USA2 SPOTLIGHT

An April 2, 2019 UsAgainstAlzheimer’s release announced the partnership of WomenAgainstAlzheimer’s (WA2) and Joy of Mom around WA2’s Be Brain Powerful campaign’s mission to educate women on the critical importance of brain health and early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. The Joy of Mom community will have the opportunity to participate in the 30-day Brain Health Challenge, based on the Cleveland Clinic’s pillars of brain health. The partnership will help millions of women live more brain healthy lives.

BRAIN HEALTH

An April 2, 2019 ABC 7 broadcast video spotlighted the Pacific Brain Health Center, where scientists study participants engaged in "dual tasking" workouts, combined fitness and brain training exercises with the goal of increased cell plasticity. The Center is trying to create a model for fitness professionals to use in the gym to work-out brain and body. According to Dr. Sarah McEwen of UCLA, “When you do exercise you grow new neurons within the hippocampus which is our memory center… Doing cognitive training and physical exercise training at the same time has a greater effect than doing either separately… We know there is an Alzheimer's epidemic right now… What we have at our fingertips right now is prevention.”

RESEARCH AND SCIENCE  

According to a March 29, 2019 Medical Xpress article, researchers identified two extremely rare genetic variants for the first time, NOTCH3, and another in the TREM2 gene, which are linked to Alzheimer disease. The NOTCH3 mutation is much more frequent in Ashkenazi Jews, from which nearly all cases studied descended. “Our findings indicate that different mutations in the same gene or different number of copies of a particular mutation may lead to very distinct forms of dementia. Discovery of associations of Alzheimer's risk with rare genetic variants can lead to new insights about biological pathways involved in AD and strategies for developing novel treatments and biomarkers,” said corresponding study author Lindsay Farrer, PhD of Boston University School of Medicine.

CLINICAL TRIAL SPOTLIGHT 

An April 1, 2019 VC Star article focused on the CNP520 clinical trial, part of the Generation Program, to try and prevent or treat Alzheimer’s disease in its earliest stages. The trial is recruiting in the Oxnard area for participants aged 60 to 75, with no symptoms, who are willing to be tested or know their APOE4 status. Participants, working with Dr. James Sutton, will be told their gene status, unless they opt not to know. According to the article, “In the testing being conducted out of Sutton's office, people are given a choice. If they decide to learn their status, they're counseled on what the test results mean. “No question they have the right to know,” Sutton said.”

PROFILES IN COURAGE

An April 1, 2019 TDN article highlighted participants, who have a rare genetic form of Alzheimer’s disease, in Washington University clinical drug trials which are trying to prevent or slow the onset of AD. Those with this particular genetic mutation have a near certainty of developing Alzheimer’s and a 50 percent chance of passing it onto offspring. According to the article, “Since 2015, the families and the researchers studying them have met annually. They help each other cope, find strength and fight in their own way. They motivate each other. Together, they feel they can change the trajectory of the disease. For generations, many families knew no one else like them. They suffered in embarrassment and silence.” The study will conclude by the end of the year.