and his colleagues published their rodent study in the online "Fast Forward" section of the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. The study involved rats treated with scopolamine, which is a chemical that mimics Alzheimer's by interfering with the brain neurotransmitter critical to memory and learning. These rats usually are not expected to learn a new skill, but when treated with this new drug, all rats passed the memory and learning test they were given. Same result, every time," Harding explained. It did not matter whether the rats were given the drug directly into their brains, orally or through an injection.
University of California researchers reported that seniors who stay active on a daily basis have five-percent more gray matter than people who are less active. That translates into a lower risk of Alzheimer's.
Active Lifestyle Conserves Gray Matter, May Ward Off Alzheimer’s
“Virtually all of the physical activities examined in this study are some variation of aerobic physical activity, which we know from other work can improve cerebral blood flow and strengthen neuronal connections,” he said. Additional work needs to be done,” Raji added. “However, our initial results show that brain aging can be alleviated through an active lifestyle.”
CLR01 Effectively Inhibits Synaptotoxicity in Mice with Alzheimer's
And what they've found is encouraging. Using the same compound, which they've dubbed a "molecular tweezer," in a living mouse model of Alzheimer's, the researchers demonstrated for the first time that the compound safely crossed the blood-brain barrier, cleared the existing amyloid-beta and tau aggregates, and also proved to be protective to the neurons' synapses - another target of the disease - which allow cells to communicate with one another.
In a series of stories beginning Dec. 9, the Las Vegas Review-Journal introduces you to some of the Southern Nevadans who live with Alzheimer's disease ---- and to their families, who often provide exhaustive round-the-clock care.
Thus, our study suggests that targeting HDAC6 could be a suitable strategy to ameliorate cognitive decline observed in AD.
New Genetic Mutation May Be a Risk Factor for Alzheimer's Disease
New research has possibly identified another gene that raises an individual's risk for developing Alzheimer's disease. Research was conducted at two separate labs that came to the same conclusion. A mutation to the gene TREM2 interferes in the brain preventing plaque buildup. Plaque buildups are one of the hallmark changes to the brain with Alzheimer's disease.
