Topic: Alzheimer’s Disease

Psoriasis Drug Fights Alzheimer’s By Treating It Like An Auto-Immune Disease

Psoriasis Drug Fights Alzheimer's By Treating It Like An Auto-Immune Disease

One of the primary culprits in the neurobiological development of Alzheimer’s disease is a protein called amyloid beta, which can build up and form plaques in the brain.  Now European scientists are reporting that a common psoriasis drug could stop these plaques from forming by targeting a natural inflammatory response in our brains — lending credence to the idea of Alzheimer’s as an auto-immune disease. More »

The Number 1 Thing You Can Do To Help Find An Alzheimer’s Disease Cure

The Number 1 Thing You Can Do To Help Find An Alzheimer's Disease Cure

The most important thing you can do to contribute to a cure for Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t cost anything and doesn’t require running shoes. What people working to find a treatment that delays or prevents Alzheimer’s need is for as many people as possible to sign up for the Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry. Run by the Alzheimer’s Prevention Initiative (API), the registry supports enrollment for Alzheimer’s prevention studies taking place across the United States. More »

Alzheimer’s Is The New Cancer (Which Could Be Both Good, Bad For Generations X & Y)

Alzheimer's Is The New Cancer (Which Could Be Both Good, Bad For Generations X & Y)

November is national Alzheimer’s disease awareness month, and there’s good reason for members of Gen X and Gen Y to pay attention. Though not marked by nearly as many ribbons or races, Alzheimer’s is looking a lot like it could be the next cancer where public health is concerned. Like cancer, Alzheimer’s was once very stigmatized but is now being addressed more openly. Like cancer, it can cause the body to turn on itself. Like cancer, it’s deadly – currently the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. And, like with cancer, it’s looking as if prevention is a much better bet than an Alzheimer’s cure. More »

NFL Faces ‘Mega-Lawsuit’ For Hiding Brain Injury Risks; Failing To Protect Players

NFL Faces 'Mega-Lawsuit' For Hiding Brain Injury Risks; Failing To Protect Players

The NFL has been hit with several lawsuits in recent years by former football players accusing the League of hiding the long-term brain injury risks, including dementia and chronic depression. But yesterday, lawyers for more than 2,300 retired players in 86 suits joined forces to file a single “master complaint” against the League, holding them accountable not only for players who’ve suffered dementia, Alzheimer’s, and depression linked to concussions sustained while playing, but for potential problems in players who are currently healthy. If players are right about their choice to ignore research and risk factors, the NFL could have some serious paying up to do; and should be making changes even before they’re out of court. More »

Hope For Alzheimer’s: Early Diagnosis Helped Mimi Steffens Combat The Disease

Hope For Alzheimer's: Early Diagnosis Helped Mimi Steffens Combat The Disease

Mimi Steffens was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease about six years years ago. Since then, the 83-year-old retired math teacher has published a book on county school houses in Pennsylvania, started a support group for other early-stage Alzheimer’s patients, and shown improvements on certain tests that measure cognitive ability. As a volunteer and voice for the Alzheimer’s Association, she presents a surprisingly hopeful picture of what the future of living with early-stage Alzheimer’s could look like. More »

More Evidence Omega-3s Can Keep You From Going Senile

More Evidence Omega-3s Can Keep You From Going Senile

A new study from Columbia University Medical Center certainly isn’t the first to link omega-3 fatty acids with brain health, but it is the first human study to link them with lower blood levels of beta amyloid, the protein used to mark Alzheimer’s risk. The more omega-3s someone consumed, the lower their blood level of beta amyloid, the researchers found. That means a diet high in omega-3s could help stave off dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. More »

Study: Grape Seed Extract Wards Off Alzheimer’s (And Wrinkles, Too)

Study: Grape Seed Extract Wards Off Alzheimer's (And Wrinkles, Too)

Want the health benefits of red wine without the buzz? Add some grape seed oil or extract to your diet instead. Grape seed is rich with polyphenols—the same chemical compounds that give red wine its healing powers. And it may help ward off Alzheimer’s Disease, according to researchers at New York City’s Mount Sinai School of Medicine. More »

Mystery Ingredient in Coffee Helps Fight Alzheimer’s

Mystery Ingredient in Coffee Helps Fight Alzheimer's

Good morning! I’m writing this right now between sips of coffee—which means I may also be protecting my brain from Alzheimer’s disease. The potential link between coffee-drinking and Alzheimer’s a**-kicking has been established before, of course. But now scientists at the University of Florida have kinda sorta figured out why: There’s an unknown ingredient in coffee that teams up with caffeine to stimulate the levels of GCSF in our blood-streams. GCSF (or granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, if you’re not into the whole brevity thing) is a protein that appears to put off the development of Alzheimer’s disease. More »

Connection Discovered Between Low Testosterone and Alzheimer’s

Connection Discovered Between Low Testosterone and Alzheimer's

Check out this post from Ronnie Koenig on AOL Health.

A research team that includes a Saint Louis University scientist have uncovered a link between low levels of the male sex hormone testosterone in older men and the onset of early Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s is a progressive and fatal disease that destroys brain cells causing severe memory loss, as well as life-altering problems with thinking and behavior. According to the National Institute on Aging, approximately 5.1 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s and it is the seventh leading cause of death in the US. Treatment for symptoms is available, but there is no known cure. More »

Coffee may prevent Alzheimer’s, but what’s the catch? According to a story yesterday on NPR’s Morning Edition, researchers recorded improvements in lab mice with Alzheimer’s, but only if the critters got a ton of caffeine. Theoretically, the human equivalent would mean drinking at least five cups of regular coffee every day, but at this point these findings are inconclusive. So keep doing your crossword puzzles.