Alzheimer’s Disease – Page 13

Blood vessel discovery points to alternative cause of Alzheimer’s dementia

Posted on June 22, 2022 by Rich Haridy

New research hypothesizes narrowing blood vessels in the brain plays a role in the cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease

Following yet another failed clinical trial testing a novel drug designed to break up the aggregations of toxic proteins thought to be the cause of Alzheimer’s disease, a new study suggests we look to a different part of the brain in the hopes of finding a treatment. Led by researchers from the University of Manchester the new study found disruptions to blood vessels in the brain may be contributing to the neurodegeneration seen in Alzheimer’s.

Category: Science

Tags: Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, Brain, blood vessel, Neurological, University of Manchester

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Single MRI scan promises to diagnose early- and late-stage Alzheimer’s

Posted on June 21, 2022 by Rich Haridy

Initial tests found an algorithm could identify Alzheimer's brain scans from healthy scans with 98 percent accuracy

Using machine learning, researchers have developed an algorithm that can accurately diagnose Alzheimer’s disease from a single MRI brain scan. The system is more accurate than any pre-existing diagnostic tool available to doctors and can also distinguish early-stage disease from more advanced stages.

Category: Medical, Science

Tags: Alzheimer’s Disease, Diagnosis, Brain, MRI, Imperial College

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Similarities between Alzheimer’s and long COVID found in new study

Posted on June 20, 2022 by Rich Haridy

A new study has found distinct parallels between COVID-19 and Alzheimer's disease

New research led by scientists from Australia’s La Trobe University suggests proteins generated by the SARS-CoV-2 virus can form into aggregations similar to those found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers hypothesize this mechanism may underpin the persistent neurological symptoms such as brain fog seen in many patients suffering from long COVID.

Category: Science

Tags: Coronavirus (COVID-19), Virus, Alzheimer’s Disease, Brain, Dementia, La Trobe University

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Existing cancer drug suppresses inflammation behind multiple sclerosis

Posted on June 7, 2022 by Nick Lavars

Reducing brain inflammation associated with multiple sclerosis is a key aim for researchers

The search for the root cause of neurodegenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS) has turned up many suspects, but one central to many research efforts is a type of immune cell called microglia. The dysfunction of these key cogs in the central nervous system has prompted a wide-ranging search for drugs that can alter their activity, but new research suggests we might already have one such drug at our disposal, with an existing drug delivering significant therapeutic effects on experimental models of MS.

Category: Medical, Science

Tags: Multiple Sclerosis, Inflammatory, Karolinska Institutet, Alzheimer’s Disease

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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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