NOTE FROM USA2

Alzheimer's Daily is signing off for the holiday break and will be back in early January. Happy holidays to all! 

USA2 SPOTLIGHT

Please take this short survey to let us know what Alzheimer's and dementia-related issues are most important to you, such as research, clinical trials and prevention. The A-LIST is partnering with Being Patient, an independent news site dedicated to covering the latest Alzheimer's news. We want to better understand the news that patients and caregivers want to learn about most, to design content and experiences that are most useful and relevant for us. As always, your responses are anonymous and confidential. A-LIST is an UsAgainstAlzheimer’s initiative.

A December 21, 2017 Health.com article featured the story of LatinosAgainstAlzheimer's Caregiver Advocate Lisette Carbajal and her role as a millennial caregiver. According to Carbajal, "If you are a young person taking care of someone with Alzheimer’s, remember to take time for yourself. Oftentimes, I need to step back and take a break. It’s difficult, because you feel the need to help and care for a loved one 24/7. But if you don’t take care of yourself, how will you be able to take care of anyone else?" The article was inspired by a new report from the University of Southern California and UsAgainstAlzheimer’s. 

MUST READS

A January, 2018 O Magazine article spotlighted Lori La Bey’s “Alzheimer’s Speaks Radio” biweekly podcast. La Bey’s mother had Alzheimer’s disease for 30 years, and the podcast features experts and people with AD talking about coping strategies, research and lessons learned. She also launched the “Dementia Chats” video webinar for people with AD to talk via videoconference with a dementia behavior specialist. According to La Bey, “There are just so many voices to raise, and I want to get everybody talking.”

A December 22, 2017 The Mercury News Letter to the Editor by Stanford Neurologist Geoffrey Kerchner reacted to a December 19th article on dementia. According to Kerchner, “I encourage my patients to pursue common sense, brain-healthy lifestyle choices, especially if there is no downside, such as exercise, intellectual stimulation and a healthy diet. No one intervention will prevent dementia on its own, but perhaps in aggregate these may reduce an individual’s risk.”

A December 22, 2017 USA Today article highlighted the increasingly popular "dementia-friendly" film screenings across Britain. Cinema stimulates the brain and is an excellent way to recreate experiences and memories from youth. Classic musicals are very popular as music and song often stay with people after other forms of communication fade away. These types of screenings are also a way for caregivers to meet and find community with others who understand the challenges of dementia. 

A December 21, 2017 Dallas News article focused on a $15 million national clinical trial which aims to map out a prevention plan for Alzheimer’s disease by looking at the role of better heart health. The goal is to enroll 640 people nationwide between ages 60 and 85 to test how improved heart health will affect the flow of blood that carries oxygen and other nutrients to the brain— through exercise, drug therapies or both. According to Lead Researcher Rong Zhang of UT Southwestern's O'Donnell Brain Institute, “The trial wants to understand if doing something good for the heart means something good for the brain.” 

RESEARCH, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

A December 21, 2017 Arizona State University article reported that magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography has generated the first images of the electrical conductivity distribution generated inside the human brain. According to Rosalind Sadleir of the School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, “We’re able to actually measure things inside the brain that previously weren’t able to be measured. Knowing brain conductivity helps us understand how electricity distributes through the brain… Being able to make structure-function associations and building a better understanding of the brain will allow us to learn more about everything: Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, everything.”