June 14, 2013
Today's Top Alzheimer's News
Alzheimer's and illegal drugs, Alzheimer's drug setbacks at Eli Lilly, and helpful Alzheimer's apps (read more).
Must reads
- A June 14, 2013 Time.com article reported that "Potential treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and many other illnesses are being blocked by anti-drug laws, according to a new editorial review published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience." According to the article, "Lead author David Nutt, chair of neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London, and his colleagues argue that tight restrictions on research on illegal drugs like marijuana and “legal highs” are hindering progress in neuroscience and deterring drug companies from pursuing important leads in major disorders affecting millions of patients. Nutt lost his job as the top advisor to the British government on drug policy in 2009 for publicizing data showing that ecstasy (MDMA) is less harmful than drinking or horseback riding."
- A June 13, 2013 Reuters article reported that "Eli Lilly and Co said on Thursday it was halting a midstage clinical trial of an experimental Alzheimer's disease treatment due to potential liver toxicity problems." According to the article, "Based on the information Lilly has today, it believes that the abnormal liver biochemical tests observed in this study are not related to the BACE mechanism and continues to be interested in developing BACE inhibitors for the benefit of patients with Alzheimer's disease, the company said."
Research, science, and technology
- A June 14, 2013 USA Today question and answer article outlined helpful technology apps to aid Alzheimer's sufferers and caregivers. According to the article, "Q. My father is seriously struggling with Alzheimer's. I got him a smartphone last Christmas to keep him sharp. What apps should I put on it? A. I'm sorry to hear that. If it's still in the early stages, brain fitness games could help. Look into Memory Trainer and BrainyApp. After that, you can give him a one-touch dialing app like Unus Tactus. It lets you organize emergency contacts by photos to help him contact you. There are some apps you should look into, too. The Tweri Alzheimer Caregiver Tool watches over him for you. It will give you alerts if he leaves a designated "safe zone." That way, you can check up on him without invading his personal freedom."
- A June 13, 2013 NBC News article reported on the growing incidences of frontotemporal dementia. According to the article, "It’s a dementia that generally strikes at an earlier age than Alzheimer’s disease. And its symptoms are different – at least in the beginning – from Alzheimer’s because it originates in a different part of the brain. It’s also a disease that until very recently doctors thought was rare -- but that view is changing."