http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/alzheimers/ en-us Thu, 3 Dec 2009 14:40:20 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2399291/posts Watertown, MA—Scientists at Boston Biomedical Research Institute (BBRI) and the University of Pennsylvania have found that combining two chemicals, one of which is the green tea component EGCG, can prevent and destroy a variety of protein structures known as amyloids. Amyloids are the primary culprits in fatal brain disorders such as Alzheimer's, Huntington's, and Parkinson's diseases. Their study, published in the current issue of Nature Chemical Biology (December 2009), may ultimately contribute to future therapies for these diseases. "These findings are significant because it is the first time a combination of specific chemicals has successfully destroyed diverse forms of amyloids... Boston Biomedical Research Institute http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2399291/posts#comment Thu, 3 Dec 2009 14:40:20 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2392351/posts The color test is simple. There are 8 screens, and each screen you are given a word and two buttons to choose from. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2392351/posts#comment Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:11:43 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2382598/posts ST. LOUIS -- While too much amyloid beta protein in the brain is linked to the development of Alzheimer's disease, not enough of the protein in healthy brains can cause learning problems and forgetfulness, Saint Louis University scientists have found. The finding could lead to better medications to treat Alzheimer's disease, said John Morley, M.D., director of the division of geriatrics at Saint Louis University and the lead researcher on the study. "This research is very exciting because it causes us to look at amyloid beta protein in a different way," Morley said. "After 20 years of research, what we... Eurekalert http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2382598/posts#comment Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:59:42 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2373376/posts Inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase (statins) are widely used medications for reduction of cholesterol levels. Statin use significantly reduces risk of cardiovascular disease but has also been associated with lower risk of other diseases and conditions, including dementia. However, some reports suggest that statins also have detrimental effects on the brain......Our data suggest that simvastatin and pravastatin differentially affect expression of genes involved in neurodegeneration and that statin-dependent gene expression regulation is cell type specific (excerpted) Journal of Lipid Research http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2373376/posts#comment Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:21:09 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2370400/posts "Embracing Dementia is an excellent resource for families, caregivers, staff, clergy, and counselors! It offers hope and practical help for anyone affected by Alzheimer’s & dementia! It is also available in Large Print edition!" EmbracingDementia.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2370400/posts#comment Sun, 25 Oct 2009 08:44:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2362868/posts A diagnostic compound that allows researchers to look into the brains of Alzheimer's patients will be used for the first time to gauge the effects of an experimental therapy for the disease. Called florbetaben, the diagnostic could also provide important insights into the role of beta amyloid, a protein that accumulates into plaques in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease and has been shown to be toxic to nerve cells. The compound is an 18F-radiolabelled tracer that binds specifically to deposits of beta amyloid, and can be measured using positron emission tomography (PET), a nuclear imaging technique which produces a three-dimensional image of... Chemistry World http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2362868/posts#comment Thu, 15 Oct 2009 07:40:26 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2348561/posts You shouldn't stay up all night worrying about it, but a new study has found a connection between a lack of sleep and a biomolecule thought to be important in the development of Alzheimer's disease. In both humans and mice, levels of a peptide called amyloid-β rise during waking hours and decline during sleep, researchers have found. They also report that sleep-deprived mice are more prone to developing deposits of amyloid-β, called plaques, like those found in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. Although far from proven, the finding suggests that sleep disorders could be a risk factor for Alzheimer's. On... ScienceNOW Daily News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2348561/posts#comment Sat, 26 Sep 2009 01:26:22 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2345883/posts The standard explanation for what causes Alzheimer's is known as the amyloid hypothesis, which posits that the disease results from of an accumulation of the peptide amyloid beta, the toxic protein fragments that deposit in the brain and become the sticky plaques that have defined Alzheimer's for more than 100 years. Billions of dollars are spent yearly targeting this toxic peptide — but what if this is the wrong target? What if the disease begins much earlier, fueled by a natural process? Reporting in the current edition of the journal Neurobiology of Aging, UCLA professor of psychiatry George Bartzokis argues... University of California - Los Angeles http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2345883/posts#comment Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:30:02 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2344621/posts This poem is dedicated to those who suffer from Dementia or Alzheimer's and for family members who find themselves - forgotten. Mum has suffered from Alzheimer's for years and often doesn't not know who I am. If she does, she has no idea when I spoke to her or saw her last. For each week she declines, it's that little bit harder for us all who love her. Medication helps, and she has some good days... Dad lives in the same wing of a nursing home. It's a beautiful place and I'm so glad that Dad can be close by.... TheCypressTimes.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2344621/posts#comment Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:22:29 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2344541/posts WASHINGTON (AP) - More than 35 million people around the world are living with Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia, says the most in-depth attempt yet to assess the brain-destroying illness—and it's an ominous forecast as the population grays. The new count is about 10 percent higher than what scientists had predicted just a few years ago, because earlier research underestimated Alzheimer's growing impact in developing countries. Barring a medical breakthrough, the World Alzheimer Report projects dementia will nearly double every 20 years. By 2050, it will affect a staggering 115.4 million people, the report concludes. Associated Press http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2344541/posts#comment Mon, 21 Sep 2009 04:16:32 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2333608/posts Two potentially key genes linked to the development of Alzheimer's disease have been uncovered by UK researchers. It is the first gene clue to the condition in 16 years and has prompted scientists to rethink their theories on how the disease develops. The genes were pinpointed in a study of 16,000 DNA samples and are known to be implicated in inflammation and cholesterol breakdown. It is hoped the Nature Genetics study will open the way for new treatments. bbc. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2333608/posts#comment Sun, 6 Sep 2009 23:37:15 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2321167/posts NHS Worcestershire ruled that Judith Roe, 74, did not qualify for NHS funding because her condition was a "social" rather than "health" problem, even though she was so ill she could not make a cup of tea and regularly left the stove on. She was forced to sell her £200,000 home to pay her £600-a-week nursing home fees, which would have been funded if she had been categorised correctly. Her son, Richard, 40, urged other families in a similar situation to fight for the care they are entitled to. He said: "The way the health trust behaved was scandalous. It... Telegraph.co.uk http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2321167/posts#comment Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:02:32 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2320373/posts U.S. life expectancy has risen to a new high, now standing at nearly 78 years, the government reported Wednesday. The increase is due mainly to falling death rates in almost all the leading causes of death. The average life expectancy for babies born in 2007 is nearly three months greater than for children born in 2006. The new U.S. data is a preliminary report based on about 90 percent of the death certificates collected in 2007. It comes from the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Life expectancy is the period a... AP http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2320373/posts#comment Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:48:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2314305/posts We previously compared Obamacare to the German Aktion T4, in which "life unworthy of living" was to be eliminated through denial of medical care or even palliatives such as Zyklon B. In fairness to the health care bill HR 3200, of which we downloaded a complete copy, the section on end of life counseling does not mandate or even encourage euthanasia. ...However, Ezekiel Emanuel (Rahm Emanuel's brother, with close ties to Barack Obama) is on written record as advocating denial of "discretionary" medical care to patients with dementia such as Alzheimer's Disease: a position entirely consistent with Germany's Aktion T4... IsraPundit http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2314305/posts#comment Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:45:03 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2306792/posts In experiments with lab mice especially bred to develop symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, University of South Florida (USF) researchers at the Florida Alzheimer's Disease Research Center ADRC gave the aged animals the equivalent of the caffeine in five cups of coffee a day. The results? Their severe memory impairment was reversed. This study, along with other AD research by the same group of scientists, was just published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. Both studies show that caffeine significantly decreased abnormal levels of beta amyloid (the protein linked to AD) in both the brains and blood of lab rodents who... Natural News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2306792/posts#comment Mon, 3 Aug 2009 01:31:50 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2293312/posts Early research findings may lead to new treatments for the diseaseUCLA scientists and colleagues from UC Riverside and the Human BioMolecular Research Institute have found that a form of vitamin D, together with a chemical found in turmeric spice called curcumin, may help stimulate the immune system to clear the brain of amyloid beta, which forms the plaques considered the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. The early research findings, which appear in the July issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, may lead to new approaches in preventing and treating Alzheimer's by utilizing the property of vitamin D3 — a form... University of California - Los Angeles http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2293312/posts#comment Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:52:55 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2290587/posts The Republican chief judge of the Richmond-based federal appeals court has retired suddenly because of illness, giving President Obama another opening to fill on what was once considered the nation's most conservative appellate court. Karen Williams of South Carolina, the first female chief judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, stepped down this week shortly after learning that she was in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, according to her family. Alzheimer's, for which there is no cure, can cause mental deterioration and memory loss. Williams is 57 years old. The 4th Circuit, an influential voice... The Washington Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2290587/posts#comment Sat, 11 Jul 2009 21:55:00 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2288879/posts ScienceDaily (Aug. 18, 2008) — A new study conducted by researchers at Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland shows that a century-old drug, methylene blue, may be able to slow or even cure Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Used at a very low concentration – about the equivalent of a few raindrops in four Olympic-sized swimming pools of water – the drug slows cellular aging and enhances mitochondrial function, potentially allowing those with the diseases to live longer, healthier lives. A paper on the methylene blue study, conducted by Hani Atamna, PhD, and a his team at Children's, was published in... ScienceDaily http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2288879/posts#comment Thu, 9 Jul 2009 15:02:25 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2286772/posts Enlarge Caffeine treatment removed the beta amyloid plaques from the brains of the Alzheimer's mice. Credit: Photo courtesy of Florida Alzheimer's Disease Research Center Coffee drinkers may have another reason to pour that extra cup. When aged mice bred to develop symptoms of Alzheimer's disease were given caffeine - the equivalent of five cups of coffee a day - their memory impairment was reversed, report University of South Florida researchers at the Florida Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. Back-to-back studies published online today in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, show caffeine significantly decreased abnormal levels of the protein linked to... Physorg.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2286772/posts#comment Mon, 6 Jul 2009 21:01:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2286266/posts Scientists have uncovered powerful evidence that caffeine not only helps to stave off the disease but can treat it. They hope soon to follow up the initial results from animal experiments with human patient trials. US neuroscientist Dr Gary Arendash, who led the research, said: "The new findings provide evidence that caffeine could be a viable 'treatment' for established Alzheimer's disease, and not simply a protective strategy. "That's important because caffeine is a safe drug for most people. It easily enters the brain, and it appears to directly affect the disease process." A key aspect of Alzheimer's is sticky clumps... Sky News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2286266/posts#comment Mon, 6 Jul 2009 03:32:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2286254/posts Drinking five cups of coffee a day could reverse memory problems seen in Alzheimer's disease, US scientists say. The Florida research, carried out on mice, also suggested caffeine hampered the production of the protein plaques which are the hallmark of the disease. Previous research has also suggested a protective effect from caffeine. bbc http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2286254/posts#comment Mon, 6 Jul 2009 02:43:22 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2268414/posts The simple test that can spot Alzheimer's in five minutes By JENNY HOPE 10th June 2009 Doctors have devised a memory test which doubles the chances of detecting early dementia. The Test Your Memory (TYM) method is so simple that patients could be taught to do it themselves. It takes just five minutes to carry out and detects 93 per cent of cases of Alzheimer's, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal online. Twice as effective: The Test Your Memory method doubles the chances of detecting early dementia This makes it almost twice as effective as the... Daily Mail (UK) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2268414/posts#comment Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:06:31 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2271178/posts News From The American Chemical Society, May 13, 200919 May 2009    Advance in detecting melamine-adulterated food Researchers in Indiana are reporting an advance toward faster, more sensitive tests for detecting melamine, the substance that killed at least 6 children and sickened 300,000 children in China who drank milk and infant formula adulterated with the substance. The improved tests may ease global concerns about food safety, the researchers say. Their report is scheduled for the May 27 issue of ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a bi-weekly publication. In the new study, Lisa Mauer and colleagues note that tests... The American Chemical Society via Medical News Today http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2271178/posts#comment Sat, 13 Jun 2009 18:53:42 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2267140/posts A shoe-maker and a technology company are teaming up to develop footwear with a built-in GPS device that could help track down "wandering" seniors suffering from Alzheimer's Disease. "The technology will provide the location of the individual wearing the shoes within 9m (30 feet), anywhere on the planet," said Andrew Carle, an assistant professor at George Mason University who served as an advisor on the project. "Sixty per cent of individuals afflicted with Alzheimer's Disease will be involved in a 'critical wandering incident' at least once during the progression of the disease - many more than once," he said. The... news.com.au http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2267140/posts#comment Mon, 8 Jun 2009 14:11:44 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2266736/posts Scientists have discovered how Alzheimer's spreads from one area of the brain to another, paving the way for possible new treatments. Using mice, research found that healthy rodents injected with brain tissue from affected animals went on to develop the same defect themselves. Tau tangles, one of two protein abnormalities found in Alzheimer's patients, were seen to spread through the brains of the injected mice. In Alzheimer's tau tangles form inside nerve cells, first destroying cells critical to memory, before then going on to damage other parts of the brain. Reporting in the journal Nature Cell Biology, the scientists from... Telegraph (U.K.) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2266736/posts#comment Sun, 7 Jun 2009 19:19:24 GMT