USA2 SPOTLIGHT

Take the A-LIST survey about recruitment for clinical trials. Nearly 60% of Americans say they are “definitely willing” or “would consider” participating in Alzheimer’s disease clinical trials, according to the Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation. But less than 10% of us make the effort to step up to participate. Without volunteers who want to make a difference, research for a cure slows down or goes nowhere. So, where’s the disconnect? Tell us what YOU think about what slows recruitment for clinical trials. What stops you from volunteering? If you’ve participated in a trial, how was your experience? The A-LIST is an initiative of UsAgainstAlzheimer's.

A February 19, 2018 The University of Kansas article announced that several Kansas City-area community members made a gift commitment of $1.4 million to the University of Kansas Alzheimer’s Disease Center to expand research and double capacity for clinical trials, working in partnership with the Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation (GAP). Their goal is to shorten the time it takes to complete clinical trials and increase the number of participating patients. GAP is an initiative of UsAgainstAlzheimer's.

A February 19, 2018 NJ.com article spotlighted UsAgainstAlzheimer’s advocate Michael Ellenbogen, who lived with an Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis for 10 years, and was diagnosed with MCI 20 years ago at the age of 39. After an Amyvid PET scan last year, he learned that he doesn’t have AD after all, and his diagnosis has been changed to suspected non-Alzheimer's pathophysiology (SNAP). According to Ellenbogen, "Was I ever shocked. I also felt like a fraud because, for years, I had been in the public eye telling everyone I had Alzheimer's."

MUST READS

A February 18, 2018 NPR article spotlighted the work of Massachusetts General Hospital neuroscientists Robert Moir and Rudolph Tanzi, who both explored the link between Alzheimer’s disease and the immune system, more specifically “innate immunity,” or the ancient immune system. They jointly hypothesized that amyloid-beta was part of the ancient human immune system which protected the brain by encapsulating foreign invaders, unless it started producing too much, which could kill brain cells and lead to dementia. According to Tanzi, “Even though we really concentrate on these plaques and tangles in Alzheimer's disease, it looks like it's the brain's immune system — the very primitive immune system of the brain — that's gone awry, and the plaques and tangles are a part of that system."

RESEARCH, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

A February 15, 2018 Science Daily article reported that a study from Duke Health found that the Alzheimer’s disease drug donepezil can reverse structural and genetic damage to neurons caused by alcohol consumption in the brains of young rats. Drinking during (human) adolescence causes changes in the brain, although the research is limited as to the extent and it’s unknown if the changes are permanent. Adult rats exposed to alcohol when they were adolescents had far fewer dendritic spines stemming from neurons to receive information. Changes in the density of dendritic spines is linked to the activity of the Fmr1 gene, and mutations of this gene are linked to developmental delays, autism and Parkinson's disease.

YOUTH FOCUS

A February 14, 2018 Daily Mail article and video spotlighted the story of Keira Esposito, who has Sanfilippo syndrome, a rare 'childhood Alzheimer's' genetic condition. The condition is marked by cognitive degeneration, is incurable, and 70 percent of patients die before age 15. According to Keira’s parents, “'There’s a certain wisdom that comes with having a child like Keira and going through this as a family. You realize just how fragile life is.” 

EVENTS AND RESOURCES

The 5th Annual AHA (Advanced Healthcare Analytics) Summit 2018 will be in Boston from May 22-24th. In the current healthcare landscape, where cost of care delivery and insurance premiums continue to rise at unsustainable rates, advanced analytics are more than ever regarded as the solution moving forward and the key driver for improved cost-effectiveness and increased value-based care. Leading experts will share their expertise and case studies around the implementation of innovative analytics capabilities, providing ground for a better understanding of how we can transform healthcare into a true value-based paradigm. Register here.