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Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) therapy applied to the whole brain can be an effective, non-invasive strategy to reduce cognitive impairment associated with vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, according to results from a mouse study. The study, “Whole-brain low-intensity pulsed ultrasound therapy markedly improves cognitive dysfunctions in…

Researchers from Yale University have developed a new test that measures changes in synapses, which is   the structure that allows neurons to communicate with other neurons or cells through electrical/chemical signals. The technique uses positron emission tomography (PET) imaging technology to measure the activity of a specific protein linked…

The hallmark Alzheimer’s disease protein tau requires a specific “sulfate code” to enter cells and alter normal proteins, according to a new study. Also, the identification of enzymes involved in the cellular uptake of corrupted proteins could lead to new therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, researchers say. The research, “…

The process by which the tau protein is transformed from a healthy cell component into a driver of crippling diseases is described by researchers at UT Southwestern’s O’Donnell Brain Institute. Their work sheds new light on the underlying mechanism involved in several neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and other…

The study of axonal transport, the system responsible for transporting vital molecules and signals from one nerve cell to another, may lead scientists to the origin of Alzheimer’s disease, according to researchers at the University at Buffalo, New York. Malfunctions in this transport system create “traffic jams,” and…

Treatment with investigational compound BAN2401 over 18 months reduced the accumulation of amyloid fibers in the brain and slowed Alzheimer’s disease progression, according to top-line results from a Phase 2 trial. This follows a previous announcement in December 2017 by Eisai and Biogen, the therapy’s developers, that the treatment had…

Treatment with low-dose aspirin was found to reduce the amount of brain amyloid aggregates that researchers believe are a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a mouse study. These findings may open new therapeutic doors to prevent memory loss in Alzheimer’s patients. The study, “Aspirin induces…

The combination of two factors, aging and eating foods high in sugar or fats, raises susceptibility to Alzheimer’s disease, a study in mice reports. The research, “Evaluation of neuropathological effects of a high‐fat high‐sucrose diet in middle‐aged male C57BL6/J mice,” was published in Physiological Reports. Alzheimer’s disease is a…

The buildup of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain is not sufficient on its own to cause the death of neurons in Alzheimer’s disease, suggests a new study that challenges current views on how the disease progresses. Researchers have widely believed that beta-amyloid drives nerve cell death in Alzheimer’s, but these…

Drinking alcohol, especially in excess, may hinder the brain’s natural ability to clear itself of amyloid beta protein plaques, the underlying cause of Alzheimer’s disease, a study in rat cells implies. “Our results … suggest that alcohol consumption may represent a risk factor for development of amyloid burden,” the researchers wrote.