July 21, 2015

Today's Top Alzheimer's News

MUST READS 

A July 20, 2015 Los Angeles Times article reported on the growing demand for increased Alzheimer’s research funding. According to the article, “Barring the discovery of treatment that could delay or prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease, the cost of caring for baby boomers with the disorder by 2040 will eat up a quarter of the nation's total Medicare spending, researchers have estimated. That figure greatly underestimates the true cost of caring for those with Alzheimer's since it does not include out-of-pocket expenses, home care and long-term care insurance payouts, said Maria C. Carillo, chief science officer of the Alzheimer's Assn.”

A July 20, 2015 CBS News article highlighted a “new wave of Alzheimer’s research” focused on early diagnosis and treatment. According to the article, “Brain degeneration, shrinking of a portion of the brain called the hippocampus, and loss of thinking and memory skills all occur with Alzheimer's disease, which researchers can now confirm better through a combination of tests.Blood tests, memory questionnaires and PET or MRI brain scans are aiding diagnosis, and researchers are developing a number of tests that aim to spot markers of the disease long before memory decline becomes apparent.”

A July 20, 2015 USA Today article underscored the need for “families to address the financial realities of cognitive decline.” According to the article, “And as part of the WHCOA, Bank of America, in partnership with the University of Southern California Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, released resources to help Americans prepare for increasing longevity and cognitive decline. Among the resources: Addressing Memory & Your Family, a white paper that offers readers a step-by-step approach to building a plan that focuses on both the practical and emotional aspects of cognitive impairment.” Find the resource here


RESEARCH, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY 

A July 20, 2015 The Wall Street Journal article reported that “Alzheimer’s disease researchers are hunting for new clues by comparing how different proteins in the brain are damaged in the same way.” According to the article, “In developing new treatments for these progressive brain diseases, the focus has long been on distinct proteins, including those named amyloid and tau for Alzheimer’s. Now, though, some scientists are studying the life cycle of proteins, regardless of type, and what may go awry to lead to misfolding and ultimately disease.”

A July 20, 2015 CNN article reported that “A test detecting Alzheimer's disease early may become easily available thanks to one plentiful bodily substance: saliva, a recently released study shows.”

A July 19, 2015 NPR article and audio segment reported on “a new generation of drugs in the works that researchers think might help not only Alzheimer's patients, but also people with Parkinson's disease and other brain disorders.”

A July 18, 2015 Reuters article reported on the building optimism in the Alzheimer’s research space. According to the article, “After decades of Alzheimer’s research that led to dead ends, including 123 drugs that failed, top researchers in the field say they are far more confident now of producing an effective treatment.Their optimism has been building ahead of the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC), which starts on Saturday in Washington, DC. New experimental drugs from Eli Lilly and Co and Biogen have shown promise in slowing down the progression of the mind-wasting disease, attracting the attention of investors and patients. Those drugs are still very early in their development and could still join the scrap heap. But the field has gained a major understanding of how the brain changes with Alzheimer’s and better insight on how and when to intervene medically.”