Alzheimer’s Disease – Page 13

Dropping acidity raised as an overlooked culprit in Alzheimer’s disease

Posted on June 7, 2022 by Nick Lavars

Scientists have shown how declining acidity levels in lysosomes can cause neuronal damage associated with Alzheimer's

Much research into Alzheimer’s focuses on the buildup of brain plaques as a primary cause, but the case is far from closed, particularly in the eyes of a research team at New York University. In newly published research, the scientists detail how declining acidity in cellular cleaning organelles called lysosomes acts as even earlier evidence of the disease’s onset, and they’ve shown how restoring proper acid levels could save neurons from irreversible damage.

Category: Medical, Science

Tags: Alzheimer’s Disease, New York University, Neuroscience, Brain

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Alzheimer’s discovery hints at drugs to stop cells frying “like eggs”

Posted on June 1, 2022 by Nick Lavars

A first-of-a-kind study has shown how Alzheimer's disease can cause brain cells to overheat

Scientists at the University of Cambridge have taken cutting-edge sensors used to measure temperature changes within cells to gain fascinating new insights into Alzheimer’s disease. The work shows how protein clumps long associated with the condition can cause heat to build up and fry brain cells “like an egg,” and more promisingly, demonstrated how drugs could be deployed to stop things from reaching harmful temperatures.

Category: Medical, Science

Tags: Alzheimer’s Disease, University of Cambridge, Brain

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A handful of blueberries a day could keep dementia at bay

Posted on May 13, 2022 by Rich Haridy

After 12 weeks of daily blueberry supplements researchers saw small cognitive improvements in trial participants

New research from the University of Cincinnati has found daily consumption of blueberries in middle-age could reduce a person’s risk of cognitive decline in their later years. The small human trial identified several physiological and cognitive improvements after 12 weeks of daily blueberry supplements.

Category: Health & Wellbeing, Lifestyle

Tags: Nutrition, Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, University of Cincinnati

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Cells’ trash disposal system shapes as a “toggle” for cancer treatment

Posted on May 11, 2022 by Nick Lavars

Lysosomal activity can be seen in green in these images of cells clearing out their waste

The techniques our cells use to dispose of waste products offers some exciting avenues for us to potentially intervene in their behavior, whether it’s clogging up these garbage disposal systems to bring cancer undone or repairing their defects to tackle Alzheimer’s. Research from MIT has shown how this activity is ramped up during cell division, with the newly discovered mechanism potentially offering scientists a “toggle” for treating these kinds of diseases.

Category: Medical, Science

Tags: Cells, Cancer, Alzheimer’s Disease, MIT, New Atlas Audio

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FDA clears new test for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease

Posted on May 9, 2022 by Rich Haridy

A newly approved test uses levels of amyloid proteins in spinal fluid to determine the presence of toxic protein accumulations in the brain

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new test for Alzheimer’s disease. The test is the first in vitro diagnostic tool for Alzheimer’s to be approved for use in the United States measuring amyloid protein levels in spinal fluid.

Category: Medical, Science

Tags: Diagnostic devices, Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, FDA, New Atlas Audio

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Heat shock proteins offer clues to reversing dementia in stressed cells

Posted on May 9, 2022 by Rich Haridy

A specific type of heat shock protein was found to reverse the protein misfolding associated with several neurodegenerative diseases

Researchers investigating the effects of stress on accumulations of toxic brain proteins linked with dementia have discovered a surprisingly counter-intuitive mechanism. A specific cellular stress response involving heat shock proteins has been found to reverse the build-up of these toxic proteins and future research will now look for a way to therapeutically trigger this mechanism.

Category: Science

Tags: Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, Protein, Brain, University of Cambridge, Heating, Neuroscience

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Protein derived from corn boosts memory in mice with Alzheimer’s

Posted on May 4, 2022 by Nick Lavars

Scientists have used a protein derived from corn as the basis for a potential vaccine for Alzheimer's

Among the many ways scientists hope to be able to tackle Alzheimer’s is by preventing it from taking hold in the first place, or at least averting its worst effects. This idea of a vaccine for Alzheimer’s is gaining traction as scientists continue to devise new ways of clearing the brain of toxic proteins hypothesized to be key drivers of the condition. A newly published study has hinted at further possibilities in this area, with a protein derived from corn used to induce an immune response and improve memory in mice with the disease.

Category: Medical, Science

Tags: University of Kansas, Alzheimer’s Disease, Vaccines

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Pupil-tracking smartphone app looks to catch early-stage Alzheimer’s

Posted on May 3, 2022 by Rich Haridy

Using the selfie camera and the front-facing near-infrared camera, a smartphone app could assess cognitive condition

A prototype smartphone app has been developed to screen for the very earliest stages of Alzheimer’s disease. The app tracks minute changes in a person’s pupil size, which previous research has shown can indicate pre-clinical neurological disease.

Category: Medical, Science

Tags: Smartphone diagnostics, Diagnostic devices, Eye, Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, Smartphones, UC San Diego, New Atlas Audio

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Study finds seven hours of sleep to be optimal from middle-age onwards

Posted on April 29, 2022 by Nick Lavars

A new study suggests that seven hours of sleep per night is best for brain health in middle and old age

We know sleep to be an essential ingredient for a healthy brain, but scientists continue to explore what a good night’s rest looks like at different stages of life, and how it can impact on our vulnerability to cognitive decline. A wide-ranging new study involving almost half a million subjects has provided compelling new insights, suggesting seven hours of sleep per night to be best for brain health during middle and old age.

Category: Health & Wellbeing, Lifestyle

Tags: Sleep, University of Cambridge, Alzheimer’s Disease, Brain

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New study may explain why apathy is the first symptom of Alzheimer’s

Posted on April 26, 2022 by Rich Haridy

New research hypothesizes degeneration in a brain region called the nucleus accumbens could trigger apathy, the earliest psychiatric sign of Alzheimer's disease

Compelling new research from the Indiana University School of Medicine has homed in on a degenerative mechanism that could explain why symptoms such as apathy are the first signs of Alzheimer’s disease. The findings suggest disrupting this process could slow the progression of Alzheimer’s-related dementia.

Category: Science

Tags: Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, Brain, Neuroscience, Indiana University, New Atlas Audio

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