MUST READS

A February 14, 2018 U.S. News article reported that a new study from the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute found that amyloid brain plaque, a key hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, stopped building up and dissolved away without negatively affecting neuro-development in adult mice, when the BACE-1 enzyme was removed. According to the study, “Amyloid plaques that build up in the brain disrupt the ability of neurons to communicate. Limiting BACE1 activity also reversed the activation of microglial cells and the formation of abnormal neuronal processes that are connected to the brain disease.” The removal of the enzyme improved learning and memory in the mice with AD.

A February 12, 2018 Woman’s Day article answered five pressing questions about Alzheimer’s disease and gave “what-to-dos” if you suspect that your brain, or a loved one’s, isn’t performing as it should. According to the article, “See a doctor as soon as you notice questionable cognitive signs, because memory impairment may not be Alzheimer’s at all—it could be another issue entirely. And even if something serious like Alzheimer’s is the culprit, there’s more you can do than you think, and it’s important to get a jump on it.” 

INDUSTRY UPDATE

According to a February 14, 2018 Bloomberg article, Biogen stocks plunged this week after a presentation to investors revealed the company will add more patients to its aducanumab studies, now in the final stages of testing. It is one of the last remaining late-stage Alzheimer’s disease drugs still in testing. “Generally, it’s not a good sign when the way you designed your study isn’t working out appropriately. Aducanumab is considered a very risky pipeline candidate to begin with, just given the history of Alzheimer’s trials,” said Robert W. Baird & Co. analyst Brian Skorney.

RESEARCH, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

A February 9, 2018 Medical News Today article spotlighted the use of a form of vitamin B-3, nicotinamide riboside (NR), that prevents brain damage in mice and could be a new treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. NIH researchers focused on how NR affects the brain's ability to repair its DNA, which is compromised in AD. According to the article, NR is “critical for mitochondrial health and biogenesis, stem cell self-renewal, and neuronal stress resistance." 

SEX MATTERS

A February 13, 2018 Science Trends article by Enrico Glaab highlighted the role of sex as a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Although molecular causes of gender disparities in AD are unknown, sex differences influence the clinical features of the disease, including a significantly more severe pathology and faster brain atrophy rate in women. Scientists at the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine identified a sex-linked regulatory gene, ubiquitin-specific peptidase 9, that displays significant activity changes in Alzheimer’s, and a diverse activity profile between the genders. Read detailed study findings here. Glaab is winner of the 2013 Geoffrey Beene Global NeuroDiscovery Challenge “Does Sex Matter” - the first research initiative of UsA2’s Women Against Alzheimer’s Network, with support from the BrightFocus Foundation. 

VETERANS SPOTLIGHT

A February 6, 2018 House committee on Veterans’ Affairs video showed the hearing, “VA Caregiver Support Program: Correcting Course for Veteran Caregivers.”

IN MEMORIAM

A February 12, 2018 Wicked Local Hingham video and article featured the family of Michael Middleton (died in 2011 from Alzheimer’s disease), who started a Memory Cafe at the South Shore Conservatory of Music in Hingham to help other families. According to Tom (Michael’s son) speaking about the Cafe, “So anything that can stabilize somebody or give them a little bit of their memory, a little bit of their personality back. It’s not going to cure it but if it can slow it down, if it can give them a good day. Or if it can give them, the patient and the caregiver a good moment together, I think that’s really important.”

EVENTS AND RESOURCES

Cognitive Vitality is a resource to help people make smarter brain health choices.