A weekly recap of the latest news about Alzheimer’s and dementia
Alzheimer’s Orange County compiles a weekly roundup of the latest news stories and developments about Alzheimer’s and dementia to keep you updated on what’s happening locally and all around the world. Check out this week’s headlines below:
End Stage Alzheimer’s: What to Expect and How to Build Resiliency
This article discusses the often devastating but inevitable final stage of Alzheimer’s, generally characterized by increased forgetfulness and withdrawal, and inability to communicate. Along with these symptoms, patients in the end stage of Alzheimer’s rely on 24-hour care for the most basic of needs. However, it is very possible for someone to make the most of their strength and resilience for better functioning in the final stage. Read more here.
Scientists Link “Hunger Hormone” to Memory in Alzheimer’s Study
Researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas have recently found evidence correlating ghrelin, otherwise known as the “hunger hormone,” to the cognitive impairments and memory loss that are characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease. Observations have been made surrounding the way in which ghrelin, a hormone involved in appetite but also in learning and memory, binds with proteins in the hippocampus. Read more here.
Publication Highlights Care Challenges of Dementia-Related Psychosis
Dementia is highly associated with delusions and hallucinations – otherwise known as dementia-related psychosis. It is a highly underdiagnosed condition due to the fact that it can easily go undetected in people already exhibiting other, more minor behavior and psychological changes from dementia and Alzheimer’s. In the future, we hope to see more attention to properly diagnosing and treating these symptoms that can often cause great distress for those with dementia and their families. Read more here.
Brain’s Immune Cells Can Disrupt Neurogenesis in Genetic Forms of Disease
The University of Chicago reports on Alzheimer’s and the process of neurogenesis, in which the creation of new brain cells is seemingly halted by the overacting of immune cells. Professor Sisodia from the university remarks that “the role of neurogenesis is really underappreciated,” believing in another way for scientists to study the progression of disease and memory loss. Read more here.
Can the Alzheimer’s Brain Regenerate and Recover?
A team of researchers from the Center for Innovation in Brain Science led by Dr. Roberta Brinton recently received a five-year grant that will fund a clinical trial, testing the effectiveness of allopregnanolone as a treatment for Alzheimer’s. Brinton is optimistic towards the study, hoping to develop allo into the first regenerative treatment for the Alzheimer’s brain and to take one step further in finding a cure. Read more here.
Scientists Rethink Alzheimer’s, Diversifying the Drug Search
Researchers of Alzheimer’s have long thought that the cure to the disease would lie in clearing amyloid plaque and tangles in the brain. However, the past year has seen a huge diversification of research and alternative ideas as it becomes increasingly clear that there may not be a one-size-fits-all solution. There are now other areas that professionals are focusing on, such as brain inflammation and even seemingly unrelated ailments, such as gum disease and herpes. Read more here.
