October 11, 2017

Today’s Top Alzheimer’s News

USA2 SPOTLIGHT

Join us for WomenAgainstAlzheimer's “Women Take the Mic!” at the National Research Summit on Care - an open dialogue and collaboration. A candid evening about issues important to women - care, services and supports for people living with dementia and their caregivers. Monday, October 16, 2017, 5:30-7pm (EST) at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bethesda.


MUST READS

An October 11, 2017 Scientific American article looked at the state of Alzheimer’s disease drug development, which has centered around amyloid beta. But now an ApoE-lowering therapy could become the new focus - which would lower ApoE in the brain but not in the blood, and block the neurodegeneration that leads to cognitive decline. According to David Holtzman of Washington University, if you lower ApoE early in life, it could prevent or slow amyloid deposition. “If ApoE is mediating the inflammatory response, that’s something you theoretically would be able to decrease at any time.”

 

An October 11, 2017 Co.Design article focused on the work of designer Aurore Brard, who created a series of objects to help people with Alzheimer’s reengage some intuitive cooking motions. They offer comfort and stimulation through inclusive design. According to Brard, who tested the designs at a local elderly care facility, “For some people, especially the ones who used to have very active, who worked with their hands a lot, this was really appealing. They need to do something with their hands. It was really a good experience.”


An October 10, 2017 Forbes article advises on how to prepare yourself for the possibility of becoming the primary care partner for a loved one with dementia. Seek a diagnosis from a neurologist, educate yourself and find resources. Design an action plan and discuss an advance care directive.


RESEARCH, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

An October 11, 2017 The Hoya article interviewed Georgetown Neuroscience Professor Bill Rebeck, who earned a three-year, $10,000 grant to support his APOE Alzheimer’s research in the Laboratory of Aging and Neurodegeneration. He discusses the importance of AD research and the future.


According to an October 10, 2017 Medical Xpress article, a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry finds that people who are unaware of memory loss, called “anosognosia,” are more likely to progress to Alzheimer's disease. The study, believed to be the largest of its kind on illness awareness, is from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health with data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative.