http://alzheimers.about.com/ Get the latest headlines from the About.com http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hh http://www.about.com/ 118 20 en-us 2012-02-18T11:59:02Z Sat, 18 Feb 2012 11:59:02 +0000 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/19/national-alzheimers-advisory-committee-debates-moving-up-treatment-goal-to-2020.htm <p>In January, I mentioned the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/01/14/us-dept-health-human-services-releases-national-plan-to-address-alzheimers-disease.htm">National Alzheimer's Plan draft</a> and invited you to send comments to the US Department of Health and Human Services. Several of you did that, and they've now posted those comments and several others to their website at<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://aspe.hhs.gov/daltcp/napa/Comments/PubCom.shtml"> http://aspe.hhs.gov/daltcp/napa/Comments/PubCom.shtml. </a></p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/19/national-alzheimers-advisory-committee-debates-moving-up-treatment-goal-to-2020.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/19/national-alzheimers-advisory-committee-debates-moving-up-treatment-goal-to-2020.htm Sun, 19 Feb 2012 22:27:38 +0000 2012-02-19T22:27:38Z http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/18/research-group-activities-improved-cognition-for-those-with-dementia.htm <p>The Cochrane Collaboration recently published a <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD005562.pub2/abstract">study</a> that reviewed previously conducted research on cognitive exercise and its effect on dementia. The basic question of the review reflects this concern: We ...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/18/research-group-activities-improved-cognition-for-those-with-dementia.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/18/research-group-activities-improved-cognition-for-those-with-dementia.htm Sat, 18 Feb 2012 11:59:02 +0000 2012-02-18T11:59:02Z http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/12/the-clock-drawing-test-new-research-on-scoring-and-usefulness.htm <p>The <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/od/testsandprocedures/a/The-Clock-Drawing-Test.htm">clock-drawing test</a> has been around for many years and is sometimes used independently to quickly screen people for <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/od/symptomsofalzheimers/a/Symptoms-Of-Alzheimers-Disease.htm">signs and symptoms</a> of <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/od/whatisalzheimer1/a/What-Is-Alzheimers-Disease.htm">Alzheimer's </a>and <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/od/typesofdementia/Types_of_Dementia.htm">other dementia</a>. It's also been integrated as a part of other screening tests such as the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/od/testsandprocedures/a/The-Mini-Cog-And-Its-Use-As-An-Alzheimers-Screening-Test.htm">Mini-Cog</a>. Some family members have even used it in their homes to unofficially screen a loved one if<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/od/symptomsofalzheimers/a/4-Types-Of-Memory-Sensory-Short-Term-Working-And-Long-Term.htm"> memory problems</a> or behavior changes have become a concern.</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/12/the-clock-drawing-test-new-research-on-scoring-and-usefulness.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/12/the-clock-drawing-test-new-research-on-scoring-and-usefulness.htm Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:40:04 +0000 2012-02-12T21:40:04Z http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/09/cancer-drug-reverses-alzheimers-symptoms-and-decreases-amyloid-beta-in-mice.htm <p>A drug approved for treatment of skin cancer has been shown to rapidly reverse signs and <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/od/symptomsofalzheimers/a/Symptoms-Of-Alzheimers-Disease.htm">symptoms</a> of <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/od/whatisalzheimer1/a/What-Is-Alzheimers-Disease.htm">Alzheimer's disease</a> in mice.</p> <p>Researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine demonstrated that bexarotene (brand name Targretin) decreased the presence of <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/od/glossary/g/betaamyloid.htm">amyloid beta</a>, the protein that becomes out of control and forms plaque in the brain as Alzheimer's progresses. Bexarotene is approximately 10 years old and is an FDA approved drug for <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://lymphoma.about.com/od/nonhodgkinlymphoma/p/ctcl.htm ">cutaneous T-cell lymphoma</a>.</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/09/cancer-drug-reverses-alzheimers-symptoms-and-decreases-amyloid-beta-in-mice.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/09/cancer-drug-reverses-alzheimers-symptoms-and-decreases-amyloid-beta-in-mice.htm Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:12:00 +0000 2012-02-09T20:12:00Z http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/08/82-year-old-man-missing-from-adult-foster-care-facility-is-found-safe-tod.htm <p>Locally, the news reported a <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/kalamazoo_and_battle_creek/Missing-man-with-dementia-found-safe">story</a> about a man who is 82 years old, has a <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/od/diagnosisofAlzheimers/a/Diagnosing-Alzheimers.htm">diagnosis</a> of dementia, and went missing on Monday. He lives at an adult foster care home and was last seen leaving the facility with a visitor. For the past two days, it has not been known where he was, if he was receiving the medications he requires for his other medical concerns, or if his life was in danger.</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/08/82-year-old-man-missing-from-adult-foster-care-facility-is-found-safe-tod.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/08/82-year-old-man-missing-from-adult-foster-care-facility-is-found-safe-tod.htm Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:49:06 +0000 2012-02-08T16:49:06Z http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/08/new-definition-of-mild-cognitive-impairment-blurs-distinction-between-mci-early-alzheimers.htm <p>A recent <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://archneur.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/archneurol.2011.3152">article</a> in <em>Neurology</em> reported that a revised definition of <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/lw/Health-Medicine/Conditions-and-diseases/What-Is-Mild-Cognitive-Impairment-.htm">mild cognitive impairment</a> has been developed by a work group from the Alzheimer's Association and National Institutes of Aging. The previous distinction between mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/od/symptomsofalzheimers/a/Symptoms-Of-Alzheimers-Disease.htm">early stages</a> of <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/od/whatisalzheimer1/a/What-Is-Alzheimers-Disease.htm">Alzheimer's disease</a> relied on this difference: in MCI, the person's cognitive deficits, like <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/od/symptomsofalzheimers/a/4-Types-Of-Memory-Sensory-Short-Term-Working-And-Long-Term.htm">memory</a>, for example, did not interfere with activities of daily living (which includes skills such as dressing, bathing, eating meals).</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/08/new-definition-of-mild-cognitive-impairment-blurs-distinction-between-mci-early-alzheimers.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/08/new-definition-of-mild-cognitive-impairment-blurs-distinction-between-mci-early-alzheimers.htm Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:03:29 +0000 2012-02-08T09:03:29Z http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/07/us-government-announces-130-million-for-alzheimers-research-over-next-2-years.htm <p>We took a big step today in the fight against <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/od/whatisalzheimer1/a/What-Is-Alzheimers-Disease.htm">Alzheimer's</a>. The Obama administration <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2012pres/02/20120207a.html">announced</a> that they are making $50 million available this year for Alzheimer's research, and an additional $80 million for next year. This research, among other things, will include work on targeting specific genes that increase the risk of Alzheimer's as well as work on developing and testing drugs through increased clinical trials.</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/07/us-government-announces-130-million-for-alzheimers-research-over-next-2-years.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/07/us-government-announces-130-million-for-alzheimers-research-over-next-2-years.htm Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:21:46 +0000 2012-02-07T16:21:46Z http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/05/research-finds-similar-gene-mutations-in-early-and-late-onset-alzheimers.htm <p>When we consider early onset <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu= http://alzheimers.about.com/od/whatisalzheimer1/a/What-Is-Alzheimers-Disease.htm">Alzheimer's disease</a> (where symptoms appear before the age of 60) and late onset, there is a tendency to categorize early onset as familial, meaning that it has a strong hereditary component, and late onset as sporadic, meaning that it is much more random.</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/05/research-finds-similar-gene-mutations-in-early-and-late-onset-alzheimers.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/05/research-finds-similar-gene-mutations-in-early-and-late-onset-alzheimers.htm Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:28:39 +0000 2012-02-05T08:28:39Z http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/03/study-alzheimers-travels-through-brain.htm <p>What if we knew how <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/od/whatisalzheimer1/a/What-Is-Alzheimers-Disease.htm">Alzheimer's</a> progressed in the brain, and could put up a roadblock to stop it? The latest research presented in the online journal<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0031302"> PLoS ONE</a> outlines a study that suggests that this may become possible.</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/03/study-alzheimers-travels-through-brain.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/02/03/study-alzheimers-travels-through-brain.htm Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:41:50 +0000 2012-02-03T20:41:50Z http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/01/31/elder-abuse-should-you-be-concerned-about-it.htm <p>Estimates range that anywhere from 2 to 10 million older Americans are abused every year. That includes the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/od/legalissues/a/Elder-Abuse-And-Alzheimers-Disease.htm">different kinds of elder abuse</a> such as neglect, financial, physical, sexual, emotional, involuntary seclusion, and abandonment. While an accurate number of cases is difficult to find because there's no way to ensure comprehensive reporting and compiling of those statistics, it pays to be aware of the risk factors and signs of abuse.</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/01/31/elder-abuse-should-you-be-concerned-about-it.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://alzheimers.about.com/b/2012/01/31/elder-abuse-should-you-be-concerned-about-it.htm Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:32:25 +0000 2012-01-31T22:32:25Z