Alzheimer’s disease
Keeping your weight in check could protect your brain from damage
Scientists from the University of Sheffield have found that obesity is linked with poorer brain health in people with and without memory and thinking problems. The research is published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease Reports. What did the researchers do? Researchers collected brain scans from 47 volunteers diagnosed with mild Alzheimer’s disease, 68 with…
Identifying an inflammatory signature in blood to predict the onset of Alzheimer’s disease
Researchers at the University of Exeter will look for a genetic signature in the blood of people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which they hope will help predict if people go on to develop dementia 5 years later.
Increased exercise in midlife linked with better brain health in later life
Scientists in the US have found that the more physical activity people do in midlife the better their brain health in later life. The scientific publication, Neurology, has reported the results today (Wednesday 6 January). What did the scientists look at? The researchers looked at 1,604 volunteers taking part in an existing study, to see…
Donation page in memory of Dame Barbara Windsor raises over £100,000 in days for Alzheimer’s Research UK
Husband Scott says he has been “overwhelmed” by the response from around the world A donation page set up to support vital dementia research in memory of Dame Barbara Windsor has raised over £100,000 in just six days. The JustGiving page was created last Thursday at the request of Dame Barbara’s devoted husband Scott Mitchell,…
Book of condolence set up in memory of Dame Barbara Windsor by husband Scott
Online page will allow people to pay tribute and support the work of Alzheimer’s Research UK A dedicated online page that will act as a book of condolence and to receive donations for dementia research has been set up for the late Dame Barbara Windsor, who died with Alzheimer’s disease last Thursday (10 December). The…
Study identifies 10 risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease
Scientists led by a team in China have identified 10 risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease. The 10 factors are diabetes, poor BMI, reduced education, high blood pressure in midlife, low blood pressure, head trauma, high levels of homocysteine, less cognitive activity, stress, and depression. Researchers published the findings today (Monday 20 July) in the Journal…
Blood-based markers help spot dementia risk in those with early memory and thinking problems
Today (Monday 30 November) researchers in Sweden found levels of certain blood-based proteins predicted worsening memory and thinking in a group of people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). What is MCI? MCI is an umbrella term given to a noticeable and measurable decline in a person’s memory or thinking, which does not interfere with activities…
Brain’s ‘speedometer’ could help solve part of dementia puzzle
Nearly one million people in the UK have dementia. People living with the most common form, Alzheimer’s disease, can experience difficulties working out where they are, meaning they often get lost even in familiar environments. Today (Friday 27 November) research funded by Alzheimer’s Research UK at the University of Exeter Medical School sheds new light…
Changes to how new drugs are assessed could help dementia treatments get to people sooner
Alzheimer’s Research UK says proposed changes to the way new treatments are assessed could give the dementia drugs of the future ‘a better chance of getting to the people who need them’. NICE has today (6 November) launched a public consultation that sets out the case for change to the methods it uses to develop…
Potential Alzheimer’s treatment to be reviewed ‘within a year’ for use in EU
Today (Friday 30 October 2020) the European Medicines Agency (EMA) accepted Biogen’s application to review a potential Alzheimer’s drug, aducanumab for use in the EU. The drug will need to be approved by regulators before it could be offered more widely to the general population. What is aducanumab? Aducanumab is an antibody designed to target…