Monday, July 31, 2017

Could Snoring be linked to Alzheimers

(Natural News) A new study conducted by researchers at Harvard University showed that snoring while sleeping is correlated with the risk of contracting Alzheimer’s disease as it was found that people who are at-risk of the condition are more susceptible to it when they constantly experience difficulty in breathing while they’re asleep. Daytime sleepiness and sleep apnea are also signs that one might be suffering or might be vulnerable to risks of impaired attention, memory, and thinking, especially among people who are predisposed to cognitive decline, the research added.

“Individuals with SDB (sleep-disordered breathing) commonly report problems with cognition and may be at increased risk for dementia. Our results suggest that more severe overnight hypoxemia and sleepiness may be related to poorer cognitive function, especially attention, concentration, and process speed in middle-aged to older adults, and that the risk is greater among carriers of APOE, a known risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease,” study author Dr. Dayna Johnson said.

People who were at-risk of developing Alzheimer’s had in them a gene known as apolipoprotein ε4 (APOE-ε4) allele, which transports cholesterol and facilitates brain injury repair in healthy people. Around 20 percent of the people in the United States likely carry the APOE-ε4 allele, while 40 percent of Americans likely snore while sleeping, the study said.

“With use of this type of information, future risk stratification may help to identify individuals at increased risk for SDB-related cognitive effects,” Dr. Johnson said.

How the study was conducted

Around 1,752 people with an average of 68 participated in a sleep study. For each participant, the researchers calculated the:

Apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), which measures how many apnea or hypopnea episodes a person has per hour of sleep, and the
Percentage of time during sleep when their blood contained oxygen levels below 90 percent.

The researchers then tested the participants’ cognitive abilities via assessing these three areas:

Overall brain function, including attention and focus,
How fast the brain could grasp data and perform tasks (processing speed), and
Memory and attention using the Digit Span Test.

Aside from the Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, the study was conducted by experts from the Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; Stanford University School of Medicine; Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Beth Israel Medical Deaconness Center; University of Washington; and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The study analyzed data from the ongoing Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, which identified how various lifestyle factors impacted the risk of developing atherosclerosis. (Related: Alzheimer’s is really just ‘type-3’ diabetes, new research shows.)

The study, however, did not go on to further examine if the people who are predisposed to develop dementia because of sleep apnea and other sleep conditions really did get afflicted with Alzheimer’s in their old age. It also concluded that as far as factors go, having sleep apnea or other conditions has but a minimal effect to the chances of actually being susceptible to mental decline, England’s National Health Services said in a statement.

An unlikely ally against cognitive decline: strawberries

A study that was conducted earlier this month showed that strawberries could help deter the onset of age-related cognitive decline. Strawberries contained a compound called fisetin, which eases mental degradation in the mice that it were exposed to it. The mice that were not treated with this compound suffered from inflammation and cognitive difficulties, researchers said.

According to Pamela Maher, senior author and senior staff scientist at Salk’s Cellular Neurobiology Laboratory in La Jolla, California, “Mice are not people, of course. But there are enough similarities that we think fisetin warrants a closer look, not only for potentially treating Alzheimer’s disease but also for reducing some of the cognitive effects associated with aging, generally.”

Saturday, July 29, 2017

Insulin and Alzheimer's

Caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals,

Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care professionals to get an easyceu or two

Follow alzheimersideas on twitter
The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]

Newsbeat, UW Health Sciences

In an Alzheimer's lab, insulin delivered high up in the nasal cavity achieved lasting results in improving memory. Find out why Dr. W. Banks call this "one of those studies where everything is coming together."

Researchers at the UW Medicine, Veteran's Administration Puget Sound and Saint Louis University made a promising discovery that insulin delivered high up in the nasal cavity goes to affected areas of brain with lasting results in improving memory.

See this exceptional Alzheimer's Project Special that HBO ran a while back on Insulin and Alzheimer's. Article continued below video...

Article continued below...

PDFThe findings were published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

“Before this study, there was very little evidence of how insulin gets into the brain and where it goes,” said William Banks, UW professor of internal medicine and geriatrics, VA Puget Sound physician and the principal investigator of the study. “We showed that insulin goes to areas where we hoped it would go.”

Importantly, researchers also found that insulin does not go into the bloodstream when delivered intranasally, a major concern in the medical community because it would lower blood sugar levels. Additionally, repeated doses increased insulin’s efficacy in aiding memory.

William Banks
UW Professor of Internal Medicine & Geriatrics.

“This is one of those studies where everything is coming together,” Banks said of the potential of gastrointestinal hormones like insulin to help those suffering from diseases like Alzheimer’s that affect memory function.
The study was funded through a $500,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health.

Researchers on this study used a mouse model developed in the early 1990s that is normal when young but by “mouse middle age” (8-12 months) has severe learning and memory problems. In the object recognition test, a test that depends on the mouse’s natural curiosity for new things, old mice do not remember whether objects they are presented to play with are new or old. After a single dose of intranasal insulin, however, they can remember which objects they have seen before.

More:

The researchers noted that Alzheimer’s disease and other, similar forms of dementia have become one of the most severe socioeconomic and medical burdens impacting modern society. They said an estimated 44 million people worldwide suffer from Alzheimer’s or other dementia and, with the aging population, this number is expected to double by 2030.

Researchers estimate that there are at least 800 trials being conducted by the NIH on Alzheimer’s; however, few are looking at insulin and other gastrointestinal hormones and how they affect cognition. Banks said there are probably 100 intranasal compounds that could be tested for treating Alzheimer’s, a promising development in future treatment of the disease.

When discussing whether or not a breakthrough in Alzheimer’s treatment is possible, Banks looked to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the progress that has been made since then. He noted that Alzheimer’s and HIV/AIDS came into the scientific spotlight at about the same time (the 1980s) but that 10 times the amount of money was spent on HIV/AIDS: While there is still no cure, people with HIV/AIDS have access to lifesaving drugs, demonstrating that medical research can turn devastating diseases into manageable ones.

“If we put similar resources into Alzheimer’s disease,” he said, “we could be equally effective.”

SOURCE:
Newsbeat, UW Health Sciences

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Long distance caregiving to those with dementia

Caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals,

Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care professionals to get an easyceu or two

Follow alzheimersideas on twitter
The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]

SOURCE:
National Institute on Aging - U.S. National Institutes of Health

FREE BOOKLETS &; CARE TIPS:

Long-distance dementia-caregiving has unique stresses. Learn what to do and how to help. Get a free booklet with suggestions on coping and succeeding.

Who is a long-distance caregiver?

Anyone, anywhere, can be a long-distance caregiver, no matter your gender, income, age, social status, or employment. If you are living an hour or more away from a person who needs your help, you're probably a long-distance caregiver.

What can I really do from far away?

Long-distance caregivers take on different roles. You may:

Help with finances, money management, or bill paying
Arrange for in-home care—hire professional caregivers or home health or nursing aides and help get ne,eded durable medical equipment
Locate care in an assisted living facility or nursing home (also known as a skilled nursing facility)
Provide emotional support and occasional respite care for a primary caregiver, the person who takes on most of the everyday caregiving responsibilities
Serve as an information coordinator—research health problems or medicines, help navigate through a maze of new needs, and clarify insurance benefits and claims
Keep family and friends updated and informed
Create a plan and get paperwork in order in case of an emergency

Over time, as your family member's needs change, so will your role as long-distance caregiver.

20 Questions & Answers
About Long Distance Caregiving

FOR YOUR FREE COPY,
CLICK:

I'm new to long-distance caregiving—what should I do first?

To get started:

Ask the primary caregiver, if there is one, and the care recipient how you can be most helpful
Talk to friends who are caregivers to see if they have suggestions about ways to help
Find out more about local resources that might be useful
Develop a good understanding of the person's health issues and other needs
Visit as often as you can; not only might you notice something that needs to be done and can be taken care of from a distance, but you can also relieve a primary caregiver for a short time

Many of us don't automatically have a lot of caregiver skills. Information about training opportunities is available. Some local chapters of the American Red Cross might offer courses, as do some nonprofit organizations focused on caregiving. Medicare and Medicaid will sometimes pay for this training. See Where can I find local resources for my family member? to find local services for older adults and their families.

As a caregiver, what do I need to know about my family member's health?

Long-distance caregiver man speaking to doctor about family member's health

Learn about your family member's condition and any treatment to help you understand what is going on, anticipate the course of an illness, prevent crises, and assist in healthcare management.

Learn as much as you can about your family member's condition and any treatment. This can help you understand what is going on, anticipate the course of an illness, prevent crises, and assist in healthcare management. It can also make talking with the doctoreasier.
Get written permission, as needed under the HIPAA Privacy Rule, to receive medical and financial information. To the extent possible, the family member with permission should be the one to talk with all healthcare providers. Try putting together a notebook, on paper or online, that includes all the vital information about medical care, social services, contact numbers, financial issues, and so on. Make copies for other caregivers, and keep it up-to-date.

How can I be most helpful during my visit?

Talk to the care recipient ahead of time and find out what he or she would like to do during your visit. Also check with the primary caregiver, if appropriate, to learn what he or she needs, such as handling some caregiving responsibilities while you are in town. This may help you set clear-cut and realistic goals for the visit. Decide on the priorities and leave other tasks to another visit.
Remember to actually spend time visiting with your family member. Try to make time to do things unrelated to being a caregiver, like watching a movie, playing a game, or taking a drive. Finding time to do something simple and relaxing can help everyone—it can be fun and build family memories. And, try to let outside distractions wait until you are home again.

How can I stay connected from far away?

Try to find people who live near your loved one and can provide a realistic view of what is going on. This may be your other parent. A social worker may be able to provide updates and help with making decisions. Many families schedule conference calls with doctors, the assisted living facility team, or nursing home staff so several relatives can be in one conversation and get the same up-to-date information about health and progress.
Don't underestimate the value of a phone and email contact list. It is a simple way to keep everyone updated on your parents' needs.
You may also want to give the person you care for a cell phone (and make sure he or she knows how to use it). Or, if your family member lives in a nursing home, consider having a private phone line installed in his or her room. Program telephone numbers of doctors, friends, family members, and yourself into the phone, and perhaps provide a list of the speed-dial numbers to keep with the phone. Such simple strategies can be a lifeline. But try to be prepared should you find yourself inundated with calls from your parent.

Where can I find local resources for my family member?

Searching online is a good way to start collecting resources. Here are a few potentially helpful places to look:

Eldercare Locator, 1-800-677-1116 (toll-free)
National Institute on Aging website
Family Care Navigator
Your state government's website

You might also check with local senior centers.

Where can I learn more?

Would you like to learn more about long-distance caregiving? The National Institute on Aging's (NIA) booklets So Far Away: Twenty Questions and Answers About Long-Distance Caregiving and Caring for a Person with Alzheimer's Disease can help. See Related Publications below. NIA also has a special section of its website featuring health and aging information for caregivers.

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Keeping those with dementia cool this summer

Caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals,

Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care professionals to get an easyceu or two

Follow alzheimersideas on twitter
The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]

SOURCE:
National Institute on Aging
National Institutes of Health
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

SUMMERTIME ALERT:

Summer and dementia are a tricky combination. In dementia, be careful with the danger of hyperthermia (a kind of overheating) almost any summer day. Learn how to avoid the heat and get quick relief.

Now that Li Ming is retired, she likes to work in her garden—even in hot weather. Then last summer, an unusual heat wave hit her area. The temperature was over 100°F, and the humidity was at least 90%. By the third day, her daughter Kim came over because Li Ming sounded confused on the phone. Kim found her mom passed out on the kitchen floor. Li Ming's large fan wasn't enough to fight the effect of heat and humidity. She had heat stroke, the most serious form of hyperthermia.

How to Respond

Almost every summer, there is a deadly heat wave in some part of the country. Too much heat is not safe for anyone. It is even riskier for older people and especially for those with a dementia such as Alzheimer's. It is important to get relief from the heat quickly. If not, one may begin feeling confused or faint. The heart could become stressed and maybe stop beating.

If you suspect someone is suffering from a heat-related illness:

Get the person out of the heat and into a shady, air-conditioned or other cool place. Urge the person to lie down.
If you suspect heat stroke, call 911.
Apply a cold, wet cloth to the wrists, neck, armpits and/or groin. These are places where blood passes close to the surface of the skin, and the cold cloths can help cool the blood.
Help the individual to bathe or sponge off with cool water.
If the person can swallow safely, offer fluids such as water or fruit and vegetable juices, but avoid alcohol and caffeine.

Warning Signs

Fainting
Change in behavior—confusion, being grouchy, acting strangely, or staggering
Dry flushed skin and a strong rapid pulse or a slow weak pulse
Body temperature over 104°F
Not sweating even if it is hot, acting agitated

How Can I Lower My Risk?

Things you can do to lower your risk of heat-related illness:

Drink plenty of liquids—water, fruit, or vegetable juices. Aim for eight glasses every day. Heat tends to make you lose fluids, so it is very important to remember to keep drinking liquids when it's hot. Try to stay away from drinks containing alcohol or caffeine. If your doctor has told you to limit your liquids, ask what you should do when it is very hot.
If you live in a home or apartment without fans or air conditioning, try to keep your house as cool as possible.
Limit your use of the oven. Cover windows with shades, blinds, or curtains during the hottest part of the day. Open your windows at night.
If your house is hot, try to spend at least 2 hours during mid-day some place that has air conditioning—for example, go to the shopping mall, movies, library, senior center, or a friend's house.
If you need help getting to a cool place, ask a friend or relative. Some Area Agencies on Aging, religious groups, or senior centers provide this service. If necessary, take a taxi or call for senior transportation. Don't stand outside in the heat waiting for a bus.
If you have an air conditioner but can't afford the electric bills, there may be some local resources that can help. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is one possible resource.

Dress for the weather. Some people find natural fabrics such as cotton to be cooler than synthetic fibers. Light-colored clothes feel cooler. Don't try to exercise or do a lot of activities when it's hot.
Avoid crowded places when it's hot outside. Plan trips during non-rush hour times.

Listen To Weather Reports

If the temperature or humidity is going up or an air pollution alert is in effect, you are at an increased risk for a heat-related illness. Play it safe by checking the weather report before going outside.

What Should I Remember?

Headache, confusion, dizziness, or nausea could be a sign of a heat-related illness. Go to the doctor or an emergency room to find out if you need treatment.

Older people can have a tough time dealing with heat and humidity. The temperature inside or outside does not have to reach 100°F to put them at risk for a heat-related illness.

To keep heat-related illnesses from becoming a dangerous heat stroke, remember to:

Get out of the sun and into a cool place—air-conditioning is best.
Drink fluids, but avoid alcohol and caffeine. Water, fruit, or vegetable juices are good choices.
Shower, bathe, or at least sponge off with cool water.
Lie down and rest in a cool place.
Visit your doctor or an emergency room if you don't cool down quickly.

A Senior Watch

During hot weather, think about making daily visits to older relatives and neighbors. Remind them to drink lots of water or juice. If there is a heat wave, offer to help them go some place cool, such as air-conditioned malls, libraries, or senior centers.

Additional Resources:

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) within the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services helps eligible households pay for home cooling and heating costs. People interested in applying for assistance should contact their local or state LIHEAP agency or go to http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap.

For a free copy of the NIA’s AgePage on hyperthermia in English or in Spanish, contact the NIA Information Center at 1-800-222-2225 or go to:

SOURCE:
National Institute on Aging
National Institutes of Health
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Sunday, July 23, 2017

Diets to prevent dementia

Caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals,

Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care professionals to get an easyceu or two

Follow alzheimersideas on twitter
The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]

Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC)

NUTRITION: In the fight against Alzheimer's, a duo of diets rose to the top of the list in a report from the Alzheimer's Association International Conference.

LONDON — In the fight against Alzheimer's, three diets rose to the top of the list in a report from the Alzheimer's Association International Conference.

The diets are:

The Nordic Prudent Dietary Pattern (NPDP), considered to be a healthy Nordic diet.
The MIND Diet, a new diet growing in popularity that combines the best brain-healthy components of the Mediterranean Diet and the DASH Diet.

The results from four large population-based studies support a connection between good dietary practices and better cognition in old age.

A group of U.S. scientists found that, among nearly 6,000 older adults in the Health and Retirement Study, those who consistently followed diets long known to contribute to cardiovascular health were also more likely to maintain strong cognitive function in old age. They found that sticking to the specially designed MIND diet and Mediterranean diet was associated with 30 to 35 percent lower risk of cognitive impairment in healthy older adults. In fact, the investigators discovered that those with healthier diets exhibited meaningful preservation of cognitive function.

The Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diets were originally developed or codified to help improve cardiovascular health.
A hybrid of these diets, called the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay, or MIND diet, is gaining attention for its potential positive effects on preserving cognitive function and reducing dementia risk in older individuals. A 2015 study found that individuals adhering to this diet exhibited less cognitive decline as they aged (Morris et al. Alzheimer’s Dement. 2015; 11:1015-22).

Other diet-related studies reported at AAIC 2017 included:

Researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden found that - in a group of more than 2,200 older adults - people sticking to a healthy Nordic diet (including non-root vegetables, certain fruits, fish and poultry) enjoyed better cognitive status than individuals who ate a less healthy diet.
From more than 7,000 participants in the U.S.-based Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study, researchers found that older women who ate diets traditionally thought of as heart-healthy, in particular the MIND Diet, were less likely to develop dementia.
A team of researchers at Columbia University presented data suggesting that poor diet may promote premature signs of brain aging through inflammatory mechanisms, which were also associated with smaller brain volume.

“Although the idea that a healthy diet can help protect against cognitive decline as we age is not new, the size and length of these four studies demonstrate how powerful good dietary practices may be in maintaining brain health and function,” said Keith Fargo, PhD, Alzheimer’s Association Director of Scientific Programs and Outreach. “That said, we must understand that what we eat is just one part of the puzzle. Adapting our lifestyles as we get older – for example by exercising regularly, watching what we eat and engaging in lifelong learning – is important in order to maximize the potential to reduce risk of cognitive decline and dementia.”

The Alzheimer’s Association offers 10 Ways to Love Your Brain, including broad dietary guidance, based on the latest research.

Heart Healthy is Brain Healthy
Claire McEvoy, Ph.D. at the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues examined the association between adherence to the Mediterranean and MIND diets and cognitive performance in a large, nationally representative population of 5,907 older, community-dwelling adults in the Health and Retirement Study. The researchers found that the more healthfully people ate, the better they functioned cognitively.

After controlling for demographic, lifestyle and health variables, participants who were highly adherent to these diets were 30 to 35 percent less likely to exhibit poor performance on a measure of cognitive function. Study participants who were moderately adherent to either diet were 18 percent less likely to exhibit signs of cognitive impairment.

Benefits of a Healthy Nordic Diet
Weili Xu, M.D., Ph.D., at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, and colleagues sought to identify dietary habits associated with preserved cognitive function in 2,223 community-dwelling, dementia-free adults in Sweden. The investigators found during six years of follow-up that even moderate adherence to a healthy diet known as the Nordic Prudent Dietary Pattern (NPDP) resulted in better cognitive status than individuals who ate a less healthy diet that included fatty foods, sweets and processed foods. In this population, NPDP was found to be a better predictor of preserved cognitive function than the MIND diet, Mediterranean diet, DASH diet and Baltic Sea Diet.

The NPDP included:

More frequent consumption of non-root vegetables, apple/pears/peaches, pasta/rice, poultry, fish, vegetable oils, tea and water, and light to moderate wine intake.
Less frequent intake of root vegetables, refined grains/cereals, butter/margarine, sugar/sweets/pastries, and fruit juice.

Women Who Eat Well Less Likely to Develop Dementia
Research published in 2015 found that the MIND diet was associated with a reduced incidence of Alzheimer’s disease in a sample of 923 older individuals (Morris et al. Alzheimer’s Dement. 2015; 11:1007-1014). Kathleen Hayden, Ph.D., Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and colleagues sought to replicate these findings in 7,057 women participating in the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS). Using data from WHIMS, they categorized the participants (mean age 71) into quartiles based on level of adherence to the MIND diet, with the 1st quartile being least adherent and the 4th being the most adherent. There were 615 incident cases of Alzheimer’s during a mean follow-up of 9.7 years.

Compared with women in the first (lowest) quartile of MIND adherence, WHIMS participants in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quartiles had 24 percent, 21 percent, and 34 percent reductions in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. It is noteworthy that the largest share of the risk reduction occurred from the poorest dietary habits to the modestly adherent diet. These results corroborate results from previous research in smaller populations, and suggest that it may not require wholesale diet changes to help preserve the aging brain.

Poor Diet Linked to Inflammation
Building on solid evidence that eating well is brain healthy, researchers are beginning to explore mechanisms through which dietary mechanisms may influence cognitive status and dementia risk. Yian Gu, Ph.D., at Columbia University, New York, and colleagues examined whether an inflammation-related nutrient pattern (INP) was associated with cognitive function and structural MRI findings in the brain.

Using data on 330 community-dwelling, non-demented elderly individuals (mean age 79.7), the investigators found that an INP characterized by high intake of cholesterol, beta-carotene and lutein, and low intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, calcium, folate and vitamins (B1, B2, B5, B6, D, E), was positively associated with levels of inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein and interleukin-6). In addition, closer adherence to this INP was associated with smaller total brain gray matter volume and worse performance in executive function. Additional research in larger populations is needed to confirm the role of inflammation-related dietary components in brain and cognitive health, and help elucidate inflammatory or other mechanisms through which eating habits may alter brain function and structure.

REFERENCES:

Claire McEvoy, Ph.D., et al. Neuroprotective Dietary Patterns Are Associated with Better Cognitive Performance in Older US Adults: The Health and Retirement Study. (Funder(s): The Wellcome Trust)
Weili Xu, MD, Ph.D., et al. Which Dietary Index May Predict Preserved Cognitive Function in Nordic Older Adults? (Funder(s): CoSTREAM project; EU's Horizon 2020 Research & Innovation Programme)
Kathleen Hayden, Ph.D., et al. The Mind Diet and Incident Dementia, Findings from the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study. (Funder(s): National Institutes on Aging)
Yian Gu, Ph.D., et al. An Inflammatory Nutrient Pattern Is Associated Both Structural and Cognitive Measures of Brain Aging in the Elderly. (Funder(s): U.S. National Institute on Aging)

SOURCE:

Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC)
The Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) is the world's largest gathering of researchers from around the world focused on Alzheimer's and other dementias. As a part of the Alzheimer's Association's research program, AAIC serves as a catalyst for generating new knowledge about dementia and fostering a vital, collegial research community.
AAIC 2017 home page: www.alz.org/aaic/
About the Alzheimer's Association®
The Alzheimer's Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research, to provide and enhance care and support for all affected and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's. Visit alz.org or call +1 800.272.3900.

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Benefits of tumeric

Caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals,

Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care professionals to get an easyceu or two

Follow alzheimersideas on twitter

The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition

Salk Institute

Salk Institute's J147 is a derivative of turmeric, a spice used in curry. Learn how it quickly reverses memory deficits and has a host of unexpected anti-aging effects in the lab.

Salk Institute researchers have found that J147, which is an experimental drug candidate aimed at combating Alzheimer's disease, has a host of unexpected anti-aging effects in animals.

J147, Alzheimer's and Old Age

The Salk team expanded upon their previous development of the drug candidate they labeled J147. It is a derivative of the common spice, turmeric, and takes a different tack by targeting Alzheimer's major risk factor -- old age. In the new work, the team showed that the drug candidate worked well in a mouse model of aging not typically used in Alzheimer's research. When these mice were treated with J147, they had better memory and cognition, healthier blood vessels in the brain and other improved physiological features, as detailed in the journal Aging.

Fighting Alzheimer's By Fighting Aging

"Initially, the impetus was to test this drug in a novel animal model that was more similar to 99 percent of Alzheimer's cases," says Antonio Currais, the lead author and a member of Professor David Schubert's Cellular Neurobiology Laboratory at Salk. "We did not predict we'd see this sort of anti-aging effect, but J147 made old mice look like they were young, based upon a number of physiological parameters."

Continued below ad...

PDFAlzheimer's disease is a progressive brain disorder, recently ranked as the third leading cause of death in the United States and affecting more than five million Americans. It is also the most common cause of dementia in older adults, according to the National Institutes of Health.

"While most drugs developed in the past 20 years target the amyloid plaque deposits in the brain (which are a hallmark of the disease), none have proven effective in the clinic," says Schubert, senior author of the study.

Expanding the Fight to More Common Dementias

Several years ago, Schubert and his colleagues began to approach the treatment of the disease from a new angle. Rather than target amyloid, the lab decided to zero in on the major risk factor for the disease--old age. Using cell-based screens against old age-associated brain toxicities, they synthesized J147.

Previously, the team found that J147 could prevent and even reverse memory loss and Alzheimer's pathology in mice that have a version of the inherited form of Alzheimer's, the most commonly used mouse model. However, this form of the disease comprises only about 1 percent of Alzheimer's cases. For everyone else, old age is the primary risk factor, says Schubert. The team wanted to explore the effects of the drug candidate on a breed of mice that age rapidly and experience a version of dementia that more closely resembles the age-related human disorder.

Young Mice, Old Mice and J147-fed Mice

In this latest work, the researchers used a comprehensive set of assays to measure the expression of all genes in the brain, as well as over 500 small molecules involved with metabolism in the brains and blood of three groups of the rapidly aging mice. The three groups of rapidly aging mice included one set that was young, one set that was old and one set that was old but fed J147 as they aged.

7 Benefits

The old mice fed J147 saw the following benefits:

They performed better on memory and other tests for cognition
They displayed more robust motor movements.
They had fewer pathological signs of Alzheimer's in their brains.
J147 prevented the leakage of blood from the microvessels in the brains of old mice. "Damaged blood vessels are a common feature of aging in general, and in Alzheimer's, it is frequently much worse," says Currais.

Importantly, because of the large amount of data collected on the three groups of mice, it was possible to demonstrate that many aspects of gene expression and metabolism in the old mice fed J147 were very similar to those of the young animals. These included:
markers for increased energy metabolism,
reduced brain inflammation and
reduced levels of oxidized fatty acids in the brain.

Human Clinical Trials

Currais and Schubert note that while these studies represent a new and exciting approach to Alzheimer's drug discovery and animal testing in the context of aging, the only way to demonstrate the clinical relevance of the work is to move J147 into human clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease.

"If proven safe and effective for Alzheimer's, the apparent anti-aging effect of J147 would be a welcome benefit," adds Schubert. The team aims to begin human trials next year.

Related Article:

Curry Derivative J147 Beats Aricept for Alzheimer's

MORE INFORMATION:

Other authors on the paper include Oswald Quehenberger of the University of California, San Diego; and Joshua Goldberg, Catherine Farrokhi, Max Chang, Marguerite Prior, Richard Dargusch, Daniel Daugherty and Pamela Maher of the Salk Institute.
This study was supported by the Salk Institute Pioneer Fund Postdoctoral Scholar Award and the Salk Nomis Fellowship Award, fellowships from the Hewitt Foundation and Bundy Foundation, and grants from the Burns Foundation and NIH.

SOURCE: