MUST READS

A February 13, 2017 Globe Newswire (via Yahoo! Finance) article reported that one of TIME Magazine’s “100 New Scientific Discoveries of 2016” is the impact of a brain training exercise on dementia. Developed and tested with funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Double Decision brain training exercise is available in the BrainHQ platform. It is based on the ACTIVE (Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly) Study, to evaluate the long term effects of cognitive training on real-world function, independently run by researchers at six university institutions. The study looked-at three theories of what is most important in cognition and aging – reasoning training (which might help people function better), memory training (which might help people with a key cognitive concern of aging) and speed of processing training (which might help with age-related mental slowing in all activities). The ACTIVE Study group first reported on its results showing an intervention that lowered the risk of dementia at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) in July 2016.

INDUSTRY UPDATES

A February 12, 2017 NPR segment and article reported that companies, including Facebook, are increasingly offering paid leave for employees to care for sick loved ones. Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks with Facebook COO, Sheryl Sandberg, about new benefits announced last week that company employees can take up to six (paid) weeks off to care for a sick relative, and 20 (paid) days to grieve the death of a loved one. “The six weeks of paid family leave is also really important. We think it's the right thing to do so people have - don't have to choose between being a good family member and a good employee,” said Sandberg. “But we also think it's the smart thing to do, and I think we're hoping other companies decide it's the smart thing to do and follow because if we treat our employees well, they are more dedicated to the company - I think they work better; I think they work smarter; I think they work more efficiently.” She continued, “A lot of these leave areas are ones where we don't have the federal and state public policies we should have in place. We're one of the only countries in the world with no paid maternity leave at all. That's not where we want to be as the United States.”

RESEARCH, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

A February 12, 2017 WPXI News article reported that Swedish researchers have discovered a link between intestinal bacteria and Alzheimer’s disease. The study included researchers from Switzerland, Germany and Belgium and was published in the online journal, Scientific Reports. Fak Hallenius, with the Food for Health Science Center, will now begin studying ways to prevent AD and delay its onset. “We consider this to be a major breakthrough as we used to only be able to give symptom-relieving antiretroviral drugs,” she said.

A February 10, 2017 Science Daily article reported that neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's may be linked to defective brain cells disposing toxic proteins that make neighboring cells sick, based on a study published in Nature, from Rutgers University. Healthy neurons should be able to sort out and rid brain cells of toxic proteins and damaged cell structures without causing problems, however this does not always occur. "Normally the process of throwing out this trash would be a good thing," said Monica Driscoll, distinguished Professor of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, School of Arts and Sciences. "But we think with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's there might be a mismanagement of this very important process that is supposed to protect neurons but, instead, is doing harm to neighbor cells."

CAREGIVER CORNER

A February 9, 2017 Hannibal Courier-Post article reported that a study at the University of Missouri School of Medicine, "The Prevalence and Risks for Depression and Anxiety in Hospice Caregivers" (published in Palliative Medicine), found that nearly one-quarter of caregivers were moderately or severely depressed and nearly one-third had moderate or severe anxiety. The study included depression and anxiety assessments with 395 family caregivers.  "While some sadness and worry are expected components of caring for a dying family member or loved one, clinical depression and anxiety shouldn't be," said Debra Parker-Oliver, PhD, lead study researcher and Professor, Family and Community Medicine, MU School of Medicine. "We found that younger caregivers were more likely to be depressed or anxious. We also found that caregivers who are married and caring for a family member with a diagnosis other than cancer, such as Alzheimer's disease, had higher levels of depression."