HUMAN INTEREST

A February 12, 2019 KALB article offered suggestions and information, from the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, about how families affected by Alzheimer’s disease can celebrate Valentine’s Day. “Redefine the roles. Relationship roles change as Alzheimer’s disease progresses and the person living with it becomes more and more dependent on others for help. The stress and added responsibilities of caregiving can make the person’s spouse or significant other feel more like a care taker or aid, rather than a partner; that the relationship has become one-sided and transactional in nature… Be open to change.”

A February 12, 2019 The Root “The Glow Up” opinion piece by author Marita Golden focused on backlash triggered by Dan Gasby going public in the Washington Post about his relationship with a woman outside of his marriage to lifestyle icon B. Smith, who has Alzheimer's disease. Golden writes, “In my research, I spoke with many researchers and experts who had studied the impact of Alzheimer’s on African Americans. Again and again, the inability of African American caregivers to engage in self-care was cited as a danger both to the person being cared for and the caregiver… We often feel that our sick loved ones can only be cared for with compassion by our families. And our families are too often expected to sacrifice nearly everything…”

MUST READS

A February 5, 2019 The New York Times article spotlighted the global Critical Assessment of Structure Prediction biochemical research competition. Scientists compete to predict the three-dimensional shape of proteins in the human body, addressing the so-called “protein folding problem.” This year, the competition was won by the A.I., “DeepMind” (owned by Google’s parent company), which specializes in the type of “deep learning” that can speed up drug discovery. According to the article, “If scientists can predict a protein’s shape, they can better determine how other molecules will “bind” to it — attach to it, physically — and that is one way drugs are developed... DeepMind’s victory showed how the future of biochemical research will increasingly be driven by machines and the people who oversee those machines.” 

RESEARCH AND SCIENCE

A February 11, 2019 Science Daily article looked at the correlation between decreased blood flow to the brain and impaired cognitive function resulting from Alzheimer’s disease. A new study from Cornell University found that white blood cells stuck to the inside of capillaries create stalled vessels, leading to decreased blood flow in multiple downstream vessels. Blood flow deficits are one of the earliest detectable symptoms of dementia. According to Associate Professor Chris Schaffer, "We've shown that when we block the cellular mechanism [that causes the stalls], we get an improved blood flow, and associated with that improved blood flow is immediate restoration of cognitive performance of spatial- and working-memory tasks."

A February 8, 2019 Arizona State University article profiled Boris DeCourt, Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center Assistant Research Professor, and School of Life Sciences Researcher, who is focused on understanding the Alzheimer's-inflammation connection. DeCourt was awarded two grants (from the NIH and Alzheimer’s Drug Disease Foundation) to study the effects of the FDA-approved, anti-cancer drug, lenalidomide, on Alzheimer’s disease. “Early results suggest that lenalidomide has the potential to lower Alzheimer’s disease brain pathology, and to do so over a long period of time, by normalizing the activity of enzymes responsible for the production of Aβ to nonpathological levels,” said DeCourt.

FAITH SPOTLIGHT

A February 11, 2019 KCEN TV/NBC 6 broadcast segment told the story of former pastor Jim Green, who has Alzheimer's disease, and his son Chris. Despite the progression of his disease, Jim still stands to preach at bible study on Saturday mornings at Luvida Memory Care facility where he resides. According to Chris, “Whatever anchors you, you gotta hang onto that. And I’m very fortunate that I was given a faith that is a very, very strong anchor in my life. And that came from my dad and my mom. That’s important if you’re going to get through this.” 

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

According to a February 10, 2019 Go Local Prov article, Rhode Island Lt. Governor and Long-Term Care Coordinating Council Chair Daniel J. McKee is updating the state’s 2013 Alzheimer’s plan. AD is one of the most challenging public health issues facing Rhode Island. “Each day, we make great strides in expanding clinical trials and innovating treatments. Over the last few years alone, the local landscape of prevention and treatment has changed dramatically and positively… With the number of affected Rhode Islanders projected to rise to 27,000 by 2025, elected leaders, advocates, caregivers, clinicians and researchers must come together to take unified, targeted action,” said McKee.