USA2 SPOTLIGHT

A September 29, 2017 UsAgainstAlzheimer’s media advisory calls attention to a new analysis, “Veterans and Alzheimer’s: Meeting the Crisis Head On,” about the disproportionate impact of Alzheimer’s on veterans. In response to this need, UsA2 is launching VeteransAgainstAlzheimer’s, a national network of veterans and their families, military leaders, veterans service organizations, researchers, and clinicians focused on raising awareness of the impact of Alzheimer’s and other dementias on active and retired service members.

According to a September 29, 2017 UsAgainstAlzheimer’s statement, two Missourians will receive awards at the 4th annual Out of the Shadows dinner in Washington, DC on October 4, part of UsA2’s 2017 National Alzheimer's Summit. Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) will receive the Congressional Champion Award, and Daisy Duarte will receive the 2017 Bea Lerner Valor Award. 

There are just a few days left until the 2017 National Alzheimer's Summit: Uniting Communities for a Cure! Do you have any questions you’d like to ask our panelists? We will be discussing what’s in the drug pipeline and how close we are to a cure, the impact of Alzheimer’s disease on families, innovations in care, insights from leaders of other influential movements, and strategies relating to brain health and early detection. Please submit your questions today for a chance to have them answered next week!

MUST READS

A September 29, 2017 Medical Xpress article looked at a new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society ranking the safety and effectiveness of four drugs taken to enhance concentration, memory, alertness and moods in patients with Alzheimer's dementia. It found that donepezil was most likely to effectively improve cognition. According to lead study author Dr. Andrea Tricco, "Alzheimer's dementia is the most common form of dementia in North America, and most people who have moderate to severe Alzheimer's will be on these medications. This analysis will give both patients and clinicians a full picture of how each of these drugs will likely affect their cognition, as well as their overall health."

DISPARITIES SPOTLIGHT

A September 29, 2017 WFAA 8/ABC video segment and article focused on the UNT Health Science Center, which received a $12 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study why Mexican-Americans develop cognitive loss earlier than other groups. According to Dr. Sid O'Bryant, PhD, "The Latino population, in general, appears to be at an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease. We have found Mexican-Americans appear to develop memory loss average of about a decade younger." If you're over the age of 50, call 817-735-2963 to see if you’re eligible for the study.  

RESEARCH, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

A September 29, 2017 Alzheimer’s News Today article spotlighted Catherine Kaczorowski of the Jackson Laboratory (JAX) in Maine who was awarded a five-year, $5.4 million grant from the National Institute on Aging. Her investigation centers around why genetic mutations linked to Alzheimer’s disease don’t always affect memory and cognition. Genetic mutations that mark people with a family history of AD are typically associated with early-onset, but this research could also lead to a better understanding of late-onset.

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES

A September 28, 2017 Forbes article highlighted Asian scientists, laboratories and companies as major innovators in neuroscience, including unraveling the biological process of aging and its relation to Alzheimer’s disease. Currently, Asia Pacific is known for countries with rapidly aging populations and are facing growing economic, societal and personal costs. According to a recent report by Alzheimer’s Disease International, by 2050 more than half of the total number of people with dementia worldwide will live in the Asia Pacific region.