Alzheimer's Disease

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Scientists document first-ever transmitted Alzheimer’s cases, tied to no-longer-used medical procedure

LONDON — There was something odd about these Alzheimer’s cases.

https://www.statnews.com/2024/01/29/first-transmitted-alzheimers-disease-cases-growth-hormone-cadavers/

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Biogen will stop selling its controversial Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm

Biogen will stop selling its Alzheimer’s treatment Aduhelm, a drug once seen as a potential blockbuster that stumbled after its launch a few years ago.

https://apnews.com/article/biogen-alzheimer-aduhelm-dfb364a61e4e77da27fc055e826b9a49?

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All About the SAGE Test for Alzheimer’s and Dementia Detection

The Self-Administered Gerocognitive Exam, known as SAGE, is a brief, pen-and-paper cognitive assessment tool designed to detect the early signs of cognitive, memory, or thinking impairments. The test evaluates your thinking abilities. This can help your doctors understand how well your brain is functioning.

https://www.everydayhealth.com/alzheimers-disease/all-about-the-sage-test-for-alzheimers-and-dementia-detection/?

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'Beach Boys' Legend Brian Wilson Diagnosed With Dementia

Brian Wilson's family has filed for a conservatorship over the Beach Boys co-founder following the death of his wife , Melinda Wilson, late last month. The musician, 81, is suffering from "major neurocognitive disorder (such as dementia)," according to the filing obtained by PEOPLE .

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/3336516336056-beach-boys-legend-brian-wilson-diagnosed-with-dementia?

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4 Enduring Ways to Be There for Loved Ones with Alzheimer's

My mother was a woman of deep faith. It guided her like a spiritual beacon through life. One of the first clues we had of her incipient dementia, which would eventually be diagnosed as Alzheimer's, was her struggles with her volunteer duties at church. One duty was counting the collection basket after weekday Mass, filling out a deposit slip, and taking it to the bank. She did that for years. Then, one day, her pastor called us—my brother, sister, and me—to say he would have to reluctantly relieve her of that duty. "She's having trouble with the arithmetic," he said.

https://www.crosswalk.com/slideshows/4-ways-to-be-there-for-loved-ones-with-alzheimers.html?

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Potential Causes Of Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurological disorder that affects the brain. It is the most common form of dementia, resulting in memory loss and cognitive decline. At this time, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, making it even more critical to identify potential causes so that treatments can be developed. While there is still a lot more work to be done in this area, researchers have identified several potential causes of Alzheimer’s disease. This article will take a look at a few of them.

https://healthlifeguru.com/potential-causes-of-alzheimers/?

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Silent brain changes precede Alzheimer’s. Researchers have new clues about which ones come first Alzheimer’s quietly ravages the brain long before symptoms appear and now scientists have new clues about the domino-like sequence of those changes — a potential window to one day intervene. Read more.

Key findings: A large study in China tracked middle-aged and older adults for 20 years, using regular brain scans, spinal taps and other tests. People who eventually developed the disease had higher levels of an Alzheimer’s-linked protein in their spinal fluid 18 years prior to diagnosis, researchers reported.   Scientists still don’t know exactly how Alzheimer’s forms. One early hallmark is that sticky protein called beta-amyloid, which over time builds up into brain-clogging plaques.   The study’s importance “cannot be overstated,” said Dr. Richard Mayeux, an Alzheimer’s specialist at Columbia University. “Knowledge of the timing of these physiological events is critical” for testing new ways of treating and maybe eventually even preventing Alzheimer’s, he wrote in an accompanying editorial.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Wendy Williams has frontotemporal dementia. What is FTD?   A brain pacemaker helped a woman with crippling depression. It may soon be available to more people   Alzheimer’s drugs might get into the brain faster with new ultrasound tool, study shows

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After dementia reveal, producers of Wendy Williams documentary hope viewers see why they made it

If you watched Lifetime’s Wendy Williams docuseries that premiered over the weekend and felt uncomfortable, you weren’t alone.

https://apnews.com/article/wendy-williams-dementia-documentary-075074c6c6bd714faf06158dd847ffca?

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A gene long thought to just raise the risk for Alzheimer’s may cause some cases

WASHINGTON (AP) — For the first time, researchers have identified a genetic form of late-in-life Alzheimer’s disease — in people who inherit two copies of a worrisome gene.

https://apnews.com/article/alzheimers-dementia-cause-gene-apoe-memory-c1b4f0abfc708d3be0bb9c5fb70cbc77?

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Alzheimer's drug

 

A panel of FDA advisers voted Monday to endorse Eli Lilly's early-stage Alzheimer's drug donanemab, agreeing it was safe and effective. The drug works by helping the body remove amyloid plaque buildups in the brain that are a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. There is no cure and there is still no drug to prevent the development of Alzheimer's, but donanemab and Leqembi, another drug that is already on the market, have been shown to slow the progression of the disease in its early stages. "A future with more approved Alzheimer's treatments is a tremendous advancement for people eligible for these drugs," said Dr. Joanne Pike, Alzheimer's Association President and CEO. "Progress with treatment is happening."

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Colombian family’s genes offer new clue to delaying onset of Alzheimer’s Scientists studying early-in-life Alzheimer’s found that some people carry a genetic oddity that delays their initial symptoms by five years. The first hint of this genetic protection came when researchers studying a family in Colombia who share a devastating inherited form of Alzheimer’s discovered one woman who escaped her genetic fate. Read more.

Why this matters: The findings point to novel ways of fighting the mind-robbing disease – if researchers can unravel how a single copy of that very rare gene variant offers at least a little protection.   The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, are encouraging, said Dr. Eliezer Masliah of the National Institute on Aging. Already some very early work is beginning to explore if certain treatments might induce the protective mutation, he added.   More than 6 million Americans, and an estimated 55 million people worldwide, have Alzheimer’s. Less than 1% of cases are like the Colombian family’s, caused by a gene passed through generations that triggers the disease at unusually young ages.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Gene therapy may cure rare diseases. But drugmakers have few incentives, leaving families desperate   Majority of Americans favor forgiving medical debt, AP-NORC poll finds   Lost chances to treat overdose survivors are documented in new Medicare study

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FDA approves a second Alzheimer’s drug that can modestly slow disease The Food and Drug Administration has approved another Alzheimer’s drug that can slow the disease, providing a new option for patients in the early stages of the incurable, memory-destroying ailment. Read more.

Why this matters: Eli Lilly’s Kisunla is only the second drug that’s been convincingly shown to delay cognitive decline in patients, following last year’s approval of a similar drug from Japanese drugmaker Eisai.   Lilly’s drug has another potential advantage: Patients can stop taking it if they respond well. Discontinuing the drug could reduce the costs and safety risks of long-term use.   Physicians who treat Alzheimer’s say the approval is an important step after decades of failed experimental treatments. More than 6 million Americans have Alzheimer’s. Those with early or mild disease will be eligible for the new drug.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Most kids get antibiotics for pink eye, study shows. Experts say they’re usually not needed   Diamond Shruumz microdosing candies may be linked to a death and nearly 50 illnesses, FDA says   FDA OKs first menthol e-cigarettes, citing potential to help adult smokers

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Blood tests for Alzheimer’s may be coming to your doctor’s office. Here’s what to know

WASHINGTON (AP) — New blood tests could help doctors diagnose Alzheimer’s disease faster and more accurately, researchers reported Sunday – but some appear to work far better than others.

https://apnews.com/article/alzheimers-test-amyloid-plaque-blood-tau-5c18dda10a3629b727008b9d7f9f7518?

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? Alzheimer's test breakthrough

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

There's more and more evidence that blood tests can accurately diagnose Alzheimer's and pave the way for earlier treatment of more patients, Axios Vitals co-author Maya Goldman writes. Why it matters: Making Alzheimer's easier to detect is crucial with new drugs that slow the disease's progression coming onto the market. A blood test has advantages over pricey scans or more invasive spinal taps that are now used to diagnose the dreaded neurological condition. It could be incorporated into routine physician office visits. Zoom in: A study to be featured at an international Alzheimer's conference this week showed that blood tests allow primary care doctors to accurately detect the characteristics of Alzheimer's. There are at least 16 blood tests in development, though none has won FDA approval yet. ? By the numbers: Doctors used the test to screen for signs of Alzheimer's with 91% accuracy, according to the study published yesterday in JAMA. That's compared to a 61% success rate using clinical evaluations like cognitive testing.

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Higher-than-expected Alzheimer's diagnosis rate

By Kate Murphy and Tina Reed

Data: Alzheimer's & Dementia; Map: Axios Visuals The odds of being diagnosed with Alzheimer's is higher in San Diego than many other parts of the country, a new study finds. Why it matters: That doesn't necessarily mean more people have the disease. But if our hospital systems are more thoroughly diagnosing it, patients could be likelier to get needed services and care. How it works: Researchers from the University of Michigan counted Medicare claims showing existing and new dementia diagnoses in 2019 for each "hospital referral region" — the area where patients are sent to a given hospital for certain major surgeries, Axios Salt Lake City's Erin Alberty writes. Researchers used population data for those areas to calculate the expected rate of dementia based on known risk factors, such as age, sex, race, education level, rates of other illnesses and smoking prevalence. The ratio of expected cases to diagnoses was an area's "diagnosis intensity." What they found: Southern California diagnoses were more numerous than expected, based on the population's risk level, researchers wrote this week in Alzheimer's & Dementia. The San Diego area logged about 4% more diagnoses than expected. The intrigue: Researchers suggest the number of diagnoses may be more about the local health system, provider practices and individual patients' knowledge and behavior, than about individual factors that affect dementia risk. Zoom in: Diagnoses are key to driving new tests and treatments at National Institute on Aging-funded Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers, including the one at UC San Diego. There are currently 16 ongoing Alzheimer's clinical trials at UCSD, with eight open to eligible patients. The latest: UCSD scientists were recently granted $6.9 million to shepherd a potential treatment they found through the drug-development process, including future clinical trials. The big picture

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A peek inside the human brain shows a way it cleans out the kind of waste that leads to Alzheimer’s Brain cells use a lot of nutrients which means they make a lot of waste. Scientists have long thought the brain has special plumbing to flush out cellular trash, especially during sleep – they could see it happening in mice. Now, researchers have finally spotted that network of tiny waste-clearing channels in the brains of living people, thanks to a special kind of imaging. Read more.

Why this matters: The brain is remarkably active during sleep. One reason seems to be that it's the time it does a deep clean. And that’s gotten attention because while losing a good night’s sleep muddles people’s thinking, chronic sleep deprivation also is considered a risk factor for dementia.   The study by Dr. Juan Piantino of Oregon Health & Science University and his team is a small but potentially important one that Rochester’s Dr. Maiken Nedergaard predicted will increase interest in how brain waste clearance connects to people’s health.

Related coverage ➤ Don’t expect human life expectancy to grow much more, researcher says   Advocacy groups suspend use of ‘suicide capsule’ pending Swiss criminal probe of woman’s death

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Risk Factors for Alzheimer's Disease

https://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/alzheimers-causes-risk-factors?

Do Vitamins and Supplements Help With Alzheimer's?

When you or someone you love has Alzheimer’s, you may be open to any and all possible ways to treat it and keep it from getting worse. Because there’s no cure, and a pretty limited number of medications you can take, you might be thinking about what vitamins and supplements can do.

https://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/do-vitamins-and-supplements-help-with-alzheimers?

What Are the Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease?

If your loved one has Alzheimer's, you can support them by learning more about how the condition unfolds.

https://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/alzheimers-disease-stages?

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When a Loved One Has Alzheimer's Disease

It’s normal for people to become a bit forgetful as they age. So how can you tell a harmless "senior moment" from Alzheimer's disease? One in nine people 65 and older have this devastating form of dementia. In its first stages, Alzheimer’s may not be obvious to friends and family. But there are some early warning signs to watch for.

https://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/ss/slideshow-alzheimers-overview?

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Alzheimer's: Tips for Caregivers

https://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/ss/cm/slideshow-alzheimers-caregiving-tips?

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The Deadly Secrets Behind “Breakthrough” Alzheimer’s Drugs

Six years ago, Genevieve Lane was enjoying an active life in Florida when she began to forget her neighbors’ names and where she put her keys. At 76, she might have shrugged off these lapses as mere signs of aging, but when she began to have moments of confusion and occasionally got lost while out walking, her housemate and longtime friend Vicki Holmes told her about a nearby research center. There, a doctor diagnosed her with early Alzheimer’s disease and told her about a study testing a promising new drug. Lane enrolled, telling her daughter she wanted to have more time.

https://www.levernews.com/the-deadly-secrets-behind-breakthrough-alzheimers-drugs/

[SamSimple]

Long story, but about 25 years ago whilst traveling I met a person in Jan Marcussen's home church (in southern Illinois) where a visitor's mother had Alzheimers and after six months on a raw vegan diet the mother-patient was nearly recovered.  I know this is considered hearsay, but I always think of this story when the topic of Alzheimers disease comes up.

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How much longer you might live without assistance on new Alzheimer’s drugs

Imagine you have just been diagnosed with mild cognitive decline due to Alzheimer’s disease. Your doctor might suggest taking one of the newer medications such as lecanemab or donanemab, which have been shown in clinical trials to clear plaque-causing amyloid proteins from the brain that are the hallmark of Alzheimer’s.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/13/health/independent-living-new-alzheimers-drugs-wellness/index.html?

[Gustave]

I personally know of an individual who drank heavily and smoked heavily all of his life - he developed Alzheimer's at 84 and died two years later in a memory care facility. 

I personally know of two people who were health nuts (an Attorney and a medical doctor). The doctor got early onset Alz and has already passed (he was 63) and the lawyer is vegetarian, did marathons and had a treadmill and stationary bike in his office which he used all the time - he just had to quit practicing law and give all his clients away to other Atty's. He is also very young. I don't think diet has very much to do with it based off what I've seen. 

I recently watched a TED talk about the best way to protect oneself from AZ - be a Catholic NUN. Just kidding but Nuns are specifically mentioned in the video. 

 

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Research pioneer

Alzheimer’s disease affects tens of millions of people worldwide, but the causes are still unclear. Dr. Solomon Carter Fuller, the first Black psychiatrist in the US, played an important yet overlooked role more than a century ago.

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When a Loved One Has Alzheimer's Disease

Medically Reviewed by Shruthi N, MD on May 20, 2024

https://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/ss/slideshow-alzheimers-overview?