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News: May 28, 2012
Basketball Legend Pat Summitt Leaving as Tennessee Women's Coach
THURSDAY, April 19 (HealthDay News) -- Less than one year after revealing that she had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease, celebrated women's basketball coach Pat Summitt is stepping aside as head coach of the University of Tennes...
New Method to Reveal Alzheimer's Marker Shows Promise
TUESDAY, April 17 (HealthDay News) -- New research adds to the growing pile of scientific strategies aimed at revealing beta-amyloid (protein) plaques, the brain-clogging fragments that have been associated with Alzheimer's disease. In a study fun...
Brain Scans Suggest How Alzheimer's Spreads
WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia appear to spread through linked nerve cells in the brain, new research indicates. The findings from MRI brain scans of dementia patients suggest that it may be...
More Insight on Possible Role of Vitamin D Against Alzheimer's
MONDAY, March 12 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists have pinpointed how vitamin D3 works with some of the body's cells to help clear the brain of amyloid beta, the main component of plaques that are seen in Alzheimer's disease. Researchers took blood ...
Alzheimer's, Dementia Care to Cost U.S. $200 Billion This Year
THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- Caring for people with Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia will cost the United States about $200 billion this year, a total that includes $140 billion paid by Medicare and Medicaid, new statistics...
Alzheimer's-Like Memory Loss Reversed in Mice
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 29 (HealthDay News) -- New research in mice suggests that Alzheimer's disease triggers a protein that contributes to the breakdown of the brain's memory. If the findings are confirmed in humans, they could solve part of the puzzle ...
Researchers ID Genes That May Determine Mental Illness
SUNDAY, April 15 (HealthDay News) -- Genes that increase or reduce the risk of certain mental illnesses and Alzheimer's disease have been identified by an international team of scientists. The researchers said they also pinpointed a number of gene...
Exercise a Defense Against Dementia: Study
MONDAY, Feb. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Here's another reason to get into shape: Physical activity may reduce the risk of dementia-related death, according to a new study. Researchers assessed the health of more than 45,000 men and nearly 15,000 women...
Screening by Primary-Care Doctors May Spot Dementia
MONDAY, Feb. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Routine screening at primary care clinics led to a two- to threefold increase in diagnoses of brain-function impairments such as dementia in older veterans, researchers say. The new study included more than 8,00...
Overeating May Double Risk of Memory Loss: Study
SUNDAY, Feb. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Older people who eat too much are at risk for memory impairment, a new study contends. People 70 and older who eat between 2,100 and 6,000 calories a day may be at double the risk of these deficits in memory, wh...
In Mice, Cancer Drug Shows Effect on Alzheimer's Symptoms
THURSDAY, Feb. 9 (HealthDay News) -- The cancer drug bexarotene quickly eliminates Alzheimer's disease-associated amyloid beta from the brain and reverses memory problems in mice, a new study finds. The results suggest that bexarotene could possib...
Questionnaire Could Help Predict Alzheimer's: Study
FRIDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthDay News) -- A series of specific "yes" or "no" questions could help doctors distinguish between people who have normal memory loss that comes with age and those with a condition known as amnestic mild cognitive impairment, a...
Mouse Study Suggests Alzheimer's Spreads Through Brain Like an Infection
THURSDAY, Feb. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Alzheimer's disease appears to spread through the brain, traveling from neuron to neuron in much the same way that an infection or cancer moves through the body, new research with mice suggests. Scientists repo...
Same Genes Key to Early & Late-Onset Alzheimer's: Study
THURSDAY, Feb. 2 (HealthDay News) -- People who develop Alzheimer's disease late in life may have the same gene mutations linked to the inherited, early onset form of the condition, according to a new study. Researchers from Washington University ...
U.S. Wants to Buttress Alzheimer's Arsenal by 2025
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 18 (HealthDay News) -- With the Alzheimer's epidemic predicted to reach crisis proportions as the U.S. population ages, a panel of experts is meeting for two days to draft a plan to combat a disease that is fast emerging as one of ...
Americans Living Longer, Report Finds
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Americans are living longer, a new report shows, with the average life expectancy going from 78.6 years in 2009 to 78.7 years in 2010. Meanwhile, U.S. death rates dropped half a percent between 2009 and 2010,...
Alzheimer's Med Seems Ineffective in Those With Down Syndrome
TUESDAY, Jan. 10 (HealthDay News) -- A drug commonly used to treat patients with Alzheimer's disease does not appear to be effective for people older than 40 years who have Down syndrome and Alzheimer's, according to a new study. Although previous...
Mental Decline Can Start at 45, Study Finds
THURSDAY, Jan. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Sorry, Boomers, but a new study suggests that memory, reasoning and comprehension can start to slip as early as age 45. This finding runs counter to conventional wisdom that mental decline doesn't begin before ...
Changes in Cerebrospinal Fluid May Signal Early Alzheimer's
MONDAY, Jan. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Searching for a better screen for early Alzheimer's disease, researchers think they have found a marker of change in the brain that precedes the onset of the disease by five to 10 years. The indicator of trouble ...
'Silent Strokes' Linked to Memory Loss in Elderly: Study
THURSDAY, Dec. 29 (HealthDay News) -- In some cases, memory loss among the elderly may be due to so-called "silent strokes," new research suggests. Such strokes, which may not cause any noticeable symptoms, result in small pockets of dead brain ce...
Know the Signs of Alzheimer's
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Knowing the warning signs of Alzheimer's disease is important because it may lead to an early diagnosis, experts say. According to the Alzheimer's Association, early diagnosis enables patients to:
Chorus Gives Voice to Those With Alzheimer's
THURSDAY, Dec. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Late December wouldn't be the same without the uplifting sound of holiday choirs, but there's a unique chorus in New York City, called "The Unforgettables," that's bringing new harmony to singers and audiences...
Non-Fried Fish Might Help Ward Off Alzheimer's: Study
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Eating baked or broiled fish as little as once a week may boost brain health and lower the risk for mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease, new brain scan research suggests. The study authors found...
Small Study Links Surgery and Anesthesia With Alzheimer's
FRIDAY, Sept. 30 (HealthDay News) -- New research adds to the growing evidence that anesthesia and surgery may be associated with the progression of chronic brain diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease. "We have long sought a clearer picture o...
Abnormal Protein May Explain Loss of Smell With Alzheimer's
THURSDAY, Sept. 29 (HealthDay News) -- A loss of a sense of smell can be one of the earliest signs of Alzheimer's disease. New research suggests that an abnormal form of a protein -- amyloid precursor protein, or APP -- which has been previously a...
Study Suggests Link Between Sleep Deprivation, Alzheimer's Risk
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 28 (HealthDay News) -- A new study shows that levels of amyloid beta, a byproduct of brain activity that is considered a marker for Alzheimer's disease, normally rise during the day and decrease at night. While the finding is prel...
Certain 'Senior Moments' May Signal Mental Decline
THURSDAY, Sept. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Those "senior moments" that plague so many aging Baby Boomers may or may not be a sign of more serious problems down the line. New research finds that losing your train of thought or forgetting where you plac...
Many Alzheimer's Cases Go Unrecognized: Report
TUESDAY, Sept. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Diagnosing and treating Alzheimer's disease early is essential if patients are to benefit from the medications currently used for this dementia, a new report stresses. However, most people with the condition a...
Short-Term Memory Loss May Be Best Predictor of Alzheimer's
MONDAY, Sept. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Mild cognitive impairment -- marked by a loss in short-term memory in particular -- may be a stronger predictor of Alzheimer's disease than so-called "biomarkers," which include things such as changes in brain v...
Routine Chores Might Help Keep Dementia at Bay
TUESDAY, Sept. 6 (HealthDay News) -- If you've ever wished you didn't have to fold laundry, mow the lawn or stand in line, consider this: Those daily activities may help keep dementia at bay. New research finds that seniors who expended the most e...
Coach Summitt's Diagnosis Puts Spotlight on Early-Onset Alzheimer's
THURSDAY, Aug. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Alzheimer's disease is one of the most dreaded afflictions of old age, but the announcement by celebrated women's basketball coach Pat Summit of her Alzheimer's diagnosis at age 59 has put a spotlight on the l...
Moderate Drinking May Help Prevent Alzheimer's, Other Dementia
TUESDAY, Aug. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Drinking moderate amounts of alcohol, especially wine, may lower the risk of dementia, according to a review of previous research. The team at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine analyzed data ...
Alzheimer's Harder to Detect in the Very Old
THURSDAY, Aug. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Symptoms of Alzheimer's disease may be harder to detect in people over 80, according to a new study that examined the relationship between age-related brain shrinkage and Alzheimer's-associated memory loss. Th...
Study: Inherited Alzheimer's Detectable 20 Years Before Symptom Onset
WEDNESDAY, July 20 (HealthDay News) -- Inherited forms of Alzheimer's disease may be detectable up to two decades before problems with memory and thinking develop, according to new research. The findings are significant because by the time dementi...
International Poll Shows Many Fear Alzheimer's as Much as Cancer
WEDNESDAY, July 20 (HealthDay News) -- A new international survey reveals that many people view Alzheimer's disease as a major health threat, fearing its onset nearly as much as they do cancer. Conducted in France, Germany, Poland, Spain and the U...
Experimental Drug Might Help Fight Alzheimer's After All
WEDNESDAY, July 20 (HealthDay News)-- An experimental drug for treating Alzheimer's disease that previously showed troubling side effects may actually be safe in the long run, researchers report. The keys to the safety of the drug, bapineuzumab, m...
Lifestyle Changes Might Prevent Millions of Cases of Alzheimer's
TUESDAY, July 19 (HealthDay News) -- More than half of Alzheimer's cases globally could be prevented if modifiable risk factors such as depression, obesity and smoking were eliminated, either with lifestyle changes or treatment of underlying condi...
Two Antidepressants Given to Dementia Patients Ineffective: Study
TUESDAY, July 19 (HealthDay News) -- The antidepressants most often prescribed to treat depression in dementia patients provide no appreciable relief, and may raise the risk for serious side effects, new British research suggests. "The two classes...
Falls Could Signal Early Alzheimer's Disease
SUNDAY, July 17 (HealthDay News) -- Compared with older people with no signs of Alzheimer's, those whose brains show early signs of the disease are twice as likely to experience a fall, researchers have found. In the new study, investigators looke...
Women Bear Greatest Burden of Alzheimer's
MONDAY, July 18 (HealthDay News) -- Women fear Alzheimer's disease more than any other illness except cancer, and they are more often on the front lines of providing care for loved ones battling the disease, new research shows. "With statistics co...
Ex-NFL Players May Face Higher Brain Damage Risk, Study Says
MONDAY, July 18 (HealthDay News) -- Retired pro football players may face a higher risk of mild cognitive impairment, a potential precursor of Alzheimer's disease, a new study suggests. "It appears there may be a very high rate of cognitive impair...
Alzheimer's Brain Protein Scanning Moves Forward
TUESDAY, July 12 (HealthDay News) -- The use of brain scans to diagnose Alzheimer's disease may have just taken a small step forward. Longer-lasting radioactive "tracers" used in the brain-scanning process could allow wider use of the imaging tech...
Higher Folic Acid Levels in Teens Tied to Academic Success
MONDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- Teens who have high levels of folic acid appear to do better in school than those with lower levels, Swedish researchers report. "Folate intake had a positive association with academic achievement" in the studen...
Scientists Turn Memory On, Off in Rats With Flip of Switch
FRIDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- Fixing faulty memories may one day be as easy as flipping a switch, according to scientists who restored brain function in rats even when they had been drugged to forget. Building on prior research on the brain ...
Brain Scans to Spot Alzheimer's May Be Available This Year
WEDNESDAY, June 8 (HealthDay News) -- Brain scans that detect early warning signs of Alzheimer's may be available in the United States as soon as this year, researchers reported this week, though it may be too early for the scans to be of much hel...
Weight-Loss Surgery May Lower Risk of Alzheimer's in Diabetics
SUNDAY, June 5 (HealthDay News) -- While the finding isn't conclusive, a new study suggests that weight-loss surgery in obese diabetics could lower their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Researchers found that gastric bypass patients, when ...
Alzheimer's Risk Gene May Damage Brain Decades Before Symptoms Show
WEDNESDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- A gene allele that increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease starts to damage the brain 50 years before symptoms of the disease appear, a new study suggests. An allele is one of two or more forms of a gene.
Being 'Housebound' Linked to Alzheimer's in Elderly
TUESDAY, April 26 (HealthDay News) -- Seniors who are "housebound" seem to have nearly double the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, a new study suggests. The research doesn't prove that being confined to the house causes dementia, and other ...
Alzheimer's Cases Could Double With New Guidelines: Expert
TUESDAY, April 19 (HealthDay News) -- The first new guidelines in 27 years for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease could double the number of Americans defined as having the brain-robbing illness. The guidelines, issued Tuesday by the Alzheimer's...
Inability to Spot Lies, Sarcasm May Warn of Dementia
FRIDAY, April 15 (HealthDay News) -- People who no longer recognize sarcasm or lies may be showing early signs of dementia, researchers from the University of California, San Francisco report. The findings may help doctors diagnose which type of d...
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