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2009
Monday 08 June 2009 Rogue protein 'spreads in brain'
Scientists have shown a rogue protein thought to cause Alzheimer's can spread through the brain, turning healthy tissue bad.
Wednesday 03 June 2009 Weekly curry 'may fight dementia'
Eating a curry once or twice a week could help prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease and dementia, research suggests.
Monday 18 May 2009 Keep working 'to avoid dementia'
Keeping the brain active by working later in life may help ward off Alzheimer's disease, research suggests.
Sunday 17 May 2009 Heart disorder Alzheimer's link
The common heart disorder, atrial fibrillation has been linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Friday 08 May 2009 Trial drugs 'reverse' Alzheimer's
Scientists say they have successfully reversed the effects of Alzheimer's with experimental drugs.
Tuesday 05 May 2009 Aging: Prelude to Alzheimer’s Memory Trouble
Difficulty making decisions about what to remember may be a sign of impending Alzheimer’s disease, a new study reports.
Even before they begin to have serious problems with their memory over all, people in the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s disease appear to have trouble making good decisions about what to remember, a new study reports.
Thursday 23 April 2009 Painkiller 'no Alzheimer's block'
Researchers have found long-term use of painkillers such as ibuprofen cannot prevent Alzheimer's disease.
Tuesday 14 April 2009 Drug offers hope on Alzheimer's
A new drug which shows promise as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease has been developed by UK scientists.
Tuesday 07 April 2009 a class="b2" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7986289.stm" onmouseover="return overlib('click to bbc', LEFT);" onmouseout="return nd();" target="_"> Early warning clue for dementia
Hyperactivity in a part of the brain that deals with memory may give an early warning of dementia decades later, UK research suggests.
Friday 27 February 2009 
Alzheimer's plaques 'big impact'
The sticky plaques linked to Alzheimer's disease may have a bigger impact on the brain than it was thought, research suggests.
Tuesday 03 February 2009 Alzheimer's 'is brain diabetes'
The most common form of dementia may be closely related to another common disease of old-age - type II diabetes, say scientists.
Wednesday 21 January 2009 My brain is out of memory
It's not Alzheimer's, the doctor says. My mind is simply pooped and fed up with me
Tuesday 20 January 2009 Staying calm 'prevents dementia'
Being relaxed and calm can reduce their chances of dementia
|
People who are more laid back are less likely to develop dementia in old age, a study has suggested.
Research published in the journal Neurology asked 500 healthy elderly people to fill out questionnaires about their personalities.
Those who were calm and relaxed had a 50% lower risk of developing dementia during the six years of the study.
2008
Wednesday 17 December 2008 Columbo actor 'has Alzheimer's'
Actor Peter Falk is suffering from Alzheimer's disease, according to court papers filed by his daughter, Catherine
Tuesday 16 December 2008 UNDATED: MORE CANADIANS VICTIMS TO ALZHEIMER'S
New numbers from the Alzheimer Society of Canada show that a growing number of Canadians are being diagnosed with the disease, or related dementia, at a younger age. The Society says 500,000 Canadians are afflicted with Alzheimer's disease. Three-quarters of them are women, and one in 10 is under the age of 60. The Society says that as baby boomers age, those affected by the disease are expected to double within a generation. The Society is calling for more attention to be paid to early diagnosis, support services and education and medical research. It says that if governments fail to act, Alzheimer's and related dementia could overwhelm Canada's health care system.
Monday 20 October 2008 Fatty acids clue to Alzheimer's
Controlling the level of a fatty acid in the brain could help treat Alzheimer's disease, a US study has suggested.
Fatty acids clue to Alzheimer's
Scientists want to know more about the brain changes that lead to Alzheimer's
|
Controlling the level of a fatty acid in the brain could help treat Alzheimer's disease, an American study has suggested.
Tests on mice showed that reducing excess levels of the acid lessened animals' memory problems and behavioural changes.
Writing in Nature Neuroscience, the team said fatty acid levels could be controlled through diet or drugs.
Martin Barnes
Saturday 27 September 2008 Nymox announced in June the appointment of Martin H. Barnes to the Nymox Board of Directors. Mr. Barnes is Managing Editor of The Bank Credit Analyst, a highly respected and widely read investment publication. Prior to joining The Bank Credit Analyst Research Group in 1987, Mr. Barnes was the Chief Economist at Wood Mackenzie, a leading Edinburgh brokerage firm (1977-1987) and an economist at British Petroleum in London (1973-1977). He has published extensively and speaks frequently to major investment audiences throughout the world. annn
In the field of neurodegenerative disease, including Alzheimer's disease, Nymox has developed two new entities, NX-D3109 and NX-D1191, in addition to the lead drug candidate NX-D2858. These entities are each distinctive and are targeted for Phase 1 testing within one year. They are neurodegeneration inhibitors which have been designed and tested in Nymox proprietary screening systems. To date, there has been no significant toxicity demonstrated and animal testing results have been positive.
Friday 12 September 2008 Canadian scientists discover gene linked to Alzheimer's
Researchers at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children used genetically altered mice to identify a gene that appears to be essential for protecting the brain as people age
Sunday 10 August 2008 Marriage, Divorce and Alzheimer’s Risk
It’s long been known that social relationships can decrease the risk of developing dementia. In June, Harvard researchers reported how active socializing in old age could delay memory problems.
Alzheimer's drug offers fresh
hope
Jul 30 2008 02:12
A new medicine could be 'over twice as
effective as any treatment currently available' after halting the
mental decline of patients for at least 18 months in trials
Read more »
Tuesday 15 July 2008 Exercise 'slows down Alzheimer's'
Being physically fit could hold back the development of Alzheimer's disease, US researchers suggest.
Tuesday 01 July 2008 Alzheimer’s Drug Fails Clinical Trial
Flurizan, a drug developed by Myriad Genetics to treat Alzheimer’s disease, failed in a closely watched late-stage clinical trial, dealing another blow to efforts to combat the illness.
A drug under development by Myriad Genetics to treat Alzheimer’s disease failed in a closely watched late-stage clinical trial, dealing another blow to efforts to combat the illness.
Wednesday 11 June 2008 Light therapy 'can slow dementia'
Dementia could be slowed significantly by treatments which reset the body's natural clock, research suggests.
Friday May 30, 2008 Active social life can ward off dementia, study suggests
Strong social ties and frequent human contact might protect people from memory-robbing dementia, according...
Tuesday May 27, 2008 Use of anti-psychotic drugs linked to spike in deaths of dementia patients, study finds
Dementia patients taking widely used anti-psychotic drugs are up to three times as likely as others ...
Tuesday 20 May 2008 Older Brain Really May Be a Wiser Brain
New research suggests that memory lapses that occur with age might be a sign of a widening focus of attention.
Some brains do deteriorate with age. Alzheimer’s disease, for example, strikes 13 percent of Americans 65 and older. But for most aging adults, the authors say, much of what occurs is a gradually widening focus of attention that makes it more difficult to latch onto just one fact, like a name or a telephone number. Although that can be frustrating, it is often useful.
“It may be that distractibility is not, in fact, a bad thing,” said Shelley H. Carson, a psychology researcher at Harvard whose work was cited in the book. “It may increase the amount of information available to the conscious mind.”
Monday, May. 19, 2008 Can Alzheimer's Be Prevented? nyt
Monday 19 May 2008 Tracing the Path from DNA to Dementia
Q&A
Tuesday 06 May 2008 Painkiller may cut dementia risk
Long-term use of ibuprofen may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, a large US study reports
Sunday 04 May 2008 Exercise Your Brain, or Else You’ll ... Uh ...
Boomers believe they have ample reason to worry. There is no definitive laboratory test to detect Alzheimer’s disease. Doctors rely on symptoms to make the diagnosis, and most think that by the time symptoms show up the brain damage is already extensive.
By 2050, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, 11 million to 16 million Americans will have the disease.
“Most people when they turn 50 begin to look at forgetfulness with more seriousness,” said Dr. Gene Cohen, the director of the Center for Aging, Health and Humanities at George Washington University.
Wednesday Apr 16, 2008 Big brain could prevent Alzheimer's
Scientists may have learned why some people retain sharp minds and clear memories despite having the...
Thursday 03 April 2008 Daily caffeine 'protects brain'
Coffee may cut the risk of dementia by blocking the damage cholesterol can inflict on the body, research suggests.
Tuesday 01 April 2008 Medication 'worsens Alzheimer's'
Anti-psychotic drugs commonly given to Alzheimer's patients often worsens their condition, a study suggests.
Saturday 15 March 2008 Pratchett funds Alzheimer's study
Fantasy author and Alzheimer's sufferer Terry Pratchett donates $1m to research into the disease.
Saturday 23 February 2008
Computers 'spot Alzheimer's fast'
Alzheimer's can be difficult to diagnose
|
Computers can diagnose Alzheimer's disease faster and more accurately than experts, research suggests.
University College London researchers say their work may help ensure patients are diagnosed earlier, increasing the chances of effective treatment.
Wednesday, 30 January 2008 Scientists discover way to reverse loss of memory
By Jeremy Laurance, Health Editor
Scientists performing experimental brain surgery on a man aged 50 have stumbled across a mechanism that could unlock how memory works.
Wed 02 January 2008 NYT Podcast Wed biz
2007
Sunday 09 December 2007 Alzheimer’s Telephone Screening
This year, researchers completed work on a 50-question telephone quiz to help them identify Alzheimer’s patients long before they exhibit typical symptoms. Such a quiz may soon become part of regular medical care.
...A welcome second use of the trial: screening. Cummings suggests check-ups beginning at age 55, since the odds of getting Alzheimer’s double every five years at that point: 2 percent of 65-year-olds have Alzheimer’s, 4 percent of 70-year-olds and so on. By age 85, one in three people have the disease. “Without a preventive therapy, Alzheimer’s will overwhelm the Medicare system,” Cummings says. “A test like this should be as common as checking blood pressure.
November 21st 2007, The provincial government also announced it is increasing its $50,000 subsidy to Baluchon Alzheimer's to $500,000. Baluchon Alzheimer’s is an organization that helps people taking care of Alzheimer’s patients in their home by providing trained caregivers for $100 a day.
Saturday Nov 17, 2007 Couillard launches Alzheimer offensive
Health Minister Philippe Couillard announced "a new government offensive" yesterday to help the nearly 61,000 Quebecers afflicted with Alzheimer's disease.
The offensive will deal with diagnosing and treating the disease, and assisting relatives who care for loved ones with Alzheimer's.
....Howard Berg-man will head a multi-disciplinary committee drawn from several areas of expertise and from across the province to develop better ways to detect, prevent and treat the disease.
Bergman, who teaches in the McGill University medical faculty and is director of the Jewish General Hospital's memory clinic, said in a telephone interview yesterday his mission is to determine the most appropriate resources to deal with Alzheimer's at the most appropriate time.
...The minister also announced the government is increasing its $50,000 subsidy to Baluchon Alzheimer's to $500,000, explaining the organization offers trained caregivers for $100 a day to give a break to relatives taking care of Alzheimer's patients at home.
Fall Winter 2007 
Do take the McGill Memory test for fun and $10 for your time!
Saturday 22 September 2007 TORONTO: ALZHEIMER SOCIETY GIVEN GENEROUS GIFT
The Alzheimer's Society of Canada reports that it received on Friday the biggest donation of its history. The donation of $1 million was given by an unidentified donor from Ottawa on the occasion of World Alzheimer's Day. The money is to be used for research. In revealing the gift, the Society also called on the federal government to make Alzheimer's disease a national health priority.
Tuesday 18 September 2007
ALZHEIMER’S, ABDUCTION AND BRITISH BUREAUCRACY
CTV
News fronts, while The
National and the
Globe go inside with the imminent reunion of a terminally ill woman and
her aggrieved husband. At a news conference yesterday, New Democratic Party
MP Alexa McDonough announced that the Canadian government was on the verge
of returning Alzheimer’s patient Heli Munroe to her husband, Sandy,
and her native Canada after an almost two-year absence. In 2005, just
after Munroe had been declared mentally incompetent, her brother took her
from Tennycape, Nova Scotia, where she lived with her husband, and brought
her to a hospital in England. Heli’s brother did not have her
husband’s consent to take her and left only a vague note to explain
his actions. Under British law, the brother was automatically considered
Heli’s next of kin, leaving her husband to fight a protracted legal
battle to regain the power of attorney that his wife had granted him
before she was abducted. Recently, a British panel ruled that Sandy Munroe
is Heli’s official caregiver and decision-maker; however,
Heli’s British doctors determined that she is too ill to travel on a
commercial flight. Yesterday, McDonough—a long-time advocate of
Heli’s return—announced that the Canadian government was
likely days away from securing Heli’s safe homecoming. Sandy Munro
described the news as “a bittersweet matter. She is coming home to
die of a terminal illness.”
Tuesday 14 August 2007 Zen and the Art of Coping With Alzheimer’s
By DENISE GRADY
Sometimes, when there’s no cure, it’s best to just go with the flow as a loved one becomes more confused.
Monday 09 July 2007 FDA approves patch to treat dementia
...The prescription patch from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. contains the drug Exelon, or rivastigmine, currently available in Canada and the U.S. in an oral solution and in capsule form.
..Rivastigmine works by inhibiting the breakdown of a chemical in the brain called acetylcholine, which is believed to be important for both learning and memory. more
Sunday 10 June 2007 Taking On Alzheimer’s
IN the book “Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH,” a group of lab rats acquire human intelligence through a genetic experiment. Every child recognizes the charming tale as pure fantasy, yet something similar is occurring at a major pharmaceuticals company, Wyeth, where rodents tested in its labs have, indeed, taken on some features of the human brain.
NYT Podcast 8 weekend biz on Alzhemeir
Thur 5 Apr podcasts.nytimes.com/
Saturday 20 January 2007 TORONTO: ALZHEIMER'S DISCOVERY
A Canadian-led research team has discovered a key gene responsible for Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Peter St George-Hislop says the finding might lead to a test to identify people at risk of the disease, as well as drug therapies to protect them. The team made the discovery at the Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases at the University of Toronto. Their work helps to explain the processes in the brain that wipe out memories, personality and cerebral functions in people with Alzheimer's. An estimated 435-thousand Canadians have the disease and related dementias. That is expected to double within the next 25 years.
Wednesday Jan 17, 2007
News of the identification of a new Alzheimer's gene is being greeted with cautious optimism. We look forward to comments from our medical experts.
Tuesday 16 January 2007 maisonneuve.org MEMORY LOST? GENE FOUND!
The
Post leads, while the
Globe, the
Star, and the
Citizen front, and CBC News: Sunday Night (not available online) and
CTV
News go inside with the discovery of a gene that can apparently raise
the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. The Canadian-led study,
published in Nature Genetics, was conducted based on DNA samples from
6,000 people from a variety of ethnic groups. According to the Star, which
runs a wire story, the study found that inheriting certain variants of a
gene called SORL1 was associated with developing Alzheimer’s in
seven of the nine samples of people examined. It also demonstrated that
when the activity of the SORL1 gene was suppressed, cells made more
amyloid beta, a substance thought to be a leading cause of
Alzheimer’s. The Globe points out that it has long been known that
Alzheimer’s has a genetic basis, but that prior to this study, only
one other gene (APOE-4) has been conclusively tied to the disease, while
twenty others are considered strong candidates. The Post reports that
435,000 Canadians suffer from Alzheimer’s and related dementias, and
that unless a cure is developed, that number is expected to double in the
next twenty-five years with enormous implications for our health care
system. The discovery means that scientists may be closer to both
predicting who will acquire the disease and developing an effective
treatment for it. However, Dr. St. George-Hyslop, director of the Centre
for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases at the University of Toronto,
warns in the Globe that there is a long way to go yet, as there is still
no way to prevent or treat the disease, even if we can start to predict
who might acquire it.
Monday Jan 15, 2007 gaz Key Alzheimer's gene uncovered
With the help of families from Toronto to Israel, an international team has uncovered a key gene at ...
Study Detects a Gene Linked to Alzheimer’s A variant gene involved in Alzheimer’s disease has been detected, scientists have reported. Dominican families with the gene were found to have about three times the usual incidence of Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer's breakthrough
With the help of families from Toronto to Israel, an international team has uncovered a key gene at work in Alzheimer's disease.
NYT video Brain health programs are aimed at baby boomers anxious about entering their golden years and at their parents trying to stave off memory loss or dementia
Hormone may prevent Alzheimer's
Might protect men. Testosterone therapy studied in mice
December 20, 2006
Testosterone patches can not only boost potency and sex drive, they may protect the male brain from Alzheimer's disease.
A
new study shows testosterone therapy reduces levels of a sticky protein
that causes plaque build-up in the brains of people with Alzheimer's.
So
far, the work has been done only in mice. But University of Southern
California researchers believe "that we are on to something" and
testosterone replacement therapy might one day treat or prevent
Alzheimer's in aging men.
"We've known that low testosterone is a
risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, but now we know why," senior
author Christian Pike, an associate professor at the Leonard Davis
School of Gerontology, said in statement. "The implication for humans
is that testosterone therapy might one day be able to block the
development of the disease."
An estimated 290,000 Canadians over 65 have Alzheimer's, a number expected to double over the next two decades.
Like gray hair and wrinkles, all men experience a drop in their testosterone levels as a normal consequence of growing old.
Recent
studies have shown that men with low testosterone seem to be at
increased risk of Alzheimer's, but no one knew why. Today's study,
published in The Journal of Neuroscience, provides the first
experimental data linking testosterone depletion to Alzheimer's-like
changes in the brain.
Mice don't normally get Alzheimer's
disease, so the California team used genetically engineered rodents
that carry three different human genes tied to neurodegenerative
disease. The mice all developed a form of Alzheimer's.
When the
team took away the ability of male mice to make testosterone, the
rodents developed Alzheimer's disease much faster. They had more of a
protein called beta-amyloid, which, if produced in excess, clumps
together into plaques, killing neurons.
Some of the mice were put
on testosterone therapy. Three months later, they had less beta-amyloid
and less behavioural impairment than untreated mice.
Pike
cautioned that it's premature to recommend men jump on testosterone
therapy. "Given what happened with post-menopausal women jumping on
estrogen-based hormonal therapies - we had the promise of Alzheimer's
protection, we had the promise of protection against osteoporosis. And
although there were some benefits, there was certainly this increased
risk of stroke and increased risk of breast cancer."
Testosterone has been implicated in prostate cancer.
© The Gazette (Montreal) 2006
Monday 16 October 2006 nyt An Alzheimer’s Treatment Debunked Discouraging results from a new study speak to the desperate need for effective new treatments for Alzheimer's
Friday 13 October 2006 nyt
Drugs to Curb Agitation Are Said to Be Ineffective for Alzheimer’s
Friday Sep 1, 2006 Mental Health
Will fruit juice keep Alzheimer's at bay?
Friday Sep 1, 2006 Juice fights dementia, study says
People who drink three or more servings of juice per week have a 76 per cent lower risk of developing Alzheimer's than those who drink juice less than once a week, according to a study made public yesterday. ...Dai said he suspects the juices from apples, grapes and onions work best.
Friday 11 August 2006 globe New weapon found in fight against Alzheimer's
Scientists discover molecular janitors that clear away sticky gunk blamed for Alzheimer's disease — until they get old and quit sweeping
Tue 08/08/200 Alzheimer's drug has hidden merits
Animals treated with galantamine and later exposed to lethal doses of soman or sarin nerve survived and showed none of the symptoms of exposure
Sunday, July 16, 2006 ow Canada-U.S. researchers find dementia gene
... about 15 per cent of all dementia cases worldwide, including up to an estimated 100,000 in Canada.
Neurochem 'will make its mark with Alzhemed'
Financial Post
Published: Saturday, August 12, 2006
On Thursday, Neurochem Inc. chief executive Francesco Bellini talked
with Financial Post Montreal bureau chief Sean Silcoff about his
company and his stature as Canada's leading biotech entrepreneur. Mr.
Bellini, 58, who is also a co-investor along with Power Corp of Canada
in three other biotech startups, was fairly at ease given his company
was awaiting word from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration whether
its lead drug, Fibrillex, would receive approval to be sold in the
United States. The interview was done before the company had heard from
the FDA and was tightly monitored by the head of investor relations and
general counsel.
- - -
Q: This must be a key moment for you.
A:
Everybody is building it up for nothing. This [Fibrillex] is an orphan
drug. It's a small market [with 17,000 patients in the United States].
If we make it, you know, people, they are going to remember me on
Alzhemed [a drug in development to fight Alzheimer's disease].
Fibrillex, I think, it is something which we are doing for the patients.
Q: So is Fibrillex an afterthought for you?
A: It is important, because it's [the firm's] first product. Still, the company will make its mark with Alzhemed.
Q: You sold BioChem Pharma in 2000, when you were in your early 50s. Did you intend to get back into biotech?
A: No. I did not want to go back. This is a stressful job, and I made my money.
Q: What led you back?
A:
I wanted to be an investor ... every time I invested on things which I
did not know, I lost money. So I said, let's invest in something I
know. This was in 2000. I invested here. We put some money together, me
and Power Corp. The idea was to have fun. What happened is when we
started to invest [in Neurochem in 2002], the shares started to go up.
[At that point, the CEO exercised his options and left.] What do you
do? I'd already put in probably more than $20-million. At one point you
decide I'd better go there and run this company for a few years, and
then I leave.
Q: What attracted you to Neurochem?
A: They
had Fibrillex in Phase Three [the last phase of human trials]. On the
exterior, it was very nice. And this other one, Alzhemed, had just
started the process.
Q: How much of the company's success to date is due to your track record:
A:
Now you want me to tell myself how good I am. I do not know. But I have
no problem. I raised $60-million the other day. Because I am able to
attract smart money, and money people which have made money [with me].
Q: Is your end game to sell the company?
A:
In Canada, the best case, we'll be sold. It's unfortunate, because I
don't think this country understands this type of industry.
When
we started [with Power] to invest the idea was to build a
pharmaceutical company, to eventually try to merge them together. But
then you get discouraged, if you see how the capital markets in Canada
works. They will be all running and buy [Neurochem] shares, you are
going to see next year. But then it's too late.
© National Post 2006
Alzheimer's the cause of 'senior moments'
But some with disease functioned normally
LINDSEY TANNER, AP
Published: Tuesday, June 27, 2006
A study found that in a disturbing number of cases, embarrassing
"senior moments" such as forgetting a recent conversation or drawing a
blank on someone's name might be a sign of Alzheimer's, after all.
Chicago
scientists reached that conclusion after autopsies on the brains of 134
older people who had seemed mentally normal, apart from subtle
forgetfulness.
Occasional forgetfulness is often written off as a
normal part of growing old and nothing to get alarmed about. And in
most cases, that is probably true.
But the scientists found to
their surprise that the brains of more than one-third of the
participants were riddled with waxy protein clumps and other signs of
degeneration that are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease.
The study
"questions the acceptability of minor episodic memory loss in older
adults as normal," said Carol Lippa, director of the memory disorders
program at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia. She
had no part in the study.
The study appears in today's issue of Neurology, the American Academy of Neurology's scientific journal.
Dallas
Anderson, an Alzheimer's scientist at the National Institute on Aging,
which funded the research, called the results "very plausible and
hopeful." Anderson noted scientists are trying to pinpoint the earliest
point in the Alzheimer's disease process, which could lead to earlier
treatments.
Participants in the study had amounts of brain
deterioration similar to those found in Alzheimer's patients who were
severely debilitated by the mind-robbing disease before their deaths.
The researchers said that raises the question of why some afflicted
people - but not others - can function normally.
"There's
something about these people that allows them to have large amounts of
pathology without obvious memory problems," said lead author David
Bennett, an Alzheimer's researcher at Rush University Medical Centre.
"We need to understand why that is."
His theory, supported by
earlier research, is that high levels of education and feelings of
social connectedness can help preserve brain function. Bennett said he
believes that helps create a "neural reserve" that enables people to
tolerate Alzheimer's-induced brain deterioration without showing signs
of dementia.
Some researchers believe that mentally stimulating
tasks such as doing crossword puzzles, taking classes or reading can
help prevent Alzheimer's. But Bennett said his new findings suggest
that in some people, these tasks might also enable the brain to
compensate for the disease.
Study participants were mostly white
and in their early 80s when they died. While 36 per cent had brain
degeneration consistent with Alzheimer's disease, none had been
diagnosed with either Alzheimer's or mild cognitive impairment, a less
severe condition that can lead to Alzheimer's.
All had performed
well on memory exams, although those whose autopsies showed Alzheimer's
evidence had slightly lower scores on measures of episodic memory,
which tested how well they recalled a story that had been recently read
to them.
Episodic memory loss also includes things such as forgetting
the name of a new acquaintance, a recent conversation or a coming
appointment.
People commonly undergo an age-related slowing of
the ability to retrieve information. They might forget where they put
their keys, but they usually remember eventually, Bennett said.
But
when Alzheimer's is involved, information is never properly stored,
meaning the person never learned it well enough to retrieve it, he said.
On the Net: American Academy of Neurology: www.aan.com
Online
Extra: A new test may help scientists answer a perplexing "which came
first" question about the development of Alzheimer's.
montrealgazette.com
© The Gazette (Montreal) 2006
Thursday Jun 15, 2006 ts New drug offers hope against Alzheimer's
University of Toronto researchers have found a drug that could halt the progression of Alzheimer's disease and may reverse some of its damage, bringing them one step closer to a cure for the devastating degenerative brain disorder.....AZD-103 found by U of T researchers Shown to reverse some damage from disease
Alzheimer action plan needed, activists say
'Looming threat'. Health Canada says number of people with dementia will double in 20 years
NORMA GREENAWAY, CanWest News Service
Published: Monday, June 05, 2006
The federal government must get cracking on a national strategy to
deal with the "looming threat" posed by the ballooning prevalence of
Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in Canada's aging population,
activists say.
Internal government documents provided to CanWest
News Service add fuel to calls from the Alzheimer Society of Canada and
the National Advisory Council for faster action.
The documents,
prepared by Health Canada, predict almost a doubling in the number of
people suffering from dementia over the next two decades - to 772,000
in 2026 from 435,000 this year . They say 97,000 Canadians will develop
some form of dementia this year, a number that will increase
dramatically to more than 172,000 in 2026.
The documents also
detail the almost $388 million Alzheimer's alone cost the Canadian
economy in 1998 - a tally the document described as "very conservative"
because it didn't include money spent on research or to cover the
estimated $8 billion spent on care in institutions other than hospitals.
Dale
Goldhawk, volunteer president of the Alzheimer Society of Canada, says
time is running out for the government to heed the warnings and start
pumping money - at least an initial $200 million - into such things as
research into the best treatments and care, income protection for
caregivers of people suffering from dementia, and a public education
program.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia.
It's a progressive, degenerative condition that destroys vital brain
cells. Its symptoms include a continuing decline of memory, changes in
judgment or reasoning and an inability to perform familiar tasks.
It
can strike adults at any age but occurs most commonly in people older
than 65. It has no cure and trails only cancer, heart disease and
stroke as a cause of death in Canada, according to the council on aging.
Goldhawk
says the former Liberal government "totally ignored" calls for a
national strategy, but he hopes the Conservatives will not make the
same mistake.
He said the government documents, which were
obtained by Ottawa researcher Ken Rubin under the Access to Information
Act, confirm what activists have been warning about for years.
Goldhawk,
a broadcast journalist, admits he was disappointed Alzheimer's did not
get mentioned in either the Conservative election platform or in the
first Conservative budget in April.
Goldhawk predicts the
Conservatives will be forced to act on Alzheimer's and related
dementias, largely because baby boomers will soon be reaching the age
of highest risk. He estimates that more than 3 million Canadians will
have a close relative suffering from some form of dementia by 2031.
The
provinces are at various stages of developing strategies, and Goldhawk
believes federal leadership would spur more progress across the
country. Ontario is the only one with a comprehensive program.
The
Canadian Public Health Agency, responding to calls for a national
strategy that date back to 2004, held a workshop on the issue on March
30. It was planned before there was a change of government in January,
and involved academics, researchers, caregivers, federal and provincial
officials, as well as representatives of such groups as the Alzheimer's
society and the council on aging.
The Conservatives are currently
reviewing the workshop's recommendations, which called for more
research, greater public awareness of the disease and its
ramifications, and measures aimed at disease prevention.
Ottawa Citizen
© The Gazette (Montreal) 2006
Thursday Apr 27, 2006 ts Alzheimer's treatment all in your head
U of T researchers have discovered a substance in the brain itself that can stop Alzheimer's disease and could lead to a "clean and direct treatment" within the next decade, writes Joseph Hall.
2005
Tuesday Nov 8, 2005
Biographies personalize geriatric care A seniors' home in Montreal is putting together biographies of its residents with dementia to help preserve their dignity.
Sunday Oct 30, 2005 nyt The Pablo Picasso Alzheimer's Therapy
By RANDY KENNEDY
Museums are using guided tours to engage Alzheimer's patients and even tap their creativity.
Wednesday Aug 3, 2005 usa today
Signs found 10 years in advance of Alzheimer's
The first hints of impending Alzheimer's include not just forgetfulness but lags in attention and other subtle problems that can show up 10 years before an official diagnosis, a study out Monday says.
Thursday Jun 16, 2005 globe
Therapies help curb substance tied to Alzheimer's
If it really does work, what this drug does is reduce the rate at which beta-amyloid is made,” Dr. Wilcock said. That suggests the sooner in illness it is used, the better.
Thursday Jun 16, 2005 globe
Word tests give 10-year warning on Alzheimer's
Simple memory tests can indicate up to a decade in advance which seniors are likely to get Alzheimer's disease, Toronto-based researchers have found.
Performance on one of these tests -- which involved trying to memorize a list of 15 words and repeat back as many as possible after a short delay -- was found to be closely linked to later incidence of Alzheimer's, a brain-destroying disease.
A normal recall for those aged 60 to 75 would be 10 or 11 words, said Mary Tierney, director of geriatric research at Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre and lead researcher of the study. Acceptable recall for those over 75 might be in the range of eight or nine words
Since age and education are factored into the equation, Dr. Tierney could not give a precise point at which the numbers become worrisome. But she did say that much lower results, in the range of four words, could be a sign of problems to come.
Dr. Tierney said last night that previous research had shown
short-term predictions were possible, up to roughly two years, but that
no one had found such an early indicator. She admitted that the results
surprised the whole team.
"These were people, either 65 and older, who were functioning in society," she said.
"We could tell in that group, that combination of normal and those
with mild impairment, 10 years before they actually developed the
disease, their level of risk of getting it." Although the disease
currently has no cure, taking the test may eliminate a fear that
plagues many seniors.
"Many people worry that they have a memory problem when in fact they
don't," Dr. Tierney said. "It also would provide that level of
reassurance. But for those who have genuine concerns, or their families
do, it provides more knowledge that . . . their complaints are real."
In the event that Alzheimer's is found likely, she said, people may choose to take steps to ward it off as long as possible.
"If we can identify 10 years before, when people actually are
functioning, [when] they don't actually have the disease, we can look
at intervention strategies," she said.
"We do know from other large studies that those people who were more
physically active throughout their adult life, and more mentally
active, in fact had a later-age onset of Alzheimer's. So maybe it
doesn't stop the disease but it actually delays its onset, which is
very important. If you're 75 and you can actually delay the onset of
Alzheimer's until you're 80 or 85, that's very significant."
Dr. Tierney's work was based on large-sample testing done as part of
the Canadian Study of Health and Aging. A study of thousands of people
done in three parts over 10 years generated the data Dr. Tierney used
for her research.
She characterized the people included in the results as a
cross-section of Canadian society. They were, she said, typical of "the
kind of patient who comes to the family doctor."
The sample included people with normal cognitive function and those
with mild impairment of their cognitive function. Those with
neurological problems likely to affect memory were excluded.
A graduate student from Arizona, in Toronto to present work at a
conference on human brain mapping, said the sort of work Dr. Tierney
did is important even if a cure for Alzheimer's does not now exist.
Barbara Bendlin, who is doing research into magnetic resonance
imaging at the University of Arizona, said that she is "in the same
field as the people trying to do early detection."
She said foreknowledge that Alzheimer's is likely can allow people
to prepare mentally, get their affairs in order while they still can
and take advantage of pharmaceutical tactics to slow degeneration.
Alzheimer's is a degenerative disease that destroys vital nerve
cells in the brain. More than a quarter-million Canadians over 65 have
Alzheimer's. The number is expected to grow as the population ages.
The increasingly prevalent disease remains mysterious and is dreaded by those with a family history.
People take the chance so seriously that Dr. Tierney would release
only examples of the kinds of the tests her research is based on.
Dr. Tierney's research will be published todayin the journal Neurology.
How the testing was done
Three test areas were key to the research: short-term memory, category fluency and long-term knowledge.
Short-term memory: Subjects heard a list of 15 everyday
words. The list was repeated five times; each time, they were asked to
recite back as many words as possible. Subjects were then distracted
with a new list before being asked for the original words again.
Category fluency: Subjects were asked to name as many objects
as possible in a certain group. Categories could include furniture
types, animal species or supermarket items.
Long-term memory: Questions were posed on the individual test
subject and the person's environment, e.g. their age, where they
worked, who the premier was.
Test results were crunched through a complex formula, taking into account age and education.
Friday May 13, 2005 gaz
Neurochem holds partnership talks
Alzheimer's drug needs $300 million. Bringing potential blockbuster to market requires major marketing push:
Neurochem Inc. is talking to several potential partners with the financial muscle to bring its next-generation Alzhemed drug to treat Alzheimer's Disease to market, chief executive Francesco Bellini said yesterday.
Tuesday Feb 1, 2005 ts New test may detect Alzheimer`s
WASHINGTON—A highly sensitive new test could lead to a different way to diagnose people with Alzheimer`s disease, possibly helping find the illness in its early stages when there might be time for treatment.
Friday Dec 17, 2004 cbc
NEW DRUG OPTION APPROVED FOR ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
People with advanced Alzheimer's disease could be prescribed a new drug
by next week.
For WN on Cancer click
Tuesday, July 20, 2004 Alzheimer's Drug Results,
Francesco Bellini, CEO, Neurochem
Duration:27m 24s
Neurochem NRM-T
Monday May 17, 2004 ts Study links memory loss and diabetes
CHICAGO—Diabetes may significantly increase the risk of developing Alzheimer`s, a study of 824 nuns, priests and Catholic brothers found, bolstering evidence linking the two diseases.
2003
Tuesday Dec 30, 2003 Wiring fault 'causes Alzheimer's'
A breakdown of the protective coating around nerve cells may explain some cases of Alzheimer's disease.
Thursday Dec 25, 2003 Alzheimer's linked to daydreams
Alzheimer's disease may be linked to abnormalities in part of the brain which deals with daydreams, research suggests.
Friday Aug 22, 2003 bbc Cannabis lifts Alzheimer appetite
A cannabis-based drug could help people with Alzheimer's disease by giving them the "munchies", researchers say.
Société
Is It Alzheimer Disease? 10 Warning Signs
August 20, 1997 Canadians get to use new Alzheimer's pill
Jeff Heinrich, The Gazette A new $5-a-day pill that masks the symptoms of the early stages of Alzheimer's disease for several months will be available to Canadian patients by mid-September. [n/a]
http://www.alzheimers.com/site/
Advil media for two years or longer can reduce Alzheimer's risk by as much as 60 percent.
or what's new news
Seniors Computer Information Project
The Yellow Door Elderly and Youth projects in downtown Montréal
Fifty-Plus.net, the Canadian Association of Retired CARP
Persons' online community. Here you can meet and make new
friends, exchange ideas and help yourself and others to improve the
quality of life in Canada. Inside, you'll find more than 800 pages
chock-full of useful, meaningful information covering the issues that
concern you -- from finances to retirement lifestyles, to health,
fitness... and fun!
www.thirdage.com/
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Andy Nulman 
Bloomberg
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