MUST READS 

A December 21, 2016 U.S. News & World Report article explored reasons to take advantage of genetic testing. According to the article, “Genetics play a big role in how the brain ages, and one of the greatest risks for Alzheimer's disease is family history. Experts who offer personalized recommendations on how to slow brain aging and delay or prevent neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, are becoming increasingly available. For example, the specialists at NorthShore University HealthSystem's Center for Brain Health can identify an individual's unique set of risk factors for developing Alzheimer's, based on DNA, daily habits, current state of health and family history. If the evaluation determines that an individual has an elevated probability for developing Alzheimer's or a related disorder, specialists can provide insight about those risks and recommend personalized interventions.”

A December 20, 2016 Boston Globe article profiled the incoming CEO of Biogen, Michel Vounatsos. According to the article, “The incoming chief executive of Biogen Inc. told stock analysts Tuesday that he’ll conduct a review of the company’s operations with the aim of strengthening its pipeline of drugs in development, and he called efforts to find a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease the Cambridge biotech’s ‘number one challenge and opportunity.’”

RESEARCH, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY 

A December 20, 2016 Science Daily article reported that “Scientists have detailed the structure of a molecule that has been implicated in Alzheimer's disease.”

A December 20, 2016 News Atlas article highlighted efforts to develop a “sniff” test for Alzheimer’s. According to the article, “When it comes to medications that are being designed to treat Alzheimer's disease, it is widely believed that they may only work if they're administered before dementia sets in. This means that it's vitally important to detect the onset of Alzheimer's as early as possible, and a new test could help doctors do just that. It involves getting patients to smell things. Previous research has already suggested that a decrease in the sense of smell is linked to Alzheimer's. Led by Dr. David R. Roalf, a team from the University of Pennsylvania decided to put that theory to the test.”

A December 20, 2016 AlzForum.org article examined the link between feelings of isolation and Alzheimer’s. According to the article, “For some with impending Alzheimer’s, a crowded room begins to feel just as lonely as an empty one. Could this perceived social isolation be an early warning sign of plaque build-up in the brain? According to a paper in the December JAMA Psychiatry, perhaps so. Scientists led by Reisa Sperling, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, report that cognitively normal people with amyloid in their brains are 7.5 times more likely to report feeling lonely. The finding points to socioemotional changes, in addition to cognitive and behavioral ones, that could be associated with Alzheimer’s. If the results are replicated in larger cohorts, screening for loneliness could help identify candidates for amyloid scans, scientists said.”