March 19, 2014

Today's Top Alzheimer's News

New report on the impact of Alzheimer's on women, George Vradenburg calls out Washington for not making Alzheimer's a priority, Pat Summitt joins WomenAgainstAlzheimer's Network, and a breakthrough in reducing Alzheimer's plaque buildup (read more). 

Must reads

  • A March 19, 2014 USA Today article reported that the Alzheimer's Association released a new report that highlights Alzheimer's disproportionate toll on women and female caregivers. According to the article, "Women are far more likely to develop the fatal disease than men: one in six women over 65 will get it during their lifetime, compared with one in 11 men. And, not surprisingly, women are more likely to be caregivers for someone with Alzheimer's, and to pay a bigger personal and professional price for that care than men do."
  • A March 18, 2014 USA Today letter-to-the-editor by USA2 Chairman George Vradenburg underscored the importance of increased federal funding for Alzheimer's. According to Vradenburg, "If you want to know whether Washington considers something a priority, just look at the budget. From the looks of it right now, Alzheimer's isn't on the agenda."
  • A March 18, 2014 Associated Press article (via USA Today) reported that "Former Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt is joining the WomenAgainstAlzheimer's network as an honorary founder."
  • A March 18, 2014 News-Press Now (MO) editorial called for increased federal funding for Alzheimer's research and praised the efforts of Sen. Jerry Moran (R-MO) to increase federal dollars earmarked for Alzheimer's. According to the editorial, "Supporters of a big funding increase for research into Alzheimer’s disease make a compelling case, no matter whether their listeners are moved by compassion or fiscal responsibility…We don’t know where the research money should come from, but millions of senior adults and their family members — including thousands here in the Midland Empire — recognize this funding should be a public health priority."
Research and science
  • A March 18, 2014 GEN article reported that researchers have discovered a way to reduce Alzheimer's plaque formation. According to the article, "Scientists at the University of Michigan say they have learned how to fix the Golgi complex that becomes fragmented in all Alzheimer’s patients and appears to be a major cause of the disease. They add that understanding this mechanism will help decode amyloid plaque formation in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients—plaques that kill cells and contribute to memory loss and other Alzheimer’s symptoms."