Latest Alzheimer News:

New Research Strengthens Link of Herpes to Alzheimer's: A form of the ApoE gene known as ApoE-4, known to be a major risk factor for Alzheimer's, appears to put out the welcome mat for the virus that causes cold sores,

Recent Alzheimer News:

Researchers Find New Link Between Aging and Alzheimer's Disease: Failure of the brain's natural ability to clean house as it ages could be crucial link to Alzheimer's Disease.

New Vaccine Shows Promise of Reversing Alzheimer's Memory Loss : Researchers report development of a vaccine made of specialized blood cells that reverses memory loss in mice with Alzheimer's.

Voyager Reports Encouraging Results for Alzheimer Drug in Phase II Trial: Researchers report leuprolide acetate, when used in conjunction acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, appears to stabilize the cognitive and functional decline of women with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease.

Survey: U.S. Adults Fear Alzheimer's, but Few Do Anything to Prepare: Researchers report Alzheimer's disease is more feared than heart disease, stroke or diabetes, but nearly nine out of 10 adults have taken no steps to prepare for it.

Study: Ten Smells Found Helpful in Predicting Alzheimer's: Researchers report that inability to smell lemons, lilac, strawberries, and leather is helpful in predicting which patients with mild cognitive impairment will develop Alzheimer's Disease.

Study: Eating Apples May Protect Against Alzheimer's Disease: An apple a day may supply major bioactive compounds, which may play an important role in reducing the risk of neurodegenerative disorders.

Study: Treating Dementia Patients Longer With Reminyl Keeps More of Them at Home: Three years after entering the study, 92.5 % of patients who had received continuous treatment with Reminyl® were still at home compared to 65% of patients treated for 24 to 36 months.

Study to Test New Type of Alzheimer's Drug That Attacks Amyloid: Alzhemed is aimed at what is thought to be the central problem in the disease - the buildup of protein in the brain that disrupts its message system.

Study: Regular Tea Consumption May Slow Development of Alzheimer's Disease: Both green and black tea inhibited the activity of enzymes associated with the development of Alzheimer's disease.

Study: Changes Needed to Guarantee Adequate End-of-Life Care for Dementia Patients: Potential solutions involve education, better prognostic tools and changes in the health care system.

Study: Certain High Blood Pressure Drugs May Slow Alzheimer's: The researchers found that only ACE inhibitors that penetrate the blood-brain barrier were shown to have the effect on Alzheimer’s.

Study: Decreased Testosterone Levels May Put Aging Men at Risk for Alzheimer's: Normal age-related testosterone depletion is one of the important changes that appear to promote Alzheimer’s disease in men.

Brightly Colored Tableware Improves Appetite of Severe Alzheimer's Patients: Patients served meals on red rather than white tableware consumed 25 percent more food and 83 percent more liquid at mealtime.

Regular Walks May Keep Alzheimer's Disease Away: Elderly men who walk less than a quarter mile daily are twice as likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer's than men walking more than two miles daily.

Should Gingko Be Prescribed to Patients With Early Signs of Dementia? British researchers want to find out whether this 5,000-year-old Chinese extract can help stem memory loss.

People With Mentally Stimulating Jobs Less Likely to Get Alzheimer's: Researchers report that starting in a person's 30s, more stimulating work was linked to a lower incidence of Alzheimer's later in life.

Beta Amyloid Immunotherapy May Help in Treating Alzheimer's: Researchers report Alzheimer patients who were given an experimental drug performed better on memory tests than those receiving a placebo.

Lithium May Help Protect Against Alzheimer's: Researchers report that in experiments on mice, lithium appears to halt the production of beta amyloid or the small peptides that in excessive amounts clump together to form plaques linked to Alzheimer's.

Test Errors May Signal Increased Risk of Alzheimer's Disease: Researchers report a test used currently to identify memory difficulties may make it possible to predict the development of Alzheimer's decades later.

Symptoms of Depression Linked to Higher Alzheimer Risk: Researchers report that in a study, the risk of developing Alzheimer's rose by 19 percent with each new depressive symptom.

harlton Heston Said He Has Signs of Alzheimer's: The 78-year-old Oscar-winning actor said his doctors have told him he has a neurological disorder consistent with Alzheimer's disease.

Innovative Program Helps Alzheimer Patients Relive Memories: The program at an assisted living facility in Geneva, Illinois, helps people with Alzheimer's rekindle recollections of favorite activities from their past.

Seniors Believe Memory Problems Inevitable With Age: Researchers report that many simply ignore their memory problems, believing that nothing can be done about them.

Diet High in Vitamin E May Slow Decline in Mental Functioning: Researchers report that vitamin E intake, from foods or supplements, is associated with less cognitive decline, as well as a reduced risk of Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer Drug Also Helps Memory of Healthy Adults: Researchers report that the drug donepezil, also appears to have beneficial effects on retention in nondemented older adults

Test for Isoprostane May Identify Those at High Risk of Alzheimer's: Researchers report levels of isoprostane, a molecule formed from fat and lipids when they are attacked by free radicals, averaged about three times normal in patients with Alzheimer's.

High Intake of Vitamin E Foods May Cut Alzheimer's Risk: In a study of men and women at least 65 years old and dementia-free, participants with the highest intake of foods containing vitamin E were 67 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's.

Safe Return Program Offers Tips for Wandering Alzheimer Patients: This common, potentially life-threatening behavior affects nearly six in every 10 Alzheimer's patients who may wander at some point. Many will do so repeatedly.

Health Effects Linger for Alzheimer Caregivers: A new study suggests that the health effects of caring for a patient with Alzheimer's disease linger six to 12 months after the spouse has died or been placed in a healthcare facility.

Ability to Identify Smells May Help in Diagnosis of Alzheimer's: Researchers report that Alzheimer's patients scored significantly lower on ability to identify smells than patients with other forms of dementia.

Women With Alzheimer's Perform Worse on Tests of Intellectual Abilities: Researchers report that compared to men, women also seem to have slight weaknesses in spatial thinking ability.

Sustained Activity Seems to Lower Risk of Alzheimer's: Researchers find that an active and challenging life, even if only begun in middle age, can reduce the effects of aging on the brain.

African Americans Less Interested in Screening for Alzheimer's: Researchers find that blacks are less likely than whites to seek predictive testing for Alzheimer's disease.

Art is Used as Educational Tool on Challenges Posed by Alzheimer's: Early stage Alzheimer's patients and family members in Houston are learning to draw their experiences in a unique effort to express the emotional challenges of the life-altering disease.

No Evidence High Blood Pressure After 65 Is Factor in Alzheimer's: Columbia University researchers found that the risk of Alzheimer's disease did not increase in patients with hypertension or heart disease alone.

Some Alzheimer Patients More Likely to Suffer From Delusions: Results of a new study suggest that Alzheimer's patients who carry the APOE-4 gene, including those who have no history of psychiatric symptons, are more likely to suffer from delusions.

Cholesterol-Lowering Statins May Greatly Cut Risk of Alzheimer's: Researchers found that drugs known as statins may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by as much as 79 percent.

Subtle Signs of Alzheimer's Present Before Clinical Symptoms Appear: Researchers found that pre-Alzheimer patients "had much greater performance gaps between their ability to name objects and their ability to reconstruct the block images."

Progression of Alzheimer's Can Be Tracked Through MRI Scans: A new study has found that the path of Alzheimer's can be tracked, providing new insights into the progression of this disease.

Mild Memory Loss Could Mean High Alzheimer Risk: Mild memory loss could mean an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease, according to researchers at the University of Kentucky's Sanders-Brown Center on Aging.

Family Members Can Help in Diagnosis of Alzheimer's: Results of a new study suggest that comparing questionnaires from those suffering mild mental impairment to those filled out by close family members can help predict a future diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer Patients Have Difficulty Recognizing Facial Emotions: Researchers at the University of California, Davis say patients with Alzheimer's disease have difficulty recognizing facial emotions. Moreover, Alzheimer patients also have problems matching facial identities.

Alzheimer Primer:Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease characterized by memory loss, language deterioration, impaired visuospatial skills, poor judgment, indifferent attitude, but preserved motor function. AD usually begins after age 65, however, its onset may occur as early as age 40, appearing first as memory decline and, over several years, destroying cognition, personality, and ability to function. Confusion and restlessness may also occur. The type, severity, sequence, and progression of mental changes vary widely. The early symptoms of AD, which include forgetfulness and loss of concentration, can be missed easily because they resemble natural signs of aging. Similar symptoms can also result from fatigue, grief, depression, illness, vision or hearing loss, the use of alcohol or certain medications, or simply the burden of too many details to remember at once.There is no cure for AD and no way to slow the progression of the disease. For some people in the early or middle stages of the disease, medication such as tacrine may alleviate some cognitive symptoms. Aricept (donepezil) and Exelon (rivastigmine) are reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitors that are indicated for the treatment of mild to moderate dementia of the Alzheimer's type. Also, some medications may help control behavioral symptoms such as sleeplessness, agitation, wandering, anxiety, and depression. These treatments are aimed at making the patient more comfortable.AD is a progressive disease. The course of the disease varies from person to person. Some people have the disease only for the last 5 years of life, while others may have it for as many as 20 years. The most common cause of death in AD patients is infection. Background information provided by: The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892