USA2 SPOTLIGHT

JOIN US for UsAgainstAlzheimer’s National Alzheimer’s Summit. “Uniting Communities for a Cure” in Washington, D.C., September 24-26, 2018. Leaders and advocates from diverse communities will work together to develop a clear action agenda. We will highlight efforts to identify common goals, link partners, and unite communities, and build a collaborative framework to catalyze the large-scale change needed to stop AD. Register here.

MUST READS

A September 19, 2018 Workforce article looked at the effects of Alzheimer’s disease on the workplace, as discussed at The Atlantic’s “The State of Care: Disrupting Alzheimer’s” event last week in Chicago. Employment issues are common for caregivers. According to the article, “The takeaway for employers is there is a large number of young people — perhaps not yet graduated from high school and still trying to get an education — whose careers could be impacted early on by their caregiver status. What happens when these children enter the workforce? Is a college education as attainable for these people compared to those who don’t have caregiving responsibilities yet?”

A September 19, 2018 Daily Herald article reported on six common medical conditions that may look like Alzheimer’s disease, but can often be reversed. Thyroid and liver conditions, hearing loss, medication side-effects, depression, brain tumor and infections all made the list. 

RESEARCH AND SCIENCE

According to a September 19, 2018 The Atlantic article, a team of Mayo Clinic scientists have shown that removing senescent cells (“retired” cells that permanently stop growing and dividing) prevented the buildup of tau protein, a major hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. Senescent cells accumulate as we age and secrete molecules that trigger inflammation. Several “senolytic” drugs have already been approved for treating cancers. “If they prove effective in preventing or slowing neurodegeneration, it would represent a truly major advance, especially in light of the continued failures of amyloid-based clinical trials,” said Li-Huei Tsai of MIT. Also covered by Irish Examiner. 

A September 19, 2018 Eurek!Alert release reported that researchers at King's College London discovered that when beta-amyloid destroys a synapse, the nerve cells make more amyloid, creating a ‘vicious feedback loop’ underlying brain degeneration in Alzheimer’s disease. They are studying a protein called Dkk1, which potently stimulates production of amyloid, as a potential target to halt disease progression. According to senior study author Dr. Richard Killick from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, “We show that a vicious positive feedback loop exists in which beta-amyloid drives its own production. We think that once this feedback loop gets out of control it is too late for drugs which target beta-amyloid to be effective, and this could explain why so many Alzheimer's drug trials have failed."

YOUTH FOCUS

A September 19, 2018 Catalyst article featured the two winners of the AARP Florida caregiver accelerator pitch competition, who now head to a national competition in Washington, D.C. The purpose is kickstarting cutting edge caregiving technology and entrepreneurial businesses. The winners, TechUrElders and Alz You Need, both run by millennials, developed technology to help people caring for aging seniors. According to the article, “The AARP Florida caregiver accelerator was established in 2016. Florida is an ideal spot to launch a company that provides services to caregivers because of its older population, including “elder orphans” who have migrated here from other states and don’t have a natural support system.”