October 18, 2013

Today's Top Alzheimer's News

Is America's role as global leader in science in danger? The link between sleep and brain health and new data on the impact of football on its players (read more). 

 

 

Must reads

  • An October 17, 2013 Washington Post article outlined why America isn't in danger of losing its spot as the world's leader in scientific research. According to the article, "Trends like these help explain why some experts now think China will soon "overtake" the United States as the world's leading scientific superpower. After all, the Chinese government has poured staggering sums into research, pledging $2 trillion over the next five years...But is China really about to pass the United States in science? Probably not. At least, probably not anytime soon.Gwynn Guilford has a great report in Quartz today noting that the Chinese don't seem to be getting nearly as much value as one might think from all that R&D spending."
  • An October 17, 2013 Agence France-Presse article reported on the link between sleep and brain health. According to the article, "Like a janitor sweeping the halls after the lights go out, major changes occur in the brain during sleep to flush out waste and ward off disease, researchers said Thursday.The research in the journal Science offers new answers to explain why people spend a third of their lives asleep and may help in treating dementia and other neurological disorders."
  • An October 17, 2013 Agence France-Presse article reported that a new study has found "profound abnormalities" in the brain activity of retired American football players. According to the article, "Some have drawn links between the onfield physical traumas and later neurological problems such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's, which in turn have been blamed for depression and suicide.The new study does not find evidence of disease, but highlights brain areas that may have been affected by repeated, severe impacts.And it says standard tests do not pick up this subtle damage."