MUST READS

A The New York Times Patient Voices audio-video interactive feature tells the stories of people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, and their loved ones who care for them. A disease like Alzheimer’s affects the entire family and brings up concerns about maintaining independence, long-term care and holding on to special moments.

A September 20, 2017 ASU (Arizona State University) article reported on the university’s participation in an interdisciplinary contingent of leading researchers, the ASU-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center (NDRC). The center at ASU’s Biodesign Institute received a portion of a new $5 million grant. According Dr. Eric Reiman who is spearheading the collaboration, “This funding provides the foundation to build one of the largest basic and translational neuroscience programs for the fight against Alzheimer’s and related neurodegenerative diseases.”

According to a September 20, 2017 Science article, a new study, published in Nature, showed that the most toxic effects of ApoE4 may result from a damaging immune response to a tau protein. Lead study author David Holtzman now believes that β-amyloid plays an important role in triggering the onset of Alzheimer's disease, with tau deposits creating later damage.

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES

A September 21, 2017 BBC News feature spotlighted the work of photographer Leah Beach, who traveled around Kenya, documenting the impact of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in pictures.