Catarina Silva, MSc,  —

With over three years of experience in the medical communications business, Catarina holds a BSc. in Biomedical Sciences and a MSc. in Neurosciences. Apart from writing, she has been involved in patient-oriented translational and clinical research.

Articles by Catarina Silva

‘Asian Glow’ Mutation, Alcohol May Increase Risk of Developing Alzheimer’s, Study Suggests

Individuals, especially east Asians who carry a mutation in a key enzyme involved in alcohol metabolism, have an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease as a consequence of regular alcohol consumption, according to recent research. The study, “Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 activity and aldehydic load contribute to neuroinflammation and Alzheimer’s…

FDG PET Scan More Accurately Assesses Severity of Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer’s, Study Finds

Compared to regular amyloid imaging, fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET), an imaging technique that quantifies brain function by measuring glucose levels, can better assess the progression and severity of cognitive decline in people with Alzheimer’s, and also cognitive impairment, researchers have found. Their study, “18F-FDG Is…

Seizures May Reduce Brain Cell Production, Result in Poor Spatial Discrimination, Mouse Study Suggests

Spontaneous seizures reduce the production of new brain cells, and result in poor spatial discrimination — a common occurrence in people with Alzheimer’s disease, according to a mouse study. The study, “Early Seizure Activity Accelerates Depletion of Hippocampal Neural Stem Cells and Impairs Spatial Discrimination in an Alzheimer’s…

ProMIS’ PMN310 Antibody Candidate Shows Greater Effect, Less Risk Than Other Therapies, According to Data

ProMIS Neurosciences’ candidate PMN310 can specifically target toxic clusters of soluble amyloid-beta protein, and be safely administered at high doses with reduced risk of characteristic Alzheimer’s brain changes or swelling, according to clinical data. PMN310 has the potential for greater therapeutic potency compared with other amyloid-beta-directed antibodies…

New Model of Blood-Brain Barrier May Aid in Predicting Therapies Able to Best Treat Patients, Scientists Say

A cellular model that simulates the blood-brain barrier — a membrane that protects against viruses or other insults entering through the blood stream — may help in understanding how potential treatments for neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s could better cross that barrier to reach the brain and central nervous system, its creators…

Brain Cells Known as Astrocytes Contribute to Alzheimer’s Nerve Cell Degeneration, Study Reports

Changes in brain cells known as astrocytes mirror transformations in Alzheimer’s disease, and may contribute to patients’ nerve cell degeneration, a Finnish study reports. It is the first time that research has shown that astrocytes may contribute to Alzheimer’s. The University of Eastern Finland team published their work, “PSEN1 Mutant iPSC-Derived Model…