October Alzheimer's News

Marijuana May Slow Alzheimer's
October 6, 2007 - THC, the key compound in marijuana, may also be the key to new drugs for Alzheimer's disease. That's because the marijuana compound blocks the formation of brain-clogging Alzheimer's plaques better than current Alzheimer's drugs.
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Charlton Heston's Battle with Alzheimer's Disease
Movie icon Charlton Heston is lost in a world of Alzheimer's Disease, according to close family friends. The Ten Commandments star, 83, is reportedly in the final stages of the insidious disease, which robs sufferers of their memories--and friends fear he'll be dead by the end of the year.
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One in Seven Americans Over Age 70 Has Dimentia
October 31, 2007 - Americans over the age of 70 suffers from dementia, according to the first known nationally representative, population-based study to include men and women from all regions of the country.
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Drugs For Hypertension May Help Prevent And Treat Alzheimer's Disease
October 25, 2007 - A new study has identified commonly prescribed drugs for the treatment of hypertension may be capable of preventing Alzheimer's disease and cognitive deterioration.
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Possible Physical Origon of Alzheimer's Disease
October 23, 2007 - For some time, scientists have blamed Alzheimer's disease on a small molecule called amyloid beta protein (A beta) that leaves large gummy deposits in the brain. Recent studies suggest that these A beta proteins stick together to form floating toxic clumps that kill brain cells. Now, UCLA scientists have identified a tiny loop in A beta as the likely culprit behind the adhesion process.
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Educated People Develope Alzheimer's Later In Life
October 22, 2007 - It's been known for years that people with higher education levels tend to develop Alzheimer's disease later in life than those with less formal schooling. But a new study suggests that once the symptoms begin, people with more classroom time go cognitively downhill at a faster rate.
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The Effects of Caregiving Examined by USC Study
October 19, 2007 - A new study from the USC Davis School of Gerontology found that caregivers of different ethnicities showed few negative mental or physical health effects as a result of tending to a family member with dementia.
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Preventing Alzheimer's Disease Early On
October 14, 2007 - People with Alzheimer's disease and related conditions have been found to exhibit decreased blood levels of an important brain chemical called ethanolamine plasmalogen, even at the very early stages.
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The Long-Term Use of Alzheimer's Drugs
October 14, 2007 - The class of drugs known as cholinesterase inhibitors (Aricept, Exelon and Razadyne) is the primary treatment for people with Alzheimer's disease. A new study, however, suggests that these drugs may often be prescribed, and continue to be taken, long after they have exceeded their effectiveness.
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Preventing Alzheimer's Disease Early On
October 12, 2007 - Dayan B. Goodenowe and colleagues report in the November 2007 issue of the Journal of Lipid Research that people with Alzheimer's disease and related conditions exhibit decreased blood levels of an important brain chemical called ethanolamine plasmalogen, even at the very early stages of the disease.  
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Biological Links in the Alzheimer's Puzzle
October 3, 2007 - Researchers have uncovered a biological link between the protein whose mutation causes early-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) and a gene variant linked to late-onset AD. The researchers said their finding could lead to new approaches to treating AD.  
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Aricept Ineffective for Agitation of Alzheimer's
October 3, 2007 - NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Donepezil (Aricept), a drug used to help preserve brain function in patients with Alzheimer's disease, does little it seems to help control the agitation often seen in patients with Alzheimer's disease, according to a report in this week's New England Journal of Medicine.  
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Education Levels Predict Dimentia
October 2, 2007 - Adults who don't finish high school are at a higher risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease than those with more education, a Scandinavian study found. The study showed that compared with people with a low education level -- five or less years of education -- those with a medium education level -- six to eight years -- had a 40 percent lower risk of developing dementia.
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Personality Vs. Alzheimer's
October 2, 2007 - A surprising study of elderly people suggests that those who see themselves as self-disciplined, organized achievers have a lower risk for developing Alzheimer's disease than people who are less conscientious .
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Chemical Compound Found In Tree Bark Stimulates Growth, Survival Of Brain Cells
October 1, 2007 - Researchers have identified a compound in tree bark that mimics the chemical reactions of a naturally occurring molecule in the brain responsible for stimulating neuronal cell signaling. Neuronal cell signaling plays a crucial role in the growth, plasticity and survival of brain cells.  
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