USA2 SPOTLIGHT

A May 23, 2019 CISION PR Newswire release from Volunteers of America (VOA) highlighted the topic of moral injury, “an existential crisis in identity and meaning because of devastating life circumstances.” “Moral injury is a broken spirit, not a disorder or psychiatric condition, though it profoundly effects mental health,” said Rita Nakashima Brock, PhD, head of the Shay Moral Injury Center. In 2018, VOA launched, “The Momentum of Hope,” a compilation of stories from people who have suffered moral injury, including UsA2 Founding Board Member Meryl Comer, writing from her experience with her husband’s and mother’s Alzheimer’s disease. The book also includes stories from veterans and caregivers.

RESEARCH AND SCIENCE

According to a May 28, 2019 New Atlas article, a new study from Stockholm University and Karolinska Institutet looked at how viruses can interact with proteins and become more infectious. The study describes how, among other viruses, HSV-1 (herpes simplex virus type 1) helps speed up the formation of amyloid proteins into larger plaque accumulations, a major hallmark of Alzheimer’s disase. According to the article, “The researchers are cautious to specify the study does not prove causality between the virus and Alzheimer's disease, but instead it offers a compelling mechanistic explanation as to why many associational studies have found these correlations. Due to the profoundly common nature of HSV-1 infections in human beings it is incredibly unlikely the virus is solely responsible for the onset of Alzheimer’s.” Also covered by Science Daily.

A May 23, 2019 Alzforum article looked at two studies exploring how microglia and other cells are altered in Alzheimer’s disease. According to the article, “For the most part, the studies found surprisingly little overlap between microglial gene-expression signatures in human Alzheimer’s with those previously identified in mouse models. An exception was ApoE, which ramped up across studies and species… They identified more than 1,000 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in nuclei from AD versus control. While most DEGs in neurons were repressed in AD, a majority in microglia, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes were turned up. Interestingly, while ApoE transcripts were higher in microglial nuclei from AD brain samples, they were lower in astrocytes.”

MUST READ

A May 26, 2019 Forbes article reported that a new study from the University of Illinois at Chicago shows that brain cells can form into one’s nineties via neurogenesis (formation of new neurons). Researchers studied postmortem brains of people aged 79-99, targeting markers for neuroblasts and immature neurons in the hippocampus. According to study author Orly Lazarov, “We found that there was active neurogenesis in the hippocampus of older adults well into their 90s. The interesting thing is that we also saw some new neurons in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease and cognitive impairment.”

ALZ TECH

A May 27, 2019 Fast Company article examined the use of robotics in senior care, which can provide companionship, emotional support, day-to-day assistance, or remote monitoring through artificial intelligence. Although most people agree that humans are the best caregivers, it’s not always an option. Research shows that lonely people experience accelerated depression, dementia and increased mortality, making robot companions an important tool in senior caregiving. Tombot’s lifelike robotic dog, Jennie, is designed for seniors with dementia in nursing care. “People really respond to it. But it’s not a toy. It’s a medical device providing a health benefit,” said Tombot founder Thomas E. Stevens.