MUST READS

An August 8, 2018 OZY article spotlighted Associate Professor of Bioengineering at Stanford University, Annelise Barron, who uncovered a way for the immune system to fight off a major cause of Alzheimer’s disease. The LL-37 peptide acts like an antidote to amyloid beta, a major hallmark of AD. According to the article, “…LL-37 can also be activated by natural means. “Exercising four times a week for 30 minutes, getting lots of sleep, eating salad and taking vitamin D are key to turning on this peptide,” Barron says. Prior therapeutics have all been aimed at ridding the body of Abeta, but Barron’s approach is completely different. “I want to show that the mechanism of Alzheimer’s disease is not what people think it is,” Barron says. “A huge piece of the puzzle is missing.””

An August 7, 2018 Forbes article looked at the link between exposure to heavy metals and Alzheimer’s disease. Research reveals damaging effects of lithium, aluminum and cadmium on our brains. Although most people are not aware of heavy metal exposure, it is ubiquitous in the form of nickel-cadmium batteries, cigarette smoking, certain shellfish, water supplies, amongst others. According to the article, “If there are some things besides generally good health habits of diet and exercise we need to follow, let's follow them and minimize the chance of harm to our aging parents and us. It only makes sense to do what we can.” 

RESEARCH AND SCIENCE

An August 6, 2018 BioSpace article reported that researchers at Alzheon discovered 3-SPA (3-sulfopropanoic acid), which inhibits the formation of beta-amyloid in the human brain. According to the article, “In their research, the company found that levels of 3-SPA were up to 12 times greater in Alzheimer’s patients who received oral tramiprosate than in drug-naïve patients or patients being treated with placebo. The data adds to what is already known about the mechanism of the company’s ALZ-801, which is a Phase III-ready drug candidate.” 

CAREGIVING CORNER

An August 7, 2018 KTAR News article featured a simulation that mimics the effects of dementia for staff members of Savanna House Assisted Living and Memory Care in Gilbert, Arizona. It allows participants to better understand the confusion people with dementia can encounter in their daily lives. According to the article, “Participants have to complete a number of tasks that are made more difficult due to the sensory confusion they’re experiencing. The combination of obstructed vision, background noise, foot pain and loss of hearing mean many people aren’t able to complete all the tasks.”

DEMENTIA AND THE ARTS

An August 6, 2018 ABC 7 Denver article focused on the Memories in the Making Program, which brings art to people with dementia. Painting a scene from the past can be as evocative as reminiscing over a photo album and can benefit both the patient and their family. "Sometimes we hear, 'I didn't know mother was painting,' and sometimes we hear, 'Oh, I never heard this story of the horse," said program volunteer Susie Frey. 

EVENTS AND RESOURCES

Join the “Neuro-Immunology: The Impact of Immune Function on Alzheimer’s Disease” event from The New York Academy of Sciences on September 25, 2018, either live in New York City, or via webinar. Looking beyond amyloid and tau as direct avenues to modify AD pathology, the field has turned to a growing body of genetic and human biology evidence that supports a role for the innate immune system as a key modifier of Alzheimer’s disease risk and progression. This one-day symposium will present recent developments in our understanding of how innate immune processes, such as those controlled by CNS-resident microglia, impact the pathobiology of AD. Register here.