'If Alzheimer's ever was cause for public concern, it's now,' said David Hyde Pierce, Alzheimer's Association board member and spokesperson for the campaign. 'Our aging population compels the need for effective disease- modifying drugs. As individuals, as families, as a country, we can't afford this disease, physically, emotionally, or financially.'
You can find the entire article at The Alzheimer's Reading Room
Showing posts with label alzheimer's reading room. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alzheimer's reading room. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Monday, April 9, 2007
Americans Fear Alzheimer’s More Than Heart Disease, Diabetes or Stroke
A recent study by the MetLife Foundation found that Americans fear getting Alzheimer's disease more than heart disease, stroke, or diabetes. Alzheimer's ranks second in the minds of American's only to cancer.
Read this at the Alzheimer's Reading Room, The: Americans Fear Alzheimer’s More Than Heart Disease, Diabetes or Stroke
Read this at the Alzheimer's Reading Room, The: Americans Fear Alzheimer’s More Than Heart Disease, Diabetes or Stroke
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Fruit Smoothie Could Improve Thinking, Memory In Alzheimer's Patients
This article on the smoothie really caught my attention. Why? I drink one of those almost every day. Oddly, when I try to get my mother, the Alzheimer's patient, to drink one along with me she refuses.A simple fruit smoothie could soon help improve thinking and memory in Alzheimer's patients.
Fruit Smoothie Could Improve Thinking, Memory In Alzheimer's Patients
St. Louis University is the only U.S test center to study whether the drink actually works. The beverage isn't a new drug, but a nutritional drink with a combination of vitamins, antioxidants and lipids that are consumed once a day. The smoothie comes in peach or cappuccino flavors.
Dr. Theodore Malmstrom is one of three researchers looking into what could soon be a very important weapon in the fight against Alzheimer's.
"There is increasing evidence that concentrated components of natural foods can improve memory so those components have been put in a drink and we are hopeful it will help," said Malmstrom.
The goal now is to get actual patients to test it out.
SLU researchers need at least 10 Alzheimer's patients to take part in the study. They are looking for people recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's, but not currently taking medications.
Patients will be divided in two groups. One group will get a daily supply of drinks with nutritional supplements. The other group will get a similar drink but without the nutritional additions.
Results of the 24-week study will hopefully end with good news.
"There is always great hope whenever you can have new research emerging. One of the Alzheimer's Associations mission (is) to fund research programs so we are very excited," said Stephanie Rohlfs-Young, the outreach director for the St. Louis Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.
The risk of side effects from the drink are very minor compared to side effects from the five FDA-approved medications that treat Alzheimer's.
For more information, contact Malmstrom at 314-577-8745.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Alzheimer's Factsheets: 2007 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures
The links provided below will take you to the factsheets and full report published by the Alzheimer's Association.
Quote Sheet (2 pages)
FactSheet (2 pages)
2007 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures (28 pages)
Quote Sheet (2 pages)
FactSheet (2 pages)
2007 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures (28 pages)
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Alzheimer's Disease Rate Rises to More Than Five Million in the United States
Someone Develops Alzheimer's Every 72 Seconds, According To New Alzheimer's Association Report.
The Alzheimer’s Association today reports that in 2007 there are now more than 5 million people in the United States living with Alzheimer’s disease. This number includes 4.9 million people over the age of 65 and between 200,000 and 500,000 people under age 65 with early onset Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
Read more about this topic at The Alzheimer's Reading Room
The Alzheimer’s Association today reports that in 2007 there are now more than 5 million people in the United States living with Alzheimer’s disease. This number includes 4.9 million people over the age of 65 and between 200,000 and 500,000 people under age 65 with early onset Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
Read more about this topic at The Alzheimer's Reading Room
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Many Alzheimer's caregivers seek help in God
About a third of those who take care of loved ones with the disease feel 'more religious' because of their experiences, a new national study says.
You can read this article at The CareGiver Weblog
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Exercise slows decline in Alzheimer's patients
I can attest, exercise makes a difference. My mother now has the tendency to sit around all day. On those days when I can get her to go to Gold's Gym with me she is a completely different person. The look on her face, from dull to smiling, is more than enough to tell me that exercise works to her benefit."Nursing home residents with Alzheimer's disease who participate in a moderate exercise program have a significantly slower deterioration than those who receive routine medical care, researchers have shown."
Read the article in its entirety at the CareGiver: The Book Weblog
Monday, March 5, 2007
Myriad Genetics Presents Additional Flurizan Phase 2 Study Data
Myriad Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MYGN) (www.myriad.com) announced today that it presented additional results of its completed Phase 2 follow-on study of Flurizan™ in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease at the annual meeting of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry (AAGP), held March 1-4, 2007 in New Orleans.
Read the release in its entirety at The Alzheimer's Reading Room Weblog
Read the release in its entirety at The Alzheimer's Reading Room Weblog
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Study links seniors' loneliness to higher risk of dementia
Loneliness may put people at risk of an Alzheimer's-like dementia, a study reported Monday.
"People who described themselves as lonely were twice as likely to develop dementia," says researcher Robert Wilson of the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.
Source USA Today
By Kathleen Fackelmann, USA TODAY
Loneliness may put people at risk of an Alzheimer's-like dementia, a study reported Monday.
"People who described themselves as lonely were twice as likely to develop dementia," says researcher Robert Wilson of the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.
Other studies have found that people who are unmarried and socially isolated are at higher risk for dementia, including Alzheimer's. But this study is one of the first to show a link between loneliness — or the feelings of disconnection from other people — and a higher risk of developing dementia late in life, says Laurel Coleman, a spokeswoman for the Alzheimer's Association and a geriatrician in Portland, Maine.
Wilson and his colleagues studied 823 people who were about 80 years old and had no sign of dementia at the start of the study. The team gave the recruits a loneliness quiz and tested them annually for signs of memory loss and confusion, two key signs of dementia and Alzheimer's.
During the four-year study, 76 people developed an Alzheimer's-like dementia, Wilson says. The risk of developing dementia increased about 51% for each one-point increase on the loneliness scale. People with the highest scores had 2.1 times the risk of developing dementia, a group of conditions that destroy brain cells and lead to mental confusion. Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia.
Autopsies were performed on 90 people who died during the study. The researchers found no link between loneliness and the development of the abnormal brain deposits that are the hallmark of Alzheimer's.
That finding suggests loneliness might be triggering dementia through a novel mechanism — one that doesn't lead to a brain riddled with deposits, Wilson says.
One theory is that people who are lonely over long periods of time might have higher levels of damaging stress hormones. The elevated stress hormones might lead to an accelerated aging of the brain — and perhaps to dementia, Wilson says.
Other research suggests lonely people are at risk of other health problems such as cancer and high blood pressure, says John Cacioppo of the University of Chicago. Still, he says, the new finding, which appears in February's Archives of General Psychiatry, must be verified by additional research.
The findings didn't change much when the team factored in markers of social isolation, such as infrequent participation in social events. That means that people who have a small number of good friends might be better off than those with a busy social schedule but chronic feelings of loneliness, Wilson says.
But lonely people often benefit from signing up for a new class or activity, Coleman says. Research shows that such activities might protect aging brain cells. And seniors who are out and about are more likely to make new friends, which might lessen feelings of loneliness, she says.
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"People who described themselves as lonely were twice as likely to develop dementia," says researcher Robert Wilson of the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.
Source USA Today
By Kathleen Fackelmann, USA TODAY
Loneliness may put people at risk of an Alzheimer's-like dementia, a study reported Monday.
"People who described themselves as lonely were twice as likely to develop dementia," says researcher Robert Wilson of the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.
Other studies have found that people who are unmarried and socially isolated are at higher risk for dementia, including Alzheimer's. But this study is one of the first to show a link between loneliness — or the feelings of disconnection from other people — and a higher risk of developing dementia late in life, says Laurel Coleman, a spokeswoman for the Alzheimer's Association and a geriatrician in Portland, Maine.
Wilson and his colleagues studied 823 people who were about 80 years old and had no sign of dementia at the start of the study. The team gave the recruits a loneliness quiz and tested them annually for signs of memory loss and confusion, two key signs of dementia and Alzheimer's.
During the four-year study, 76 people developed an Alzheimer's-like dementia, Wilson says. The risk of developing dementia increased about 51% for each one-point increase on the loneliness scale. People with the highest scores had 2.1 times the risk of developing dementia, a group of conditions that destroy brain cells and lead to mental confusion. Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia.
Autopsies were performed on 90 people who died during the study. The researchers found no link between loneliness and the development of the abnormal brain deposits that are the hallmark of Alzheimer's.
That finding suggests loneliness might be triggering dementia through a novel mechanism — one that doesn't lead to a brain riddled with deposits, Wilson says.
One theory is that people who are lonely over long periods of time might have higher levels of damaging stress hormones. The elevated stress hormones might lead to an accelerated aging of the brain — and perhaps to dementia, Wilson says.
Other research suggests lonely people are at risk of other health problems such as cancer and high blood pressure, says John Cacioppo of the University of Chicago. Still, he says, the new finding, which appears in February's Archives of General Psychiatry, must be verified by additional research.
The findings didn't change much when the team factored in markers of social isolation, such as infrequent participation in social events. That means that people who have a small number of good friends might be better off than those with a busy social schedule but chronic feelings of loneliness, Wilson says.
But lonely people often benefit from signing up for a new class or activity, Coleman says. Research shows that such activities might protect aging brain cells. And seniors who are out and about are more likely to make new friends, which might lessen feelings of loneliness, she says.
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Wednesday, February 21, 2007
New Drug Stops Alzheimer's In Tracks
The drug -- called Alzhemed -- attacks Amyloid Peptide - the molecule that causes Alzheimer's.Paul Aisen, M.D.: "I think it is tremendously significant."
An early study showed Alzhemed stabilized the disease in nearly half of patients. Now, more than 1,000 are being followed.
Source ABC7
Nearly five-million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease. Drugs on the market can treat the symptoms -- but not one goes after what causes it. Now, researchers are on the brink of a huge breakthrough with a drug that targets the cause and could stop the disease in its tracks.
Frances Goldstein: "I like to paint -- a lot."
Jacobo, her husband of 45 years, loves watching her mind at work. Frances has Alzheimer's disease -- diagnosed eight years ago at age 56.
Jacobo Goldstein, Wife has Alzheimer's: "For the first nine months, I couldn't tell her the word Alzheimer's because I was afraid, you know, that she might go into tremendous shock."
Instead, Frances fought back. For three years, she's been in a study testing a drug that could change her prognosis. Current Alzheimer's drugs target the symptoms of the disease...like memory loss and emotional problems. Well this new drug is taking a more direct approach.
Paul Aisen, M.D., Alzheimer's Specialist: "This drug is attacking the cause of Alzheimer's disease. If it works, it will change the course of the disease and that will represent a real breakthrough."
The drug -- called Alzhemed -- attacks Amyloid Peptide - the molecule that causes Alzheimer's. In mice, watch as the drug clears the molecule from the brain.
Paul Aisen, M.D.: "I think it is tremendously significant."
An early study showed Alzhemed stabilized the disease in nearly half of patients. Now, more than 1,000 are being followed.
Paul Aisen, M.D.: "If the phase three study confirms that the drug is effective, we will have a way of slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease for the first time."
Frances takes Alzhemed twice a day.
Jacobo Goldstein: "I don't know where we would be if it wasn't for this. We have no idea. I know what she does now. If we can stay the way we are, we would be forever grateful."
With hope in hand, Frances continues to make every day and every painting count.
To date, more than 600 patients have completed one year of treatment on the medication. The study is scheduled to be complete soon. More than 70 centers across the United States and Canada are taking part. Side effects of the drug have been minimal and primarily include mild gastrointestinal symptoms.
Copyright 2007, ABC7/KGO-TV/DT.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Caring for the CareGivers
Group meetings help those coping with dementia in a loved one.
Caring for the Caregivers
By Elizabeth Cooney
TELEGRAM & GAZETTE
ecooney@telegram.com
WORCESTER— You came to the right place, the group told the silver-haired woman who had just joined them.
She took her seat on one of the 14 armchairs fanning out from the fireplace at Dodge Park Rest Home. Twice a month, people caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease meet to share supper, stories, strategies and support. Across the hall, their relatives can have a meal and take part in an activity while the two-hour session unfolds.
The new arrival, who didn’t want her name used in the newspaper, told the group why she came.
“I don’t think I know how to handle the situation with dementia,” she said about her husband’s disease, diagnosed 10 years ago. “I lose my temper a lot and I get exasperated. I know I’m not handling things well, not for him and not for myself.”
Everyone in the room struggles with anger, frustration, fear and sorrow, said Deanne Weissflog, who was sitting next to her. While the men and women were all caring for relatives in different stages of dementia or Alzheimer’s, they all know the difficult road they are traveling.
And that includes Nafie Saba-Shapazian, executive director of Dodge Park and its Day Club, and Don Kemp, who helps her lead the sessions for caregivers.
Ms. Saba-Shapazian, a registered nurse, is responsible for Dodge Park’s 60 residents. Mr. Kemp, a rehabilitation counselor, took care of his father when he had Alzheimer’s.
They all know dementia and Alzheimer’s are insidious diseases, stealing up on people and their families. Only after the fact do bizarre behaviors and odd lapses make sense, sometimes after working lives and financial security are in a shambles. Alzheimer’s affects about 4.5 million Americans. There are some medications that stall the chronic, progressive disease, but there is no cure.
At the meeting, Betty Belevick read from an article in a business magazine about drugs in the pipeline. It might be too late for their loved ones in the grips of Alzheimer’s, but maybe it could help their children, Donna Haran said. There has been progress, not just in medications, Jeanette Rosa-Brady, support group coordinator of the Alzheimer’s Association’s Massachusetts chapter, said in an interview. She is not involved with the Dodge Park group.When she started training support group leaders in 1992, not as much was known about the disease, she said.
“People are able to access information much more readily now with the Internet,” she said. “That wasn’t there when I started. There weren’t medications to treat Alzheimer’s and there wasn’t a lot we knew from research about how to manage home safety or understand what someone with Alzheimer’s perceives.”
The Dodge Park group members talked about how to stay in the moment with the patients. For Ms. Haran, that meant not fighting with her husband when he headed for the snow blower at the first flake. Instead, she told him it was out of gas.
Distraction can work, as can humor.
The worst can be those moments of lucidity when Alzheimer’s patients recognize their plight.
Barbara Gould said her husband retired when he couldn’t face going to work once he knew he wasn’t doing it properly.
“All of a sudden he couldn’t count the money in his pocket,” she said. “That was humiliating for such a proud man. He was quick with numbers, like a calculator.”
One woman who, like many in the room, is caring for not one but two relatives — a parent and a spouse — with Alzheimer’s, said putting her husband in a nursing home was harder for her to get through than his death. Another woman said she had promised her aunt to keep her at home as long a she possibly could. Because her relatives disagree with her vow, she said, they don’t help her with the care.
Some of the people the caregivers spoke about were elderly, but some were just in their 50s when they began to fail. Many of the caregivers in the group are still working full time, fraying when demands tear them apart.
Russ Varney said he hasn’t taken a vacation in the three years since his mother became ill. He lives in Boston, works in Wellesley and takes care of his mother in Worcester. He’s exhausted pretty much all the time.
At 89, she is in perfect health — except for her dementia. She attends a day program most weekdays, as did other relatives of group members. He was cleaning her bathroom one recent weekend when he realized he couldn’t recall the last time he did the bathroom in his own house.
He recommended respite care, just to recharge.
That sounds good, but it’s not so easily done. First, the caregivers have to get over the guilt they feel when they turn their attention to themselves for a change, said Ms. Rosa-Brady of the Alzheimer’s Association. They feel guilt that they didn’t notice the disease sooner, or that they still enjoy things they used to do together, or that they get angry.
“People feel guilty that they are not doing a better job,” she said. “Any support group can dispel that right away. There’s no such thing as a perfect caregiver. You’re a human being.”
And human beings need rest. Ms. Saba-Shapazian tells them they can’t give good care if they don’t take care of themselves.
There’s even a study from the National Institutes of Health published in November that showed caregivers significantly improved their own quality of life and their loved ones’ when they were visited by people trained in stress management and problem-solving techniques and had support groups to call on.
While the Dodge Park group members talked about their trials, they never forgot the patients, saying how painful it must be for them, both in the early stages when they know they are declining and later when they are afraid and can’t be calmed.
Ms. Haran’s husband asked her one morning, when he didn’t know if he should get up, “What life is this, when I don’t know if it’s morning or night?”
Deanne’s mother was frightened, asking her, “What’s going to happen to me?”
Heads nodded as she said that.
“The strength from the people in this room is very encouraging,” Ms. Haran said.
Ms. Rosa-Brady said that’s the constant in support groups.
“You can read about Alzheimer’s on the Internet all you want. You will find information that is useful but all of us need to sit down and talk to other people who are doing the same thing you are,” she said. “You can read all you want, but that’s not going to dispel the feeling that you are the only person in the world this is happening to.”
That’s what the newcomer heard.
“It’s not easy being the ones who are left, trying to keep your head afloat. But here there’s camaraderie, compassion and understanding,” June Shack told her. “This is the right place to be.”
Comment on this story at www.telegram.com. Send an e-mail to Elizabeth Cooney at ecooney@telegram.com.
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Caring for the Caregivers
By Elizabeth Cooney
TELEGRAM & GAZETTE
ecooney@telegram.com
WORCESTER— You came to the right place, the group told the silver-haired woman who had just joined them.
She took her seat on one of the 14 armchairs fanning out from the fireplace at Dodge Park Rest Home. Twice a month, people caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease meet to share supper, stories, strategies and support. Across the hall, their relatives can have a meal and take part in an activity while the two-hour session unfolds.
The new arrival, who didn’t want her name used in the newspaper, told the group why she came.
“I don’t think I know how to handle the situation with dementia,” she said about her husband’s disease, diagnosed 10 years ago. “I lose my temper a lot and I get exasperated. I know I’m not handling things well, not for him and not for myself.”
Everyone in the room struggles with anger, frustration, fear and sorrow, said Deanne Weissflog, who was sitting next to her. While the men and women were all caring for relatives in different stages of dementia or Alzheimer’s, they all know the difficult road they are traveling.
And that includes Nafie Saba-Shapazian, executive director of Dodge Park and its Day Club, and Don Kemp, who helps her lead the sessions for caregivers.
Ms. Saba-Shapazian, a registered nurse, is responsible for Dodge Park’s 60 residents. Mr. Kemp, a rehabilitation counselor, took care of his father when he had Alzheimer’s.
They all know dementia and Alzheimer’s are insidious diseases, stealing up on people and their families. Only after the fact do bizarre behaviors and odd lapses make sense, sometimes after working lives and financial security are in a shambles. Alzheimer’s affects about 4.5 million Americans. There are some medications that stall the chronic, progressive disease, but there is no cure.
At the meeting, Betty Belevick read from an article in a business magazine about drugs in the pipeline. It might be too late for their loved ones in the grips of Alzheimer’s, but maybe it could help their children, Donna Haran said. There has been progress, not just in medications, Jeanette Rosa-Brady, support group coordinator of the Alzheimer’s Association’s Massachusetts chapter, said in an interview. She is not involved with the Dodge Park group.When she started training support group leaders in 1992, not as much was known about the disease, she said.
“People are able to access information much more readily now with the Internet,” she said. “That wasn’t there when I started. There weren’t medications to treat Alzheimer’s and there wasn’t a lot we knew from research about how to manage home safety or understand what someone with Alzheimer’s perceives.”
The Dodge Park group members talked about how to stay in the moment with the patients. For Ms. Haran, that meant not fighting with her husband when he headed for the snow blower at the first flake. Instead, she told him it was out of gas.
Distraction can work, as can humor.
The worst can be those moments of lucidity when Alzheimer’s patients recognize their plight.
Barbara Gould said her husband retired when he couldn’t face going to work once he knew he wasn’t doing it properly.
“All of a sudden he couldn’t count the money in his pocket,” she said. “That was humiliating for such a proud man. He was quick with numbers, like a calculator.”
One woman who, like many in the room, is caring for not one but two relatives — a parent and a spouse — with Alzheimer’s, said putting her husband in a nursing home was harder for her to get through than his death. Another woman said she had promised her aunt to keep her at home as long a she possibly could. Because her relatives disagree with her vow, she said, they don’t help her with the care.
Some of the people the caregivers spoke about were elderly, but some were just in their 50s when they began to fail. Many of the caregivers in the group are still working full time, fraying when demands tear them apart.
Russ Varney said he hasn’t taken a vacation in the three years since his mother became ill. He lives in Boston, works in Wellesley and takes care of his mother in Worcester. He’s exhausted pretty much all the time.
At 89, she is in perfect health — except for her dementia. She attends a day program most weekdays, as did other relatives of group members. He was cleaning her bathroom one recent weekend when he realized he couldn’t recall the last time he did the bathroom in his own house.
He recommended respite care, just to recharge.
That sounds good, but it’s not so easily done. First, the caregivers have to get over the guilt they feel when they turn their attention to themselves for a change, said Ms. Rosa-Brady of the Alzheimer’s Association. They feel guilt that they didn’t notice the disease sooner, or that they still enjoy things they used to do together, or that they get angry.
“People feel guilty that they are not doing a better job,” she said. “Any support group can dispel that right away. There’s no such thing as a perfect caregiver. You’re a human being.”
And human beings need rest. Ms. Saba-Shapazian tells them they can’t give good care if they don’t take care of themselves.
There’s even a study from the National Institutes of Health published in November that showed caregivers significantly improved their own quality of life and their loved ones’ when they were visited by people trained in stress management and problem-solving techniques and had support groups to call on.
While the Dodge Park group members talked about their trials, they never forgot the patients, saying how painful it must be for them, both in the early stages when they know they are declining and later when they are afraid and can’t be calmed.
Ms. Haran’s husband asked her one morning, when he didn’t know if he should get up, “What life is this, when I don’t know if it’s morning or night?”
Deanne’s mother was frightened, asking her, “What’s going to happen to me?”
Heads nodded as she said that.
“The strength from the people in this room is very encouraging,” Ms. Haran said.
Ms. Rosa-Brady said that’s the constant in support groups.
“You can read about Alzheimer’s on the Internet all you want. You will find information that is useful but all of us need to sit down and talk to other people who are doing the same thing you are,” she said. “You can read all you want, but that’s not going to dispel the feeling that you are the only person in the world this is happening to.”
That’s what the newcomer heard.
“It’s not easy being the ones who are left, trying to keep your head afloat. But here there’s camaraderie, compassion and understanding,” June Shack told her. “This is the right place to be.”
Comment on this story at www.telegram.com. Send an e-mail to Elizabeth Cooney at ecooney@telegram.com.
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Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Loneliness and Alzheimer's Linked
People who are lonely are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease, a large US study has suggested.
Source Archives of General Psychiatry
A total of 823 older persons free of dementia at enrollment were recruited from senior citizen facilities in and around Chicago, Ill. Loneliness was assessed with a 5-item scale at baseline (mean ± SD, 2.3 ± 0.6) and annually thereafter. At death, a uniform postmortem examination of the brain was conducted to quantify AD pathology in multiple brain regions and the presence of cerebral infarctions.
The study found that the risk of Alzheimer's disease was more than doubled in lonely persons compared with persons who were not lonely. The study also concluded that Loneliness is associated with an increased risk of late-life dementia but not with its leading causes.
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Source Archives of General Psychiatry
A total of 823 older persons free of dementia at enrollment were recruited from senior citizen facilities in and around Chicago, Ill. Loneliness was assessed with a 5-item scale at baseline (mean ± SD, 2.3 ± 0.6) and annually thereafter. At death, a uniform postmortem examination of the brain was conducted to quantify AD pathology in multiple brain regions and the presence of cerebral infarctions.
The study found that the risk of Alzheimer's disease was more than doubled in lonely persons compared with persons who were not lonely. The study also concluded that Loneliness is associated with an increased risk of late-life dementia but not with its leading causes.
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Sunday, February 4, 2007
Huperzine A in Alzheimer's Disease--Phase Two Clinical Trial
The Huperzine A in Alzheimer's Disease clinical trial is currently open and recruiting patients. This is a Phase II clinical trial.
Huperzine A in Alzheimer's Disease-The Clinical Trial
See the trial specification at Clinical Trials.gov
Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Treatment, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Control, Parallel Assignment, Safety/Efficacy Study
Official Title: A Multi-Center, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Therapeutic Trial to Determine Whether Natural Huperzine A Improves Cognitive Function
Further study details as provided by National Institute on Aging (NIA).
Huperzine A is a natural cholinesterase inhibitor derived from the Chinese herb Huperzia serrata. There is evidence that huperzine A may compare favorably in symptomatic efficacy to cholinesterase inhibitors currently in use. In addition, huperzine A has antioxidant and neuroprotective properties that suggest that it may be useful as a disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The drug is currently available as a nutraceutical in this country, and is being used by some U.S. clinicians to treat AD. However, there have been no controlled clinical trials outside China assessing its toxicity and efficacy. The present study will evaluate huperzine A in the treatment of AD in a randomized controlled trial of its effect on cognitive function.
The primary aim of this multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled therapeutic Phase II trial is to determine whether treatment with huperzine A 200µg twice a day improves cognitive function in individuals with AD. Secondary aims of this study are to: a) determine whether treatment with huperzine A 400µg twice a day improves cognitive function in individuals with AD; b) determine the effect of huperzine A treatment on global clinical status, activities of daily living, and behavior in AD; c) evaluate the tolerability of huperzine A treatment at dosages of 200µg twice a day and 400µg twice a day in AD; and d) determine the relationship between blood cholinesterase activity and cognitive function in individuals with AD treated with huperzine A. A total of 150 participants will be randomly assigned to three groups of equal size. This will allow a comparison of huperzine A 200µg twice a day, huperzine A 400µg twice a day, and placebo. The primary outcome measures will be the change in score on the ADAScog at the 16 week visit. Secondary outcome measures include the ADCS clinical global impression of change (CGIC) (Schneider et al 1997) and activities of daily living (ADL) (Galasko et al 1997) scales, and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (Cummings 1997). Volunteers must be able to participate in the study for 24 weeks and make 9 visits to the trial site.
At the end of the double-blind study, participants will be invited to continue huperzine A treatment for 6 months in an open-label extension phase. Participants will receive 200µg of huperzine A twice a day for six consecutive months, and will be assessed at 3-month intervals (months 6, 9, and 12, with month 6 assessments coinciding with the final visit of the double-blind phase).
Eligibility
Ages Eligible for Study: 55 Years and above, Genders Eligible for Study: Both CriteriaThe selection process is designed to allow enrollment of all people with AD who are likely to be testable at the conclusion of the study period, and who do not have concurrent medical conditions or medications that might influence cognitive testing or that would increase the risk of treatment. Women and members of minority groups are encouraged to volunteer.
Inclusion Criteria:
NINDS/ADRDA criteria for probable AD.
Mini Mental State Examination between 10 and 24, inclusive.
Stable medical condition for 3 months prior to screening.
Supervision available for administration of study medications.
Study partner to accompany participant to all scheduled visits.
Fluent in English or Spanish.
Age 55 years or older.
Modified Hachinski score equal to or less than 4.
CT or MRI since onset of memory impairment demonstrating absence of clinically significant focal lesion.
Able to complete baseline assessments.
6 years of education, or work history sufficient to exclude mental retardation.
Able to ingest oral medication.
Stable doses of medications for 4 weeks prior to screening.
Physically acceptable for this study as confirmed by medical history, physical exam, neurological exam and clinical tests.
Exclusion Criteria:
History of active peptic ulcer disease within 1 year of screening.
Clinically significant cardiac arrhythmia.
Resting pulse less than 50.
Active neoplastic (cancer) disease (skin tumors other than melanoma are not excluded; participants with stable prostate cancer may be included at the discretion of the Project Director).
Use of another investigational agent within 2 months of screening.
History of clinically significant stroke.
Current evidence or history in the past 2 years of epilepsy, focal brain lesion, head injury with loss of consciousness and/or immediate confusion after the injury, or DSM-IV criteria for any major psychiatric disorder including psychosis, major depression, bipolar disorder, alcohol or substance abuse.
Blindness, deafness, language difficulties or any other disability which may prevent the participant from participating or cooperating in the protocol.
Residence in a skilled nursing facility; but patients in an assisted living facility are acceptable.
Excluded Medications:
Use of cholinesterase inhibitors (galantamine, rivastigmine, donepezil, and tacrine) within 2 months of screening.
Regular use of narcotic analgesics (>2 doses per week) within 4 weeks of screening.
Use of medications with significant central nervous system anticholinergic activity within 2 months of screening (e.g. tricyclic antidepressants, diphenhydramine).
Use of anti-Parkinsonian medications (including Sinemet, amantadine, bromocriptine, pergolide, selegiline) within 2 months of screening.
Participation in any other investigational drug study within 2 months of screening (individuals may not participate in any other drug study while participating in this protocol).
Use of estrogen is allowed if the dose has been stable for 3 months prior to screening.
Use of vitamin E is allowed if the dose has been stable for 3 months prior to screening.
Use of memantine is allowed if the dose has been stable for 3 months prior to screening.
To see a list of availale locations go to Location and Contact Information
Huperzine A in Alzheimer's Disease-The Clinical Trial
See the trial specification at Clinical Trials.gov
Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Treatment, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Control, Parallel Assignment, Safety/Efficacy Study
Official Title: A Multi-Center, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Therapeutic Trial to Determine Whether Natural Huperzine A Improves Cognitive Function
Further study details as provided by National Institute on Aging (NIA).
Huperzine A is a natural cholinesterase inhibitor derived from the Chinese herb Huperzia serrata. There is evidence that huperzine A may compare favorably in symptomatic efficacy to cholinesterase inhibitors currently in use. In addition, huperzine A has antioxidant and neuroprotective properties that suggest that it may be useful as a disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The drug is currently available as a nutraceutical in this country, and is being used by some U.S. clinicians to treat AD. However, there have been no controlled clinical trials outside China assessing its toxicity and efficacy. The present study will evaluate huperzine A in the treatment of AD in a randomized controlled trial of its effect on cognitive function.
The primary aim of this multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled therapeutic Phase II trial is to determine whether treatment with huperzine A 200µg twice a day improves cognitive function in individuals with AD. Secondary aims of this study are to: a) determine whether treatment with huperzine A 400µg twice a day improves cognitive function in individuals with AD; b) determine the effect of huperzine A treatment on global clinical status, activities of daily living, and behavior in AD; c) evaluate the tolerability of huperzine A treatment at dosages of 200µg twice a day and 400µg twice a day in AD; and d) determine the relationship between blood cholinesterase activity and cognitive function in individuals with AD treated with huperzine A. A total of 150 participants will be randomly assigned to three groups of equal size. This will allow a comparison of huperzine A 200µg twice a day, huperzine A 400µg twice a day, and placebo. The primary outcome measures will be the change in score on the ADAScog at the 16 week visit. Secondary outcome measures include the ADCS clinical global impression of change (CGIC) (Schneider et al 1997) and activities of daily living (ADL) (Galasko et al 1997) scales, and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (Cummings 1997). Volunteers must be able to participate in the study for 24 weeks and make 9 visits to the trial site.
At the end of the double-blind study, participants will be invited to continue huperzine A treatment for 6 months in an open-label extension phase. Participants will receive 200µg of huperzine A twice a day for six consecutive months, and will be assessed at 3-month intervals (months 6, 9, and 12, with month 6 assessments coinciding with the final visit of the double-blind phase).
Eligibility
Ages Eligible for Study: 55 Years and above, Genders Eligible for Study: Both CriteriaThe selection process is designed to allow enrollment of all people with AD who are likely to be testable at the conclusion of the study period, and who do not have concurrent medical conditions or medications that might influence cognitive testing or that would increase the risk of treatment. Women and members of minority groups are encouraged to volunteer.
Inclusion Criteria:
NINDS/ADRDA criteria for probable AD.
Mini Mental State Examination between 10 and 24, inclusive.
Stable medical condition for 3 months prior to screening.
Supervision available for administration of study medications.
Study partner to accompany participant to all scheduled visits.
Fluent in English or Spanish.
Age 55 years or older.
Modified Hachinski score equal to or less than 4.
CT or MRI since onset of memory impairment demonstrating absence of clinically significant focal lesion.
Able to complete baseline assessments.
6 years of education, or work history sufficient to exclude mental retardation.
Able to ingest oral medication.
Stable doses of medications for 4 weeks prior to screening.
Physically acceptable for this study as confirmed by medical history, physical exam, neurological exam and clinical tests.
Exclusion Criteria:
History of active peptic ulcer disease within 1 year of screening.
Clinically significant cardiac arrhythmia.
Resting pulse less than 50.
Active neoplastic (cancer) disease (skin tumors other than melanoma are not excluded; participants with stable prostate cancer may be included at the discretion of the Project Director).
Use of another investigational agent within 2 months of screening.
History of clinically significant stroke.
Current evidence or history in the past 2 years of epilepsy, focal brain lesion, head injury with loss of consciousness and/or immediate confusion after the injury, or DSM-IV criteria for any major psychiatric disorder including psychosis, major depression, bipolar disorder, alcohol or substance abuse.
Blindness, deafness, language difficulties or any other disability which may prevent the participant from participating or cooperating in the protocol.
Residence in a skilled nursing facility; but patients in an assisted living facility are acceptable.
Excluded Medications:
Use of cholinesterase inhibitors (galantamine, rivastigmine, donepezil, and tacrine) within 2 months of screening.
Regular use of narcotic analgesics (>2 doses per week) within 4 weeks of screening.
Use of medications with significant central nervous system anticholinergic activity within 2 months of screening (e.g. tricyclic antidepressants, diphenhydramine).
Use of anti-Parkinsonian medications (including Sinemet, amantadine, bromocriptine, pergolide, selegiline) within 2 months of screening.
Participation in any other investigational drug study within 2 months of screening (individuals may not participate in any other drug study while participating in this protocol).
Use of estrogen is allowed if the dose has been stable for 3 months prior to screening.
Use of vitamin E is allowed if the dose has been stable for 3 months prior to screening.
Use of memantine is allowed if the dose has been stable for 3 months prior to screening.
To see a list of availale locations go to Location and Contact Information
Monday, January 29, 2007
The Seven Stages of Alzheimer's
Experts have documented common patterns of symptom progression that occur in many individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and developed several methods of “staging” based on these patterns."
You can read this article by following the link
The Alzheimer's Reading Room: The Seven Stages of Alzheimer's
You can read this article by following the link
The Alzheimer's Reading Room: The Seven Stages of Alzheimer's
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Clinton/Obama: An email from the Obama camp
I received an interesting email from the OBama camp that you can read by following this link.
"Last night was an evening for rhetoric and promises. But now is the time for action - now is the time to actually get something done. You deserve leadership that's commensurate to the challenges we face in this country, and I look forward to working with all of you to make this happen in the days and months to come."
"Last night was an evening for rhetoric and promises. But now is the time for action - now is the time to actually get something done. You deserve leadership that's commensurate to the challenges we face in this country, and I look forward to working with all of you to make this happen in the days and months to come."
Monday, January 22, 2007
Cutting Medicaid drug payments?
"The Bush Administration is proposing “sweeping reductions in payments to pharmacies” to save money for Medicaid, the health program for more than 50 million low-income (and poor) people. God help them, the pharmacies and beneficiaries . . ."
Read the article in its entirety Cutting Medicaid drug payments?
Read the article in its entirety Cutting Medicaid drug payments?
Alzheimer's Vaccine Patch Works in Mice
Read the article Alzheimer's Vaccine Patch Works in Mice
"The Alzheimer's vaccine being tested works by triggering the immune system to recognize and attack Ab -- a protein that abnormally builds up in the brains of Alzheimer's patients."
"The Alzheimer's vaccine being tested works by triggering the immune system to recognize and attack Ab -- a protein that abnormally builds up in the brains of Alzheimer's patients."
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Alzheimer's: Understand and control wandering
"One of the questions I am most frequently asked is if I am worried that my mother might wander away from me and get lost. Wandering is one of the more widely known behaviors of people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. This article from the Mayo Clinic explains this behavior and some of the likely causes and remedies."
Read this article in its entirety Alzheimer's: Understand and control wandering.
Read this article in its entirety Alzheimer's: Understand and control wandering.
Monday, January 15, 2007
New Gene Linked to Alzheimer's
"It fits into what we believe is the main mechanism of Alzheimer's already," Gandy said. "This reinforces the idea that we're on the right track with therapies already in the pipeline, while also suggesting a totally new strategy that could be used to target entirely new classes of drugs."
To read the article in its entirety go to the The Alzheimer's Reading Room.
To read the article in its entirety go to the The Alzheimer's Reading Room.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
The Alzheimer’s Reading Room
Everything Alzheimer's Disease. This weblog is for Alzheimer's CareGivers, those touched by Alzheimer's, and those interested in learning more about Alzheimer's disease. The content on this weblog is wide ranging and includes: research, definitions, education, important articles, clinical trials, and content from other CareGiver Weblogs.
To visit the weblog follow this line The Alzheimer’s Reading Room
To visit the weblog follow this line The Alzheimer’s Reading Room
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