MUST READS

A May 29, 2018 Web MD article looked to a new study from UCLA concluding that simply having Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers doesn’t necessarily mean you will get the disease. Lead researcher Ron Brookmeyer relied on a new statistical model to formulate risk assessment. According to the article, “Age and life expectancy also play a strong role in Alzheimer's dementia risk, Brookmeyer said. Dementia risk decreases with age because it's less likely a person will develop Alzheimer's during their lifetime, he explained. But life expectancy also plays a part.”

RESEARCH AND SCIENCE

A May 30, 2018 National Institute on Aging post focused on new NIA-supported research which links amyloid levels to genetic risk variants for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. The study utilized brain imaging, for almost 1,000 participants from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), to assess associations between the top 20 AD genetic risk variants, including amyloid deposition and levels. According to the article, “Researchers noted that improved understanding of these genetic risk factors could help predict which people are most at risk of developing dementia due to Alzheimer’s and identify gene-specific drug targets.”

According to a May 29, 2018 World Finance article, compounds found in cannabis are being researched as potential Alzheimer’s disease treatments. Hyalolex (derived from IGC-AD1), a cannabinoid-based formulation targeting AD, is under development at the University of South Florida (USF) College of Pharmacy. Pre-clinical trails demonstrated promising results in turning back memory loss and restoring learning ability. Research from USF also found that THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive chemical compound in cannabis, helps slow down plaque build-up in the brain.

DISPARITIES SPOTLIGHT

A May 30, 2018 KERA News radio segment looked at research trying to determine why Mexican-Americans are approximately 1.5 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than non-Hispanic white Americans. UNT Health Science Center in Fort Worth has undertaken one of the largest and most comprehensive studies of the issue. Director of the Center for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Disease Research Institute on Healthy Aging Sid O’Bryant speaks about their ongoing research.

DEMENTIA AND THE ARTS

A May 30, 2018 Western Slope Now article featured a KREX CBS 5 News broadcast segment spotlighting a poetry program at the Palisade Life Center in Colorado for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia. According to the Center’s Life Engagement Coordinator Caleb Ferganchick, "You can really just see it in their eyes when things are clicking and coming together. It allows them the space to share their memories in a structured way to engage and structure conversation that they otherwise wouldn't be able to do themselves."

EVENTS AND RESOURCES

Join the FasterCures free Webinar, “FDA’s Patient-Focused Drug Development Initiative: What Have We Learned?" Thursday, June 7, 2018, 3-4:00pm (EST). Panelists will share experiences working with patient communities. Learn what’s next in patient-focused drug development. Click here for more information.