News

A Mediterranean diet may protect against the loss of brain volume associated with aging, researchers report. But eating more fish and less meat was not seen to be related to such beneficial changes, which suggests that other components of the Mediterranean diet — or the sum of all its parts — may be…

Researchers have used a novel approach to identify changes in painting patterns that could signal an artist is developing Alzheimer’s disease or another neurodegenerative condition before symptoms show. The team used fractal analysis to look at seven painters’ “artistic fingerprints” over time. Because the changes may occur before cognitive impairment shows…

Researchers have discovered that amyloid-beta — the protein that builds in the brain of Alzheimer’s disease patients — has different structures when it accumulates around blood vessels and neurons. Although the researchers could not conclude how these differences impact the disease, they believe that amyloid buildup around blood vessels differs in…

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…