January 23, 2017

Today’s Top Alzheimer’s News

USA2 SPOTLIGHT

A January 23, 2017 Next Avenue article reports on “Alzheimer’s: Every Minute Counts,” a new PBS documentary about Alzheimer’s, airing nationally on Wednesday (January 25th at 10pm EST). Last week, Twin Cities PBS and Next Avenue hosted a Facebook Live event with Dr. Rudy Tanzi, an Alzheimer’s researcher with Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. LatinosAgainstAlzheimer’s caregiver advocate, Daisy Duarte, and her mother are featured in the documentary. “Imagine if we said you don’t have cancer until you have a big tumor with organ failure. Imagine if we said you don’t have heart disease until you have a heart attack or congestive heart failure. That’s unfortunately what we do with Alzheimer’s — we don’t diagnose it until the brain’s already gone downhill,” said Dr. Tanzi.

A January 23, 2017 Diverse Elders Coalition article by Jason Resendez, LatinosAgainstAlzheimer’s Director, highlights the impact of Alzheimer’s disease on Latinos. In the coming decades, the number of Latino families impacted will grow dramatically due to an increase in the Latino older adult population and higher rates of of diabetes and heart disease. Latinos are less likely to receive an accurate diagnosis, access formal care services, or enroll in an Alzheimer’s clinical trials due to stigma, misunderstanding about the disease, and a distrust of the research enterprise. For these reasons and more, UsAgainstAlzheimer’s is proud to partner on the PBS documentary, “Alzheimer’s: Every Minute Counts,” illuminating the social and economic consequences of Alzheimer’s in the US.

Sign up and join in the first Alzheimer’s Talks of 2017 with Dr. Scott Turner, Professor of Neurology and Director of the Memory Disorders Program at Georgetown University Medical Center and Medical Co-Director of the Georgetown Translational Neurotherapeutics Program, who will talk about drug repurposing to speed the search for a cure. He is leading a Phase II clinical trial that just launched with support from Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) to repurpose a cancer drug as a possible treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Wednesday, January 25th, at 3 pm (EST).

MUST READS

A January 23, 2017 Columbus Dispatch article tells the story of Chuck Brockman who, at age 56, was diagnosed with early-onset Lewy body dementia, a neurodegenerative disorder often confused with other disorders because of similar symptoms. People with Lewy body can experience confusion or memory loss, like Alzheimer’s. Though initially reluctant to accept the diagnosis, he now is thankful for the early detection and ability to plan for the future. "I've accepted it," said Brockman. "I figured the good Lord gave it to me for a reason, and maybe it's to be an advocate. I'm at peace with that."

A January 20, 2017 Courier-Herald opinion piece by Karen Marez and Bonney Lake speaks about the upcoming Senate hearings to determine if Georgia Congressman, Tom Price, will be our next Secretary of Health and Human Services. As HHS Secretary, this cabinet position has a direct impact on how the Trump Administration prioritizes the fight to end Alzheimer’s. As of 2016, an estimated 5.4 million Americans have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and by 2050, the number is set to nearly triple; the costs are projected to more than quadruple to $1.1 trillion.

EVENTS AND RESOURCES

A January 20, 2017 Alzheimer’s News Today article calls for proposals for the 2017 ADDF-Harrington Scholar Award from The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) and Harrington Discovery Institute, supporting innovative research that aims to prevent, treat or cure Alzheimer’s disease (AD). “This is a superb opportunity for creative researchers who seek a cure for Alzheimer’s and other dementias,” said Jonathan Stamler, MD, Harrington Institute President. “The ADDF-Harrington partnership brings a unique combination of know-how and resources to advance the most innovative discoveries in Alzheimer’s disease.”