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Alzheimer’s disease

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·April 30, 2019·4 min read

Do microglia hold the key to stop Alzheimer’s disease?

Mouse models and human brain tissue studies reveal microglia react to amyloid beta earlier in older females. Findings may provide avenues for the development of new drugs to help treat the neurodegenerative disease.

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Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·April 30, 2019·5 min read

When is Alzheimer’s not Alzheimer’s? Researchers characterize a different form of dementia

LATE, a form of dementia that appears in the oldest-old is often mistaken for Alzheimer's disease, but the brain pathology is very different. The protein TDP-43 appears to play a significant role in the development of LATE. The neurodegenerative disease may progress more gradually than Alzheimer's, but when combined with Alzheimer's disease (a common combination), appears to cause a more rapid decline than either would alone.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·April 25, 2019·4 min read

Drugs to prevent stroke and dementia show promise in early trial

Two drugs commonly prescribed to treat heart disease and angina, are well tolerated in stroke patients. Early indications suggest the treatments may help to improve blood vessel function in the arms and brain, and may also improve cognitive skills.

This shows a load screen for Sea Hero Quest

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·April 24, 2019·6 min read

The mobile game that can detect Alzheimer’s risk

Sea Hero Quest, a navigation themed cell phone game, is helping researchers to identify those at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Those with a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's perform worse on the spatial navigation tasks in the game, taking more time and less efficient routes to checkpoint goals.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·April 23, 2019·6 min read

More evidence that blood tests can detect the risk of Alzheimer’s

Neurofilament light protein in plasma may be a noninvasive biomarker for neurodegeneration associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·April 23, 2019·4 min read

Scientists propose new theory on Alzheimer’s, amyloid connection

Study finds a 'peculiar association' between amyloid precursor protein and cholesterol in the cell membrane of synapses. Amyloid precursor protein may contribute to cholesterol deficiency, triggering neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·April 18, 2019·4 min read

Blood pressure drug shows promise for treating Parkinson’s and dementia in animal study

Felodipine, a common hypertension medication, induces autophagy and clears aggregate-prone proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases. The study reveals the drug clears mutant alpha-synuclein in the brains of mice at plasma concentrations to those seen in humans taking the medication. Felodipine appears to have some neuroprotective properties in mouse models of neurodegenerative diseases.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·April 17, 2019·4 min read

Brain stimulation reverses age-related memory loss

Transcranial magnetic stimulation applied to the parietal lobe improves the function of brain areas important for memory which are disrupted by aging. The study reports TMS helps improve memory in older adults experiencing memory loss to the level of younger adults.

This shows the outline of a head and a light bulb

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Psychology

·April 11, 2019·3 min read

Shining lasers on mouse brains sheds light on cells central to Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia

Optogenetic stimulation of parvalbumin cells resulted in a reduction of local blood flow and volume. The findings could shed new light on the neurobiological underpinnings of Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia.

This shows an older man and woman talking on a street

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·April 10, 2019·3 min read

Aging gracefully: Study identifies factors for healthy memory at any age

Older adults who have higher levels of education, embark on more social activities and stay cognitively active have a slower rate of cognitive decline than those who engage in less self-maintenance and social activities.

This shows brain scans of the regions the electrostimulation targets

Featured Neuroscience

·April 9, 2019·6 min read

Zapping Memories: Electrostimulation Restores Working Memory of 70 Year Olds’ to That of 20 Year Olds’

Non-invasive electrostimulation restores working memory in 70-year-olds, allowing for comparable to cognitive abilities to those of 20-year-olds. The technology increases neural synchronization patterns and information flow between frontotemporal regions of the brain. This results in rapid improvements of working memory in older people, which lasted for more than 50 minutes post stimulation. The findings offer new hope to those suffering age-related memory impairments.

This shows the mouth of a person with gum disease. Many teeth are missing

Featured Neurology

·April 7, 2019·3 min read

Gum bacteria implicated in Alzheimer’s and other diseases

Study tracks how bacteria associated with gum disease can travel through the body and exude toxins associated with Alzheimer's disease, rheumatoid arthritis and aspiration pneumonia.