USA2 SPOTLIGHT

An April 16, 2018 The Kansas City Star guest commentary spotlighted the achievements and accolades of Disney’s Oscar winning animated film, “Coco,” which portrays the impact of dementia on Latino families. According to the article, ““Coco’s” depiction of dementia is critical for raising public awareness of dementia among all families but it offers a unique glimpse into an overlooked health issue impacting millions of Latino families. While Latinos are one-and-a-half times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s than non-Latino whites, they are disproportionately underrepresented in Alzheimer’s research.” Read the report from UsAgainstAlzheimer’s and the USC Roybal Institute on Aging, “Latinos & Alzheimer’s Disease: New Numbers Behind the Crisis.”

IN MEMORIAM

An April 17, 2018 USA Today broadcast segment and article announced the passing of National Public Radio's longtime broadcaster Carl Kasell, who died this week from complications from Alzheimer's disease. Kasell joined NPR in 1975 and worked there for more than 30 years on such classic shows as Weekend All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! He was 84 years old. 

MUST READS

An April 10, 2018 Being Patient article explored mild cognitive impairment (M.C.I.) and what a diagnosis means. M.C.I. refers to a set of symptoms, and is a way to “describe brain health and performance based on a cognitive test and reported thinking skills.” According to the article, “…Research has found that about half of those diagnosed with M.C.I. progress to Alzheimer’s or another dementia within five years. In those people, M.C.I. cannot be reversed.”

RESEARCH AND SCIENCE

An April 14, 2018 Medical News Today article looked at the role of microglia’s “immunological memory” in Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to “devouring” synapses, microglia can survive upwards of 20 years. According to Jonas Neher at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases in Tübingen, "Our results identify immune memory in the brain as an important modifier of neuropathology… It is possible that also in humans, inflammatory diseases that primarily develop outside the brain could trigger epigenetic reprogramming inside the brain.”

VETERANS SPOTLIGHT

Listen to an FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) podcast, posted April 10, 2018, “Inclusion of Veterans in Clinical "Trials” Podcast.” A candid conversation about clinical trials, what it means to participate in a study, and why it’s important for our veterans and active service members to learn more about clinical research participation. The videos are the third installment of OMH’s campaign that started in 2016 to raise awareness about the importance of increasing minority and diverse population in clinical trials.

ALZ TECH

An April 16, 2018 NJ.com article spotlighted the Virtual Dementia Tour employee training program, designed to let employees experience the kinds of challenges people with dementia face. According to the article, “Anyone can benefit from spending a few minutes walking in the shoes of someone with Alzheimer's, and that's true not just of health professionals and family members, but also of community members who come in daily contact with the growing population of dementia patients, such as grocery store clerks or bus drivers or servers in restaurants.”