Posts published in “Research”

"Scientists have created a drinkable cocktail that could cure Alzheimer’s and reverse memory loss... The drink – a mix of “designer molecules” – works by blocking a crucial step in the disease process."

"The circadian clock—the body's molecular timekeeper—is best known for tuning our sleep, metabolism, digestion, and body temperature to the cycles of dark and light. Yet it controls other functions, as well. At the Society for Neuroscience meeting held November 3–7 in San Diego, researchers reported that activation of astrocytes and microglia in the brain is one of those. Disrupting the clock led to untimely inflammation that destroyed synapses. Researchers proposed that this phenomenon could exacerbate harm done by Alzheimer's pathology, and that correcting circadian imbalances might protect neurons in the face of neurodegeneration."

"Air pollution in Mexico City is associated with the development of Alzheimer disease in children and young adults and the evolving axonal damage can be identified using a novel Non-P-Tau assay for cerebrospinal fluid CSF: New study"

"When the protein tau builds up inside the neurons of the brain, the cells become impaired and eventually die in a process that’s been implicated in Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. But some neurons never get clogged up with tau—and a team of scientists led by the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians has discovered why."

"The link between dementia and death from stroke has been spotlighted in several studies, with a new analysis of medical data from Sweden further strengthening the potential relationship."

"Unfortunately, it’s time to talk transmissible protein pathology again. That’s the unnerving idea that misfolded proteins can, under some conditions, act as infectious agents (prions are the most famous examples and the most widely-used name for these). "

"Scientists have found an unexpected use for virtual reality headsets: to help pinpoint people who may later develop Alzheimer’s disease. The devices, widely used by computer gamers, display images that can be used to test the navigational skills of people thought to be at risk of dementia. Those who do worse in the tests will be the ones most likely to succumb to Alzheimer’s later in life, scientists now believe."

"'It's probably too late once the effects of neurodegeneration are manifest,' explains Marc Diamond, Director of UT Southwestern's Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases.
'We need to be able to diagnose the process early and know the specific type of neurodegeneration that is occurring, because that is the best chance we have to intervene with a personalized treatment. This is very analogous to how we currently use tumor genotyping to best diagnose and treat cancer.'"

"Those Sunday crossword puzzles may not prevent the aging brain from slowing down -- but they might protect it in a different way, a new study suggests. Researchers looked at the 'use it or lose it' theory on brain health. The concept holds that mentally engaging activities -- from reading to crosswords to board games -- may help the brain resist dementia later in life. In this study, older adults who said they enjoyed those pastimes were no less likely to show signs of mental decline over time, versus other older folks."