Alzheimer’s Disease – Page 20

“Zinc finger” gene therapy tackles the toxic tangles of Alzheimer’s

Posted on March 23, 2021 by Nick Lavars

An artist's depiction of amyloid plaques surrounded by tau tangles, both considered key pathological signs of Alzheimer's disease

There are a lot of unknowns when it comes to the way Alzheimer’s takes hold in the brain, but one area where researchers are focusing much of their attention is the development of toxic clumps of proteins in the brain. These harmful clusters are seen as key players in the cognitive decline associated with the disease, and scientists have now found that a single injection of a novel gene therapy may be able to prevent a significant portion of them from forming.

Category: Medical, Science

Tags: Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, Massachusetts General Hospital, Genetics, gene therapy, New Atlas Audio

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New studies explore how gut microbiome affects Alzheimer’s and diabetes

Posted on March 2, 2021 by Rich Haridy

The studies look at how gut bacteria is connected to neurodegenerative and whether the microbiome can be used to predict diabetes disease progression

Two new studies are offering yet more evidence the gut microbiome is deeply intertwined with our metabolic and brain health. One study offers some of the first experimental evidence to show a direct relationship between gut bacteria and cognitive changes in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s, while a second suggests microbial biomarkers in the gut could be used to predict the progression of prediabetes to type 2 diabetes years ahead of time.

Category: Health & Wellbeing, Lifestyle

Tags: Microbiome, Gut Bacteria, metabolism, Diabetes, Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, New Atlas Audio

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Ultrasound triggers brain’s waste disposal system in Alzheimer’s patients

Posted on February 26, 2021 by Nick Lavars

Rashi Mehta led a research team at West Virginia University investigating targeted ultrasound as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's

Among the many moving parts that scientists suspect may play a role in Alzheimer’s disease is one known as the glymphatic system, which is thought to flush waste chemicals from the brain. A new study has demonstrated how this recently discovered system might be kicked into gear via ultrasound, with the technique proving effective in stimulating its activity in patients as part of early human trials.

Category: Medical, Science

Tags: Ultrasound, Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, West Virginia University, New Atlas Audio

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Can a major risk factor for Alzheimer’s be revealed by pain perception?

Posted on February 25, 2021 by Nick Lavars

A new study has demonstrated how differing pain thresholds may be indicative of a heightened Alzheimer's risk

Given the difficulty in diagnosing the Alzheimer’s, scientists are exploring all kinds of avenues when it comes to techniques that may reveal the disease in its early stages, and new research out of the University of Tennessee (UT) is a particularly interesting example. The study authors have investigated the way pain perception may vary in those susceptible to developing the disease, and have teased out some useful differences they hope could one day translate into an inexpensive diagnostic tool.

Category: Medical, Science

Tags: Alzheimer’s Disease, Pain, Dementia, University of Tennessee

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“SuperAger” brains defy tau tangles associated with Alzheimer’s

Posted on February 19, 2021 by Nick Lavars

The brains of

Although the definitive causes of Alzheimer’s diseases aren’t yet fully understood, one of the leading suspects is the accumulation of abnormal proteins in the brain that impinges on the activity of the neurons. Scientists at Northwestern University have explored this phenomenon in a group of elderly individuals with excellent memory, known as SuperAgers, and found them to be far more resistant to the troublesome buildup of some of these proteins, shedding further light on how the disease may take hold.

Category: Medical, Science

Tags: Alzheimer’s Disease, Northwestern University, New Atlas Audio

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Gait analysis of dementia patients reliably identifies Alzheimer’s

Posted on February 17, 2021 by Nick Lavars

Doctors might soon be able to differentiate between dementia types in older patients by analyzing the way they walk

The progression of a range cognitive conditions is often associated with a deterioration in motor control, and recently we’re seeing how the finer details of this physical decline can help us tell one type of dementia from another. A new study has demonstrated how this might work in distinguishing Alzheimer’s disease from other types of dementia, by focusing on one specific difference in the patient’s gait.

Category: Medical, Science

Tags: Walk, Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, Lawson Health Research Institute

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Poor mid-life heart health linked to dementia in later years

Posted on February 16, 2021 by Rich Haridy

A new study has found healthy subjects in their 50s with subclinical signs of heart disease also displayed impaired metabolism in parts of the brain associated with Alzheimer's disease

A compelling new study, led by a team of Spanish researchers, is suggesting cardiovascular disease in mid-life is linked to neurodegeneration and cognitive decline in senior years. The research found subjects in their 50s with mild hypertension displayed evidence of impaired brain metabolism in areas associated with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Category: Health & Wellbeing, Lifestyle

Tags: Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, Cardiovascular, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III, Heart Disease, Heart, Blood Pressure, Brain, metabolism, New Atlas Audio

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Alzheimer’s scientists uncover “seeding” process of toxic protein tangles

Posted on February 2, 2021 by Michael Irving

Tau tangles (blue) can build up inside neurons, and are implicated in the formation of Alzheimer's

Researchers in Australia and China have shed new light on the murky origins of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, which could eventually lead to new treatments. The team uncovered a mechanism for how toxic tangles of tau proteins leak into healthy brain cells.

Category: Medical, Science

Tags: Alzheimer’s Disease, Brain, Neuroscience, University of Queensland, China, Australia, Cells, Protein, New Atlas Audio

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More evidence an afternoon nap can be good for your brain

Posted on January 27, 2021 by Rich Haridy

New research suggests regular afternoon naps (longer than five minutes but shorted than two hours) can be linked with better cognitive health in the elderly

A new observational study is building on an increasing body of data finding a correlation between afternoon naps and improved mental agility and cognitive function. The research hypothesizes afternoon naps may help moderate age-related neuroinflammation, helping keep the brain healthy.

Category: Health & Wellbeing, Lifestyle

Tags: Sleep, Sleeping, Brain, Neuroscience, Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia

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Experimental Alzheimer’s drug delivers promising Phase 2 trial results

Posted on January 13, 2021 by Rich Haridy

Preliminary Phase 2 trial results of donanemab suggest the drug slows cognitive decline compared to placebo

Although yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly has announced promising results from one of its Phase 2 human trials testing an experimental Alzheimer’s disease drug designed to slow cognitive decline.

Category: Science

Tags: Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, Drugs, Protein, Neuroscience, Brain

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