The levels of circular RNAs in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease are linked to several traits and clinical measures of disease severity, a study shows. Because these circular RNAs also can be detected in cerebrospinal fluid and blood, they may hold the potential to be used as biomarkers…
When we think about Alzheimer’s disease, we often focus solely on the patient. However, the health of the caregiver is important as well. A caregiver is someone who attends to a patient’s needs and wants on a…
A new screening assay has identified small molecules capable of protecting brain mitochondria from stress conditions that commonly occur in Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. These preclinical results in mice support the therapeutic potential of these newly discovered compounds. The study, “Neuron-based high-content assay and screen for CNS…
A protein involved in ovarian cancer, known as OCIAD1, contributes to the neurodegeneration seen in Alzheimer’s disease, and may be a more fitting treatment target than beta-amyloid, a protein long linked to this disease, a study suggests. Specifically, elevated levels of the OCIAD1 protein affect the workings of a small organelle…
Biogen is acquiring from Pfizer investigational therapy PF-05251749, a small molecule being developed to treat sundowning in Alzheimer’s disease and irregular sleep wake rhythm disorder (ISWRD) in Parkinson’s disease. The company plans to begin a Phase 1b clinical trial by the end of this year,…
Caroline Snoeij remembers a 94-year-old man with dementia weighing whether to make healthcare-related visits to her farm in central Holland. “I’ll come if you’ll let me clean the outside of the eggs” your chickens lay, he said in his best bargaining tone. A bemused Caroline and her husband IJsbrand agreed. The…
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…
When it comes to nutrition support for Alzheimer’s disease, we often focus on nutrient- and energy-specific recommendations to support cognitive brain function and the gut microbiome, as well as to reduce inflammation. A lesser-known consideration however, is…
Immunization with two experimental vaccines targeting the toxic forms of amyloid-beta and tau protein — two hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease — triggered an immune response that reduced the levels of both proteins in the brain of a mouse model of the disease. The new combination…
Researchers have discovered a likely reason why the most common form of the CD33 protein is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, a finding that could open new therapeutic avenues targeting the protein, a study reports.
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