Alzheimers

Alzheimer's & other dementias

Subjective memory loss may increase risk for MCI & dementia

January, 2010

Healthy older adults reporting subjective cognitive impairment are dramatically more likely to progress to MCI or dementia, and decline significantly faster.

Subjective cognitive impairment (SCI), marked by situations such as when a person recognizes they can't remember a name like they used to or where they recently placed important objects the way they used to, is experienced by between one-quarter and one-half of the population over the age of 65. A seven-year study involving 213 adults (mean age 67) has found that healthy older adults reporting SCI are dramatically more likely to progress to MCI or dementia than those free of SCI (54% vs 15%). Moreover, those who had SCI declined significantly faster.

Reference: 

Reisberg, B. et al. 2010. Outcome over seven years of healthy adults with and without subjective cognitive impairment. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 6 (1), 11-24.

Source: 

Topics: 

tags: 

tags development: 

tags problems: 

Exercise helps prevent, improve MCI

January, 2010

Two large studies have found moderate exercise was associated with a lower risk of developing mild cognitive impairment. A small study suggests women may benefit more than men.

A German study involving nearly 4000 older adults (55+) has found that physical activity significantly reduced the risk of developing mild cognitive impairment over a two-year period. Nearly 14% of those with no physical activity at the start of the study developed cognitive impairment, compared to 6.7% of those with moderate activity, and 5.1% of those with high activity. Moderate activity was defined as less than 3 times a week.

In another report, a study involving 1,324 individuals without dementia found those who reported performing moderate exercise during midlife or late life were significantly less likely to have MCI. Midlife moderate exercise was associated with 39% reduction in the odds of developing MCI, and moderate exercise in late life was associated with a 32% reduction. Light exercise (such as bowling, slow dancing or golfing with a cart) or vigorous exercise (including jogging, skiing and racquetball) were not significantly associated with reduced risk for MCI.

And in a clinical trial involving 33 older adults (55-85) with MCI has found that women who exercised at high intensity levels with an aerobics trainer for 45 to 60 minutes per day, four days per week, significantly improved performance on multiple tests of executive function, compared to those who engaged in low-intensity stretching exercises. The results for men were less significant: high-intensity aerobics was associated only with improved performance on one cognitive task, Trail-making test B, a test of visual attention and task-switching.

Reference: 

Source: 

Topics: 

tags development: 

tags lifestyle: 

tags memworks: 

tags problems: 

Rapamycin rescues memory in Alzheimer's mice

February, 2010

A mouse study found Rapamycin improved learning and memory and reduced Alzheimer's-like damage in the brain.

Rapamycin, a drug that keeps the immune system from attacking transplanted organs, was recently found to extend the life span of aged research mice. Now a study involving genetically engineered mice has found that 10 weeks of taking the drug improved learning and memory and reduced Alzheimer's-like damage in the brain.

Reference: 

Source: 

Topics: 

tags: 

tags development: 

tags problems: 

Damaged protein identified as early biomarker for Alzheimer's

February, 2010

Evidence that levels of damaged tau protein in the cerebrospinal fluid is associated with atrophy in the medial temporal lobe may help diagnose Alzheimer’s early.

A study involving 57 cognitively healthy older adults has found that those who showed decreased memory performance two years later (20 of the 57) had higher baseline levels of phosphorylated tau231 in the cerebrospinal fluid, and more atrophy in the medial temporal lobe. Higher levels of damaged tau protein were associated with reductions in medial temporal lobe gray matter. The finding may be useful in early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.

Reference: 

Source: 

Topics: 

tags development: 

tags problems: 

Hypertension may predict dementia in older adults with particular cognitive deficits

February, 2010

A large five-year study concludes that late-life hypertension doubles the risk of dementia in those with executive dysfunction only (but not for those with memory dysfunction alone or memory and executive dysfunction).

Midlife hypertension has been confirmed as a risk factor for the development of dementia in late life, but there have been conflicting findings about the role of late-life hypertension. Now a five-year study involving 990 older adults (average age 83) with cognitive impairment but no dementia, has found that dementia developed at around the same rate among participants with and without hypertension, among those with memory dysfunction alone and those with both memory and executive dysfunction. However, among patients with executive dysfunction only, presence of hypertension was associated with double the risk of developing dementia (57.7 percent of those with high blood pressure progressed to dementia, vs. 28 percent of those without). The findings suggest that efforts to control to hypertension should be especially targeted to this group.

Reference: 

Source: 

Topics: 

tags development: 

tags problems: 

Predicting the progression of Alzheimer's

February, 2010

A 15-year study concludes that a simple progression rate calculated at the initial visit can reliably identify slow, intermediate and rapid progression.

By following 597 Alzheimer’s patients over 15 years, researchers have determined that a simple progression rate can be calculated at the initial visit, using symptom onset and present performance, and that this can reliably identify slow, intermediate and rapid progression.

Reference: 

[175] Doody, R. S., Pavlik V., Massman P., Rountree S., Darby E., & Chan W.
(2010).  Predicting progression of Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's Research & Therapy. 2(1), 2 - 2.

Full text available at http://alzres.com/content/2/1/2/

Source: 

Topics: 

tags development: 

tags problems: 

Review confirms early diagnosis tool

February, 2010

A comprehensive survey confirms the value of an early diagnostic tool, and provides strong evidence for the central importance of amyloid-beta protein plaques in the development of Alzheimer’s.

A survey of more than 100 studies involving PIB-PET, a diagnostic tool that involves injecting a radiotracer called Pittsburgh compound B into the brain via the bloodstream, and imaging the brain with positron emission tomography (PET), has confirmed its sensitivity in detecting amyloid-beta protein plaques. The tool is not yet commercially available. The study also provides strong evidence supporting the theory that accumulation of amyloid-beta protein plaques in the brain is central to the development of Alzheimer’s. The findings, that amyloid deposits appear to reach a plateau early in the disease course, may explain why Alzheimer's patients have not responded to promising experimental drugs that target amyloid. It may be that they are being administered too late.

Reference: 

Source: 

Topics: 

tags development: 

tags problems: 

Dementia rate in extreme elderly population

February, 2010

Data from The 90+ Study has revealed a sharply increasing incidence rate for dementia, from nearly 13% per year for 90-94, to over 40% in the 100+ age group.

Data from 330 participants in The 90+ Study, of whom 70% were women, has revealed an overall annual incidence rate of 18.2% for dementia, rising from 12.7% per year in the 90-94 age group, to 21.2% in the 95-99 age group and 40.7% per year in the 100+ age group. 60% of the cases were attributed to Alzheimer's disease, 22% vascular dementia, 9% mixed Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia and 9% other/unknown. Unlike previous findings, rates were very similar for men and women.

Reference: 

Source: 

Topics: 

tags development: 

tags problems: 

New test to diagnose early stage Alzheimer's disease

March, 2010

A new test has been developed that measures amyloid-beta oligomers in the cerebrospinal fluid, promising a reliable means of early diagnosis.

A new test has been developed that measures amyloid-beta oligomers in the cerebrospinal fluid, promising a reliable means of early diagnosis. In a comparison of patients with Alzheimer’s, patients with MCI that later developed into Alzheimer’s, and controls, levels of these protein fragments directly correlated with Alzheimer’s, and was more accurate than levels of the more usual amyloid plaques.

Reference: 

Source: 

Topics: 

tags development: 

tags problems: 

New Alzheimer's test offers better opportunities for early detection

March, 2010

A computerized self test (CST) has been developed that is 96% accurate in diagnosing Alzheimer’s and MCI (compared to 71% for the MMSE and 69% for the Mini-Cognitive — tests currently in use).

A computerized self test (CST) has been developed that is 96% accurate in diagnosing Alzheimer’s and MCI-A (compared to 71% for the MMSE and 69% for the Mini-Cognitive — tests currently in use). Moreover, the test accurately classified 91% of the six experimental groups (control, MCI, early Alzheimer's, mild to moderate, moderate to severe, and severe) as compared to 54% for the MMSE and 48% for the Mini-Cog. The brief, interactive online test is designed to be used in the primary care setting, where physicians may not have detailed training in recognizing cognitive impairments.

Reference: 

Dougherty, J.H. Jr. et al. 2010. The Computerized Self Test (CST): An Interactive, Internet Accessible Cognitive Screening Test For Dementia. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 20 (1), 185-195.
The journal article is available at http://iospress.metapress.com/content/a1242x878323454x/fulltext.pdf

Source: 

Topics: 

tags development: 

tags problems: 

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - Alzheimers
Error | About memory

Error

The website encountered an unexpected error. Please try again later.