March 7, 2019

Today's Top Alzheimer's News

SEX MATTERS

A March 6, 2019 NBC News article revealed that a new Finnish study showed taking oral hormone therapy may be linked to a small increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease for postmenopausal women. Women who began the treatment before age 60, and took for 10-years or more, had a nine to 17 percent increased risk“The findings should not be a cause for alarm. For the short-term management of hot flashes, night sweats and disruptive sleep the benefits of hormone therapy seem to outweigh the risk,” said Dr. JoAnn E. Manson of Brigham and Women's Hospital. Also covered by CNN and Medical Express.

BRAIN HEALTH

A March 6, 2019 USC News article looked at the potential of components in green tea and carrots to protect the brain against dementia. A USC study reversed Alzheimer’s-like symptoms in mice, which may not translate to humans, but does unlock the door for future research on plant-based supplements. Combination therapy, including a brain healthy diet, may be the best approach to tackling AD. “After three months, combination treatment completely restored spatial working memory and the Alzheimer’s mice performed just as well as the healthy comparison mice,” said senior study author Terrence Town of the Keck School of Medicine.

RESEARCH AND SCIENCE

According to a March 5, 2019 Green Entrepreneur article, a new study at King’s College London and funded by Alzheimer’s Research UK will test cannabis-based drug Sativex on people with dementia in an effort to treat behavioral symptoms such as increased agitation and aggression. Sativex is a mouth spray containing THC and CBD. This treatment could offer an alternative to antipsychotic medication, which may be prescribed to treat such behaviors. According to study researcher Dag Aarsland, “We desperately need to develop alternatives. Many people with Alzheimer’s can become agitated or aggressive, and this can pose difficulties for the person with the condition and those closest to them.”

FAITH SPOTLIGHT

A TNUMC article featured The United Methodist Church retired Bishop Carder, who created the “Alzheimer’s/Dementia: Ministry with the Forgotten” free, five-part study, which helps start conversations and generate action around caring for people with dementia, and guides churches on how to become dementia-friendly. Carder cares for his wife, Linda, who has Frontotemporal Dementia. According to Carder, “The church has the unique opportunity, even responsibility, to minister to the needs of people who are suffering from neurological cognitive disorders as well as the families and medical professionals who care for them. In a culture that idolizes an identity based on what we do, how we think, and how we look, people with dementia diseases are stigmatized and diminished.” Carder is a member of ClergyAgainstAlzheimer’s, an UsAgainstAlzheimer's network.

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

A March 6, 2019 KGUN 9 article revealed that Arizona has the fastest growth rate of Alzheimer's disease in the U.S. And in the next six years, the number of people with AD is projected to grow 43 percent. Many older adults move to Arizona, which means that more people will be affected in comparison to states with younger populations. By 2025, the state is projected to have about 200,000 people living with the disease.