Experiments on mice have found that a drug used to treat cancer can very quickly remove build up of beta-amyloid peptides in the brain, known to cause Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s disease is believed to be associated with a build up of plaque-like substances that brings on the memory problems. The build-up is thought to underlie the [...]
As the average age continues to grow so does the possibility that more of us will be taking care of a loved one as they age or get ill. Caregiving is an act of love and kindness. It does, however, come with a heavy price tag, and without adequate support can turn from an act [...]
Over-the-counter drugs are considered safe because they don’t require a prescription. That view has been challenged by some research. Some common brands of drugs taken by adults have been shown to negatively affect brain function. Anticholinergics affect the brain by blocking acetylcholine, a nervous system neurotransmitter. Those suffering from Alzheimer's disease typically have a marked [...]
Okay, this one hits home. I was recently told I have Metabolic Syndrome.....Yikes.....I have had a cloudy head for months if not a year or more and maybe this is the answer. As a memory guy or memory speaker this is probably the worst condition to have and for the non memory guy not good [...]
A recent study published in Science (October 2011) indicates a new discovery has been made as to how the brain connects to form memories of events that happen close together, and could play a major role in furthering research on Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, led [...]
In the largest genome-wide association study (GWAS) ever conducted on Alzheimer’s, researchers from around the world studied and shared information from the DNA samples of more than 56,000 participants. They analyzed the data to detect gene variations that could produce subtle effects on the developing, or risk for developing, Alzheimer’s. Results of the study were [...]
A study published in medical journal Neurology, found that people who think that they are in poor health are more likely to develop dementia later in life. Among study participants with no cognitive problems, those who rated their health as poor were nearly twice as likely to develop dementia as those who rated their health [...]
Forty years ago, due to the fact that some people with Alzheimer’s disease had aluminum deposits in their brains, scientists began to explore a possible link between overexposure to metals and Alzheimer's disease. However, after many years of study, no conclusive evidence was able to link aluminum exposure to neurodegenerative diseases, which left researchers to [...]
Radiation therapy utilizes high-energy radiation to shrink and kill cancer cells, but it may be doing much damage to the brain. Although radiation therapy has been the standard of care for patients with brain cancer, it can have severe and devastating side effects such functional learning and memory loss that is progressive, debilitating, and adversely [...]
