May 27, 2014

Today's Top Alzheimer's News

The need to be financially prepared for Alzheimer's, Cambridge Professors offer hope for Alzheimer's treatment, Alzheimer's genetic testing, and Canadian doctors push for coordinated strategy against Alzheimer's (read more). 

Must reads

  • A May 25, 2014 Investment News editorial underscored the need to be financially prepared for Alzheimer's. According to the editorial, "Research shows that one of the first signs of Alzheimer's is an inability to manage money or grasp financial concepts, which puts financial advisers and planners firmly at the epicenter of this impending crisis. As stewards of their clients' financial hopes and dreams, advisers must learn to recognize signs of Alzheimer's and formulate policies and procedures for dealing with clients who have trouble remembering and reasoning."
  • A May 24, 2014 The Telegraph opinion piece by Professors Christopher and Mary Dobson of the University of Cambridge highlighted hope for an Alzheimer's treatment. According to the authors, "Throughout history, humankind has risen to the challenges of change and we are now in a position where we can take advantage of the great advances that have taken place, and continue to take place, in scientific and medical knowledge… Indeed, there are signs of progress emerging already. Perhaps the most exciting, and even surprising, facet of our findings is the realisation that there is a common or “generic” molecular mechanism that underlies disorders as seemingly diverse as Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes, cystic fibrosis and Parkinson’s disease. With our determination to tackle these 21st century plagues we are optimistic that we will come up with significant breakthroughs, just as the pioneers of earlier times found ways to confront the plagues of the past… The 2013 G8 Summit, by recognizing “dementia” as a rapidly developing “plague”, has drawn more attention to such emerging and serious afflictions of the 21st century. History tells us that we must now grasp the opportunity of the moment for the sake of our children, and indeed for all future generations of the human race."
  • A May 23, 2014 The Denver Post article by Lisa Wirthman about Alzheimer's testing highlighted USA2 board member Meryl Comer's experience with testing. According to the article, "In 2009, Comer decided to undergo genetic testing to find out if she was at higher risk of developing the disease. To make a statement about the importance of early diagnosis, she opened her results on national television.Comer discovered that she has one copy of a genetic variant that gives her a more probable risk of developing Alzheimer's. If she had two copies, the risk would have been higher. "I was a little taken aback, but it just made me feel that I'm going to fight harder," Comer says."
International news 
  • A May 26, 2014 Vancouver Sun article reported that Canadian doctors are calling for a coordinated national approach to dementia treatment. According to the article, "Speaking at the annual meeting of the B.C. Care Providers Association, Simpson and other health experts continued to call for a national dementia strategy to deal with the issue. The association represents 230 private and non-profit organizations that provide residential care, home care, home support and assisted living in B.C."
  • A May 24, 2014 The Australian article reported that the US Ambassador to Australia John Berry "has urged highly skilled medical researchers in Australia and the US to work together to find cures for conditions such as AIDS, malaria, Alzheimer's and traumatic brain injury, especially in war veterans."