USA2 SPOTLIGHT

A December 13, 2017 UsAgainstAlzheimer’s statement spotlighted an (up to) $70 million award by the NIH to build a nationwide infrastructure, the Alzheimer’s Clinical Trial Consortium (ACTC), to accelerate and expand the development of techniques to treat Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The Consortium incorporates a team to address diversity issues including Stephanie Monroe of AfricanAmericansAgainstAlzheimer’s and Jason Resendez of LatinosAgainstAlzheimer’s Network. According to Monroe, “This is an exciting opportunity to address challenges and barriers to minority participation in clinical trials, especially with a disease like Alzheimer’s that is having, and projected to have, an increasingly devastating impact on communities of color.” 

A December 13, 2017 CISION PR Newswire press release reported on the inclusion of many GAP-Net research sites, supported by the Global Alzheimer's Platform Foundation (GAP), in the newly-formed Alzheimer’s Clinical Trial Consortium (ACTC). According to George Vradenburg of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s, who is also Chairman and Founder of GAP, “The NIH's support is an affirmation that GAP is heading in the right direction in its efforts to bring new therapies to patients and a field in desperate need. We were pleased to support the application process for the ACTC and believe this is an important step in moving forward with improving the clinical trial process."

(ICYMI) A December 7, 2017 2mas2KC article highlighted the work of the University of Kansas Alzheimer's Disease Center to increase the representation of Latinos in its Alzheimer's research. The KU ADC is working with LatinosAgainstAlzheimer's to develop partnerships with Latino-serving organizations in the greater Kansas City area to increase awareness of Alzheimer's impact on Latinos and opportunities to enroll in research. This work is supported by the Global Alzheimer's Platform (GAP).

MUST READS

A December 14, 2017 BBC article by Melissa Hogenboom explored the effect of music on her dad, who has Alzheimer’s disease. Music seems to come from the ‘procedural memory system,’ used to perform actions that require little conscious thought, like walking. According to Amee Baird of Macquarie University in Sydney, “People have called music a ‘super stimulus’. It really activates the whole brain. That’s why it’s so powerful; why it can have all these effects on people, not just with dementia but all of us. It’s like this island of preservation in the context of someone who has otherwise got quite severe cognitive impairment.”

RESEARCH, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOY

According to a December 14, 2017 AlzForum article, part of the Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease 2017 series, there are several studies looking at the role of plasma as a potential Alzheimer’s disease treatment. Plasma is the soluble portion of blood sans its cells. According to Karoly Nikolich of Alkahest, which sponsored one such trial, “The data support “the ability of plasma compositions to counteract the biological processes underlying neurodegeneration.” ”

FAITH FOCUS

[Subscription required] A January, 2018 Sojourners Magazine article by physician David Hilfiker chronicled his experience with a “probable” Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis. After one year, a new medical test demonstrated conclusively that he did not have AD. According to Hilfiker, “I hesitate to write this for fear of downplaying the very real suffering of Alzheimer’s disease. For caregivers, it can be especially devastating. But my year of believing I had Alzheimer’s was among the best of my life. I became less aloof; my friends said I was more pleasant; I was emotionally and spiritually more open; I experienced God’s grace.”

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

A December 13, 2017 RiverBender article spotlighted Dementia Friendly America’s Madison County (Illinois) initiative to become a dementia-friendly community. This includes raising awareness about dementia and transforming attitudes, connecting those in need to education and resources, supporting caregivers and families, and promoting meaningful participation in community life.