Category Archives: Research

SuperAgers show unique cell signatures in the brain

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An NIH-funded research team, led by Drs. Orly Lazarov and Jalees Rehman at the University of Illinois, Chicago, turned to the brains of cognitive SuperAgers for clues. SuperAgers were defined as people at least 80 years old with memory test scores as good as or better than those of people in their 50s and 60s. The team looked for molecular signatures unique to those with exceptional recall and memory.

The findings give us a better understanding of cognitive function in the human brain as we age. “Determining why some brains age more healthily than others can help researchers make therapeutics that will boost memory in aging and prevent Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia,” Lazarov says.

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Genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease may be modified by higher meat intake

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Older people with a genetic risk of Alzheimer’s disease did not experience the expected increase in cognitive decline and dementia risk if they consumed relatively large amounts of meat. This is shown in a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in JAMA Network Open. The results may contribute to the development of more individually tailored dietary advice.

Read more about it HERE

An Alzheimer’s Revolution Is Coming, Experts Say

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An earlier diagnosis and intervention strategy for Alzheimer’s disease is on the horizon, signaling a need to overhaul current detection methods and patient care protocols, experts at the Alzheimer’s Association Research Roundtable (AARR) said.

“Advances in biomarker technology, digital cognitive assessments, and amyloid-targeting therapies have redefined the opportunities for accurate and early diagnosis and care of Alzheimer’s disease,” reported Christopher Weber, PhD, of the Alzheimer’s Association in Chicago, and co-authors in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions.

These advances create new possibilities to intervene before the onset of cognitive impairment, Weber and colleagues wrote. Targeting the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s, Weber said, “is similar to how doctors treat other diseases like heart disease and some cancers, where early detection and prevention are key parts of care.”

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New research shows how to diagnose people with Alzheimer’s plus a hard-to-identify dementia type

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People with Alzheimer’s disease often have other neurodegenerative conditions as well, including a less-understood disorder called frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). While a precise diagnosis of FTLD has only been possible during an autopsy, new research shows how clinicians may be able to diagnose people living with both Alzheimer’s and FTLD by evaluating neuropsychiatric symptoms.

In a study published in Neurology, researchers found that compared to patients who have either of the two types of dementia alone, having both Alzheimer’s disease and FTLD is associated with greater likelihood of having known neuropsychiatric symptoms of both diseases. 

The findings could have important implications for patients and their caregivers, the researchers noted, because patients with both disorders may experience a more complex disease course, rapid decline or unique responses to disease-modifying treatments.

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