The findings suggest that analysis of Aβ 40 as well as Aβ 42 concentrations may provide greater sensitivity and specificity.
The researchers explained that Aβ 40 is the most abundant C-terminal Aβ-variant in CSF and correlates well with the total Aβ concentration; thus, it has the ability to serve as a surrogate-marker for total CSF Aβ.
The Aβ 42 and Aβ 40 measurements performed by the 2 laboratories showed statistically significant correlations, with R2 = 0.5078 for Aβ 42 and R2 = 0.4308 for Aβ 42/40 , respectively (P < .0001 for both parameters).
Statistically significant correlations for p-Tau and t-Tau measurements (P < .0001 for both parameters) and CSF Aβ 40 (R2 = 0.5739; P < .0001) also were seen.
Not surprisingly, though, substantial discrepancies in regard to the Aβ 42 concentrations and Aβ 42/40 ratios were noted, likely owing to use of different assay kits (IBL vs Fujirebio).
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A staggering 15 million family members have stepped up to care for them – or 22% of all family caregivers nationwide.
Although their loved ones confront challenges to their independence as a result of the progressive disease, these family caregivers confront challenges of their own.
As part of the VOICE Dementia Care program, family caregivers received coaching that involved in-person sessions and ongoing consultations with a professional care team.
Family caregivers reported meaningful improvements in confidence, particularly related to self-care and coping, as they cared for those with dementia.
To provide broader community support to family caregivers, Seniorlink recently launched caregivernation as part of its second annual “Thank You Caregiver Nation” awareness initiative.
Early events in the development of Alzheimer’s disease includes an abnormal buildup of beta-amyloid peptide which can form large plaques in the brain and cause disruptions in the function of neuronal synapses.
Drugs which inhibit beta-secretase are being developed as potential candidates in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease but beta-secretase controls several important processes by cleaving other proteins, these drugs could have serious side effects.
It was observed that these model mice developed normally and appeared to remain perfectly healthy as they grew over time.
Beta-secretase decreased activity also resulted in lower beta-amyloid peptide levels and reversed all other hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease including the activation of microglial cells and formation of abnormal neuronal processes without unwanted toxicity.
It is hopeful that future studies will help to develop strategies to minimize the synaptic impairments that were observed to arise from beta-secretase inhibition to achieve maximum optimal benefits for patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
A new study published in the journal Alzheimer's and Dementia links high cholesterol with a lower risk of cognitive decline for people over 85 years old.
But that might not necessarily mean that having high cholesterol prevents dementia.
Study participants aged 75 to 84 years old with higher late-life cholesterol texperienced a 50 percent higher risk of cognitive decline.
"Most people prior to late old age are vulnerable to the deleterious effects of total cholesterol," Silverman explained to The Daily Meal.
Conversely, he noted, the study suggests that "having high cholesterol need not be a serious source of concern" for dementia prevention.
About 5 percent of the dementia patients had so-called early onset dementia that started before age 65, and most of these cases were alcohol-related, the study found.
Surprisingly, heavy drinkers who got sober didn’t have a lower dementia risk than their peers who remained problem drinkers,” Schwarzinger said by email .
Overall, about 3 percent of the dementia cases were attributable to alcohol-related brain damage, and other alcohol use disorders were recorded in almost 5 percent of dementia cases.
With early onset dementia cases, however, the connection to alcohol appeared stronger.
Alcohol use disorders were associated with three times the risk of dementia and twice the risk of early onset cases, the study found.
Using magnetic resonance imaging, researchers at the University of California, Irvine, found patterns in memory loss during two tests of memory, an object memory task and a location one.
"Object memory is far more vulnerable than spatial, or location, memory -- at least in the early stages."
Other research has shown that spatial memory and navigation problems are among problems that crop up for individuals that are progressing toward Alzheimer's disease.
During the brain scan, researchers establish a cerebral mechanism for that deficit in object memory.
Researchers want to expand their work to 150 older adults who will be followed over time.
Women with family histories of late-onset AD have higher amyloid burdens the closer they are to parental age of onset.
Parental age of onset might be used to prescreen women for AD trials, reducing the number of screen failures.
In dominantly inherited AD cohorts, researchers have found a strong link between amyloid accumulation and parental EYO.
Genotype did not modify the effect of parental EYO in ACS, but ApoE4 carriers in WRAP did accumulate plaques faster the closer they were to parental EYO.
The mean participant age across the three cohorts in this study was 62, with the parental EYO averaging 74.
Eat Green Leafy Vegetables to Slow Down Cognitive DeclineCognitive decline is an unfortunate medical reality that can affect any one of us as we age.
A new study from Rush University has found that the consumption of green leafy vegetables is linked to the slowing of cognitive decline in older people.
It tested the effects of six primary nutrients and bioactive ingredients that can be found in green leafy vegetables in relation to cognitive decline.
The researchers concluded that one serving of green leafy vegetables per day could slow the process of cognitive decline by an incredible rate.
Related: Cognitive decline after a stroke reduced with MIND dietShare this informationAdvertisementRelated Reading:Walking over 4,000 steps a day found to improve cognitive ability in adults 60 and olderIntermittent fasting increases cognitive functioning: StudySources:http://n.neurology.org/content/90/3/e214https://www.healio.com/psychiatry/alzheimers-disease-dementia/news/online/%7Bdcb14dd2-23fa-47a7-bd8c-7b8f641dc346%7D/eating-leafy-greens-may-slow-cognitive-declinehttps://www.clinicaladvisor.com/neurology-information-center/cognitive-decline-green-leafy-vegetable-consumption/article/720186/
March 6 (UPI) -- It may be possible to predict risk for dementia based on biomarkers in blood samples, according to a new study by researchers in Texas.
Small molecules called metabolites in blood samples drawn from 22,623 individuals in eight cohort studies in five countries, including 995 people who went on to develop dementia, appear to reveal risk for developing dementia.
High-density lipoprotein, known as HDL, and a VLDL lipoprotein subclass, on the other hand, were linked with increased dementia risk.
The Glenn Biggs Institute hopes to develop a diagnostic exam, such as a blood test, to assess each patient's molecular signature of dementia risk.
"It is exciting to find new biomarkers that can help us identify persons who are at the highest risk of dementia."
Study reveals novel biomarkers for future dementia riskParticipants’ blood samples were drawn years before their dementia diagnosis.
The discovery is described in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.
One high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and one VLDL lipoprotein subclass were associated with increased dementia risk.
The altered metabolite signatures were observed years before the diagnosis of dementia when those study participants were healthy, Dr. Seshadri said.
“I hope that people reading about this study will understand that they can take ownership of their health,” Dr. Seshadri said.