USA2 SPOTLIGHT

Register for our AD-PACE launch webinar on May 21, 2018 from 1-2pm (EST) as we launch a groundbreaking, pre-competitive, patient and caregiver-led collaboration of industry, academics, government agencies and patient advocates. Building a persistent platform, AD PACE will deliver new insights to researchers, regulators, and payer authorities on preferred treatments and health outcomes sought by those living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers. AD PACE and A-LIST are initiatives of UsAgainstAlzheimer's.

MUST WATCH

A May 15, 2018 WPTV NBC 5 broadcast video and article looked at promising new Alzheimer’s disease research at Scripps Research Institute. In the lab of Dr. Corinne Lasmezas, scientists work to identify AD 15 to 20 years before symptoms appear. Lasmezas is optimistic. "Given what we're doing in my lab and what others are doing in the scientific community,  I think drugs that slow down the disease process could be in clinical trial for patients in about 3-5 years.”

RESEARCH AND SCIENCE

According to a May 16, 2018 Science Daily article, new machine learning software can identify and measure the severity of small vessel disease, a common cause of dementia, and predict the likelihood of developing dementia. “The importance of our new method is that it allows for precise and automated measurement of the disease. This also has applications for widespread diagnosis and monitoring of dementia, as well as for emergency decision-making in stroke,” said Dr. Paul Bentley of Imperial College London.

DISPARITIES SPOTLIGHT

A May 16, 2018 Web MD article reported that a new study from University College London found that poverty later in life could increase the risk of dementia by 50 percent. This does not prove that it directly heightens dementia risk, rather that there's an association. According to lead researcher Dorina Cadar, "Public health strategies for dementia prevention should target socioeconomic gaps to reduce health disparities and protect those who are particularly disadvantaged.” 

CAREGIVING CORNER

In a May 17, 2018 The Post Star article, Will Doolittle reflected on his own experience as caregiver for his wife who has Alzheimer’s. At a caregiver support center, Doolittle asked about the biggest emotional issue for caregivers. The ‘question of what the future holds’ was the answer he received. According to Doolittle, “But the dread of the worst of the decline hangs over you, and it’s hard to put out of your mind, because the symptoms, even if they’re mild, are constant reminders.”

DEMENTIA AND THE ARTS

A May 15, 2018 Fox 9 broadcast segment and article featured music enjoyed by residents at the memory care community at The Farmstead senior living center in Andover, Minnesota. According to the article, “The overall concept is far from new. Multiple studies have proven for people in the early stages of dementia, music therapy can help maintain cognitive levels and enhance overall brain functioning.”

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

A May 14, 2018 Fairbanks Daily News-Miner opinion letter by Cindy Harris Soldotna, who was her mother’s caregiver for 13 years, urged people to change their thinking about Alzheimer’s disease and support the BOLD (Building Our Largest Dementia Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s) Act. It would would create a nationwide public health infrastructure to implement effective AD interventions, including early detection and diagnosis, and risk reduction.