RESEARCH AND SCIENCE

A March 29, 2019 ScienceNordic article looked at the connection between atrial fibrillation and dementia. Fibrillation causes uneven oxygen supply to the brain, releasing small blood clots that can reach the brain. Researchers utilized data from Norway’s Tromsø Study to learn about the effects on memory and concentration. According to the article, “The researchers used three standard cognitive tests in the study. The first was a pure memory test, the second was a test of numbers and signs, and third was a tempo test, called the tapping test… On the first two tests, the researchers saw no difference between those who had atrial fibrillation and those who did not. But they saw a big difference in the tapping test. Individuals with atrial fibrillation had a 40 per cent greater decrease in cognitive function over seven years than those who did not have the heart arrhythmia.”

MUST WATCH

A March 28, 2019 KHON 2 Kapuna Life broadcast segment focused on aging research scientist Dr. Cameron Camp, who utilizes the Montessori early-childhood learning approach to engage and teach people with dementia. Camp’s goal is to create a dementia-friendly environment where people are as independent as possible and make choices based on tools and training. “There's a thing called the Americans with Disabilities Act, which is why we have ramps for people with mobility challenges, so where are our cognitive ramps,” said Camp. “This is about humanizing the way we look at persons with dementia, including them into society.”

INDUSTRY UPDATE

An April 1, 2019 STAT News article and video focused on the very real effects, on the approximately 3,200 trial participants, of Biogen and Eisai’s abandonment of their aducanumab clinical trials. According to the article, “Biogen was legally obligated to announce the market-moving news publicly, without being able to give participants notice. Supervisors at trial sites rushed to get in touch with patients, but many had already found out through texts or phone calls from friends or had seen the media coverage. Talking to families that day, said Kris Kauno, the clinical trials supervisor at the University of Washington’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, “was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do.””

BRAIN HEALTH

A March 31, 2019 Psychology Today article reported on both non-pharmacological interventions and medications that can help with mood and behavior issues commonly experienced by people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Depression and/or anxiety occur in more than half of people with dementia due to a combination of the disease process and potential emotional reactions to having and dealing with the condition. Aerobic exercise is highly recommended, as well as support groups, meditation and relaxation therapy.

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

A March 29, 2019 KERA News podcast and article spotlighted the Dallas Zoo’s “Wild Gatherings” program for people with early-stage dementia and their families. According to the article, “Tonya McDaniel with the Dallas Zoo says connecting with wildlife can be a powerful experience. Studies have shown that physical activity may help slow cognitive decline, and taking in new information can increase brain activity. “This is an opportunity to help them get out of their regular routine and getting them back out into nature, and hopefully sparking some memories of when they were younger and playing in nature,” McDaniel said.” Check-out their upcoming schedule here.