Researchers Find Gene Variant For Alzheimer's That May Lead To Better Treatment

New York, NY (AHN) - Researchers say they've discovered a gene that may make it easier for people for developing late-onset Alzheimer's disease and could become a target for drug treatments.

Called calcium homeostasis modulator 1 (CALHM1), the gene controls the flow of calcium in and out of cells, influences the formation of "plaques" composed of clumps of a protein, beta-amyloid, which is believed to damage brain cells in the disease.

The gene is predominantly active in a region of the brain that is hit early in the disease, where it acts as a channel for calcium, researchers say in a new report in the June 27th issue of the journal Cell.

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New clue to Alzheimer's and related dementias found

The brains of people with the memory-robbing form of dementia are cluttered with a plaque made up of beta-amyloid, a sticky protein. But there long has been a question whether this is a cause of the disease or a side effect. Also involved are tangles of a protein called tau; some scientists suspect this is the cause.

Now, researchers have caused Alzheimer's and dementia symptoms in rats by injecting them with one particular form of beta-amyloid. Injections with other forms of beta-amyloid did not cause illness, which may explain why some people have beta-amyloid plaque in their brains but do not show disease symptoms.

The two-molecule form of soluble beta-amyloid produced characteristics of Alzheimer's and dementia in the rats.

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You can also read about this at

Nature Medicine
or at
National Institute on Aging

Dementia can hit after a stroke in prime of life

In November 2005, Davida Godett seemingly had it all. She had a great job and was on the fast track to earning her MBA. Then, on an otherwise uneventful Monday morning, Godett crashed:

She had a mini-stroke that temporarily stopped the blood flow to her brain. Godett went to a nearby emergency room and recovered. She didn't really dwell on the fact that she was at high risk for another attack. After all, she reasoned, strokes strike older people, and she was only 29. Then, right around Valentine's Day 2007, Godett started to slur her words. One side of her body felt numb. She had had a severe stroke. This time, when Godett, an accountant in Philadelphia, tried to resume her life, she ran into major problems. At work, she had trouble adding up numbers, planning ahead or even thinking clearly.FIND MORE STORIES IN: Philadelphia Medicare Alzheimer Valentine Morgantown Stroke Association

BETTER LIFE: Rounding up the latest studies on Alzheimer's and dementia

The damage from the stroke had left her with vascular dementia, the second-leading cause of dementia in the USA behind Alzheimer's. Godett was only 31 at the time. Most people who have dementia are 65 or older, but according to the Alzheimer's Association, an estimated 500,000 people ages 55 to 64 struggle with some form of dementia. Work becomes impossible

Here are somw ways to prevent dementia

VASCULAR DEMENTIA PREVENTION
African-Americans have a greater chance of suffering a stroke and developing vascular dementia, but it can happen to anyone. To reduce the risk: Keep blood pressure in check. Don't let untreated high blood pressure damage artery walls. Maintain a normal body weight. Obesity can increase the risk of diabetes, stroke and other vascular problems. Don't smoke. Cut back on foods high in saturated fat and add plenty of whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables to your plate. Get plenty of exercise. Thirty minutes of activity on most days of the week is ideal. Take steps to reduce high blood cholesterol.

Sources: The American Heart Association and the

Alzheimer's Association

Now what do you think?

New promising findings in Alzheimers research

By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID

WASHINGTON (AP) — Researchers have uncovered a new clue to the cause of Alzheimer's disease. The brains of people with the memory-robbing form of dementia are cluttered with a plaque made up of beta-amyloid, a sticky protein. But there long has been a question whether this is a cause of the disease or a side effect. Also involved are tangles of a protein called tau; some scientists suspect this is the cause.

Now, researchers have caused Alzheimer's symptoms in rats by injecting them with one particular form of beta-amyloid. Injections with other forms of beta-amyloid did not cause illness, which may explain why some people have beta-amyloid plaque in their brains but do not show disease symptoms.

The findings by a team led by Dr. Ganesh M. Shankar and Dr. Dennis J. Selkoe of Harvard Medical School were reported in Sunday's online edition of the journal Nature Medicine.

The researchers used extracts from the brains of people who donated their bodies to medicine.

A lot of work needs to be done," Morrison-Bogorad said. "Nature keeps sending us down paths that look straight at the beginning, but there are a lot of curves before we get to the end."
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The Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center Web site will help you find current, comprehensive Alzheimer's disease (AD) information and resources from the National Institute on Aging (NIA

Did you have a happy Father's day?

This is a special day for people with Alzheimer's disease and caregivers who are also fathers. I hope you had a relaxing, peaceful day spent with family and friends where love is the prevailing theme.
If you're caring for a father with Alzheimer's, this could be an emotionally challenging day for you. I hope found an event or activity that you both enjoy and that's adaptable to your father's current abilities. If you're a caregiver and you're
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Why laughter is so important for those with dementia

Laughter, the physical response to perceived humor, Those with dementia can still perceive humor. Laughter has demonstrated positive effects on physical and psychological well-being.Dementia folks have improved well being from laughter. Thus if someone with dementia thinks something is funny, he will laugh. What helps is to have a group leader or care giver start laughing about something and invite the dementia person(s) to join in. Often you will find that laughter is contageous. Studies that focus on effects of humor on health and well-being of older adults are scarce.

Laughter therapy is in for those with dementia

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Are Humor and Word-Play Lost Skillls for Those with Alzheimer's?

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Have you heard of laughter clubs ?

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You can make a difference in Alzheimer's research

Alzheimer Research Funding - Subcommittee Action
Your voice can make a difference.

Advocacy is a major component of the Alzheimer's Association mission. Advocates are people with Alzheimer's and related disorders, caregivers, friends and families whose voices together are a powerful tool for change and hope of a future without Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer advocates are calling for advancements in research and enhanced care and support at the federal, state and local levels. The payoff has been phenomenal to date: substantial increases in federal research funding, growth in state-supported services and improvements in the quality of care for those in nursing homes.
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