USA2 SPOTLIGHT

In Episode Nine of On Pluto, “Daughters,” Greg O’Brien’s daughter and the late Trish Vradenburg, UsAgainstAlzheimer’s (UsA2) Co-Founder, talk about the fears, worries and experiences of having a parent with Alzheimer’s disease. Journalist Greg O’Brien was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s when he was 59 years old. The On Pluto Podcast chronicles his journey with the disease. It is a production of UsA2 and the A-LIST.

MUST READ

An August 2, 2018 ABC News article examined recommendations, from an international panel of 11 clinical and research experts, about the most current pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for behavioral and psychological symptoms in people with Alzheimer’s disease. According to the article, “Non-pharmacological approaches were ranked by panelists as more important first-line interventions than drug treatments for those with behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. These included evaluating for any underlying treatable cause first, followed by caregiver training, environment adaptation strategies, person-centered care approaches, and tailored activities for a person with dementia.”

RESEARCH AND SCIENCE

An August 2, 2018 Science Daily article pointed to a new study from Johns Hopkins Medicine, which finds evidence in lab-grown mouse brain cells that one root cause of Alzheimer's disease may be acid-alkaline/pH imbalance. Scientists gave histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, which reversed the pH problem, thereby improving the capacity of astrocytes to clear amyloid beta buildup, a common hallmark of AD. HHDAC inhibitors are not approved by the FDA for people with Alzheimer’s, and most cannot cross the blood-brain barrier.

LIFESTYLE

An August 2, 2018 Web MD article reported on a new study about alcohol consumption and its link to dementia. The study of 9,000 British adults, for more than two decades, found that both heavier drinkers and abstainers had a higher dementia risk than moderate (one medium-sized glass of wine/roughly a pint of beer, each day) drinkers. The study also found that dementia risk rises in tandem with alcohol intake when people drink beyond moderate levels.

CAREGIVING CORNER

An August 2, 2018 Psych Central article looked at sleep deprivation amongst caregivers of people with dementia. A new study from the University at Buffalo School of Nursing showed that nearly 92 percent experienced poor sleep quality, awoke frequently and slept less than six hours per night. According to Lead Study Author Yu-Ping Chang, PhD, “…More than 80 percent of people with dementia will also experience sleep disturbances, anxiety and wandering. These disruptions have negative effects on caregivers’ health, which in turn will diminish their ability to provide optimal care.” Also covered by Science Daily.

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

An August 2, 2018 Reading Patch politics and government articlespotlighted historic steps taken in the Massachusetts House and Senate to address Alzheimer's and dementia. The “Massachusetts Alzheimer's and Dementia Act” was championed by Senator Jason Lewis. “We all know a friend, neighbor or loved one who has been touched by Alzheimer's or dementia, and it is clearer than ever that the growing healthcare crisis requires bold and compassionate response and mitigation,” said Lewis. In 2017, Senator Lewis convened a special legislative hearing on Alzheimer's and dementia where advocates from around the state testified about the challenges of dementia.