USA2 SPOTLIGHT 

A February 23, 2016 UCSF News post highlighted the partnership between the Brain Health Registry and the Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation to accelerate Alzheimer’s treatment. According to the UCSF’s Michael Weiner, “We are thrilled to be working alongside the Global Alzheimer's Platform and these great research institutions across the country in a unified effort. Together, we can help build awareness, encourage the public to enroll and join in the fight against Alzheimer's disease, helping us reach our goal of 40,000 new registrants by fall 2016."

On February 19, 2016 UsAgainstAlzheimer’s issued comments on a semi postal stamp program in support of Alzheimer’s research. According to the letter, “UsAgainstAlzheimer’s has advocated for many years in support of an Alzheimer’s disease semipostal stamp and we remain deeply committed to this goal.” Read the full letter here. 

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A February 24, 2016 Fosters.com article reported on the changing caregiving roles that Alzheimer’s often presents to families. According to the article, “Two Seacoast area women talked about the shift in their relationship with their moms. Both say the new roles can be difficult at times, but that they felt honored to give time to their parent because of all that was done for them in their lifetime. Cheri Bach visits her mother, Mae, twice a day, for breakfast and for dinner. Her mom is in a long-term care facility, diagnosed with late-stage Alzheimer’s disease.”

A February 23, 2016 Vox.com article highlighted researchers connecting the dots between air pollution and dementia. According to the article, “At first blush, you might not think air quality is related to brain health. But what if the two are connected? Air pollution continues to worsen in the developing world, especially in rapidly developing countries like China and India; at the same time, our global population is aging, and dementia rates are expected to rise accordingly. Increasingly, research suggests a link between air pollution exposure and the risk of diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. How might this relationship be possible, and what might it mean for what the world is — or isn’t — prepared to handle in the coming decades?”

A February 23, 2016 Chemistry World article reported that “‘Mini-brains’ made up of neurons and other human brain cells that can be used for neurological research have been created by scientists at Johns Hopkins University in the US.” According to the article, “These mini-brains, which are only 350μm in diameter, are especially useful for studies of disorders of the brain such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, autism and even addiction, Hartung said. He also suggested that they can be used to better understand some viral infections like the Zika virus, which has spread to more than 20 countries and US territories since it first appeared in Brazil in May 2015.”

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