Posts by: Joana Fernandes, PhD

Joana Fernandes, PhD

Joana brings more than 8 years of academic research and experience as well as Scientific writing and editing to her role as a Science and Research writer. She also served as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology in Coimbra, Portugal, where she also received her PhD in Health Science and Technologies, with a specialty in Molecular and Cellular Biology.

July 17, 2017July 17, 2017

Chronic Lack of Sleep May Raise Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease, Study Suggests

News

A poor night’s sleep may increase the levels of proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease, say researchers, noting that their findings may be especially important for people with chronic sleep ... Read more

July 5, 2017

Enzyme Slices Off Protein Chunks That End up Toxic, Contributing to Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, Study Reports

News

An enzyme called asparagine endopeptidase contributes to Parkinson’s as well as Alzheimer’s by slicing off fragments of proteins that end up being toxic, a study reports. Previous researched showed ... Read more

June 20, 2017

Mutation Contributes to Faster Progression of Alzheimer’s Disease, Study Reports

News

A mutation in the BDNF gene can accelerate loss of memory and cognitive function in people at risk of developing Alzheimer’s, according to a study. The study, “BDNF Val66Met ... Read more

June 19, 2017

U.S. Alzheimer’s Deaths Up 50% in 15 Years, Centers for Disease Control Reports

News

Alzheimer’s deaths in the United States have jumped more than 50 percent in 15 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One reason for the increase is ... Read more

June 15, 2017June 15, 2017

Specific Genetic Factors Plus Unhealthy Diet Boost Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease, USC Study Finds

News

A high-fat, high-sugar diet may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in people carrying the ApoE4 gene, according to a new study, “Obesity Accelerates Alzheimer-Related Pathology in APOE4 but Not APOE3 ... Read more

June 14, 2017

Researchers Identify Metabolite That Could Signal a Higher Risk of Developing Dementia and Alzheimer’s

News

Higher levels of a molecule called anthranilic acid could signal that a person is at increased risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study. The research, ... Read more

May 31, 2017May 31, 2017

Acadia Investigates Nuplazid (Pimavanserin) Therapy to Treat Psychosis in Alzheimer’s Patients

News

Acadia Pharmaceuticals plans to start a Phase 3 clinical program to explore the effect of Nuplazid (pimavanserin) in Alzheimer’s disease patients with psychosis. The medication was approved by the ... Read more

May 15, 2017

AFFIRMATIVhealth Uses Latest Research to Create or Update Personalized Alzheimer’s Treatment Plan

News

A special issue of PLOS Medicine that covers a broad range of new Alzheimer’s and dementia studies underscores the importance of a holistic, personalized-care approach to treatment, according to a ... Read more

April 17, 2017April 17, 2017

Difficulty in Identifying Subtle Image Differences May Hint at Future Likelihood of Alzheimer’s, Researchers Suggest

News

People who have trouble detecting details in a test with figures may be at increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease later in life, according to a new study. This finding suggests that ... Read more

April 13, 2017

ProMIS Neurosciences Antibodies Inhibit Accumulation of Alzheimer’s-linked Protein, Study Shows

News

Antibodies that ProMIS Neurosciences created to target molecules associated with Alzheimer’s inhibit the accumulation of the amyloid beta protein that is a hallmark of the disease. The company’s researchers used two computer ... Read more