May 18, 2015

Today's Top Alzheimer's News

USA2 SPOTLIGHT 

The AfricanAmericanNetworkAgainstAlzheimer's is taking its Forget Me Not play to Atlanta, GA and Tampa, FL. Learn more about USAgainstAlzheimer's efforts to engage minority communities and the Forget Me Not play here:AtlantaTampa


MUST READS

A May 18, 2015 The New York Times Well blog post highlighted the importance and difficulty of diagnosing Alzheimer’s and dementia. According to the post, “Fears about memory issues, commonplace among those of us who often misplace our cellphones and mix up the names of our children, are likely to skyrocket as baby boomers move into their 70s, 80s and beyond. However, according to researchers at the University of Michigan, more than half of older adults with signs of memory loss never see a doctor about it. Although there is still no certain way to prevent or forestall age-related cognitive disease, knowing that someone has serious memory problems can alert family members and friends to a need for changes in the person’s living arrangements that can be health- or even lifesaving. “Early evaluation and identification of people with dementia may help them receive care earlier,” said Dr. Vikas Kotagal, the senior author of the Michigan study. “It can help families make plans for care, help with day-to-day tasks, including medication administration, and watch for future problems that can occur.” Long the most popular screening test for memory disorders used by primary care doctors is the Mini-Mental State Exam, or MMSE, an eight-minute test in use since 1975. But neurologists say it is less discerning than the slightly longer Montreal Cognitive Assessment, or MoCA, introduced in 1996.Many may be unwilling to wait to have their memories tested until symptoms develop that could herald encroaching dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, like finding one’s glasses in the refrigerator, getting lost on a familiar route or being unable to follow directions or normal conversation.”

A May 17, 2015 BBC Magazine article profiled Ronnie Seymour and his life with Alzheimer’s disease. According to the article, “Ronnie Seymour died earlier this year from Alzheimer's Disease. His son Mark, who documented his father's decline through photographs, describes how playing a harmonica gave a brief reminder of the man they were losing.”

A May 18, 2015 PBS NewsHour broadcast segment highlighted the decline of federal research funding and its impact on the scientific community. According to the description, “As federal funding for biomedical research has been declining in real dollars over the past 13 years, getting a grant for many scientists who depend on government money has become more difficult. Now, many say this hypercompetitive atmosphere may stunt not only the careers of promising scientists but also America's preeminent role in global science research.”

A May 15, 2015 Fast Company article profiled the use of crowdfunding to support young medical researchers. According to the article, “The National Institutes of Health, which funds the majority of public research in the U.S., has seen a slow reduction in its budget over the last few years. It now rejects at least half the proposals it receives, which naturally puts the work of untried younger applicants most at risk. They don't have the name-recognition and stature of more senior faculty. That's where Donors Cure is trying to fill in with crowdfunding. A platform for young researchers, it gives a voice to people who might otherwise want to pack up and leave their labs behind. "Funding from NIH is not doing well," says co-founder Joseph Helpern. "We offer an alternative for small pilot projects, so young investigators can get off the ground and eventually can get full funding." The site, based at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), currently has 19 projects looking for money, including Clayton Lewis's proposal for an anti-pancreatic cancer compound called ABC294640. Another proposal from Rahul Desikan, a researcher from the University of California, San Diego, investigates a possible genetic link between Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease.”