by Medical XPress:

A compound developed to treat neuropathic pain has shown potential as an innovative treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study by researchers at Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute and Anesthesiology Institute.

“Cleveland Clinic dedicated two years of research into the examination of this compound and our findings show it could represent a novel therapeutic target in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease,” said Mohamed Naguib, M.D., Professor of Anesthesiology, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine. “Development of this compound as a potential drug for Alzheimer’s would take many more years, but this is a promising finding worthy of further investigation.”

by Dr. Swati Shroff for ABC News:

Bob Demarco, 62, spent more than eight years taking care of his mother, who had Alzheimer’s disease before she passed away at age 95 in May 2012.

During this eight-year period, his chief concern as a caregiver was for his mother. But sometimes, he says, he would think of his own risk in the future.

“I’m sure I was more worried at the beginning when my mom got diagnosed,” says Demarco, of Delray Beach, Fla., who is also the founder and editor of the Alzheimer’s Reading Room blog. “I would describe myself as concerned more than worried.”

Still, Demarco opted for the genetic testing to look for a gene known to significantly increase the risk of Alzheimer’s. He tested negative for the gene.

by Fiona Macrae for Daily News:

Gorging on junk food may not just make you fat – it could also give you dementia. Evidence is growing that a bad diet triggers Alzheimer’s by poisoning the brain.

With studies on animals strongly implicating the hormone insulin in the process, some believe Alzheimer’s to be another version of diabetes. Bizarre as the claim may seem, confirming the link could speed the search for desperately needed new treatments for Alzheimer’s, which, along with other forms of dementia, affects more than 800,000 Britons.

Bad diets are already linked to dementia, through high blood pressure and cholesterol interrupting blood supply to the brain. But the latest theory points to high levels of fatty and sugary food damaging the brain by interrupting its supply of insulin.

by Leann Reynolds for Huffington Post:

There are more than 5.4 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease, a form of dementia, and it is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s live an average of eight years after being diagnosed, though some survive up to 20 years depending on their age and other health conditions.

There are treatments to slow the progressive symptoms and improve quality of life — which is important for the person with Alzheimer’s as well as their loved ones and caregivers — but there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease.

by Jennifer Roberts for Community Care:

Our behaviour – good, bad or indifferent – is a clear expression of our feelings and needs. It is a form of communication and is demonstrated in a myriad ways. Memory, concentration, communication and the ability to reason things out or make sense of what is happening are often impaired in people with dementia.

There are many forms of behaviour that can challenge you when caring for a person with dementia. They may repeat things, push you away, or become irritable, agitated or aggressive while you are trying to provide care or support. You may feel uncomfortable if their mood changes and they start shouting or swearing at you or appear to have no interest in themselves or their care. They may pace around or wander off. Some people with dementia experience hallucinations. This can be difficult behaviour to understand, especially if time with a person with dementia is limited.

by Doctors Lounge:

Levels of five different cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers are able to improve differentiation between common dementia and parkinsonian disorders, according to a study published online Aug. 27 in the Archives of Neurology.

Sara Hall, M.D., from Lund University in Sweden, and colleagues assessed the ability of five CSF biomarkers to differentiate between 453 CSF samples from healthy controls and patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), PD with dementia (PDD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), multiple system atrophy (MSA), or corticobasal degeneration (CBD).

by Jerome Burne for Daily Mail:

We badly need new and effective treatments for Alzheimer’s. But they may be proving so hard to find because researchers are looking in the wrong place.

That’s the remarkable claim by experts in the field. 

They are questioning why so much research into Alzheimer’s focuses on male brains — despite women being twice as likely to get the disease, and their brains having a fundamentally different make-up.

New studies show female hormones could be the reason women are more at risk, suggesting hormone replacement therapy could have a protective effect.

by Staness Jonekos for Huffington Post:

Are you suffering from hot flashes, night sweats or cranky moods? Feeling hopeless, apprehensive or deep sadness for prolonged periods? If so, you may be suffering from perimenopausal depression.

Depression is more common among women than men. Biological, life cycle, hormonal and psychosocial factors that women experience may be linked to women’s higher depression rate. Researchers have shown that hormones directly affect the brain chemistry that controls emotions and mood.

Perimenopausal symptoms may be the cause of depression, and for some, it may even be clinical depression.

by Fight Dementia:

Each day there are many things that provide us with purpose and pleasure. For a person with dementia, the need for a good quality of life is not diminished. However, without some assistance from family and carers, their ability to achieve purpose and pleasure is much more difficult.

Ideally, activities should:

• Compensate for lost activities
• Promote self esteem
• Maintain residual skills and not involve new learning
• Provide an opportunity for enjoyment, pleasure and social contact
• Be sensitive to the person’s cultural background.

SOME HELPFUL GUIDELINES WHEN PLANNING ACTIVITIES

by Everyday Health for Huffington Post:

Worried about losing your memory? Help may be as close as your kitchen. Amy Jamieson-Petonic, R.D., of Cleveland Clinic, shares five foods that harbor nutrients proven to better your brain health.

1. Blueberries

Berries contain anthocyanin, an antioxidant pigment that increases your ability to remember things. One three-month research study showed improved learning recall in older adults who drank blueberry juice to improved learning recall.

2.  Almonds