April 13, 2016

Today's Top News

USA2 SPOTLIGHT 

An April 13, 2016 The Washington Post opinion piece by UsAgainstAlzheimer’s patient advocate and partner Greg O’Brien highlighted his efforts to document his life with Alzheimer’s. According to O’Brien, “My life has become a race for survival against Alzheimer’s, and I’m not the only one. More than 5 million Americans suffer from from this demon of a disease, a number expected to double in the next 20 years as my fellow baby boomers reach the age of its onset. Treating Alzheimer’s in the United States now costs more than $200 billion a year. By 2050, that will surpass $1 trillion…The Irish like to say: Never get mad, get even! By documenting it, I’m getting even with Alzheimer’s. But I cannot do it alone, and I do not know how much time I have left before the lights go out. If we are going to win this fight, we need to grapple with the scope of the problem and try harder to cure it. Not for me — the train has already left — but for my children, and for you and your children and for my whole generation and their families and loved ones, who will face this prowling demon soon enough.” Greg will be featured in a NOVA documentary airing Wednesday night at 9PM EST.


MUST READS 

An April 13, 2016 The Financial Express article reported that University of Southern California researchers have “…discovered six new proteins that may help reveal secrets of how humans age — potentially unlocking new insights into diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and other ageing-related problems.” According to the article, “The researchers found that these tiny proteins are produced naturally in the energy-generating mitochondria — the powerhouse in human cells — and play key roles in metabolism and cell survival. ‘The findings are an important advance that will be ripe for rapid translation into drug development for diseases of ageing,’ said lead researcher Pinchas Cohen from University of Southern California in the US.”

An April 12, 2016 MedPage Today article reported that “Clinical trials targeting individuals with preclinical stage 2 Alzheimer disease (AD) who have low amyloid-beta and high tau or p-tau, may be able to detect meaningful cognitive decline at a much earlier age than previously thought, analysis of data from the BIOCARD cohort study showed.”

An April 12, 2016 New York Daily News editorial endorsed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton for her “superior” plans, including her ideas to tackle Alzheimer’s. According to the editorial, “As a first priority, she looks to boost growth so that businesses need more workers and thus must hike salaries to attract them. She would stimulate the economy with major investments in roads, bridges and other infrastructure, as well as in scientific and medical research in critical areas like neuroscience. One such plan would devote $2 billion annually to seeking techniques to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s disease.”


INTERESTING READS FROM AROUND THE WEB

EurekAlert!: Rush receives $14.5 Million to fight Alzheimer's

Boston Globe: Pay raise sought for nursing home workers

The Wall Street Journal: Nestlé Develops Foods to Treat Diseases