MUST READS

A January 24, 2019 ABC News article countered the current headlines about a blood test that can diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. According to the article, “This study only included individuals with only genetically inherited Alzheimer’s disease. A 2017 study that included non-genetic Alzheimer’s types concluded that blood NfL [neurofilament light chain protein] levels “may not be a useful biomarker for the diagnosis of prodromal and dementia stages of [Alzheimer's].””

RESEARCH AND SCIENCE

According to a January 24, 2019 Science Daily article, researchers reported that for the first time a PET scan documented improvement in the brain metabolism of a patient who has Alzheimer's disease, after treatment with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). “We demonstrated the largest improvement in brain metabolism of any therapy for Alzheimer's disease. HBOT in this patient may be the first treatment not only to halt, but temporarily reverse disease progression in Alzheimer's disease,” said study co-author Dr. Paul Harch of LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine.

BRAIN HEALTH

A January 23, 2019 ABC 7 broadcast segment spotlighted a culinary class at the University of California, Irvine that teaches medical students how to use nutrition as a tool to treat chronic conditions. The class is taught by Dr. David Kilgore, a dietitian and a chef, and focuses on the four main principles of an anti-inflammatory diet. According to Kilgore, “About 80 percent of chronic illness is either prevented or controlled and mitigated by healthy lifestyle. What we eat and how we cook profoundly affects our health and wellness but especially in terms of prevention of chronic disease.” 

DISPARITIES SPOTLIGHT

A January 24, 2019 Medical Express article reported that it may be more difficult to detect mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease in Hispanic, compared to non-Hispanic patients. At the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, autopsies of patients with AD indicate that related cognitive issues are less noticeable in Hispanics. According to David P. Salmon, PhD, “There have been very few autopsy studies in Hispanic elderly with Alzheimer's disease that have allowed researchers to gain insight about factors that might make it more difficult to clinically diagnose the disease in this demographic.”

PATIENT AND CAREGIVER VOICES

A January 24, 2019 Being Patient article focused on the city of Vilanova i la Geltrú, working to become Spain’s first dementia-friendly community. The city created, distributed and displayed a guide of best practices for interacting with people with cognitive impairment, including Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. The guide was conceived by more than 40 people with dementia, based on their daily difficulties. In the U.S., there are more than 250 dementia-friendly communities, where organizations work across stakeholder groups including healthcare, legal, banking and businesses to support inclusion and engagement of people with dementia in their own communities.

EVENTS AND RESOURCES

Sign-up for the sixth annual Patients As Partners forum in Philadelphia. March 11-12, 2019. The forum is guided by advisors from pharma, biotech, patient advocacy and the FDA, laying the framework for how to involve patients in medicines development to drive greater efficiencies in clinical research. See the full agenda here. Sign-up here.