MUST READS 

A December 19, 2016 LA Biotech article explored the future of Alzheimer’s treatments. According to the article, “The consequent late-stage failure was a setback for Lilly, but not for the A-beta hypothesis, says Liebers. “We now understand that if you can catch the aggregates while they are still soluble, you can treat the disease” as Probiodrug aims to do, describes Liebers.”

A December 18, 2016 Fox San Antonio article reported on the efforts of UT Health Science Center’s new Alzheimer’s center. According to the article, “With a projection of more and more patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia, doctors at the UT Health Science Center are designing a comprehensive care center…The center will feature specialists, access to clinical trials for new therapies, as well as support programs for caregivers.”

A December 17, 2016 CNET article reported that “Brain-training apps might one day help the millions of Americans living with Alzheimer’s.” According to the article, “Over the past few years, there's been an explosion of apps and websites promising to solve what medical science hasn't. Many claim they'll improve the brain, or even help fend off the disease. Experts say nearly all are peddling false hope to people who have just been told they're going to lose their minds. There's no scientific proof any of these apps do what they claim. But since more than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's there's big demand for a fix.”

A December 16, 2016 USC article profiled USC gerontology students using their personal information to identify genetic markers for different diseases. According to the article, “And there’s a whole lot more information that can be gleaned from these genetic tests — such as whether you carry risk markers (called SNPs, single nucleotide polymorphisms) for Alzheimer’s disease or what diets would make you lose weight. The issue is a lot of medical professionals don’t have the time or know-how to sift through the data. But students at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology are doing just that — entering their own 23andMe data and sample data into a SNP database called Promethease, which they in turn use to search for different genetic information — looking for markers for cystic fibrosis or specific cancers. There’s even a genetic marker for people who don’t like cilantro.”