May 30, 2013

Today's Top Alzheimer's News

Blood testing for Alzheimer's, PBS Newshour feature on long-term care, and 80% of seniors living with chronic disease (read more).

 
Must reads
  • A May 30, 2013 NewsMedical.net article reported that Mayo Clinic researchers believe blood testing "offers promise to detect Alzheimer's disease at its earliest onset." According to the article, "They envision a test that would detect distinct metabolic signatures in blood plasma that are synonymous with the disease -- years before patients begin showing cognitive decline. Their study was recently published online in the journal PLOS ONE."
  • A May 29, 2013 PBS NewsHour article reported that the program will feature a series on long-term care in America. According to the article, "This week, the PBS NewsHour is airing the first report in series on long-term care in America. We follow Rebecca Wyant, a small business owner from Tucson, Ariz., and full-time caregiver for her mother Mary, who suffers from Alzheimer's. Her story illustrates how the OAA has remained relevant for communities across the country as the population ages."
  • A May 29, 2013 FierceHealthcare.com article reported that a report from the United Health Foundation found the US is facing a "looming healthcare crisis--the elderly are living longer but with growing rates of obesity, diabetes and other chronic disease." According to the article, "80 percent of seniors are living with at least one chronic condition, while 50 percent of seniors have two or more chronic conditions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report notes states with the lowest percentage of seniors with multiple chronic conditions are Alaska (20.9 percent), Wyoming (21.5 percent) and Montana (23.1 percent), while states with the highest percentages are Florida (43.5 percent) and New Jersey (43.2 percent)...Researchers warn diabetes, heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's disease will lead to diminished quality of life and severe economic consequences if left unaddressed. Medicare beneficiaries with chronic illness account for a majority of Medicare spending." Find the full report here.
 
BRAIN project 
  • A May 29, 2013 Scientific American article reported on renowned Harvard chemist George Whitesides' views of President Obama's BRAIN initiative. According to the article, "Whitesides suggested reverting to first principles in trying to describe to the world at large the importance of spending $100 million to gain better insight into the minutiae of neural circuitry. He recommended a cross-disciplinary collaboration by drawing upon knowledge, not from geneticists or bioengineers, but by borrowing across the divide of C.P. Snow’s Two Cultures: In other words, bringing in the English teachers. Going as basic as it gets, Whitesides told a room packed with full professors from elite universities that they should craft the story of the Big Brain project with the structural elements of a murder mystery."
 
Pharma 
  • A May 29, 2013 Motely Fool article and YouTube interview provided an in-depth breakdown of Eli Lilly's efforts to develop an Alzheimer's treatment. According to the article, "The Motley Fool's senior pharmaceuticals analyst breaks down all of Lilly's moving parts, including an in-depth analysis of the company's must-know opportunities and reasons to buy and sell today."
 
News you can use 
  • A May 29, 2013 PBS NewsHour article reported on ten signs of Alzheimer's and highlighted the importance of early detection. According to the article, "Someone who obtains a diagnosis earlier in the disease process when cognitive skills are more intact can make legal decisions and express wishes for end-of-life care, relieving family members of that decision-making.Given that Alzheimer's disease can last two to 20 years from diagnosis, caregivers often face a long and bumpy journey with loved ones. As one caregiver whose husband has Alzheimer's disease noted: "It is a devastating disease that you know won't get better. You just have to try and hope for a good day and then prepare yourself for a bad day."