Drug Discovery | Clinical Trials | Prevention and Risk Factors |
Early Detection
Love and Early-Onset Alzheimer’s
CBS Sunday Morning News’ Barry Petersen features a segment on “How the Roadmap of Marriage is Redrawn by a Disease Affecting Millions for Which There is No Cure.” This moving segment highlights the sobering fact that there is not a single, effective disease-modifying drug for Alzheimer’s and related dementias on the market today. With over 5 million in the US alone suffering from this terrible disease, and millions more whose lives are spent caring and grieving for their loved ones, the private sector MUST try to help in funding the development of treatments through scientifically savvy, cure-focused public charities such as the ADDF.
Vaccines on horizon for AIDS, Alzheimer’s, herpes
(AP) November 18, 2009
Malaria. Tuberculosis. Alzheimer’s disease. AIDS. Pandemic flu. Genital herpes. Urinary tract infections. Grass allergies. Traveler’s diarrhea. You name it, the pharmaceutical industry is working on a vaccine to prevent it. Many could be on the market in five years or less. Read more.
Scientists solve structure of NMDA receptor unit that could be drug target for neurological diseases
(ScienceDaily) November 13, 2009
A team of scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) reports on Thursday their success in solving the molecular structure of a key portion of a cellular receptor implicated in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other serious illnesses. Read more
Neurological disease drug target found?
(UPI) November 12, 2009
U.S. scientists say they’ve detailed the molecular structure of a key part of a cellular receptor involved in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other diseases. The researchers at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, led by Assistant Professor Hiro Furukawa, say their accomplishment might lead to a new drug target for neurological diseases. Read more
Epilepsy drugs may treat Alzheimer’s: Study shows calcium channel blockers may treat Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease
(WebMD) October 30, 2009
A group of drugs used to treat epilepsy may also treat Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. New research shows treatment with T-type calcium channel blockers, used to treat epilepsy, protected nerve cells from the brains of mice that can be damaged by neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Read more
Nervous system drug-by-design: Formulation may slow Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s
(ScienceDaily) October 26, 2009
Working like an architect, Prof. Hagit Eldar-Finkelman of Tel Aviv University’s Sackler School of Medicine is “building” a new drug, L803-MTS, to treat a number of central nervous system (CNS) diseases like Alzheimer’s. In pre-clinical studies, it also shows promise against Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and diabetes. Read more
Quest for a long life gains scientific respect
(New York Times) September 28, 2009
Who would have thought it? The quest for eternal life, or at least prolonged youthfulness, has now migrated from the outer fringes of alternative medicine to the halls of Harvard Medical School. Read more
Rethinking Alzheimer’s disease and its treatment targets
(EurekAlert) September 22, 2009
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 just that and says that a better working hypothesis is the “myelin model.” Read more
Snorting can deliver cells to the brain, research shows
(US News) September 22, 2009
If you had a brain malady that could be treated with stem cells, how would you like them delivered—by having surgeons cut open your skull to implant the cells, or by snorting them like a nasal decongestant? Not really a hard choice, is it? A University of Minnesota researcher has taken the first step toward making this kind of medical delivery service a reality by showing that when stem cells suspended in fluid are snorted, they rapidly migrate into the brain. Read more
Cancer drug could improve memories of Alzheimer’s patients
(AHN) September 7, 2009
A cancer treatment drug showed promise as a potential medication to restore memory in patients with Alzheimer’s disease in a recent study. Read more
New class of Alzheimer’s drugs possible
(UPI) September 4, 2009
U.S., South Korean and French researchers report their discovery of a protein fragment that may result in new Alzheimer’s drugs. The research, published by Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal, found the “N60″ section of a protein called “RanBP9″ may be key to creating a drug that could help reduce production of the excessive amounts amyloid beta proteins associated with Alzheimer’s. Read more
Alzheimer’s drug could delay dementia
(ABC7) August 27, 2009
A Bay Area researcher believes a drug already approved to treat the late stages of Alzheimer’s disease might be able to disrupt the disease in its early stages as well. Read more
Drugs that do more harm than good: Three Alzheimer’s drugs that are expensive, dangerous and still widely used
(The Bulletin) August 27, 2009
There’s more evidence that three Alzheimer’s drugs cause a high rate of dangerous side effects, and that comes on top of evidence that the effectiveness of the drugs is minimal if at all. A leading expert on drug safety and efficacy, Dr. Sidney Wolfe, editor of the newsletter Worst Pills, Best Pills and the Web site, worstpills,org, recently concluded the three drugs in question are not only “useless” and “expensive,” but are also, according to new research, “potentially dangerous.” Read more
Toxic levels of Alzheimer’s clusters in brain determined
(Science Daily) August 13, 2009
Scientists have long suspected that Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is caused by a small protein called the amyloid β-protein (Aβ). This protein clumps or binds to itself, eventually changing chemically to create brain protein deposits (plaques) that are characteristic of AD. However, recent studies have suggested that it is not the plaques that cause AD but rather these small, grape-like clusters of Aβ. These clusters vary in size, and the relationship between cluster size and their ability to kill nerve cells (toxicity) has never been determined accurately. Read more
Potential Alzheimer’s Disease drug: New class of compounds discovered
(Science Daily) August 11, 2009
A new class of molecules capable of blocking the formation of specific protein clumps that are believed to contribute to the dementia of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients has been discovered by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. By assaying close to 300,000 compounds, they have identified drug-like inhibitors of AD tau protein clumping, as reported in the journal Biochemistry. Read more
Of mice and medicine: If a treatment works on rodents, will it cure us?
(The Guardian) August 4, 2009
Scientists discover Easter Island ‘fountain of youth’ drug that can extend life by 10 years,” shouted a recent newspaper headline. “Coffee may ‘reverse’ Alzheimer’s,” said another. Amazing and shocking stuff, but there’s a caveat – the research that fuelled the stories was done on mice. Read more
A puzzling finding for promising Alzheimer’s drug
(The Los Angeles Times) July 16, 2009
Many researchers believe that one way to treat symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease is with drugs that reduce a substance called beta amyloid. This is a protein that is the main constituent of plaques found in the brains of people with the disease. But in a surprising finding presented Wednesday at the Alzheimer’s Assn. 2009 International Conference in Vienna, researchers discovered that a promising medication in phase-3 testing in the United States, called dimebolin or Dimebon, actually increases beta amyloid in the brain in animal models. Read more
Statins not an Alzheimer’s wonder drug
(CNN) September 28, 2009
Cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins are often hailed as “wonder drugs.” But a study says they don’t protect the brain against Alzheimer’s disease. Read more
Historic gene therapy trial to treat Alzheimer’s disease starting
(Science Daily) September 22, 2009
Researchers in the Memory Disorders Program at Georgetown University Medical Center are now recruiting volunteers for a national gene therapy trial – the first study of its kind for the treatment of patients with dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease. Read more
Hope for Alzheimer’s: Local clinical trials test new drug
(Daily News Los Angeles) August 26, 2009
Pedro Santiago of Torrance has been married to his wife, Cary, for 55 years. The two of them do everything together – but only recently has this become a necessity. “She can’t go anywhere by herself,” said Pedro, 79, of his 84-year-old wife. “I have to go everywhere with her.” It was just over a year ago when Pedro first noticed his wife becoming “a little forgetful.” Not long after that, she was diagnosed with possible Alzheimer’s disease. Read more
Clinical trial of Alzheimer’s gene therapy moves forward
(Union Tribune) August 10, 2009
Researchers at the University of California San Diego will soon launch the second-phase clinical trial of a promising gene therapy for Alzheimer’s disease, one that attempts to boost the survival and functioning of brain cells. Read more
A new Alzheimer’s treatment in an old remedy?
(Los Angeles Times) July 23, 2009
Given the difficulty of finding medications to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s disease, wouldn’t it be terrific if a remedy were found among established therapies? That is a possibility. According to a study published in the new issue of the journal Neurology, people who receive intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) treatments for conditions such as leukemia, anemia and other diseases seem to have lower rates of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Intravenous immunoglobulin treatments contain healthy antibodies that are infused into the blood stream to boost a person’s immune system. Read more
Elan, Wyeth’s Alzheimer’s angst builds as rivals fail (Update 1)
(Bloomberg) July 20, 2009
The leading Alzheimer’s drug discovery strategy being pursued by companies including Wyeth and Elan Corp. appears increasingly risky as new studies emerge. More than a dozen drugs now in human testing were designed to slow progression of the illness by blocking the proteins that form clumps in the brain. While the medicines may reduce the levels of this substance, they have shown little sustained ability to improve memory or mental function. And a more complex picture is emerging from laboratories: the beta amyloid protein that scientists think kills neurons isn’t always bad. Read more
Prevention and Risk Factors
Trouble thinking? Better see the dentist
(Reuters) November 13, 2009
Good oral care such as regular brushing, flossing and trips to the dentist, may help aging adults keep their thinking skills intact, according to a U.S. study. Research has already established an association between poor oral health and heart disease, stroke and diabetes, as well as Alzheimer’s disease. Read more
Dementia risk seen in players in N.F.L. study
(New York Times) September 29, 2009
A study commissioned by the National Football League reports that Alzheimer’s disease or similar memory-related diseases appear to have been diagnosed in the league’s former players vastly more often than in the national population — including a rate of 19 times the normal rate for men ages 30 through 49. Read more
Alzheimer’s linked to lack of sleep
Sleep deprivation leads to more plaques in genetically susceptible mice
(US News) September 24, 2009
Losing sleep could lead to losing brain cells, a new study suggests. Levels of a protein that forms the hallmark plaques of Alzheimer’s disease increase in the brains of mice and in the spinal fluid of people during wakefulness and fall during sleep, researchers report online September 24 in Science. Mice that didn’t get enough sleep for three weeks also had more plaques in their brains than well-rested mice, the team found. Read more
Saturated fats linked to Alzheimer’s
(ABC) September 8, 2009
Australian researchers believe they have discovered why foods high in saturated fat increase the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Read more
Newly identified Alzheimer’s genes widen route to treatments
(Bloomberg) September 6, 2009
The first new genes tied to Alzheimer’s disease in a decade have been identified by European scientists, adding insight into the biology of the most common cause of dementia and potentially leading to treatments. Read more
Aging: Moderate drinking may help the brain
(New York Times) August 31, 2009
People over 60 who consume moderate amounts of alcohol have a reduced risk for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, according to a large review of studies. Read more
Dementia studies find diet, exercise matter
(Wall Street Journal) August 12, 2009
Two studies published in this week’s Journal of the American Medical Association add to evidence that long-term lifestyle habits may reduce the risk of mental decline in old age. Read more
Mediterranean diet plus exercise lowers Alzheimer’s risk
(HealthDay News) August 11, 2009
Eating a Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes fruits, vegetables, legumes and healthy fats, and increasing physical activity levels can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, a new study shows. Read more
Midlife cholesterol linked to dementia
(NPR) August 10, 2009
Attention 40-year-olds: This may be the time to start thinking about maintaining your brain. One action item: Check your cholesterol. Recent studies suggest that high cholesterol levels in midlife raise the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia in later life. Read more
Brain exercise might delay dementia-related memory decline
(MedPage Today) August 3, 2009
Older people who participate in activities that keep their brains sharp may delay the rapid memory decline of preclinical dementia, researchers found. Read more
Alzheimer’s gene discovery may help predict age disease hits
(Bloomberg) July 12, 2009
A newly discovered gene variant may help determine who is going to get Alzheimer’s disease, and at what age the symptoms of the fatal condition that destroys the mind will start to develop. Read more
Early Detection
Is it a visual problem or Alzheimer’s? New data helps doctors make the diagnosis
(ScienceDaily) October 25, 2009
Sometimes when a patient tells his ophthalmologist that he “can’t see,” what he really means is “I can see, but I can no longer read or write.” In a minority of Alzheimer’s patients the disease shows up first as problems with vision rather than memory or other cognitive functions. But diagnosis can be difficult because standard eye exams are often inconclusive for these patients. Read more
Alzheimer’s lesions found in the retina
(ScienceDaily) October 22, 2009
The eyes may be the windows to the soul, but new research indicates they also may mirror a brain ravaged by Alzheimer’s disease. Read more
Memory not first Alzheimer’s sign
(BBC) October 13, 2009
A failing memory may not be the first mental problem to signal the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, research suggests. A University of Kansas study found a decline in other thinking and learning skills may be a warning sign years before diagnosis. Read more
What Britney Spears Can Reveal About Alzheimer’s
(Time) August 26, 2009
One of the many tragedies of Alzheimer’s disease is that patients don’t know until it’s too late that they actually have the condition. By the time the first signs of forgetfulness and confusion set in, experts believe, the disease has already been ravaging the brain for a decade or more, causing irreversible damage. But researchers at the Cleveland Clinic report that they may have found a way to identify those most at risk of developing the neurological disorder long before symptoms develop — simply by asking them whether they recognize celebrities such as Britney Spears and Johnny Carson. Read more
Biomarkers may predict Alzheimer’s
(HealthDay News) July 21, 2009
Certain proteins found in cerebrospinal fluid may accurately identify the people with mild cognitive impairment who are most likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease, a new study finds. Read more