January 09, 2014

Today's Top Alzheimer's News

Roche develops new drug delivery system that might lead to more effective treatments for Alzheimer's, the impact of cuts to biomedical research, and do phone apps and computer games really keep your brain healthy? (read more
 

Must reads

  • A January 8, 2014 Reuters article reported that "Swiss drugmaker Roche has found an efficient way for complex antibody drugs to reach and penetrate the brain, raising the possibility of more effective treatments for diseases such as Alzheimer's." According to the article, "The innovative brain shuttle technology, which has so far been tested in mice, can cross the blood-brain barrier that has been a key obstacle for researchers working on neurological drugs because it acts as a seal against large molecules such as antibodies."
  • A January 9, 2014 Xconomy article reported on the negative impact of federal budget cuts on biomedical research. According to the article, "This marriage between federal research and industry helped establish our global preeminence in biomedical research for the last 50 years. But short-sighted cuts to federal research funding and the lack of a long-term industrial strategy have placed the U.S. biomedical research enterprise at the brink of a potentially irreversible decline. The purchasing power of grants from the National Institutes of Health declined by more than 20 percent from 2003 to 2013, and is poised to decline even further despite the recent budget accord." 
  • A January 8, 2014 Florida Today article reported that there's no conclusive evidence that phone apps and computer games improve brain function. According to the article, "Computer games and phone apps are plentiful and tout brain-strengthening effects. Foster isn’t so sure those applications actually help, but it won’t hurt to play them, he notes."