Alzheimer disease

The Alzheimer's Association chief science officer discusses release of updated diagnostic guidelines for AD, which incorporate use of plasma-based biomarkers.

A majority of older adults agree that all aged ≥65 years should be screened annually for dementia; more than half significantly fear a positive result, the National Poll on Healthy Aging reports.

The highest risk of mortality among a Danish population with dementia occurred within 2 weeks of an opioid prescription but remained significant at 180 days.

Howard Fillit, MD, cofounder/chief scientific officer of the Alzheimer Drug Discovery Foundation, says lecenumab's approval opens the door for future drug development.

FDA's action, based on confirmatory evidence showing slowed disease progression, follows a January 2023 accelerated approval.

Brexpiprazole, an atypical antipsychotic, is the first and only medication approved to treat AD-associated agitation, reported in almost half of people with the disease.

Eli Lilly's investigational drug targeting amyloid plaque slowed clinical decline by 35% in participants with early symptomatic Alzheimer disease at 18 months, the company announced.

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Screening for stress among older adults who present to primary care with signs of cognitive impairment could be key to reducing risk and targeting intervention, study authors say.

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The large biobank-based study found 22 pairings of a neurodegenerative disorder and a previous viral infection. Vaccines exist against several of those viruses.

Accelerometer-measured physical activity and steps were associated with as much as a 60% lower risk of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in a new study.

For each cardiometabolic disease, the risk of all-cause dementia rose by 42%; the risk rose 26% for Alzheimer disease and 64% for vascular dementia. Temporal onset and genetics play key roles.

Approval of lecanemab under FDA's accelerated pathway requires the company to provide phase 4 study evidence to confirm the agent's clinical effect.

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Variable BMI patterns across the lifespan may be a prodromal marker of dementia; a pattern of midlife increase followed by decrease was associated with greatest risk.

The FDA approved today the first drug that targets the pathophysiolgic process responsible for Alzheimer disease and the first drug since 2003 to be approved for any Alzheimer treatment.

Underweight means highest risk, say researchers.

This adult beverage may actually provide health benefits, specifically for Alzheimer, Parkinson, and other neurological conditions.

Previous studies have shown a link between sleep stages and mental decline. This is the first to show that certain sleep features are related to brain changes.

Growing evidence suggests a link between obesity and dementia, but risk may be heightened or lowered, depending on age. In this study, early to mid-life obesity was linked with increased risk of later dementia.

In the news: respiratory disease underdiagnosed, Alzheimer biomarkers, Crohn disease microbiome, migraine device, sleep apnea and diabetes.

Vitamin E given daily was effective in slowing patients’ functional decline and in reducing caregiver time.

Omega-3 fatty acids in dietary supplements can cross the blood-brain barrier in persons who have Alzheimer disease, affecting known markers for the disease and for inflammation, a study shows.

Brain cell damage similar to that seen in Alzheimer disease and other disorders results when a gene that controls the sleep-wake cycle and other bodily rhythms is disabled.

Peanut butter and a ruler may turn out to be tools that offer an inexpensive, sensitive, and specific olfactory means of screening for Alzheimer disease. Details here.

The drive to screen older persons for minor memory changes is leading to unnecessary investigation and potentially harmful treatment, according to some experts.

As biomarkers to detect signals of Alzheimer disease improve at providing clinically meaningful information, a majority of Alzheimer researchers support disclosing results to research subjects who have these tests.

Researchers have devoted themselves to devising ways of blocking the production or accumulation of beta-amyloid. Now scientists are studying other protein targets, including tau.

If drugs could be developed to target tau, they might prevent much of the neurodegeneration that characterizes Alzheimer disease and help prevent or delay dementia.