USA2 SPOTLIGHT

The latest A-LIST Pulse of the Community Issue Brief brings you up-to-date on the A-LIST. The three most recent surveys asked A-LIST members what matters most to them on topics ranging from the emotional toll of living with or caring for someone with Alzheimer’s, to managing the disease through faith. When we asked caregivers which feelings they experienced when supporting someone with Alzheimer’s, another dementia, or Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), the top answers cited were frustration (86%) and fear (70%). However, our research also demonstrates that many still remain hopeful. A-LIST is an initiative of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s.

Be a part of the Alabama State Baptist Congress of Christian Education, where UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Advocates Lynda Everman and Dr. Don Wendorf will speak about the importance of creating dementia-friendly faith communities. July 31, 2019, from 2–4:00pm. Click here to register.

MUST READS

A July 22, 2019 Forbes article reported that scientists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital discovered a pathway in microglial cells, “LANDO” (LC3-associated endocytosis), that helps regulate brain inflammation and prevents the buildup of toxic amyloid protein, both hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. “We found that LANDO prevents inflammation by suppressing inflammatory responses of the microglial cells in response to stimuli such as β-amyloid. In Alzheimer’s disease, there are very high levels of inflammation. This pathway prevents inflammation,” said Bradlee L. Heckmann, PhD.

RESEARCH AND SCIENCE

A July 18, 2019 Fierce Biotech article spotlighted the work of Eisai and Sysmex to develop a quick and simple blood test for Alzheimer’s disease which can deliver results in under 20 minutes using microliters of blood. The test was spurred by new research showing correlations between amyloid biomarkers in the bloodstream and changes in the cerebrospinal fluid. It quantifies the ratio between amyloid beta peptide chains of different lengths. They presented research results at last week’s AAIC.

SEX MATTERS

(ICYMI) According to a June 18, 2019 UCSF article, elderly men who nap excessively may be displaying early signs of cognitive decline and dementia. A 12-year study by UC San Francisco scientists, “…Found that men who had napped for an average of two hours or more per day at the beginning of the study were 66 percent more likely to develop clinically significant cognitive impairment than men who had only napped for 30 minutes or less a day. Excessive napping was most strongly linked to later cognitive impairment in men who slept well at night, suggesting that night-time sleep disruption was unlikely to directly explain the relationship, though more subtle interactions could not be ruled out.”