News

Researchers have identified a new gene, called Rgs2 (Regulator of Protein Signaling 2), whose expression levels may be used in future diagnostic blood tests for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It is the first time that this gene is implicated in AD. The study, “RGS2 expression predicts amyloid-β…

Scientists have found that the membranes covering the brain — once believed to have little influence on the workings of the organ inside — are housing stem cells. The discovery is likely to advance research into stem cell therapies for brain regeneration, an attractive but so far unreachable treatment option…

After observing similarities in insulin molecular signaling between the pancreas and the brain, Japanese researchers suggest that Alzheimer’s disease is a form of diabetes condition that affects the brain. Their study, “Blockade of the KATP channel Kir6.2 by memantine represents a novel mechanism relevant to Alzheimer’s disease therapy,” recently…

Pharnext  is reporting positive Phase 2 results from its investigative pleodrug PXT-864, a new oral combination of existing therapies, for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Results from the exploratory study were presented at the 9th Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease (CTAD) meeting, held recently in San Diego. PLEODIAL-I (NCT02361424) was a Phase 2, 12-week…

Researchers have found that 75% of older adults would take a free and definitive test predictive of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), if such a test existed. The study with the findings, “Desire for predictive testing for Alzheimer’s disease and impact on advance care planning: a cross-sectional study,” was published…

An enzyme called monoamine oxidase (MAO) may become a biomarker for the diagnosis and progression of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study. The study, “Close Correlation Of Monoamine Oxidase Activity With Progress Of Alzheimer’s Disease In Mice, Observed By In Vivo Two-Photon Imaging,” was published in the journal…

Proclara Biosciences has announced two additional patents in its effort to develop therapies for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s that have been linked to protein misfolding. A key step in the biotech company’s approach  to treating these diseases was discovering a protein motif which recognizes that several toxic…

A recently published study contends that older, cognitively healthy people who report feelings of loneliness have higher levels of the Alzheimer’s protein amyloid-beta in the brain — a finding that was not linked to depression. The experience of feeling lonely also was not connected to how extensive a person’s social…

Treatment with the antibiotic Rocephin (ceftriaxone) may restore brain function in areas affected by Alzheimer’s disease, according to new research. The study, “Mapping Synaptic Glutamate Transporter Dysfunction In Vivo To Regions Surrounding Aβ Plaques By Iglusnfr Two-Photon Imaging,” was published in the journal Nature Communications. The hallmark of…

Two years of in-home occupational therapy, added to collaborative care, did not slow the rate of functional decline — the progressive loss of cognitive, emotional, and physical abilities — in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD), a new study reported. The study, “Targeting Functional Decline in Alzheimer Disease: A Randomized Trial,” was published…