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Patients with dementia or other neurodegenerative diseases may die earlier if family members who act as caregivers have poor mental health, according to a study published recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). While depression and anxiety among caregivers has been linked to a poorer…

Araclon Biotech is launching a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating its active immunotherapy, or vaccine, ABvac40 for Alzheimer’s disease, after receiving approval from the Spanish Agency of Medicinal Products and Medical Devices. The multi-center trial will include 22 European clinical facilities (18 centers in Spain, two in France, one in Sweden…

Data from Phase 3 trials of tramiprosate (ALZ-801) suggest that the therapy might be modifying the disease course in patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease and two copies of the APOE4 gene, the drug’s developer, Alzheon, recently announced. With data in hand, the Framingham, Massachusetts, company plans to further clinical…

Various studies have contended that diets, supplements, exercise regimens, and games aimed at promoting cognitive function can help prevent Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. But experts from a respected non-government-affiliated American scientific organization say there isn’t enough evidence supporting these approaches to mount a public-education campaign that promotes them. The judgment…

The Mediterranean diet is widely associated with an array of health benefits including lower incidence of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Researchers at Temple University’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine (LKSOM), in Philadelphia, have found that one major component of the Mediterranean diet in…

People with Alzheimer’s disease who live alone in their home are likely to receive a lower standard of diagnosis and treatment than those who live with others — even though their numbers are growing, according to a Swedish study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. The study, “Living Alone with Alzheimer’s Disease: Data…

Caring for a family member with Alzheimer’s disease is among the toughest personal journeys someone can make. To make life for caregivers easier, the Alzheimer’s Association has an Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregiver Center — a resource crammed with valuable information for caregivers of patients at all disease stages. The…

People caring for a family member with Alzheimer’s disease — especially women — often face a financial and emotional burden more severe than that experienced by others caring for those with chronic diseases, two surveys, both by groups connected to Alzheimer’s, recently showed. To learn more about why such care…

A mutation in the BDNF gene can accelerate loss of memory and cognitive function in people at risk of developing Alzheimer’s, according to a study. The study, “BDNF Val66Met predicts cognitive decline in the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention,” was published in the journal Neurology. BDNF is an…

Alzheimer’s deaths in the United States have jumped more than 50 percent in 15 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One reason for the increase is that physicians are diagnosing the condition better, adding a lot more deaths to the Alzheimer’s category. Another reason is that Americans are…