Research on Alzheimer's disease, from early signs to new therapies. Covers screening tools, brain damage mechanisms, risk factors, sleep, and drug targets.
A new study found that three experimental Alzheimer's blood tests perform differently in Black individuals compared to white individuals, putting Black patients at risk of misdiagnosis and inappropriate medical care. The PrecivityAD test was equally effective across racial groups.
Researchers found that somatic mutations accumulated at a faster rate in Alzheimer's disease patients' brain cells, leading to DNA damage and dysfunction. This discovery provides a window into the molecular events of AD pathogenesis, potentially leading to novel treatments targeting these pathways.
A new study found that people with sleep apnea are more likely to engage in risky driving behaviors such as speeding and hard braking. The researchers monitored the driving habits of 96 older adults under real-world conditions and collected data on over 100,000 trips. They also assessed cognitive impairments and molecular signs of earl...
Researchers from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio have identified 33 genes associated with Alzheimer's disease, doubling the known list. This discovery adds 42 new genetic variants to the existing gene list, shedding light on emerging pathways of Alzheimer's biology and potential treatment targets.
A recent study published in Nature found that people with Alzheimer's have more newly acquired mutations in their neurons, leading to permanent DNA damage. The researchers discovered that reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a key role in this process, which can be triggered by inflammation and immune reactions.
Research reveals that an imbalance in gut microbiota, known as dysbiosis, may contribute to the development and progression of Parkinson's disease. Studies found a direct correlation between gut dysbiosis and Parkinson's, with certain bacteria contributing to protein aggregation and neuronal damage.
Researchers at Einstein Aging Study are investigating how social forces contribute to inequalities in cognitive health, particularly among Black and Hispanic Americans. The new grant will enable the tracking of over 700 Bronx adults with mobile technology to measure cognition directly as they engage in everyday activities.
A study of 118 PPA autopsies found five diseases causing language impairments, each impacting a distinct part of the language network. The findings can inform targeted interventions and treatment approaches for patients with PPA.
Researchers at UCLA have discovered that amyloid fibrils in the brains of patients with frontotemporal degeneration are composed of the protein TMEM106B, not TDP-43 as expected. This finding may lead to new focus on TMEM106B in FTLD and similar brain diseases.
A Baylor College of Medicine study finds that type I interferon is a major driver of memory and cognitive loss in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Blocking IFN reversed these memory and cognitive deficits in the animal model, suggesting that inflammation plays a key role in AD progression.
Researchers found high levels of an enzyme called HDAC9 in healthy neurons, which decline with age and more drastically with Alzheimer's. The study suggests adjusting the enzyme's level may be a potential treatment for both conditions.
The 29th annual CNS meeting will feature scientific talks, posters, and receptions, with a focus on the latest advances in cognitive neuroscience. Registered press members will have access to these sessions, as well as a quiet Press Room, while COVID safety protocols are in place.
Researchers found a clear link between elevated amyloid beta levels and the development of anxiety and apathy in Alzheimer's patients. These symptoms occur mainly due to underlying brain changes, not psychological reactions. The study suggests that psychiatric symptoms could be used as alternative outcome measures in treatment trials.
A cross-racial study of 1.87 million US veterans found significant differences in dementia incidence across five racial groups, with Hispanic and Black veterans at highest risk. Rates were significantly higher for Hispanics (99%) and Blacks (55%), while Asian veterans showed a 24% increase compared to whites.
A new IU training program will focus on social and behavioral science training in Alzheimer's disease, leveraging IU's strengths in aging research infrastructure. The five-year T32 grant aims to grow the pipeline of scientists tackling complex clinical issues.
Researchers found that neuronal ensembles in the amygdala and prefrontal cortex existed before memory acquisition, but developed through experience in the hippocampus. The study also revealed that ensemble synchrony across brain regions was particularly strong during transient bursts of activity, suggesting a role in memory consolidation.
Inhibiting a key signaling pathway in brain-resident immune cells may calm brain inflammation and slow Alzheimer's disease. The NF-κB pathway's activation triggers inflammatory activation of microglia, leading to tau tangle formation and spread.
Researchers found a higher number of small HDL particles in cerebrospinal fluid is associated with better cognitive performance and lower risk for Alzheimer's disease. These particles may play a key role in clearing amyloid beta peptides, which contribute to the disease.
Researchers at UT Health San Antonio have identified a novel mechanism by which tau protein causes neurons to die, which can be altered pharmacologically. This discovery provides a new framework for studying vertebrate models of tauopathy and eventually clinical trials.
A healthy lifestyle is associated with longer life expectancies and reduced time spent living with Alzheimer's. For women and men with a healthy lifestyle, 10.8% (2.6 years) of the remaining years were lived with Alzheimer's, compared to 19.3% (4.1 years).
Researchers have identified a key protein molecule that plays a major role in the accumulation of brain cholesterol, triggering Alzheimer's disease. The peptide inhibitor ATAD3A oligomerization promotes neuropathology and cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease models.
Researchers have discovered that rhesus monkeys can sense their heartbeats, which may help understand interoception and its link to mental health conditions. This finding provides an important model for future psychiatric research.
A study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease Reports suggests that damage to the blood-brain barrier is the determining cause of Alzheimer's disease. The Lipid Invasion Model proposes that lipids entering the brain due to barrier damage lead to brain shrinkage, amyloid plaques, and tau tangles, characteristic of the disease.
A machine learning model has been trained to accurately identify individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by analyzing text data. The model achieved an 80% accuracy rate in distinguishing between those with and without PTSD. This breakthrough could lead to the development of a cost-effective screening tool for health prof...
A new study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found that the Virtual Behavioural Medicine (VBM) program successfully reduced the proportion of patients who needed admission to a specialized inpatient unit by 60%. This suggests that VBM is highly effective for managing severe neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia without p...
A study found a shift in the profile of specialized lipid mediators from pro-resolving to pro-inflammatory in patients with cognitive impairment, correlating with severity of cognition impairment. The researchers identified novel mechanisms of brain health and potential therapeutic targets for slowing down Alzheimer's disease onset.
A new study reveals that firearm retailers and law enforcement agencies in Colorado and Washington support providing temporary, voluntary firearm storage options. The concept aims to increase safety by limiting access to firearms during times of crisis, such as suicidal thoughts or Alzheimer's disease. However, concerns about civil lia...
Research finds that late-onset alcohol abuse may be a presenting symptom of dementia, particularly in patients with frontotemporal dementia. The study identified that up to 7% of patients with frontotemporal dementia started abusing alcohol late in life, and 5% did so as the first symptom of the disease.
A new study found that vitamin K2 supplementation improved spatial memory, learning ability, and reduced evidence of cognitive impairment, depression, and anxiety in rats. The researchers suggest that vitamin K may help preserve cognitive functions by affecting biological pathways involving inflammation and antioxidant activity.
Researchers have discovered 15 genomic loci that either accelerate or decelerate brain aging, offering potential new drug targets to combat Alzheimer's disease and other degenerative brain disorders. The study, led by USC researchers, found overlap with genes involved in depression, schizophrenia, and cognitive functioning.
Researchers have discovered a significant association between acute kidney injury and an increased risk of developing dementia in patients hospitalized with AKI. Early detection and monitoring may lead to improved outcomes for this high-risk population.
A study reveals that Alzheimer's patients experience lethargy due to the degeneration of neurons that keep them awake, not a lack of sleep. Researchers developed a hypothesis that these patients have trouble staying awake and are testing a treatment approach to shut down the system keeping them awake.
A new study reveals that nearly half of all older adults now die with a dementia diagnosis listed on their medical record, a 36% increase from two decades ago. This rise may be attributed to better public awareness, more detailed medical records, and Medicare billing practices, rather than an actual increase in the condition.
A combination of two biomarkers has been found to identify patients with subcortical small-vessel disease, a common cognitive diagnosis. This discovery improves the potential for treatment and medication development for this patient group.
A study of 3.5 million Medicare decedents found the percentage of dementia diagnoses at end-of-life increased from 35% in 2004 to 47% in 2017. This rise may be attributed to heightened awareness and changes in billing practices.
A recent study found that the C/EBPβ/AEP pathway accelerates Alzheimer's disease progression and shortens lifespan. In contrast, deleting this gene or inhibiting AEP increases life expectancy in mice and worms.
Researchers are investigating how gastrointestinal microbes contribute to neurodegeneration and AD progression. They will use quantitative stable isotope probing (qSIP) to analyze bacterial taxa among the GI microbiota of mice modeling certain characteristics of AD.
Researchers developed a novel delirium severity score to assess its impact on patient outcomes. The DEL-S score is associated with longer hospital stays, increased costs, and mortality in older patients with delirium.
A small study of 26 individuals with mild cognitive impairment found that taking SAGE-718 daily improved scores on a common cognitive test by an average of 2.3 points after one month. Participants also showed improvements in daily activities, such as using a computer and managing medications.
A new multimodal eye scanner combining optical coherence tomography (OCT) and Raman spectroscopy enables the detection of molecular information in the internal structure of the eye. This technology aims to detect neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, at an early stage, improving treatment options.
A study published in Nature found that people raised in rural areas outperform those from cities, particularly grid-pattern streets, in navigating spatial environments. This suggests that the simplicity of rural street networks influences navigational abilities.
A new study shows that a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease, sargramostim, improves cognitive function in people with Down syndrome and normal aging mice. The drug reverses learning and memory deficits, nerve cell loss, and brain abnormalities in mouse models of Down syndrome and aging.
Researchers found that high levels of both amyloid and tau proteins impair memory functions, but only when amyloid burden is also high. The study suggests that anti-amyloid therapies may be beneficial in reducing memory impairment in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers at Boston University have developed optoacoustic neurostimulation with single neuron and subcellular level precision. Optoacoustic neuromodulation may offer advantages over ultrasonic neuromodulation, including higher spatial temporal resolution.
Mayo Clinic researchers propose a novel computational model that links Alzheimer's disease symptoms to brain anatomy, revealing a complex relationship between mental processing and brain function. The model uses machine learning to analyze patient brain imaging data and compresses complex brain anatomy into a conceptual framework.
A new study identifies the age-dependent formation of TMEM106B amyloid filaments in human brains, which may not be linked to neurodegenerative diseases. Researchers found these protein structures in older but not younger individuals, suggesting a potential role in aging and other pathologies.
Researchers have identified a blood biomarker called glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) that may uniquely aid prediction of dementia in Mexican Americans. The study analyzed 745 participants over four years, finding that higher levels of GFAP predicted increased risk of developing dementia.
Researchers found that lower HDL cholesterol and high triglyceride levels measured in blood as early as age 35 are associated with a higher incidence of Alzheimer's disease several decades later. High blood glucose measured between ages 51-60 is also linked to risk of AD in the future.
Researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine found that niacin modulates microglia response to amyloid plaques in an Alzheimer's disease animal model. The study identifies a potential novel therapeutic target for the disease, which can be modulated by FDA-approved drugs.
A UCI-led study reveals how a TREM2 gene mutation in brain microglia immune cells can increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease. The research found that blocking excess calcium accumulation may be an effective way to modulate microglia behavior and fight the disease.
The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center has received a five-year, $1.87 million NIH grant to investigate the role of vitamin A depletion in Alzheimer's disease. The research aims to test the hypothesis that a lack of antioxidant all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) promotes reactive oxygen species toxicity.
Researchers at LSU Health New Orleans and Karolinska Institutet found that intranasal application of pro-resolving lipid mediators arrested memory loss and brain degeneration in an experimental Alzheimer's model. This discovery opens up new possibilities for therapeutic interventions for Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers found that targeting astrocytes, an inflammatory cell in the brain, reduces tau-related brain damage and inflammation in mice. The findings suggest suppressing inflammatory astrocytes may benefit in reducing brain inflammation and delaying Alzheimer's progression.
The study highlights the need to analyze molecular markers, such as genetic sequences or brain proteins, to obtain more accurate assays, diagnoses and therapies. The results show changes in astrocytes attempting to adapt to toxic environments from the disease, worsening its progression.
Researchers found that accounting for six messenger RNA molecules in blood plasma improves ability to accurately identify participants with an Alzheimer's diagnosis by 8%. This discovery could lead to more accurate screening options for the population at greatest risk, including African Americans.
A new study found that longer, more frequent daytime napping in older adults predicted worse cognitive performance and an increased future risk of Alzheimer's dementia. The researchers discovered a bi-directional link between the two, where excessive daytime napping sped up the increase in daytime napping during aging.
A study found that microglia's TREM2 receptor is activated up to two decades before Alzheimer's symptoms appear in individuals with a genetic predisposition. This activation may slow cognitive decline and pathological brain changes. The research suggests modulating microglial activity could be a promising therapeutic strategy.
A retrospective analysis of nearly 30,000 patients found that those who received lithium were less likely to develop dementia. The study supports the possibility that lithium could be a preventative treatment for dementia.
A new study found that excessive daytime napping among seniors is associated with an increased risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease. After a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's, daytime napping duration triples, suggesting that the brain's wake-promoting neurons may be affected by dementia pathology.
Researchers at the University of Huddersfield have identified a key mechanism by which the coronavirus causes inflammation in the brain's immune cells, potentially explaining some symptoms experienced by COVID-19 patients. The study suggests that adequate funding is needed to further develop this research and its potential applications.