An expansion of health insurance to more U.S. residents -- with "business, patients and government sharing the cost" -- is important, but unless "we find cures, American families will continue to be plagued by costly and debilitating fatal diseases such as cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer's" disease, former Rep. Harold Ford (D-Tenn.), chair of the Democratic Leadership Council, and Al From, founder and CEO of the council, write in a Memphis Commercial Appeal opinion piece.
According to the authors, although "we're delighted" that both Democratic presidential candidates Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) and Barack Obama (Ill.) have "offered constructive plans" to expand health insurance, with "interesting ideas for keeping costs down and increasing the efficiency of the system as a whole," the next president also should establish an American Center for Cures -- a "Cabinet-level authority charged with fighting life-threatening" diseases. The center would "pay for high-risk, high-reward research, fund small businesses that have created possible cures but lack the money necessary to test drugs in clinical trials, and work to streamline the clinical trial process," according to the authors.
They write that "every illness that we cure or eradicate will reduce suffering, save American lives and cut the nation's health care bill by billions and billions of dollars," which would "make it far easier to ensure that everyone has access to health care." The authors conclude, "For that reason alone, the center should be a central element of the next president's health care agenda" (Ford/From, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 5/8).
Reprinted with kind permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.
© 2008 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
четверг, 20 октября 2011 г.
понедельник, 17 октября 2011 г.
Competitive Technologies Announces Publication Of Positive Test Results For Memory Improvement Technology
Competitive Technologies, Inc. (AMEX: CTT) announced the publication in August of an article in the Vol. 3, No. 2, 2007 issue of the International Journal of Learning Technology (IJLT) citing the positive results in the double-blind testing of the efficacy of the MC Square device for improving verbal memory, learning and attention. Test results showed statistically reliable improvement in the measure of attention/concentration following training with the MC Square. CTT has U.S. distribution rights for the patent-pending technology licensed by Thomas Jefferson University of Philadelphia (Jefferson), to Seoul, Korea-based Daeyang E&C, Inc. (KOSDAQ: 033030).
The original device, created in Korea, designed to provide stress relief, improved concentration and relaxation, and as a learning aid, has sold over 1.2 million units. Researchers at Jefferson, under the direction of Neuropsychologist Joseph I. Tracy, Ph.D, associate professor of Neurology and Radiology, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, and Director, Cognitive Neuroscience and Brain Imaging Laboratory Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, tested the Jefferson-modified device for improvement of attention and concentration.
The MC Square uses Audio-Visual Stimulation through synchronized sound and light rhythms to influence brain activity. Based upon the results of rigorous testing, as detailed in the IJLT article, A test of the efficacy of the MC Square device for improving verbal memory, learning and attention, Jefferson's researchers and Daeyang E&C jointly filed a patent to utilize the improved MC Square device as a method of treatment for age-related memory loss. Under the licensing agreement, Daeyang is granted exclusive commercial rights to the technology.
IJLT, published by Inderscience (inderscience/ijlt), is an international, refereed journal providing a peer-reviewed interdisciplinary forum for the presentation of articles regarding the role of learning technologies in learning and instruction. Articles focus on the study of knowledge and learning vis-? -vis instruction and the technologies and tools that support the process.
Based on the patent-pending treatment method, the MC Square target market has been expanded from students to include normal, healthy individuals that report, or are at risk of, mild memory loss. CTT is targeting this large growing segment of the US population with marketing and distribution plans for MC Square that focus on user experience with the device.
The Alzheimer's Association (alz) estimates that risk and costs associated with age-related memory loss contribute to the estimated costs for Alzheimer's and other dementias of $148 billion annually. Alzheimer's is a progressive, degenerative disease that alters the brain, causing impaired memory, thinking and behavior. It is estimated that nearly 13% or 4.9 million people age 65 and over have Alzheimer's, and that by 2050 the number of Americans with this disease could range from 11 to 16 million unless a way is found to prevent or effectively treat this disease.
About Thomas Jefferson University
Thomas Jefferson University, based in Philadelphia, PA, is an academic health center consisting of Jefferson Medical College, Jefferson College of Graduate Studies, Jefferson College of Health Professions and associated university services. Dedicated to the health sciences, Jefferson educates professionals in a variety of disciplines to form and lead the integrated healthcare delivery and research teams of tomorrow; discovers new knowledge that will define the future of clinical care through investigation from the laboratory to the bedside, and into the community; and sets the standard for quality, compassionate and efficient patient care for their community and for the nation. Jefferson accomplishes its mission in partnership with Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, its education and clinical care affiliate. Visit Jefferson's website: jefferson
About Daeyang E&C
Daeyang E&C, founded in 1979, is a publicly traded company in Korea (KOSDAQ: 03303) with a market capitalization of $200 million. With a stated corporate philosophy of "Customer success is equivalent to corporate success," Daeyang is the market leader in its unique product segments. To fulfill the company's principle of returning profit to its customers, Daeyang created the MC Square Scholarship in 1993 with over 1,600 scholarships granted to date. Daeyang manufactures and markets a neuroscience device for increasing study efficiency called MC Square that has been established as a strong consumer brand name in Korea. Daeyang E&C accesses multiple business fields, especially in the IT and biotechnology industries, through the resources available from its affiliate Daeyang Venture Capital Ltd., also of Korea. Daeyang develops these VC business lines in health-related fields based on neuroscience technologies. Visit Daeyang's website: daeyangenc
About Competitive Technologies, Inc.
Competitive Technologies, established in 1968, is a full service technology transfer and licensing provider focused on the technology needs of its customers and transforming those requirements into commercially viable solutions. CTT is a global leader in identifying, developing and commercializing innovative technologies in life, electronic, nano, and physical sciences developed by universities, companies and inventors. CTT maximizes the value of intellectual assets for the benefit of its customers, clients and shareholders. Visit CTT's website: competitivetech
Statements about our future expectations are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Federal Securities Laws, and are not guarantees of future performance. When used herein, the words "may," "will," "should," "anticipate," "believe," "appear," "intend," "plan," "expect," "estimate," "approximate," and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements involve risks and uncertainties inherent in our business, including those set forth in Item 1A under the caption "Risk Factors," in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended July 31, 2006, filed with the SEC on October 30, 2006, and other filings with the SEC, and are subject to change at any time. Our actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement.
competitivetech
The original device, created in Korea, designed to provide stress relief, improved concentration and relaxation, and as a learning aid, has sold over 1.2 million units. Researchers at Jefferson, under the direction of Neuropsychologist Joseph I. Tracy, Ph.D, associate professor of Neurology and Radiology, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, and Director, Cognitive Neuroscience and Brain Imaging Laboratory Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, tested the Jefferson-modified device for improvement of attention and concentration.
The MC Square uses Audio-Visual Stimulation through synchronized sound and light rhythms to influence brain activity. Based upon the results of rigorous testing, as detailed in the IJLT article, A test of the efficacy of the MC Square device for improving verbal memory, learning and attention, Jefferson's researchers and Daeyang E&C jointly filed a patent to utilize the improved MC Square device as a method of treatment for age-related memory loss. Under the licensing agreement, Daeyang is granted exclusive commercial rights to the technology.
IJLT, published by Inderscience (inderscience/ijlt), is an international, refereed journal providing a peer-reviewed interdisciplinary forum for the presentation of articles regarding the role of learning technologies in learning and instruction. Articles focus on the study of knowledge and learning vis-? -vis instruction and the technologies and tools that support the process.
Based on the patent-pending treatment method, the MC Square target market has been expanded from students to include normal, healthy individuals that report, or are at risk of, mild memory loss. CTT is targeting this large growing segment of the US population with marketing and distribution plans for MC Square that focus on user experience with the device.
The Alzheimer's Association (alz) estimates that risk and costs associated with age-related memory loss contribute to the estimated costs for Alzheimer's and other dementias of $148 billion annually. Alzheimer's is a progressive, degenerative disease that alters the brain, causing impaired memory, thinking and behavior. It is estimated that nearly 13% or 4.9 million people age 65 and over have Alzheimer's, and that by 2050 the number of Americans with this disease could range from 11 to 16 million unless a way is found to prevent or effectively treat this disease.
About Thomas Jefferson University
Thomas Jefferson University, based in Philadelphia, PA, is an academic health center consisting of Jefferson Medical College, Jefferson College of Graduate Studies, Jefferson College of Health Professions and associated university services. Dedicated to the health sciences, Jefferson educates professionals in a variety of disciplines to form and lead the integrated healthcare delivery and research teams of tomorrow; discovers new knowledge that will define the future of clinical care through investigation from the laboratory to the bedside, and into the community; and sets the standard for quality, compassionate and efficient patient care for their community and for the nation. Jefferson accomplishes its mission in partnership with Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, its education and clinical care affiliate. Visit Jefferson's website: jefferson
About Daeyang E&C
Daeyang E&C, founded in 1979, is a publicly traded company in Korea (KOSDAQ: 03303) with a market capitalization of $200 million. With a stated corporate philosophy of "Customer success is equivalent to corporate success," Daeyang is the market leader in its unique product segments. To fulfill the company's principle of returning profit to its customers, Daeyang created the MC Square Scholarship in 1993 with over 1,600 scholarships granted to date. Daeyang manufactures and markets a neuroscience device for increasing study efficiency called MC Square that has been established as a strong consumer brand name in Korea. Daeyang E&C accesses multiple business fields, especially in the IT and biotechnology industries, through the resources available from its affiliate Daeyang Venture Capital Ltd., also of Korea. Daeyang develops these VC business lines in health-related fields based on neuroscience technologies. Visit Daeyang's website: daeyangenc
About Competitive Technologies, Inc.
Competitive Technologies, established in 1968, is a full service technology transfer and licensing provider focused on the technology needs of its customers and transforming those requirements into commercially viable solutions. CTT is a global leader in identifying, developing and commercializing innovative technologies in life, electronic, nano, and physical sciences developed by universities, companies and inventors. CTT maximizes the value of intellectual assets for the benefit of its customers, clients and shareholders. Visit CTT's website: competitivetech
Statements about our future expectations are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Federal Securities Laws, and are not guarantees of future performance. When used herein, the words "may," "will," "should," "anticipate," "believe," "appear," "intend," "plan," "expect," "estimate," "approximate," and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements involve risks and uncertainties inherent in our business, including those set forth in Item 1A under the caption "Risk Factors," in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended July 31, 2006, filed with the SEC on October 30, 2006, and other filings with the SEC, and are subject to change at any time. Our actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement.
competitivetech
пятница, 14 октября 2011 г.
Poor Dementia Care In Hospitals Costing Lives And Hundreds Of Millions, UK
People with dementia - who occupy a quarter of all hospital beds - are staying far longer in hospital than people without the condition who go in for the same treatment at a cost of hundreds of millions of pounds to the NHS, an Alzheimer's Society report found today (Tuesday, 17 November 2009). Based on research involving 2,400 people, Counting the Cost: caring for people with dementia on hospital wards reveals large, costly variations in the quality of care for people with dementia.
Poor hospital care also had a negative impact on the people's dementia and physical health. The majority of people with dementia leave hospital worse than when they arrive and a third enter a care home, unable to return home. Alzheimer's Society is calling for all hospitals to reduce the average length of stay for a person with dementia by at least a week. The charity is also supporting calls from nurses to be equipped with the right training and tools to do the job.
Nurses told Alzheimer's Society that they want more access to specialist advice and help. 97 per cent of nurses work with people with dementia yet 80 per cent do not receive any or enough dementia training. 89 per cent of nurses said they found working with people with dementia very or quite challenging.
Alzheimer's Society is calling for cost savings gained to be reinvested in workforce development and more appropriate care in the community.
Neil Hunt, Chief Executive of Alzheimer's Society, says,
'It is shocking that people with dementia are occupying up to a quarter of hospital beds yet there are scandalous variations in quality of dementia care in hospitals. A million more people will develop dementia in the next ten years. The NHS needs to start taking dementia seriously.
'At least ??80 million a year and probably hundreds of millions could be saved if people with dementia are enabled to leave hospital one week earlier. Hospitals must commit to reducing the length of stay if we are to stop people with dementia deteriorating in hospital and lessen the chance of people being discharged to a care home.'
Broadcaster, journalist and Alzheimer's Society Ambassador, Angela Rippon, who's supporting the campaign, says,
'I know only too well how scary it can be for a person with dementia to go into hospital. It was awful watching my mother so vulnerable and frightened in this strange, noisy environment full of people she did not know. Some people with dementia are not able to eat or drink due to a lack of appropriate dementia care and many are not being treated with dignity and respect. But good hospitals show us that with the right investment and training, quality dementia care is possible.'
Ann Reid, 63, from Eastbourne, whose mother has dementia, says,
'My mum quickly became confused and frightened in hospital. One day the staff left a sign next to her bed telling her: "you are not well, you need to stay in hospital. Just sit there, rest, relax and don't bang the table". My mum did not understand: she did not have her reading glasses with her and could not remember anything for more than two seconds.
'This was very upsetting for me - I nursed my husband through severe dementia until his death six months earlier. He too received poor care in hospital. He went in walking, and within ten days he was unable to walk and barely able to talk. I knew my mum deserved better.'
Counting the Cost: caring for people with dementia on hospital wards, based on a survey of 2,427 people with dementia, carers, nursing staff and nurse managers, found:
- 47% of carers said being in hospital had a significant negative effect on the person with dementia's health.
- 54% of carers said being in hospital had a significant negative effect on the person's dementia.
- 77% of carers dissatisfied with the quality of dementia care.
- 35% of carers complained and 38% would have liked to but didn't.
- 36% of people with dementia who go into hospital from living in their own homes are discharged to a care home.
- 34% of nurses don't receive enough dementia training.
- 54% nurses don't receive any dementia training.
- 89% nurses said people with dementia are treated with dignity and respect but 36% of carers said they were not.
(Breakdown of respondents: Carers - 1,291, Nursing Staff - 657, Nurse/Ward Managers - 479)
Notes
- Case studies, good practice examples and spokespeople available for interviews on request.
- Find out more about Alzheimer's Society's campaign to improve hospital care by visiting alzheimers.uk/countingthecost.
- People with dementia occupy one quarter of hospital beds at any one time.
- The report provides evidence on the quality of dementia care provided on general wards in hospitals across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- One in three people over 65 will die with dementia.
- Alzheimer's Society research shows that 700,000 people in the UK have a form of dementia, more than half have Alzheimer's disease. In less than 20 years nearly a million people will be living with dementia. This will soar to 1.7 million people by 2051.
- Alzheimer's Society champions the rights of people living with dementia and the millions of people who care for them.
Source
Alzheimer's Society
Poor hospital care also had a negative impact on the people's dementia and physical health. The majority of people with dementia leave hospital worse than when they arrive and a third enter a care home, unable to return home. Alzheimer's Society is calling for all hospitals to reduce the average length of stay for a person with dementia by at least a week. The charity is also supporting calls from nurses to be equipped with the right training and tools to do the job.
Nurses told Alzheimer's Society that they want more access to specialist advice and help. 97 per cent of nurses work with people with dementia yet 80 per cent do not receive any or enough dementia training. 89 per cent of nurses said they found working with people with dementia very or quite challenging.
Alzheimer's Society is calling for cost savings gained to be reinvested in workforce development and more appropriate care in the community.
Neil Hunt, Chief Executive of Alzheimer's Society, says,
'It is shocking that people with dementia are occupying up to a quarter of hospital beds yet there are scandalous variations in quality of dementia care in hospitals. A million more people will develop dementia in the next ten years. The NHS needs to start taking dementia seriously.
'At least ??80 million a year and probably hundreds of millions could be saved if people with dementia are enabled to leave hospital one week earlier. Hospitals must commit to reducing the length of stay if we are to stop people with dementia deteriorating in hospital and lessen the chance of people being discharged to a care home.'
Broadcaster, journalist and Alzheimer's Society Ambassador, Angela Rippon, who's supporting the campaign, says,
'I know only too well how scary it can be for a person with dementia to go into hospital. It was awful watching my mother so vulnerable and frightened in this strange, noisy environment full of people she did not know. Some people with dementia are not able to eat or drink due to a lack of appropriate dementia care and many are not being treated with dignity and respect. But good hospitals show us that with the right investment and training, quality dementia care is possible.'
Ann Reid, 63, from Eastbourne, whose mother has dementia, says,
'My mum quickly became confused and frightened in hospital. One day the staff left a sign next to her bed telling her: "you are not well, you need to stay in hospital. Just sit there, rest, relax and don't bang the table". My mum did not understand: she did not have her reading glasses with her and could not remember anything for more than two seconds.
'This was very upsetting for me - I nursed my husband through severe dementia until his death six months earlier. He too received poor care in hospital. He went in walking, and within ten days he was unable to walk and barely able to talk. I knew my mum deserved better.'
Counting the Cost: caring for people with dementia on hospital wards, based on a survey of 2,427 people with dementia, carers, nursing staff and nurse managers, found:
- 47% of carers said being in hospital had a significant negative effect on the person with dementia's health.
- 54% of carers said being in hospital had a significant negative effect on the person's dementia.
- 77% of carers dissatisfied with the quality of dementia care.
- 35% of carers complained and 38% would have liked to but didn't.
- 36% of people with dementia who go into hospital from living in their own homes are discharged to a care home.
- 34% of nurses don't receive enough dementia training.
- 54% nurses don't receive any dementia training.
- 89% nurses said people with dementia are treated with dignity and respect but 36% of carers said they were not.
(Breakdown of respondents: Carers - 1,291, Nursing Staff - 657, Nurse/Ward Managers - 479)
Notes
- Case studies, good practice examples and spokespeople available for interviews on request.
- Find out more about Alzheimer's Society's campaign to improve hospital care by visiting alzheimers.uk/countingthecost.
- People with dementia occupy one quarter of hospital beds at any one time.
- The report provides evidence on the quality of dementia care provided on general wards in hospitals across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- One in three people over 65 will die with dementia.
- Alzheimer's Society research shows that 700,000 people in the UK have a form of dementia, more than half have Alzheimer's disease. In less than 20 years nearly a million people will be living with dementia. This will soar to 1.7 million people by 2051.
- Alzheimer's Society champions the rights of people living with dementia and the millions of people who care for them.
Source
Alzheimer's Society
вторник, 11 октября 2011 г.
Clues To The Role Of Brain Plaques Typical In Alzheimer's Patients
A study from EPFL's (Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne) Laboratory of Neuroenergetics and Cellular Dynamics in Lausanne Switzerland, published today in the Journal of Neuroscience, may lead to new forms of treatment following a better understanding of how Amyloid-Beta found in cerebral plaques, typically present in the brain of Alzheimer's patients, may lead to neurodegeneration. Researchers in Lausanne have studied how the functions of certain cells called astrocytes - which normally protect, repair, and transfer energy to neurons - are impaired when "possessed" by aggregated Amyloid-Beta.
Alzheimer's disease currently affects more than 26 million people worldwide and estimates of up to four times as many sufferers by 2050 has made studying its causes a top priority for neuroscientists.
While the exact mechanisms by which the formation of plaques occurs and how they cause neurodegeneration and dementia is still a matter of debate in the scientific world, this study sheds a new light on how astrocytes may participate in the development of Alzheimer's disease. This new understanding of the interaction between Amyloid-Beta and astrocytes could lead to more effective therapies for Alzheimer's disease by trying to rescue astrocytic functions by deactivating the scavenger receptors.
The current study explores the causal relationship between the build-up of the Amyloid-Beta protein, associated with the formation of plaques, and the impairment of astrocyte's functions. Pierre Magistretti, director of the Brain Mind Institute and the Center for Psychiatric Neurosciences at CHUV/UNIL, and Igor Allaman, post doctoral fellow in Magistretti's lab, have succeeded in determining how built-up Amyloid-Beta infiltrates the astrocyte cells and alters their proper functioning, thus leading to the death of surrounding neurons. "To penetrate the astrocyte, the pathological protein goes through a 'scavenger' receptor." explains Igor Allaman. "Our study has shown that if we impair Amyloid-Beta build-up, or activation of this receptor, astrocytes continue to fulfill their normal neuroprotective functions even in the presence of the Amyloid-Beta."
The authors include Igor Allaman, from the Laboratory of Neuroenergetics and Cellular Dynamics in the Brain Mind Institute (EPFL), Mathilde Gavillet from the Laboratory of Neuroenergetics and Cellular Dynamics in the Brain Mind Institute (EPFL), Mireille B?©langer from the Laboratory of Neuroenergetics and Cellular Dynamics in the Brain Mind Institute (EPFL), Thierry Laroche from the Cellular Imaging Facility in the Brain Mind Institute (EPFL), David Viertl from the Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology and Functionnal Neuroproteomics in the Brain Mind Institute (EPFL), Hilal A. Lashuel from the Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology and Functionnal Neuroproteomics in the Brain Mind Institute (EPFL), and Pierre J. Magistretti from the Laboratory of Neuroenergetics and Cellular Dynamics in the Brain Mind Institute (EPFL) and the Centre de Neurosciences Psychiatriques, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, De??partement de Psychiatrie, Site de Cery, CH-1008 Prilly/Lausanne, Switzerland.
Amyloid-Beta Aggregates Cause Alterations of Astrocytic Metabolic Phenotype: Impact on Neuronal Viability, Journal of Neuroscience, March 3, 2010, issue 9
Source:
Michael Mitchell
Ecole Polytechnique F?©d?©rale de Lausanne
Alzheimer's disease currently affects more than 26 million people worldwide and estimates of up to four times as many sufferers by 2050 has made studying its causes a top priority for neuroscientists.
While the exact mechanisms by which the formation of plaques occurs and how they cause neurodegeneration and dementia is still a matter of debate in the scientific world, this study sheds a new light on how astrocytes may participate in the development of Alzheimer's disease. This new understanding of the interaction between Amyloid-Beta and astrocytes could lead to more effective therapies for Alzheimer's disease by trying to rescue astrocytic functions by deactivating the scavenger receptors.
The current study explores the causal relationship between the build-up of the Amyloid-Beta protein, associated with the formation of plaques, and the impairment of astrocyte's functions. Pierre Magistretti, director of the Brain Mind Institute and the Center for Psychiatric Neurosciences at CHUV/UNIL, and Igor Allaman, post doctoral fellow in Magistretti's lab, have succeeded in determining how built-up Amyloid-Beta infiltrates the astrocyte cells and alters their proper functioning, thus leading to the death of surrounding neurons. "To penetrate the astrocyte, the pathological protein goes through a 'scavenger' receptor." explains Igor Allaman. "Our study has shown that if we impair Amyloid-Beta build-up, or activation of this receptor, astrocytes continue to fulfill their normal neuroprotective functions even in the presence of the Amyloid-Beta."
The authors include Igor Allaman, from the Laboratory of Neuroenergetics and Cellular Dynamics in the Brain Mind Institute (EPFL), Mathilde Gavillet from the Laboratory of Neuroenergetics and Cellular Dynamics in the Brain Mind Institute (EPFL), Mireille B?©langer from the Laboratory of Neuroenergetics and Cellular Dynamics in the Brain Mind Institute (EPFL), Thierry Laroche from the Cellular Imaging Facility in the Brain Mind Institute (EPFL), David Viertl from the Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology and Functionnal Neuroproteomics in the Brain Mind Institute (EPFL), Hilal A. Lashuel from the Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology and Functionnal Neuroproteomics in the Brain Mind Institute (EPFL), and Pierre J. Magistretti from the Laboratory of Neuroenergetics and Cellular Dynamics in the Brain Mind Institute (EPFL) and the Centre de Neurosciences Psychiatriques, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, De??partement de Psychiatrie, Site de Cery, CH-1008 Prilly/Lausanne, Switzerland.
Amyloid-Beta Aggregates Cause Alterations of Astrocytic Metabolic Phenotype: Impact on Neuronal Viability, Journal of Neuroscience, March 3, 2010, issue 9
Source:
Michael Mitchell
Ecole Polytechnique F?©d?©rale de Lausanne
суббота, 8 октября 2011 г.
Education Protects Against Pre Alzheimer's Memory Loss
People with more education and more mentally demanding occupations may have protection against the memory loss that precedes Alzheimer's disease, according to a study published in the October 21, 2008, issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
The study involved 242 people with Alzheimer's disease, 72 people with mild cognitive impairment, and 144 people with no memory problems. Mild cognitive impairment is a transition stage when some memory problems are occurring beyond what is normal for a person's age but not the serious problems of Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers tested the participants' memory and cognitive skills and used brain scans to measure the amount of brain glucose metabolism, which shows how much the brain has been affected by the plaques and tangles of Alzheimer's disease. The participants were followed for an average of 14 months. During that time, 21 of the people with mild cognitive impairment developed Alzheimer's disease.
The study found that in people with the same level of memory impairment, people with more education and more mentally demanding jobs had significantly more changes and damage in their brains from Alzheimer's disease than people with less education and less mentally demanding jobs.
"The theory is that education and demanding jobs create a buffer against the effects of dementia on the brain, or a cognitive reserve," said study author Valentina Garibotto, MD, of the San Raffaele University and Scientific Institute and the National Institute of Neuroscience in Milan, Italy. "Their brains are able to compensate for the damage and allow them to maintain functioning in spite of damage. There are two possible explanations. The brain could be made stronger through education and occupational challenges. Or, genetic factors that enabled people to achieve higher education and occupational achievement might determine the amount of brain reserve. It isn't possible to determine which accounts for our findings."
The results were found in both people with Alzheimer's and people with mild cognitive impairment who developed Alzheimer's during the study, suggesting that the cognitive reserve is already in effect during the mild cognitive impairment phase before Alzheimer's begins, Garibotto said.
People with Alzheimer's disease and people with mild cognitive impairment who developed Alzheimer's during the study had metabolic dysfunction in the areas of the brain consistent with Alzheimer's disease, whereas the healthy people and those with mild cognitive impairment who did not develop Alzheimer's disease had no brain metabolism problems.
The study was supported by NEST-DD (Network for Efficiency and Standardization of Dementia Diagnosis), 5th European Research Program and DIMI (Diagnostic Molecular Imaging) Network of Excellence, 6th European Research Program.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as epilepsy, dystonia, migraine, Huntington's disease, and dementia. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit aan.
American Academy of Neurology (AAN)
1080 Montreal Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55116
United States
neurology
The study involved 242 people with Alzheimer's disease, 72 people with mild cognitive impairment, and 144 people with no memory problems. Mild cognitive impairment is a transition stage when some memory problems are occurring beyond what is normal for a person's age but not the serious problems of Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers tested the participants' memory and cognitive skills and used brain scans to measure the amount of brain glucose metabolism, which shows how much the brain has been affected by the plaques and tangles of Alzheimer's disease. The participants were followed for an average of 14 months. During that time, 21 of the people with mild cognitive impairment developed Alzheimer's disease.
The study found that in people with the same level of memory impairment, people with more education and more mentally demanding jobs had significantly more changes and damage in their brains from Alzheimer's disease than people with less education and less mentally demanding jobs.
"The theory is that education and demanding jobs create a buffer against the effects of dementia on the brain, or a cognitive reserve," said study author Valentina Garibotto, MD, of the San Raffaele University and Scientific Institute and the National Institute of Neuroscience in Milan, Italy. "Their brains are able to compensate for the damage and allow them to maintain functioning in spite of damage. There are two possible explanations. The brain could be made stronger through education and occupational challenges. Or, genetic factors that enabled people to achieve higher education and occupational achievement might determine the amount of brain reserve. It isn't possible to determine which accounts for our findings."
The results were found in both people with Alzheimer's and people with mild cognitive impairment who developed Alzheimer's during the study, suggesting that the cognitive reserve is already in effect during the mild cognitive impairment phase before Alzheimer's begins, Garibotto said.
People with Alzheimer's disease and people with mild cognitive impairment who developed Alzheimer's during the study had metabolic dysfunction in the areas of the brain consistent with Alzheimer's disease, whereas the healthy people and those with mild cognitive impairment who did not develop Alzheimer's disease had no brain metabolism problems.
The study was supported by NEST-DD (Network for Efficiency and Standardization of Dementia Diagnosis), 5th European Research Program and DIMI (Diagnostic Molecular Imaging) Network of Excellence, 6th European Research Program.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as epilepsy, dystonia, migraine, Huntington's disease, and dementia. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit aan.
American Academy of Neurology (AAN)
1080 Montreal Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55116
United States
neurology
среда, 5 октября 2011 г.
Promising Alzheimer's Disease Treatment Revealed By Early Study
A drug once approved as an antihistamine in Russia improved thinking processes and ability to function in patients with Alzheimer's disease in a study conducted there, said an expert at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. The findings are published in the current issue of the journal The Lancet.
"More research is needed, but we are encouraged by the effect the drug Dimebon had on Alzheimer's patients" said Dr. Rachelle Doody, professor of neurology at BCM and lead author of the study.
In the study, the authors noted that Dimebon is the first drug for Alzheimer's disease that demonstrated continued improvement in patients over a 12 month period. Other approved drugs do not have this effect.
Half of the 183 patients in the Russian study received Dimebon; the other half were given a placebo or an inactive pill. Clinicians at the study sites then monitored the patients' progress over the next year on five different outcomes. All of those in the study had mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.
"What we saw in the clinical trial is that people on the medication continued to improve over time," Doody said. "Those on placebo continued to decline."
Researchers believe the medication works by stabilizing mitochondria, the cellular components that produce energy, and possibly by inhibiting brain cell death. Researchers evaluated patients' thinking and memory ability, overall function, psychiatric and behavioral symptoms, and ability to perform daily activities.
"Usually at this point in a drug's development, we are happy to see improvement in one of the outcome measures," Doody said. "We saw improvement in all five."
Some participants complained of occasional dry mouth, but no one opted out of the study because of the side effects.
"As we continue research, we hope to replicate these results," Doody said. "My belief is that this drug will turn out to be useful for Alzheimer's disease, regardless of the stage of the disease."
Doody said this is only the first study looking into the effects of Dimebon on Alzheimer's disease. She also noted that it involved only a relatively small population from one specific region of the world. The ongoing Phase 3 study will include several international locations including the United States.
Other researchers who contributed to this study include: Dr. Svetlana I. Gavrilova, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, Russia; Dr. Mary Sano, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York City, NY; Dr. Ronald G. Thomas, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA; Dr. Paul S. Aisen, formerly with Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC and now at the University of California, San Diego; ; Dr. Sergey O. Bachurin, Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds, Chernogolovka, Russia; Drs. Lynn Seely and David Hung, Medivation, Inc., San Francisco, CA.
Funding for this study came from Medivation, Inc., the company developing the drug worldwide. Doody is also a member of the Scientific and Clinical Advisory board for Medivation, Inc.
The full report can be found at thelancet/
More information on science research at Baylor College of Medicine can be found at bcm/fromthelab or bcm/findings.
Source: Graciela Gutierrez
Baylor College of Medicine
"More research is needed, but we are encouraged by the effect the drug Dimebon had on Alzheimer's patients" said Dr. Rachelle Doody, professor of neurology at BCM and lead author of the study.
In the study, the authors noted that Dimebon is the first drug for Alzheimer's disease that demonstrated continued improvement in patients over a 12 month period. Other approved drugs do not have this effect.
Half of the 183 patients in the Russian study received Dimebon; the other half were given a placebo or an inactive pill. Clinicians at the study sites then monitored the patients' progress over the next year on five different outcomes. All of those in the study had mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.
"What we saw in the clinical trial is that people on the medication continued to improve over time," Doody said. "Those on placebo continued to decline."
Researchers believe the medication works by stabilizing mitochondria, the cellular components that produce energy, and possibly by inhibiting brain cell death. Researchers evaluated patients' thinking and memory ability, overall function, psychiatric and behavioral symptoms, and ability to perform daily activities.
"Usually at this point in a drug's development, we are happy to see improvement in one of the outcome measures," Doody said. "We saw improvement in all five."
Some participants complained of occasional dry mouth, but no one opted out of the study because of the side effects.
"As we continue research, we hope to replicate these results," Doody said. "My belief is that this drug will turn out to be useful for Alzheimer's disease, regardless of the stage of the disease."
Doody said this is only the first study looking into the effects of Dimebon on Alzheimer's disease. She also noted that it involved only a relatively small population from one specific region of the world. The ongoing Phase 3 study will include several international locations including the United States.
Other researchers who contributed to this study include: Dr. Svetlana I. Gavrilova, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, Russia; Dr. Mary Sano, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York City, NY; Dr. Ronald G. Thomas, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA; Dr. Paul S. Aisen, formerly with Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC and now at the University of California, San Diego; ; Dr. Sergey O. Bachurin, Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds, Chernogolovka, Russia; Drs. Lynn Seely and David Hung, Medivation, Inc., San Francisco, CA.
Funding for this study came from Medivation, Inc., the company developing the drug worldwide. Doody is also a member of the Scientific and Clinical Advisory board for Medivation, Inc.
The full report can be found at thelancet/
More information on science research at Baylor College of Medicine can be found at bcm/fromthelab or bcm/findings.
Source: Graciela Gutierrez
Baylor College of Medicine
воскресенье, 2 октября 2011 г.
Soybean Product Fights Abnormal Protein Involved In Alzheimer's Disease
A vegan food renowned in Asia for its ability to protect against heart attacks also shows a powerful ability in lab experiments to prevent formation of the clumps of tangled protein involved in Alzheimer's disease, scientists in Taiwan are reporting. Their study is in the Feb. 11 issue of ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a bi-weekly publication.
Rita P. Y. Chen and colleagues point out that people in Asia have been eating natto - a fermented food made from boiled soybeans -for more than 1,000 years. Natto contains an enzyme, nattokinase, that has effects similar to clot-busting drugs used in heart disease. Nattokinase is sold a dietary supplement to improve the body's circulatory system. The scientists term this the first study on whether nattokinase also can dissolve amyloids. Those tangled proteins are involved in Alzheimer's disease and several other health problems.
In the study, the nattokinase degraded several kinds of amyloid fibrils, suggesting its possible use in the treatment of amyloid-related diseases. "Moreover, since natto has been ingested by humans for a long time, it would be worthwhile to carry out an epidemiological study on the rate of occurrence of various amyloid-related diseases in a population regularly consuming natto," the scientists say.
"Amyloid-Degrading Ability of Nattokinase from Bacillus subtilis Natto"
DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT ARTICLE
American Chemical Society
The world's largest scientific society.
acs
Rita P. Y. Chen and colleagues point out that people in Asia have been eating natto - a fermented food made from boiled soybeans -for more than 1,000 years. Natto contains an enzyme, nattokinase, that has effects similar to clot-busting drugs used in heart disease. Nattokinase is sold a dietary supplement to improve the body's circulatory system. The scientists term this the first study on whether nattokinase also can dissolve amyloids. Those tangled proteins are involved in Alzheimer's disease and several other health problems.
In the study, the nattokinase degraded several kinds of amyloid fibrils, suggesting its possible use in the treatment of amyloid-related diseases. "Moreover, since natto has been ingested by humans for a long time, it would be worthwhile to carry out an epidemiological study on the rate of occurrence of various amyloid-related diseases in a population regularly consuming natto," the scientists say.
"Amyloid-Degrading Ability of Nattokinase from Bacillus subtilis Natto"
DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT ARTICLE
American Chemical Society
The world's largest scientific society.
acs
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