October 31, 2014

Today's Top Alzheimer's News

Florida researchers hope to repurpose blood pressure medication to treat Alzheimer's, a new global clinical trial platform, and the power of art to enhance the quality of life for Alzheimer's patients (read more). 
 

Must reads

  • An October 30, 2014 USA Today article reported that "A discovery by a group of Florida researchers is giving Alzheimer's patients hope after a common blood pressure medication shows the possibility of targeting a new drug treatment for the disease." According to the article, "Scientists at the Roskamp Institute in Sarasota, Fla., have discovered a common enzyme in all three known triggers of the disease. The enzyme is shut off by the key chemical in Nilvadipine, a blood pressure medication used overseas for the last 20 years."
  • An October 29, 2014 Raps.org article reported that "The National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has launched a new website meant to make complying with clinical trial regulations around the world substantially easier." According to the article, "The tool, quietly launched by the agency last month, is known as ClinRegs. As described by NIAID officials, it's an "online database of country-specific clinical research regulatory information designed to save time and effort in planning and implementing clinical research.""
  • In Case You Missed It: An October 2, 2014 Medical News Today article reported that "a new study published in the journal Neurology claims a woman's risk of Alzheimer's disease may be higher if she is anxious, jealous or moody in middle-age." According to the article, "The researchers of this latest study - including Lena Johannsson, PhD, of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden - say the majority of Alzheimer's research has looked at how genetics, head trauma, heart and blood problems and education influences disease risk…However, Johannsson and colleagues note there is very little research on how certain personality traits may influence the risk of Alzheimer's. As such, the team looked to determine the association between personality and Alzheimer's through a study involving 800 women of an average age of 46."
The arts
  • An October 25, 2014 I Remember When I Paint blog post announced that the documentary "I remember When I Paint" documentary will air nationally on American Public Television. According to the post, "Remember Better When I Paint shows how the creative arts can enhance the quality of life for people with Alzheimer’s. The program broadcasts on public television stations nationwide during the month of November 2014, which is National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month in the US."