My Alzheimers' Resource

New Approach To Screen Individuals For Early Alzheimer’s Disease

admin — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:11:54 +0000

With millions of baby boomers entering late adulthood, the number of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is expected to drastically rise over the next several decades. A team of national researchers, led by Emory University, has developed a rapid screening test to detect mild cognitive impairment (MCI) - often the earliest stage of AD. The findings are published in the online edition of Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

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Bringing Rats And Humans Together In The Study Of Distraction And Inattention

admin — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:11:01 +0000

When picking through a basket of fruit, it doesn’t seem very difficult to recognize a green pear from a green apple. This is easy, thanks to “feature binding” - a process by which our brain combines all of the specific features of an object and gives us a complete and unified picture of it.

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Helping Nursing Home Staff Become Comfortable With Residents’ Sexual Expression

admin — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:11:14 +0000

“Do not disturb” signs aren’t just for newlyweds anymore. They are also a way to give nursing home residents some privacy for sexual expression, according to Kansas State University aging experts. “By law you can’t always lock a room, but you can offer residents some privacy,” said Gayle Doll, who directs K-State’s Center on Aging.

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Gingko Biloba Not Effective Against Alzheimer’s

admin — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:11:11 +0000

A randomized clinical trial involving over 3,000 elderly people in the US found that the popular herbal supplement Gingko biloba fared no better than placebo at preventing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. The research was the work of the Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory (GEM) Study Investigators who are based at centers throughout the US, including the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where lead author Dr Steven T DeKosky, was working at the time of the investigation.

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Governor Proclaims November Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, Kentucky

admin — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 10:11:56 +0000

To bring awareness about a devastating disease that affects thousands of Kentuckians and their families, Gov. Steve Beshear has proclaimed November Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month in Kentucky. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of the brain diseases known as dementia.

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Alzheimer’s Society Comment On The Northwestern University ‘Super Ageing’ Project, Initial Observations

admin — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:11:44 +0000

Dementia is caused by diseases of the brain and robs people of their lives. It is not a natural part of ageing, but age is the biggest risk factor. This small study may be a stepping-stone to further research that helps us understand why some people retain good cognitive function in later life. This research suggests that older people with good memory do not experience the same brain changes that develop in those with poor memory.

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Alzheimer’s Society Comments On New Help The Aged Report, ‘Pain In Older People: Reflections And Experiences From An Older Person’s Perspective’

admin — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 10:11:08 +0000

Three fifths of adults would like to see hospitals and healthcare providers penalised for failing to help older people in pain according to a report released recently. The report also highlighted a lack of confidence in health professionals that can alleviate pain and a dismissal of pain in older people. It is unacceptable that more than half the people polled by Help The Aged felt that health professionals dismiss pain in older people as “old age”.

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Does Growth Hormone Drug Slow Alzheimer’s Disease?

admin — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 04:11:41 +0000

A new study shows that a drug that increases the release of growth hormone failed to slow the rate of progression of Alzheimer’s disease in humans. The new research is published in the November 18, 2008, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Growth hormone is naturally produced in the body and stimulates the release of another hormone called insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1).

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First Secrets Of Sharp Memory In Old Age Revealed By ‘Super-Aged’ Brains

admin — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 03:11:26 +0000

Maybe you have an 85-year-old grandfather who still whips through the newspaper crossword puzzle every morning or a 94-year-old aunt who never forgets a name or a face. They don’t seem to suffer the ravages of memory that beset most people as they age. Researchers at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine wondered if the brains of the elderly with still laser sharp memory — called “super aged” — were somehow different than everyone else’s.

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Substance In Red Grapes And Wine Key To Alzheimer’s Disease

admin — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 04:11:25 +0000

Scientists at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research have figured out why a substance in red grapes and red wine lowers amyloid beta levels that accumulate in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. Medicines targeting amyloid beta that make up the clumps in the hallmark plaques are now in many phases of experimental testing.

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