http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/alzheimer's/ Learn about Alzheimer's Disease symptoms such as memory loss and senile dementia. Find out about the treatments and causes, as well as the stages of Alzheimer's Disease and dementia. en-us Thu, 22 May 2008 14:05:01 EDT Thu, 22 May 2008 14:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/alzheimer's/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080516094455.htm Researchers have shown, in unprecedented detail, how a small molecule is able to selectively take apart abnormally folded protein fibers connected to Alzheimer's disease and prion diseases. Finding a way to dismantle misfolded proteins has implications for new treatments for a host of neurodegenerative diseases. Tue, 20 May 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080516094455.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080519105045.htm A new vaccine prevents the development of Alzheimer's disease-like pathology in mice without causing inflammation or significant side effects. Vaccinated mice generated an immune response to the protein known as amyloid-beta peptide, which accumulates in what are called "amyloid plaques" in brains of people with Alzheimer's. The vaccinated mice demonstrated normal learning skills and functioning memory in spite of being genetically designed to develop an aggressive form of the disease. Mon, 19 May 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080519105045.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080515092624.htm Studies with non-human primates have made major contributions to our understanding of the brain and will continue to be an important, if small, part of neuroscience research, according to a recent review. Sat, 17 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080515092624.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080514173610.htm Researchers have discovered the first conclusive evidence of Alzheimer's-like neurofibrillary brain tangles in an aged nonhuman primate. They also discovered deposits of beta-amyloid protein in plaques and blood vessels of the chimp's brain tissue, although these changes were infrequent compared to Alzheimer's in humans. The finding could move the scientific community closer to understanding why age-related neurodegenerative diseases are uniquely human and seem to never fully manifest in other species, including our closest evolutionary relative, the chimpanzee. Thu, 15 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080514173610.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080514113704.htm The genetic profile of two large Georgia families with high rates of late-onset Alzheimer's disease points to a gene that may cause the disease, researchers say. Thu, 15 May 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080514113704.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512163845.htm The anti-inflammatory drugs naproxen and celecoxib do not appear to improve cognitive function in older adults with a family history of Alzheimer's disease, and naproxen may have a slightly detrimental effect, according to a new article. Wed, 14 May 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512163845.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512170723.htm In an important step toward demystifying the role protein clumps play in the development of neurodegenerative disease, researchers have created a stunning three-dimensional picture of an Alzheimer's peptide aggregate using electron microscopy. Researchers have shown -- for the first time -- how A-beta peptide, found in the brains of Alzheimer's patients, forms a spaghetti-like protein mass called an amyloid fibril. Tue, 13 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512170723.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512085046.htm Forms of early-onset Alzheimer's disease are known to be hereditary, caused by single point mutations. Now, using sophisticated computer simulations, a team of physical chemists have shown precisely how the substitution of one amino acid for one that is very similar causes a subtle change in the shape of a peptide and tips a very delicate chemical balance, creating build-up of the toxic by-products and finally resulting in catastrophic disease. Mon, 12 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512085046.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080509145457.htm Researchers have discovered how an antibiotic works to modulate the activity of a neurotransmitter that regulates brain functions, which eventually could lead to therapies to treat Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, epilepsy, stroke, dementia and malignant gliomas. Mon, 12 May 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080509145457.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508122517.htm Neuroscientists have discovered that mice lacking an enzyme that contributes to Alzheimer disease exhibit a number of schizophrenia-like behaviors. The finding raises the possibility that this enzyme may participate in the development of schizophrenia and related psychiatric disorders and therefore may provide a new target for developing therapies. Fri, 09 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508122517.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507083934.htm In a new study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers have determined in mouse models that modulating the activity of enkephalin peptides in the brain might reduce the cognitive deficits seen in Alzheimer's disease. Thu, 08 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507083934.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507105646.htm A new study in mice suggests molecules in plants may have beneficial effects on Alzheimer's disease. Researchers administered molecules called flavonoids, which are found in certain fruits and vegetables, to a mouse model genetically programmed to develop Alzheimer's disease. Thu, 08 May 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507105646.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507105556.htm Obesity may increase adults' risk for having dementia. Obesity increases the risk of dementia in general by 42 percent, Alzheimer's by 80 percent and vascular dementia by 73 percent. Being underweight increases the general dementia risk by 36 percent. But researchers who carried out an international review of research since 1995 found no elevated risk in people who were normal or overweight. Wed, 07 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507105556.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505162909.htm People with shorter arms and legs may be at a higher risk for developing dementia later in life compared to people with longer arms and legs, according to a new studyin the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Researchers say the association between short limbs and dementia risk may be due to poor nutrition in early life, which can affect limb growth. Tue, 06 May 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505162909.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505162913.htm Long-term use of ibuprofen and other drugs commonly used for aches and pains was associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study. Previous studies have shown conflicting results, but this is the longest study of its kind. Tue, 06 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505162913.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080430201645.htm The risks of developing Alzheimer's disease differ between the sexes, with stroke in men, and depression in women, critical factors, suggests research published ahead of print in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry. Fri, 02 May 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080430201645.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080430125254.htm Diabetic individuals have a significantly higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease but the molecular connection between the two remains unexplained. Now, researchers have identified the probable molecular basis for the diabetes -- Alzheimer's interaction. Fri, 02 May 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080430125254.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080430134230.htm Older nursing home residents who took medications for dementia and incontinence at the same time had a 50 percent faster decline in function than those who were being treated only for dementia, according to a study from researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and colleagues. Fri, 02 May 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080430134230.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428093000.htm A new drug discovery tool has been developed for Alzheimer's disease. An abnormal form of tau protein, as it occurs in Alzheimer's disease, can now be produced in very simple cell models. Tau proteins are a family of neuron-specific proteins believed to play an important role in the organization of the skeleton of nerve cells. Tue, 29 Apr 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428093000.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080423171537.htm The location of protein-destroying "machines" in nerve cells in the brain may play an important role in how memories are formed -- a finding with potential implications for treating Alzheimer's and other brain diseases. Fri, 25 Apr 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080423171537.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080425123402.htm In studies of human brain cells, the widely-used anesthetic desflurane does not contribute to increased production of amyloid-beta protein; however, when combined with low oxygen conditions, it can produce more of this Alzheimer's associated protein. Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080425123402.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422112946.htm According to estimates there are 85,000 Alzheimer patients in Belgium and approximately 20,000 new cases every year. This spectacular increase is due to the increasing aging population. Unfortunately it is still unclear precisely which aging process forms the basis of this spectacular rise in the occurrence of the disease. Scientists have now discovered an important molecular link between Alzheimer's disease and the development of the typical plaques in the brains of Alzheimer patients. Wed, 23 Apr 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422112946.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422172624.htm Unexpected findings suggest need for alternate therapeutic approaches, different animal models for future research. One of the characteristics of the brain of people with Alzheimer disease (AD) is the presence of tangles, insoluble twisted fibers that build up inside the nerve cells of the brain resulting in malfunctions in communication between nerves and later in their death. A new study finds that the Pin1 enzyme, previously shown to be of benefit in "detangling" tau in Alzheimer's disease, actually has the contradictory effect in cases in which the tau has certain mutations. Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422172624.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080416152000.htm When it comes to remembering things, new research shows men are more likely than women to have mild cognitive impairment, the transition stage before dementia. Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080416152000.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080415194438.htm People with Alzheimer's disease who take vitamin E appear to live longer than those who don't take vitamin E, according to new research. The study found people who took vitamin E, with or without a cholinesterase inhibitor, were 26 percent less likely to die than people who didn't take vitamin E. Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080415194438.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080415154223.htm From autopsies, researchers have long known that some people die with sharp minds and perfect memories, but their brains riddled with the plaques and tangles of Alzheimer's disease. New research shows that those people have a larger part of the brain called the hippocampus. Thu, 17 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080415154223.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080416081636.htm Heavy drinkers and heavy smokers develop Alzheimer's disease years earlier than people with Alzheimer's who do not drink or smoke heavily, according to new research. Wed, 16 Apr 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080416081636.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080416081641.htm People with high cholesterol in their early 40s are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than those with low cholesterol. A new study found people with total cholesterol levels between 249 and 500 milligrams were one-and-a-half times more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than those people with cholesterol levels of less than 198 milligrams. Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080416081641.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080410115326.htm Wine may protect against dementia. A study looked at 1,458 women over a long period of time. After 34 years, 162 women had been diagnosed with dementia. The results show that among those women who reported that they drank wine a considerably lower proportion suffered from dementia, whereas this correlation was not found among those who had reported that they regularly drank beer or liquor. Sun, 13 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080410115326.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080409114625.htm High cholesterol levels are considered to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease including stroke. Therefore, many cholesterol lowering drugs have been developed by pharmaceutical companies in recent years. One class of these drugs, statins, has been found to reduce the incidence of stroke and progression of Alzheimer's disease when prophylactically administered. Sat, 12 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080409114625.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080409120612.htm The ability of brain cells to communicate and to take in substances from their surface is essential to the production of a key ingredient in Alzheimer's brain plaques, neuroscientists have learned. Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080409120612.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080409170343.htm Men who develop diabetes in mid-life appear to significantly increase their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, according to a long-term study in Neurology. Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080409170343.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080407162400.htm People who have had depression are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than people who have never had depression, according to a new study. The study involved 486 people age 60 to 90 who had no dementia. Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080407162400.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080407160731.htm A new study supports the idea that depression is truly a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease rather than a subtle early sign of its underlying pathology. The study found no evidence of an increase in depressive symptoms during the prodromal phase before the clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Thu, 10 Apr 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080407160731.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080406153401.htm Alzheimer's disease may be what most people fear as they grow older, but autopsy data from a long-range study of 3,400 men and women in the Seattle region found that the brains of a third of those who had become demented before death showed evidence of small vessel damage: the type of small, cumulative injury that can come from hypertension or diabetes. Wed, 09 Apr 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080406153401.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080406080210.htm As the major source of free radicals in cells, mitochondria contribute to the high levels of oxidative stress believed to play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Now a study demonstrates that estrogen reduces this oxidative stress caused by the mitochondria while increasing the ability of the mitochondria to generate energy -- important since there is usually an energy deficit in the Alzheimer brain. Wed, 09 Apr 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080406080210.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080404125354.htm An innovative discovery has been reported that highlights the problems that oxidative stress resulting from iron cumulated in the human brain can generate in relation with the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, the brain disorder affecting almost 30 million throughout the world. Tue, 08 Apr 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080404125354.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080407074544.htm A new blood test that can give an early diagnosis of neurodegenerative disease and distinguish between Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease could be launched this summer. Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080407074544.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080402211731.htm Mild cognitive impairment -- a state between the normal forgetfulness that comes with aging and the more pronounced thinking deficits of dementia -- often progresses to Alzheimer's disease, but some people remain stable and others recover. New technology is improving the ability to determine who might fall into each category. Sun, 06 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080402211731.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080404125358.htm A promising vaccine being tested for Alzheimer's disease does what it is designed to do -- clear beta-amyloid plaques from the brain -- but it does not seem to help restore lost learning and memory abilities, according to a new study. Sat, 05 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080404125358.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080402194407.htm A daily dose of caffeine blocks the disruptive effects of high cholesterol that scientists have linked to Alzheimer's disease. The caffeine equivalent of just one cup of coffee a day could protect the blood-brain barrier from damage that occurred with a high-fat diet. Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080402194407.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080331165045.htm New research shows cerebral microbleeds, which are lesions in the brain, are more common in people over 60 than previously thought. Cerebral microbleeds are lesions that can be seen on brain scans, such as an MRI brain scan. The lesions are deposits of iron from red blood cells that have presumably leaked out of small brain vessels. Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080331165045.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080331223830.htm Results of a randomized trial show no benefit in cognitive or neuropsychiatric outcomes from continuing neuroleptic drugs in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Almost all older dementia patients will have some neuropsychiatric symptoms. These symptoms can include agitation, aggression, and psychosis. Neuroleptics (sometimes called antipsychotics) are the class of drugs often used to manage or control neuropsychiatric problems, but there have been questions about their safety and appropriateness. Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080331223830.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080326114855.htm A groundbreaking study in the journal Brain confirms that Pittsburgh Compound-B binds to the telltale beta-amyloid deposits found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease. The finding is a significant step toward enabling clinicians to provide a definitive diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in living patients. Fri, 28 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080326114855.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080326134531.htm A novel strategy based on targeted immune suppression using human umbilical cord blood cells may improve the pathology and cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease, based on the results of a study in a mouse model of this currently untreatable neurodegenerative condition, as described in a groundbreaking report in Stem Cells and Development. Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080326134531.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080326161721.htm People with larger stomachs in their 40s are more likely to have dementia when they reach their 70s, according to a new study. Those who were overweight and had a large belly were 2.3 times more likely to develop dementia than people with a normal weight and belly size. Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080326161721.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080317093908.htm Researchers have found a process in the brain that may help explain the link between Alzheimer's and stroke. This finding connects the dots between a peptide called p25 and increased production of amyloid beta. This newly identified p25/cdk5 pathway could explain why the risk of Alzheimer's disease is significantly higher following a stroke. Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080317093908.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318114824.htm Researchers have estimated that one in six women are at risk for developing Alzheimer's disease in their lifetime, while the risk for men is one in ten. Stroke and dementia are the most widely feared age-related neurological diseases, and are also the only neurological disorders listed in the ten leading causes of disease burden. Wed, 19 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318114824.htm