News

A retired U.S. executive has given $5 million to the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) College of Sciences to establish a contest that challenges scientists to find the cause of Alzheimer’s disease, building on work begun by pioneering neuroscientist Oskar Fischer more than a century…

Chronic, low-level inflammation enhances the risk of Alzheimer’s disease among ApoE4 gene carriers, the major genetic risk factor for the late-onset form of the disorder, a study shows. The study, “Association of Chronic Low-grade Inflammation With Risk of Alzheimer Disease in ApoE4 Carriers,” was published in the journal JAMA Network Open.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) may be linked to Alzheimer’s development, and antiviral therapies lower the risk of senile dementia in patients with severe herpes infections, according to a review study. The research, “Corroboration of a Major Role for Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 in Alzheimer’s Disease,”…

Continued activity improves physical health in older adults at risk of Alzheimer’s, which in turn can potentially reduce their risk of developing the disease, according to results of an Australian clinical trial. The study, “A Randomized Controlled Trial of Adherence to a 24-Month Home-Based Physical Activity Program…

Treatment with Anavex‘s investigational therapy Anavex 2-73 significantly reduces cognitive decline in people with Alzheimer’s disease and sustains their ability to perform daily activities, according to interim data from a Phase 2 extension study. Trial results were presented in a late-breaking oral presentation, titled “Longitudinal 148-Week Extension Study…

Neuralstem’s stem cell therapy for Alzheimer’s disease was found to improve cognition and lessen the load of amyloid-beta plaques in a mouse model of the disease, a study reports, recommending work continue into this possible Alzheimer’s treatment. The therapy, called NSI-532.IGF1, combines human neural stem cells with IGF1, a…

CavoGene LifeSciences is going to explore a new gene therapy, called SynCav1, that may represent an alternative and attractive strategy to treat several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s. This follows CavoGene’s acquisition of SynCav1’s developmental and commercialization rights from the University of California San Diego. SynCav1 was designed to specifically…

Commonly used antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, can prevent beta-amyloid aggregation, representing a potential new therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer’s disease, a study suggests. The study, “Interactions of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors with β-Amyloid,” was published in ACS Chemical Neuroscience.

A study has identified two forms of glutathione (GSH) — an important antioxidant that protects the brain from harmful free radicals — in the brains of living people using a non-invasive technique. It also found one form of GSH at levels significantly lower than usual in people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

A newly developed antibody targeting a protein called fibrin was seen to prevent inflammation and oxidative stress induced by amyloid aggregates in the brains of a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. These findings may pave the way for a new way of treating and preventing the neurodegeneration associated with Alzheimer’s…