Xanax, Valium Raise Alzheimer's Risk: Study
NewsMaxx
10 Sep 2014
Older adults who habitually use sedatives for anxiety or insomnia may have a heightened risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, a new study suggests.
The drugs in question are benzodiazepines, a widely prescribed group of sedatives that include lorazepam (Ativan), diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax). Older adults commonly take the drugs for anxiety or insomnia, often long-term, according to background information in the study.
That's despite the fact that guidelines call for only short-term use of the drugs, at most. In 2012, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) put benzodiazepines on its list of drugs considered "potentially inappropriate" for seniors, because of risks like confusion, dizziness and falls.
The current study isn't the first to link benzodiazepines to Alzheimer's risk, but it adds to evidence that longer-term use of the drugs -- beyond three months -- might be a risk factor, according to lead researcher Sophie Billioti de Gage, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Bordeaux, in France.
"For people needing or using benzodiazepines, it seems crucial to encourage physicians to carefully balance the benefits and risks when renewing the prescription," Billioti de Gage said.
But the study was only able to find an association between the drugs and Alzheimer's risk.
It wasn't designed to definitively prove that the drugs caused the memory-robbing condition, according to geriatrics specialist Dr. Gisele Wolf-Klein, who was not involved in the research.
One reason is that the findings are based on prescription records. "We know the drugs were prescribed, but we don't know how often people took them, or if they took them at all," said Wolf-Klein, director of geriatric education at North Shore-LIJ Health System in New Hyde Park, N.Y.
Regardless, she said, benzodiazepines have enough known risks to warrant concern.
"There is absolutely no doubt these drugs have dangerous side effects," Wolf-Klein said. "It's important for people to understand that they can be addictive, and increase the risk of confusion and falls."
The study was published online Sept. 9 in BMJ.
For the study, Billioti de Gage's team examined the histories of nearly 1,800 older adults with Alzheimer's, comparing each one with four dementia-free people of the same age and sex.
They found that people who'd been prescribed benzodiazepines for more than three months were 51 percent more likely to develop Alzheimer's, versus people who'd never used the drugs.
The risk was almost doubled if they'd taken the medications for more than six months.
According to Billioti de Gage, people in the early stages of Alzheimer's can have symptoms like sleep problems and anxiety. That raises the possibility that benzodiazepine use is the result of Alzheimer's, and not the cause of the disease.
But she said her study was designed to counter this possibility. They only considered prescriptions that were started at least five years before a person's Alzheimer's diagnosis.
Billioti de Gage said the medications can be useful short-term. And, she pointed out, the study found no increased Alzheimer's risk among older adults who were prescribed the drugs according to international guidelines; that means using them no longer than one month for insomnia, and no more than three months for anxiety symptoms.
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Showing posts with label Alzheimer's. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alzheimer's. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Friday, April 25, 2014
Scientists reverse memory loss in mice with Alzheimer's
Scientists reverse memory loss in mice with Alzheimer's
April 24, 2014
Relaxnews
Spanish scientists have for the first time used gene therapy to reverse memory loss in mice with Alzheimer's, an advance that could lead to new drugs to treat the disease, they said Wednesday. The Autonomous University of Barcelona team injected a gene which causes the production of a protein that is blocked in patients with Alzheimer's into the hippocampus -- a region of the brian essential to memory processing -- in mice that were in the initial stages of the disease. "The protein that was reinstated by the gene therapy triggers the signals needed to activate the genes involved in long-term memory consolidation," the university said in a statement. Gene therapy involves transplanting genes into a patient's cells to correct an otherwise incurable disease caused by a failure of one or another gene. The finding was published in The Journal of Neuroscience and it follows four years of research. "The hope is that this study could lead to the development of pharmaceutical drugs that can activate these genes in humans and allow for the recovery of memory," the head of the research team, Carlos Saura, told AFP. Alzheimer's, caused by toxic proteins that destroy brain cells, is the most common form of dementia. Worldwide, 35.6 million people suffer from the fatal degenerative disease, which is currently incurable, and there are 7.7 million new cases every year, according to a 2012 report from the World Health Organisation. In 2010 the total global societal cost of dementia was estimated to be $604 billion, according to Alzheimer's Disease International, a federation of Alzheimer associations around the world.
April 24, 2014
Relaxnews
Spanish scientists have for the first time used gene therapy to reverse memory loss in mice with Alzheimer's, an advance that could lead to new drugs to treat the disease, they said Wednesday. The Autonomous University of Barcelona team injected a gene which causes the production of a protein that is blocked in patients with Alzheimer's into the hippocampus -- a region of the brian essential to memory processing -- in mice that were in the initial stages of the disease. "The protein that was reinstated by the gene therapy triggers the signals needed to activate the genes involved in long-term memory consolidation," the university said in a statement. Gene therapy involves transplanting genes into a patient's cells to correct an otherwise incurable disease caused by a failure of one or another gene. The finding was published in The Journal of Neuroscience and it follows four years of research. "The hope is that this study could lead to the development of pharmaceutical drugs that can activate these genes in humans and allow for the recovery of memory," the head of the research team, Carlos Saura, told AFP. Alzheimer's, caused by toxic proteins that destroy brain cells, is the most common form of dementia. Worldwide, 35.6 million people suffer from the fatal degenerative disease, which is currently incurable, and there are 7.7 million new cases every year, according to a 2012 report from the World Health Organisation. In 2010 the total global societal cost of dementia was estimated to be $604 billion, according to Alzheimer's Disease International, a federation of Alzheimer associations around the world.
Friday, April 11, 2014
Lab clue to caffeine benefit on Alzheimer's
Lab clue to caffeine benefit on Alzheimer's
Yahoo News
April 10, 2014
French and German researchers on Wednesday said they had found evidence in the lab to back theories that drinking caffeine has a preventive effect on Alzheimer's disease.
In mice, regular doses of caffeine inhibited the growth of tau, a protein that clogs brain cells in Alzheimer's patients, they said. The discovery was made among mice that had been genetically modified to produce tau. They were given a tiny dose of caffeine -- 0.3 grammes per litre (0.005 ounces per pint) -- in their drinking water over 10 months. This is roughly equivalent to two cups of coffee per day for human beings. The mice were compared with an identical group of "tau" rodents which did not get the caffeine dose. "Mice that were given caffeine were less affected in terms of memory and tau buildup but also in terms of inflammation of the brain tissue," said David Blum of France's National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm). Previous research has found that older people are less likely to suffer cognitive decline if they take regular, moderate amounts of caffeine. Experiments have also found that caffeine slows memory loss in mice bred to develop so-called amyloid plaques -- another compound buildup in the brain that is associated with Alzheimer's. The study appears in the US journal Neurobiology of Aging.
Yahoo News
April 10, 2014
French and German researchers on Wednesday said they had found evidence in the lab to back theories that drinking caffeine has a preventive effect on Alzheimer's disease.
In mice, regular doses of caffeine inhibited the growth of tau, a protein that clogs brain cells in Alzheimer's patients, they said. The discovery was made among mice that had been genetically modified to produce tau. They were given a tiny dose of caffeine -- 0.3 grammes per litre (0.005 ounces per pint) -- in their drinking water over 10 months. This is roughly equivalent to two cups of coffee per day for human beings. The mice were compared with an identical group of "tau" rodents which did not get the caffeine dose. "Mice that were given caffeine were less affected in terms of memory and tau buildup but also in terms of inflammation of the brain tissue," said David Blum of France's National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm). Previous research has found that older people are less likely to suffer cognitive decline if they take regular, moderate amounts of caffeine. Experiments have also found that caffeine slows memory loss in mice bred to develop so-called amyloid plaques -- another compound buildup in the brain that is associated with Alzheimer's. The study appears in the US journal Neurobiology of Aging.
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Statins may provide a slight benefit in the prevention of AD and all-type dementia
Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2013 Apr;22(4):345-58. doi: 10.1002/pds.3381. Epub 2012 Dec 6.
Statins in the prevention of dementia and Alzheimer's disease: a meta-analysis of observational studies and an assessment of confounding.
NCBI
Wong WB, Lin VW, Boudreau D, Devine EB.
Studies demonstrate the potential for statins to prevent dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the evidence is inconclusive.
OBJECTIVE:
Conduct a meta-analysis to estimate any benefit of statins in preventing dementia and examine the potential effect of study design and confounding on the benefit of statins in dementia. A secondary goal is to explore factors that may elucidate the mechanisms by which statins exert their potentially beneficial effect.
METHODS:
Performed systematic literature review to identify relevant publications. Relative risk (RR) estimates were pooled using both fixed and random effect models. Studies were stratified by study design and potential confounding factors.
v RESULTS:
The pooled results for all-type dementia suggest that use of statins is associated with a lower RR of dementia when compared to non-statin users (random effects model: RR 0.82 (95%CI [0.69, 0.97]). The pooled results for AD also suggested a lower RR with statin user compared to non-statin users in random effects models (RR: 0.70, 95% CI [0.60, 0.83]). Study design and methods used to address biases may influence the results.
CONCLUSION:
These pooled results suggest that statins may provide a slight benefit in the prevention of AD and all-type dementia. This benefit observed in both disease states should be interpreted with caution as observational studies are subject to bias, and it is possible that the slight benefit observed may disappear when these biases are addressed in a well-designed randomized controlled trial.
Statins in the prevention of dementia and Alzheimer's disease: a meta-analysis of observational studies and an assessment of confounding.
NCBI
Wong WB, Lin VW, Boudreau D, Devine EB.
Studies demonstrate the potential for statins to prevent dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the evidence is inconclusive.
OBJECTIVE:
Conduct a meta-analysis to estimate any benefit of statins in preventing dementia and examine the potential effect of study design and confounding on the benefit of statins in dementia. A secondary goal is to explore factors that may elucidate the mechanisms by which statins exert their potentially beneficial effect.
METHODS:
Performed systematic literature review to identify relevant publications. Relative risk (RR) estimates were pooled using both fixed and random effect models. Studies were stratified by study design and potential confounding factors.
v RESULTS:
The pooled results for all-type dementia suggest that use of statins is associated with a lower RR of dementia when compared to non-statin users (random effects model: RR 0.82 (95%CI [0.69, 0.97]). The pooled results for AD also suggested a lower RR with statin user compared to non-statin users in random effects models (RR: 0.70, 95% CI [0.60, 0.83]). Study design and methods used to address biases may influence the results.
CONCLUSION:
These pooled results suggest that statins may provide a slight benefit in the prevention of AD and all-type dementia. This benefit observed in both disease states should be interpreted with caution as observational studies are subject to bias, and it is possible that the slight benefit observed may disappear when these biases are addressed in a well-designed randomized controlled trial.
Friday, January 17, 2014
Caffeine pill 'could boost memory; Coffee 'may reverse Alzheimer's'
Caffeine pill 'could boost memory'
BBC News
12 January 2014
Sleep 'cleans' the brain of toxins
Memory 'more consistent with age'
Coffee 'may reverse Alzheimer's'
A US study has raised the possibility that we may one day rely on caffeine to boost memory as well as to wake up.
The research, published in Nature Neuroscience, tested the memories of 160 people over 24 hours.
It found those who took caffeine tablets, rather than dummy pills, fared better on the memory tests.
But experts warned people to remember caffeine could cause negative effects, such as jitteriness and anxiety.
The Johns Hopkins University study involved people who did not regularly eat or drink caffeinated products.
Saliva samples were taken, to check base levels of caffeine, then participants were asked to look at a series of images.
Five minutes later they were given either a 200-milligram caffeine tablet - equivalent to the caffeine in a large cup of coffee, according to the researchers - or a dummy pill.
Saliva samples were taken again one, three and 24 hours later.
The next day, both groups were also tested on their ability to recognise the previous day's images.
Altered images
Twenty-four hours may not sound like a long time, but it is in terms of memory studies. Most "forgetting" happens in the first few hours after learning something.
People were purposely shown a mixture of some of the initial tranche of images, some new - and some that were subtly different.
Being able to distinguish between similar, but not identical items, is called pattern separation and indicates a deeper level of memory retention.
More members of the caffeine group were able to correctly identify "similar" images, rather than wrongly saying they were the same.
Prof Michael Yassa, who led the study, said: "If we used a standard recognition memory task without these tricky similar items, we would have found no effect of caffeine.
"However, using these items requires the brain to make a more difficult discrimination - what we call pattern separation, which seems to be the process that is enhanced by caffeine in our case."
Only a few previous studies have been carried out into caffeine's effect on long-term memory, and those that have been done generally found little effect.
This study was different because people took the caffeine after, rather than before, they had seen and attempted to memorise the images.
The team now want to look at what happens in the hippocampus, the "memory centre" of the brain, so they can understand caffeine's effect.
Moderation But Prof Yassa said their findings do not mean people should rush out and drink lots of coffee, eat lots of chocolate - or take lots of caffeine pills.
"Everything in moderation. Our study suggests that 200mg of coffee is beneficial to those who do not regularly ingest caffeine.
"But we also show an inverted U-shape dose response suggesting that higher doses may not be as beneficial.
"Keep in mind that if you're a regular caffeine drinker this amount may change."
He added: "There are of course health risks to be aware of.
"Caffeine can have side effects like jitteriness and anxiety in some people. The benefits have to be weighed against the risks."
Dr Anders Sandberg from the Future of Humanity Institute at the University of Oxford, said: "The paper demonstrates that giving caffeine after seeing images does improve recognition of them 24 hours later, supporting the idea that it helps the brain consolidate the learning.
"However, there was no straight improvement in recognition memory thanks to caffeine. Rather, the effect was a small improvement in the ability to distinguish new images that looked like old, from the real old images."
He added: "Caffeine may still be helpful for paying attention to what you are studying and hence help your encoding, but the best way of boosting consolidation is sleep - which might be a problem in this case, if you take the caffeine too close to bedtime.
Dr Ashok Jansari, from the University of East London's school of psychology, said caffeine appeared to "sharpen" memory, rather than actually making it better.
He said: "I would definitely not advise that people start taking in as much caffeine as possible since in terms of memory anything above 200mg may not help much and if you take too much caffeine there could be negative consequences for the body."
Coffee 'may reverse Alzheimer's'
BBC News
5 July 2009
A possible treatment for dementia?
Drinking five cups of coffee a day could reverse memory problems seen in Alzheimer's disease, US scientists say.
The Florida research, carried out on mice, also suggested caffeine hampered the production of the protein plaques which are the hallmark of the disease. Previous research has also suggested a protective effect from caffeine. But British experts said the Journal of Alzheimer's disease study did not mean that dementia patients should start using caffeine supplements. The results are particularly exciting in that a reversal of pre-existing memory impairment is more difficult to achieve Dr Gary Arendash University of South Florida The 55 mice used in the University of South Florida study had been bred to develop symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. First the researchers used behavioural tests to confirm the mice were exhibiting signs of memory impairment when they were aged 18 to 19 months, the equivalent to humans being about 70. Then they gave half the mice caffeine in their drinking water. The rest were given plain water. The mice were given the equivalent of five 8 oz (227 grams) cups of coffee a day - about 500 milligrams of caffeine. The researchers say this is the same as is found in two cups of "specialty" coffees such as lattes or cappuccinos from coffee shops, 14 cups of tea, or 20 soft drinks. When the mice were tested again after two months, those who were given the caffeine performed much better on tests measuring their memory and thinking skills and performed as well as mice of the same age without dementia. Those drinking plain water continued to do poorly on the tests. In addition, the brains of the mice given caffeine showed nearly a 50% reduction in levels of the beta amyloid protein, which forms destructive clumps in the brains of dementia patients. Further tests suggested caffeine affects the production of both the enzymes needed to produce beta amyloid. The researchers also suggest that caffeine suppresses inflammatory changes in the brain that lead to an overabundance of the protein. Earlier research by the same team had shown younger mice, who had also been bred to develop Alzheimer's but who were given caffeine in their early adulthood, were protected against the onset of memory problems. 'Safe drug' Dr Gary Arendash, who led the latest study, told the BBC: "The results are particularly exciting in that a reversal of pre-existing memory impairment is more difficult to achieve. "They provide evidence that caffeine could be a viable 'treatment' for established Alzheimer's disease and not simply a protective strategy. "That's important because caffeine is a safe drug for most people, it easily enters the brain, and it appears to directly affect the disease process." The team now hope to begin human trials of caffeine to see if the mouse findings are replicated in people. They do not know if a lower amount of caffeine would be as effective, but said most people could safely consume the 500 milligrams per day. However they said people with high blood pressure, and pregnant women, should limit their daily caffeine intake. Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: "In this study on mice with symptoms of Alzheimer's, researchers found that caffeine boosted their memory. We need to do more research to find out whether this effect will be seen in people. "It is too early to say whether drinking coffee or taking caffeine supplements will help people with Alzheimer's. Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society, said previous research into caffeine had suggested it could delay Alzheimer's disease and even protect against vascular dementia. "This research in mice suggests that coffee may actually reverse some element of memory impairment. "However much more research is needed to determine whether drinking coffee has the same impact in people. "It is too soon to say whether a cup of coffee is anything more than a pleasant pick me up."
BBC News
12 January 2014
Sleep 'cleans' the brain of toxins
Memory 'more consistent with age'
Coffee 'may reverse Alzheimer's'
A US study has raised the possibility that we may one day rely on caffeine to boost memory as well as to wake up.
The research, published in Nature Neuroscience, tested the memories of 160 people over 24 hours.
It found those who took caffeine tablets, rather than dummy pills, fared better on the memory tests.
But experts warned people to remember caffeine could cause negative effects, such as jitteriness and anxiety.
The Johns Hopkins University study involved people who did not regularly eat or drink caffeinated products.
Saliva samples were taken, to check base levels of caffeine, then participants were asked to look at a series of images.
Five minutes later they were given either a 200-milligram caffeine tablet - equivalent to the caffeine in a large cup of coffee, according to the researchers - or a dummy pill.
Saliva samples were taken again one, three and 24 hours later.
The next day, both groups were also tested on their ability to recognise the previous day's images.
Altered images
Twenty-four hours may not sound like a long time, but it is in terms of memory studies. Most "forgetting" happens in the first few hours after learning something.
People were purposely shown a mixture of some of the initial tranche of images, some new - and some that were subtly different.
Being able to distinguish between similar, but not identical items, is called pattern separation and indicates a deeper level of memory retention.
More members of the caffeine group were able to correctly identify "similar" images, rather than wrongly saying they were the same.
"Our study suggests that 200mg of coffee is beneficial to those who do not regularly ingest caffeine”
Prof Michael Yassa Johns Hopkins University
Prof Michael Yassa, who led the study, said: "If we used a standard recognition memory task without these tricky similar items, we would have found no effect of caffeine.
"However, using these items requires the brain to make a more difficult discrimination - what we call pattern separation, which seems to be the process that is enhanced by caffeine in our case."
Only a few previous studies have been carried out into caffeine's effect on long-term memory, and those that have been done generally found little effect.
This study was different because people took the caffeine after, rather than before, they had seen and attempted to memorise the images.
The team now want to look at what happens in the hippocampus, the "memory centre" of the brain, so they can understand caffeine's effect.
Moderation But Prof Yassa said their findings do not mean people should rush out and drink lots of coffee, eat lots of chocolate - or take lots of caffeine pills.
"Everything in moderation. Our study suggests that 200mg of coffee is beneficial to those who do not regularly ingest caffeine.
"But we also show an inverted U-shape dose response suggesting that higher doses may not be as beneficial.
If you take too much caffeine there could be negative consequences for the body”
Dr Ashok Jansari University of East London
"Keep in mind that if you're a regular caffeine drinker this amount may change."
He added: "There are of course health risks to be aware of.
"Caffeine can have side effects like jitteriness and anxiety in some people. The benefits have to be weighed against the risks."
Dr Anders Sandberg from the Future of Humanity Institute at the University of Oxford, said: "The paper demonstrates that giving caffeine after seeing images does improve recognition of them 24 hours later, supporting the idea that it helps the brain consolidate the learning.
"However, there was no straight improvement in recognition memory thanks to caffeine. Rather, the effect was a small improvement in the ability to distinguish new images that looked like old, from the real old images."
He added: "Caffeine may still be helpful for paying attention to what you are studying and hence help your encoding, but the best way of boosting consolidation is sleep - which might be a problem in this case, if you take the caffeine too close to bedtime.
Dr Ashok Jansari, from the University of East London's school of psychology, said caffeine appeared to "sharpen" memory, rather than actually making it better.
He said: "I would definitely not advise that people start taking in as much caffeine as possible since in terms of memory anything above 200mg may not help much and if you take too much caffeine there could be negative consequences for the body."
Coffee 'may reverse Alzheimer's'
BBC News
5 July 2009
A possible treatment for dementia?
Drinking five cups of coffee a day could reverse memory problems seen in Alzheimer's disease, US scientists say.
The Florida research, carried out on mice, also suggested caffeine hampered the production of the protein plaques which are the hallmark of the disease. Previous research has also suggested a protective effect from caffeine. But British experts said the Journal of Alzheimer's disease study did not mean that dementia patients should start using caffeine supplements. The results are particularly exciting in that a reversal of pre-existing memory impairment is more difficult to achieve Dr Gary Arendash University of South Florida The 55 mice used in the University of South Florida study had been bred to develop symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. First the researchers used behavioural tests to confirm the mice were exhibiting signs of memory impairment when they were aged 18 to 19 months, the equivalent to humans being about 70. Then they gave half the mice caffeine in their drinking water. The rest were given plain water. The mice were given the equivalent of five 8 oz (227 grams) cups of coffee a day - about 500 milligrams of caffeine. The researchers say this is the same as is found in two cups of "specialty" coffees such as lattes or cappuccinos from coffee shops, 14 cups of tea, or 20 soft drinks. When the mice were tested again after two months, those who were given the caffeine performed much better on tests measuring their memory and thinking skills and performed as well as mice of the same age without dementia. Those drinking plain water continued to do poorly on the tests. In addition, the brains of the mice given caffeine showed nearly a 50% reduction in levels of the beta amyloid protein, which forms destructive clumps in the brains of dementia patients. Further tests suggested caffeine affects the production of both the enzymes needed to produce beta amyloid. The researchers also suggest that caffeine suppresses inflammatory changes in the brain that lead to an overabundance of the protein. Earlier research by the same team had shown younger mice, who had also been bred to develop Alzheimer's but who were given caffeine in their early adulthood, were protected against the onset of memory problems. 'Safe drug' Dr Gary Arendash, who led the latest study, told the BBC: "The results are particularly exciting in that a reversal of pre-existing memory impairment is more difficult to achieve. "They provide evidence that caffeine could be a viable 'treatment' for established Alzheimer's disease and not simply a protective strategy. "That's important because caffeine is a safe drug for most people, it easily enters the brain, and it appears to directly affect the disease process." The team now hope to begin human trials of caffeine to see if the mouse findings are replicated in people. They do not know if a lower amount of caffeine would be as effective, but said most people could safely consume the 500 milligrams per day. However they said people with high blood pressure, and pregnant women, should limit their daily caffeine intake. Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: "In this study on mice with symptoms of Alzheimer's, researchers found that caffeine boosted their memory. We need to do more research to find out whether this effect will be seen in people. "It is too early to say whether drinking coffee or taking caffeine supplements will help people with Alzheimer's. Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society, said previous research into caffeine had suggested it could delay Alzheimer's disease and even protect against vascular dementia. "This research in mice suggests that coffee may actually reverse some element of memory impairment. "However much more research is needed to determine whether drinking coffee has the same impact in people. "It is too soon to say whether a cup of coffee is anything more than a pleasant pick me up."
Thursday, January 16, 2014
More than two drinks a day could speed memory loss: study
More than two drinks a day could speed memory loss: study
GMA News
January 16, 2014
WASHINGTON - Men who consume more than two alcoholic drinks per day while in middle age may speed up their memory loss in later life by up to six years, said a study Wednesday.
However, there were no differences in memory or mental function between non-drinkers and those who drank less than two drinks, or 20 grams per day, said the findings in the journal Neurology.
For the study, more than 5,000 middle-aged men were interviewed about their drinking habits three times over 10 years.
Then, they underwent memory and other cognitive tests beginning at an average age of 56. These tests were repeated twice over the next 10 years.
"Our study focused on middle-aged participants and suggests that heavy drinking is associated with faster decline in all areas of cognitive function in men," said study author Severine Sabia of the University College London.
The mental abilities of heavy drinkers declined between one-and-a-half to six years faster than those who had fewer drinks per day.
Men who drank 36 grams of alcohol or more per day saw the steepest declines in their memory and brain function.
Some 2,000 women were also included in the study, but there were not enough heavy drinkers among them to analyze their rates of mental decline compared to moderate or non-drinkers.
Neurology is the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. — Agence France-Presse
GMA News
January 16, 2014
WASHINGTON - Men who consume more than two alcoholic drinks per day while in middle age may speed up their memory loss in later life by up to six years, said a study Wednesday.
However, there were no differences in memory or mental function between non-drinkers and those who drank less than two drinks, or 20 grams per day, said the findings in the journal Neurology.
For the study, more than 5,000 middle-aged men were interviewed about their drinking habits three times over 10 years.
Then, they underwent memory and other cognitive tests beginning at an average age of 56. These tests were repeated twice over the next 10 years.
"Our study focused on middle-aged participants and suggests that heavy drinking is associated with faster decline in all areas of cognitive function in men," said study author Severine Sabia of the University College London.
The mental abilities of heavy drinkers declined between one-and-a-half to six years faster than those who had fewer drinks per day.
Men who drank 36 grams of alcohol or more per day saw the steepest declines in their memory and brain function.
Some 2,000 women were also included in the study, but there were not enough heavy drinkers among them to analyze their rates of mental decline compared to moderate or non-drinkers.
Neurology is the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. — Agence France-Presse
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Vitamin E may aid those with mild to moderate Alzheimer's
Vitamin E may aid those with mild to moderate Alzheimer's
Karen Weintraub
USATODAY
December 31, 2013
Vitamin E is far from an Alzheimer's cure, but a new study finds it allowed trial participants to get less help from caregivers and therefore retain more independence longer.
Taking high doses of vitamin E appears to help people in all stages of Alzheimer's disease, a new study suggests.
Research a decade ago showed that vitamin E was helpful in late-stage Alzheimer's disease. Now a study published Tuesday by the Journal of the American Medical Association finds the benefits extend to people with mild to moderate forms of the disease.
"This looks very promising," said lead researcher Mary Sano, director of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center, and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, both in New York City.
Vitamin E is far from a cure, only somewhat improving functional activities such as planning and organizing, the study found. But it did allow trial participants, who were studied for an average of more than two years, to get less help from caregivers and therefore retain more independence longer.
"It's not something where you must do this, it's going to make all the difference," said Rachelle Doody, director of the Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders Center at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. But Doody, who was not involved in the current study, said she thinks it's worthwhile for most Alzheimer's patients, in consultation with their doctor, to take 2,000 IU of vitamin E per day.
That amount far exceeds the government's recommended dose for healthy adults, which is 22.4 IU or 15 mg per day. There is no indication that high doses of vitamin E help healthy adults, and research shows an increased risk of death with such high doses, particularly for people with congestive heart failure.
That's why Heather Snyder, Director of Medical & Scientific Relations at the Alzheimer's Association, thinks that people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's should wait for more research before jumping to add vitamin E to their pill box.
The new study looked at patients in the Veteran's Affairs system, so they were virtually all male. It's not yet clear, Snyder said, that the benefits of vitamin E will be true for women as well.
It's also unclear why high doses of vitamin E would help people with Alzheimer's, Snyder said, so the Alzheimer's Association is funding research to uncover a possible mechanism. Vitamin E is a so-called antioxidant, meaning it combats the damage that oxygen does to cells. It also stabilizes cell membranes. Perhaps, Doody said, at very high doses, enough vitamin E reaches the brain to protect against the brain cell death that characterizes Alzheimer's. Doody, who has done her own research into Alzheimer's and vitamin E, believes the vitamin is safe and life-extending for people with the memory disease. The new study also examined a drug called memantine, which is already used to treat advanced Alzheimer's, but found no benefit to mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's patients from the drug alone or in connection with high doses of vitamin E. All of the 600 patients in the trial were also prescribed the standard-of-care drugs, called cholinesterase inhibitors, although Sano said she thinks vitamin E will also benefit patients who are not taking those drugs.
Karen Weintraub
USATODAY
December 31, 2013
Vitamin E is far from an Alzheimer's cure, but a new study finds it allowed trial participants to get less help from caregivers and therefore retain more independence longer.
Taking high doses of vitamin E appears to help people in all stages of Alzheimer's disease, a new study suggests.
Research a decade ago showed that vitamin E was helpful in late-stage Alzheimer's disease. Now a study published Tuesday by the Journal of the American Medical Association finds the benefits extend to people with mild to moderate forms of the disease.
"This looks very promising," said lead researcher Mary Sano, director of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center, and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, both in New York City.
Vitamin E is far from a cure, only somewhat improving functional activities such as planning and organizing, the study found. But it did allow trial participants, who were studied for an average of more than two years, to get less help from caregivers and therefore retain more independence longer.
"It's not something where you must do this, it's going to make all the difference," said Rachelle Doody, director of the Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders Center at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. But Doody, who was not involved in the current study, said she thinks it's worthwhile for most Alzheimer's patients, in consultation with their doctor, to take 2,000 IU of vitamin E per day.
That amount far exceeds the government's recommended dose for healthy adults, which is 22.4 IU or 15 mg per day. There is no indication that high doses of vitamin E help healthy adults, and research shows an increased risk of death with such high doses, particularly for people with congestive heart failure.
That's why Heather Snyder, Director of Medical & Scientific Relations at the Alzheimer's Association, thinks that people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's should wait for more research before jumping to add vitamin E to their pill box.
The new study looked at patients in the Veteran's Affairs system, so they were virtually all male. It's not yet clear, Snyder said, that the benefits of vitamin E will be true for women as well.
It's also unclear why high doses of vitamin E would help people with Alzheimer's, Snyder said, so the Alzheimer's Association is funding research to uncover a possible mechanism. Vitamin E is a so-called antioxidant, meaning it combats the damage that oxygen does to cells. It also stabilizes cell membranes. Perhaps, Doody said, at very high doses, enough vitamin E reaches the brain to protect against the brain cell death that characterizes Alzheimer's. Doody, who has done her own research into Alzheimer's and vitamin E, believes the vitamin is safe and life-extending for people with the memory disease. The new study also examined a drug called memantine, which is already used to treat advanced Alzheimer's, but found no benefit to mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's patients from the drug alone or in connection with high doses of vitamin E. All of the 600 patients in the trial were also prescribed the standard-of-care drugs, called cholinesterase inhibitors, although Sano said she thinks vitamin E will also benefit patients who are not taking those drugs.
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Brain scans found seniors with both poor memory and prior head injury have more plaque buildup
Brain scans found seniors with both poor memory and prior head injury have more plaque buildup
WebMD News from HealthDay
By Kathleen Doheny
Dec. 26, 2013
(HealthDay News) -- Older adults with memory problems and a history of concussion have more buildup of Alzheimer's disease-associated plaques in the brain than those who also had concussions but don't have memory problems, according to a new study.v
''What we think it suggests is, head trauma is associated with Alzheimer's-type dementia -- it's a risk factor," said study researcher Michelle Mielke, an associate professor of epidemiology and neurology at Mayo Clinic Rochester. "But it doesn't mean someone with head trauma is [automatically] going to develop Alzheimer's."
Her study is published online Dec. 26 and in the Jan. 7 print issue of the journal Neurology.
Previous studies looking at whether head trauma is a risk factor for Alzheimer's have come up with conflicting results, she noted. And Mielke stressed that she has found only a link or association, not a cause-and-effect relationship.
In the study, Mielke and her team evaluated 448 residents of Olmsted County, Minn., who had no signs of memory problems. They also evaluated another 141 residents with memory and thinking problems known as mild cognitive impairment. More than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Plaques are deposits of a protein fragment known as beta-amyloid that can build up in between the brain's nerve cells. While most people develop some with age, those who develop Alzheimer's generally get many more, according to the Alzheimer's Association. They also tend to get them in a predictable pattern, starting in brain areas crucial for memory. In the Mayo study, all participants were aged 70 or older. The participants reported if they ever had a brain injury that involved loss of consciousness or memory. Of the 448 without any memory problems, 17 percent had reported a brain injury. Of the 141 with memory problems, 18 percent did. This suggests that the link between head trauma and the plaques is complex, Mielke said, as the proportion of people reporting concussion was the same in both groups. Brain scans were done on all the participants. Those who had both concussion history and cognitive [mental] impairment had levels of amyloid plaques that were 18 percent higher than those with cognitive impairment but no head trauma history, the investigators found. Among those with mild cognitive impairment, those with concussion histories had a nearly five times higher risk of elevated plaque levels than those without a history of concussion. The researchers don't know why some with concussion history develop memory problems and others do not. The research was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, among several other supporters.Brain scans found seniors with both poor memory and prior head injury have more plaque buildup Share this: Font size: AAA WebMD News from HealthDay New guidelines address which patients might By Kathleen Doheny HealthDay Reporter THURSDAY, Dec. 26, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- Older adults with memory problems and a history of concussion have more buildup of Alzheimer's disease-associated plaques in the brain than those who also had concussions but don't have memory problems, according to a new study. ''What we think it suggests is, head trauma is associated with Alzheimer's-type dementia -- it's a risk factor," said study researcher Michelle Mielke, an associate professor of epidemiology and neurology at Mayo Clinic Rochester. "But it doesn't mean someone with head trauma is [automatically] going to develop Alzheimer's." Her study is published online Dec. 26 and in the Jan. 7 print issue of the journal Neurology. Previous studies looking at whether head trauma is a risk factor for Alzheimer's have come up with conflicting results, she noted. And Mielke stressed that she has found only a link or association, not a cause-and-effect relationship. In the study, Mielke and her team evaluated 448 residents of Olmsted County, Minn., who had no signs of memory problems. They also evaluated another 141 residents with memory and thinking problems known as mild cognitive impairment. More than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Plaques are deposits of a protein fragment known as beta-amyloid that can build up in between the brain's nerve cells. While most people develop some with age, those who develop Alzheimer's generally get many more, according to the Alzheimer's Association. They also tend to get them in a predictable pattern, starting in brain areas crucial for memory. In the Mayo study, all participants were aged 70 or older. The participants reported if they ever had a brain injury that involved loss of consciousness or memory. Of the 448 without any memory problems, 17 percent had reported a brain injury. Of the 141 with memory problems, 18 percent did. This suggests that the link between head trauma and the plaques is complex, Mielke said, as the proportion of people reporting concussion was the same in both groups. Brain scans were done on all the participants. Those who had both concussion history and cognitive [mental] impairment had levels of amyloid plaques that were 18 percent higher than those with cognitive impairment but no head trauma history, the investigators found. Among those with mild cognitive impairment, those with concussion histories had a nearly five times higher risk of elevated plaque levels than those without a history of concussion. The researchers don't know why some with concussion history develop memory problems and others do not. The research was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, among several other supporters. The study adds valuable information for experts in the field, said Dr. Robert Glatter, director of sports medicine and traumatic brain injury in the department of emergency medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital, in New York City. Glatter, who is also a former sideline physician for the National Football League's New York Jets, reviewed the new study findings. The study adds valuable information for experts in the field, said Dr. Robert Glatter, director of sports medicine and traumatic brain injury in the department of emergency medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital, in New York City. Glatter, who is also a former sideline physician for the National Football League's New York Jets, reviewed the new study findings.
WebMD News from HealthDay
By Kathleen Doheny
Dec. 26, 2013
(HealthDay News) -- Older adults with memory problems and a history of concussion have more buildup of Alzheimer's disease-associated plaques in the brain than those who also had concussions but don't have memory problems, according to a new study.v
''What we think it suggests is, head trauma is associated with Alzheimer's-type dementia -- it's a risk factor," said study researcher Michelle Mielke, an associate professor of epidemiology and neurology at Mayo Clinic Rochester. "But it doesn't mean someone with head trauma is [automatically] going to develop Alzheimer's."
Her study is published online Dec. 26 and in the Jan. 7 print issue of the journal Neurology.
Previous studies looking at whether head trauma is a risk factor for Alzheimer's have come up with conflicting results, she noted. And Mielke stressed that she has found only a link or association, not a cause-and-effect relationship.
In the study, Mielke and her team evaluated 448 residents of Olmsted County, Minn., who had no signs of memory problems. They also evaluated another 141 residents with memory and thinking problems known as mild cognitive impairment. More than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Plaques are deposits of a protein fragment known as beta-amyloid that can build up in between the brain's nerve cells. While most people develop some with age, those who develop Alzheimer's generally get many more, according to the Alzheimer's Association. They also tend to get them in a predictable pattern, starting in brain areas crucial for memory. In the Mayo study, all participants were aged 70 or older. The participants reported if they ever had a brain injury that involved loss of consciousness or memory. Of the 448 without any memory problems, 17 percent had reported a brain injury. Of the 141 with memory problems, 18 percent did. This suggests that the link between head trauma and the plaques is complex, Mielke said, as the proportion of people reporting concussion was the same in both groups. Brain scans were done on all the participants. Those who had both concussion history and cognitive [mental] impairment had levels of amyloid plaques that were 18 percent higher than those with cognitive impairment but no head trauma history, the investigators found. Among those with mild cognitive impairment, those with concussion histories had a nearly five times higher risk of elevated plaque levels than those without a history of concussion. The researchers don't know why some with concussion history develop memory problems and others do not. The research was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, among several other supporters.Brain scans found seniors with both poor memory and prior head injury have more plaque buildup Share this: Font size: AAA WebMD News from HealthDay New guidelines address which patients might By Kathleen Doheny HealthDay Reporter THURSDAY, Dec. 26, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- Older adults with memory problems and a history of concussion have more buildup of Alzheimer's disease-associated plaques in the brain than those who also had concussions but don't have memory problems, according to a new study. ''What we think it suggests is, head trauma is associated with Alzheimer's-type dementia -- it's a risk factor," said study researcher Michelle Mielke, an associate professor of epidemiology and neurology at Mayo Clinic Rochester. "But it doesn't mean someone with head trauma is [automatically] going to develop Alzheimer's." Her study is published online Dec. 26 and in the Jan. 7 print issue of the journal Neurology. Previous studies looking at whether head trauma is a risk factor for Alzheimer's have come up with conflicting results, she noted. And Mielke stressed that she has found only a link or association, not a cause-and-effect relationship. In the study, Mielke and her team evaluated 448 residents of Olmsted County, Minn., who had no signs of memory problems. They also evaluated another 141 residents with memory and thinking problems known as mild cognitive impairment. More than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Plaques are deposits of a protein fragment known as beta-amyloid that can build up in between the brain's nerve cells. While most people develop some with age, those who develop Alzheimer's generally get many more, according to the Alzheimer's Association. They also tend to get them in a predictable pattern, starting in brain areas crucial for memory. In the Mayo study, all participants were aged 70 or older. The participants reported if they ever had a brain injury that involved loss of consciousness or memory. Of the 448 without any memory problems, 17 percent had reported a brain injury. Of the 141 with memory problems, 18 percent did. This suggests that the link between head trauma and the plaques is complex, Mielke said, as the proportion of people reporting concussion was the same in both groups. Brain scans were done on all the participants. Those who had both concussion history and cognitive [mental] impairment had levels of amyloid plaques that were 18 percent higher than those with cognitive impairment but no head trauma history, the investigators found. Among those with mild cognitive impairment, those with concussion histories had a nearly five times higher risk of elevated plaque levels than those without a history of concussion. The researchers don't know why some with concussion history develop memory problems and others do not. The research was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, among several other supporters. The study adds valuable information for experts in the field, said Dr. Robert Glatter, director of sports medicine and traumatic brain injury in the department of emergency medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital, in New York City. Glatter, who is also a former sideline physician for the National Football League's New York Jets, reviewed the new study findings. The study adds valuable information for experts in the field, said Dr. Robert Glatter, director of sports medicine and traumatic brain injury in the department of emergency medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital, in New York City. Glatter, who is also a former sideline physician for the National Football League's New York Jets, reviewed the new study findings.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Drinking cocoa every day may help older people keep their brains healthy
Cocoa 'might prevent memory decline'
BBC
7 August 2013
It is not the first time cocoa has been linked with health benefits
Drinking cocoa every day may help older people keep their brains healthy, research suggests.
A study of 60 elderly people with no dementia found two cups of cocoa a day improved blood flow to the brain in those who had problems to start with.
Those participants whose blood flow improved also did better on memory tests at the end of the study, the journal Neurology reported.
Experts said more research was needed before conclusions could be drawn.
It is not the first time cocoa has been linked with vascular health and researchers believe that this is in part due to it being rich in flavanols, which are thought to have an important role.
In the latest study, researchers asked 60 people with an average age of 73 to drink two cups of cocoa a day - one group given high-flavanol cocoa and another a low-flavanol cocoa - and consume no other chocolate. Blood flow
Ultrasound tests at the start of the study showed 17 of them had impaired blood flow to the brain.
There was no difference between those who drank flavanol-rich cocoa and those who had flavanol-poor cocoa.
But whichever drink they were given, 88% of those with impaired blood flow at the start of the study saw improvements in blood flow and some cognitive tests, compared with 37% of people whose blood flow was normal at the beginning of the study.
“A cocoa-based treatment would likely be very popular, but it's too soon to draw any conclusions about its effects”
MRI scans in 24 participants found that people with impaired blood flow were also more likely to have tiny areas of brain damage.
"We're learning more about blood flow in the brain and its effect on thinking skills," said study author Dr Farzaneh Sorond a neurologist at Harvard Medical School.
"As different areas of the brain need more energy to complete their tasks, they also need greater blood flow. This relationship, called neurovascular coupling, may play an important role in diseases such as Alzheimer's."
The researchers said the lack of difference between the flavanol-rich and flavanol-poor cocoa could be because another component of the drink was having an effect or because only small amounts were needed.
Dr Simon Ridley, head of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said this was a small study but that it added to a wealth of evidence.
"A cocoa-based treatment would likely be very popular, but it's too soon to draw any conclusions about its effects. "One drawback of this study is the lack of a control group for comparison, and we can't tell whether the results would have been different if the participants drank no cocoa at all."
But he added: "Poor vascular health is a known risk factor for dementia, and understanding more about the links between vascular problems and declining brain health could help the search for new treatments and preventions."
BBC
7 August 2013
It is not the first time cocoa has been linked with health benefits
Drinking cocoa every day may help older people keep their brains healthy, research suggests.
A study of 60 elderly people with no dementia found two cups of cocoa a day improved blood flow to the brain in those who had problems to start with.
Those participants whose blood flow improved also did better on memory tests at the end of the study, the journal Neurology reported.
Experts said more research was needed before conclusions could be drawn.
It is not the first time cocoa has been linked with vascular health and researchers believe that this is in part due to it being rich in flavanols, which are thought to have an important role.
In the latest study, researchers asked 60 people with an average age of 73 to drink two cups of cocoa a day - one group given high-flavanol cocoa and another a low-flavanol cocoa - and consume no other chocolate. Blood flow
Ultrasound tests at the start of the study showed 17 of them had impaired blood flow to the brain.
There was no difference between those who drank flavanol-rich cocoa and those who had flavanol-poor cocoa.
But whichever drink they were given, 88% of those with impaired blood flow at the start of the study saw improvements in blood flow and some cognitive tests, compared with 37% of people whose blood flow was normal at the beginning of the study.
“A cocoa-based treatment would likely be very popular, but it's too soon to draw any conclusions about its effects”
MRI scans in 24 participants found that people with impaired blood flow were also more likely to have tiny areas of brain damage.
"We're learning more about blood flow in the brain and its effect on thinking skills," said study author Dr Farzaneh Sorond a neurologist at Harvard Medical School.
"As different areas of the brain need more energy to complete their tasks, they also need greater blood flow. This relationship, called neurovascular coupling, may play an important role in diseases such as Alzheimer's."
The researchers said the lack of difference between the flavanol-rich and flavanol-poor cocoa could be because another component of the drink was having an effect or because only small amounts were needed.
Dr Simon Ridley, head of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said this was a small study but that it added to a wealth of evidence.
"A cocoa-based treatment would likely be very popular, but it's too soon to draw any conclusions about its effects. "One drawback of this study is the lack of a control group for comparison, and we can't tell whether the results would have been different if the participants drank no cocoa at all."
But he added: "Poor vascular health is a known risk factor for dementia, and understanding more about the links between vascular problems and declining brain health could help the search for new treatments and preventions."
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Cancer, chemo linked to vets' lower risk of Alzheimer's
Cancer, chemo linked to vets' lower risk of Alzheimer's
Karen Weintraub
USA TODAY
July 15, 2013
BOSTON -- Military veterans diagnosed with most forms of cancer were less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease, and those treated with chemotherapy got even more protection, finds a study released Monday at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference here.
The study of 3.5 million veterans found an inverse relationship between Alzheimer's and all types of cancer except prostate and melanoma — both of which are largely detected through screening rather than symptoms. Aggressive screening of veterans might find cancers that would not otherwise have caused problems, said researcher Jane Driver, in explaining why those cancers might not share the same relationship with Alzheimer's.
More than 82,000 of the veterans developed Alzheimer's during the five years of the study, 24% of whom were previously diagnosed with cancer. When compared to projections for the general population, the risk of Alzheimer's was 51% lower than expected in liver cancer, 25% reduced in lung cancer and 13% lower in leukemia, according to the research. Other cancers' reduced risks seen in the study: pancreatic, 44%; esophageal, 33%; kidney, 22%; myeloma, 16%; lymphoma, 19%; head and neck, 15%.
There was no significant correlation between Alzheimer's and colorectal, bladder, stomach, genital, thyroid, sarcoma and brain cancer. Cancer patients who had chemotherapy lowered their Alzheimer's risk by 20%-45% for all cancers except prostate, the study showed.
Other research also supports this inverse relationship, including an Italian study released late last week, that found that those diagnosed with Alzheimer's ran a 43% lower risk of developing cancer than those without the disease, and people with cancer had a 35% lower chance of developing Alzheimer's. That study, in the journal Neurology, did not look as closely at individual cancers or treatment differences, though it did find a weaker link with prostate cancer and melanoma.
Driver said chemotherapy may offer extra protection because it reduces inflammation and may prevent brain cells from trying to divide. In Alzheimer's, brain cells often try to divide when they shouldn't, leading to their death, she said.
She said no one should take chemotherapy drugs, which are highly toxic, merely to reduce their risk of Alzheimer's, but the link suggests that it may be possible to develop medications to address both diseases. Certain chemotherapy drugs may turn out to be more protective of the brain than others, she added, so it may make sense to prescribe them more often.
Although it doesn't suggest any immediate treatments for Alzheimer's, the apparent connection with cancer is "one more puzzle piece" in helping researchers understand the memory loss and behavior changes of Alzheimer's, a fatal disease that affects an estimated 5.2 million Americans and is expected to strike nearly three times more over the next generation.
People with Alzheimer's suffer loss of memory, decreased thinking and language skills, and behavioral changes that can make caregiving challenging. Current treatments do not address underlying symptoms or stop progression of the fatal disease.
"We're starting to really understand what are the different pieces of the puzzle that make someone at increased or decreased risk," said Heather Snyder, director of medical and scientific operations for the Alzheimer's Association, the advocacy and research group that runs the international conference. "Understanding the pieces will help unlock additional targets and therapies and identify people at increased risk."
Another study released this morning showed that diabetics who take the drug Metformin seem to be better protected against Alzheimer's than those taking other diabetes medications, including Sulfonylurea. Nearly 26 million Americans have type 2 diabetes, which is largely associated with lifestyle factors. Roughly half of those with diabetes develop Alzheimer's as they age, so finding a drug that is also protective against Alzheimer's is immensely important, said researcher Rachel Whitmer, an investigator with the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research.
In her study of nearly 15,000 patients with type 2 diabetes, those who took Sulfonylurea had a 26% increased risk of developing Alzheimer's compared to those on Metformin. Not all patients can tolerate Metformin, but Whitmer said more research should certainly be done to see if that drug should be the first-line treatment for diabetes.
Among other studies discussed at the conference, which runs through Thursday:
-- Postponing retirement may protect against Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, likely because it keeps people intellectually engaged for longer, a study of French shopkeepers and crafts workers suggests;
--Socioeconomic differences such as education and income – not lifestyle factors or health status – may explain why African-Americans are more likely to develop Alzheimer's than whites, according to a study led by Kristine Yaffe of the University of California, San Francisco.
-- An expert panel gathered by the University of British Columbia concluded that online tests for Alzheimer's are unreliable and unscientific as well as ethically questionable, because of likely conflicts of interest, lack of proper consent and privacy concerns.
Karen Weintraub
USA TODAY
July 15, 2013
BOSTON -- Military veterans diagnosed with most forms of cancer were less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease, and those treated with chemotherapy got even more protection, finds a study released Monday at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference here.
The study of 3.5 million veterans found an inverse relationship between Alzheimer's and all types of cancer except prostate and melanoma — both of which are largely detected through screening rather than symptoms. Aggressive screening of veterans might find cancers that would not otherwise have caused problems, said researcher Jane Driver, in explaining why those cancers might not share the same relationship with Alzheimer's.
More than 82,000 of the veterans developed Alzheimer's during the five years of the study, 24% of whom were previously diagnosed with cancer. When compared to projections for the general population, the risk of Alzheimer's was 51% lower than expected in liver cancer, 25% reduced in lung cancer and 13% lower in leukemia, according to the research. Other cancers' reduced risks seen in the study: pancreatic, 44%; esophageal, 33%; kidney, 22%; myeloma, 16%; lymphoma, 19%; head and neck, 15%.
There was no significant correlation between Alzheimer's and colorectal, bladder, stomach, genital, thyroid, sarcoma and brain cancer. Cancer patients who had chemotherapy lowered their Alzheimer's risk by 20%-45% for all cancers except prostate, the study showed.
Other research also supports this inverse relationship, including an Italian study released late last week, that found that those diagnosed with Alzheimer's ran a 43% lower risk of developing cancer than those without the disease, and people with cancer had a 35% lower chance of developing Alzheimer's. That study, in the journal Neurology, did not look as closely at individual cancers or treatment differences, though it did find a weaker link with prostate cancer and melanoma.
Driver said chemotherapy may offer extra protection because it reduces inflammation and may prevent brain cells from trying to divide. In Alzheimer's, brain cells often try to divide when they shouldn't, leading to their death, she said.
She said no one should take chemotherapy drugs, which are highly toxic, merely to reduce their risk of Alzheimer's, but the link suggests that it may be possible to develop medications to address both diseases. Certain chemotherapy drugs may turn out to be more protective of the brain than others, she added, so it may make sense to prescribe them more often.
Although it doesn't suggest any immediate treatments for Alzheimer's, the apparent connection with cancer is "one more puzzle piece" in helping researchers understand the memory loss and behavior changes of Alzheimer's, a fatal disease that affects an estimated 5.2 million Americans and is expected to strike nearly three times more over the next generation.
People with Alzheimer's suffer loss of memory, decreased thinking and language skills, and behavioral changes that can make caregiving challenging. Current treatments do not address underlying symptoms or stop progression of the fatal disease.
"We're starting to really understand what are the different pieces of the puzzle that make someone at increased or decreased risk," said Heather Snyder, director of medical and scientific operations for the Alzheimer's Association, the advocacy and research group that runs the international conference. "Understanding the pieces will help unlock additional targets and therapies and identify people at increased risk."
Another study released this morning showed that diabetics who take the drug Metformin seem to be better protected against Alzheimer's than those taking other diabetes medications, including Sulfonylurea. Nearly 26 million Americans have type 2 diabetes, which is largely associated with lifestyle factors. Roughly half of those with diabetes develop Alzheimer's as they age, so finding a drug that is also protective against Alzheimer's is immensely important, said researcher Rachel Whitmer, an investigator with the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research.
In her study of nearly 15,000 patients with type 2 diabetes, those who took Sulfonylurea had a 26% increased risk of developing Alzheimer's compared to those on Metformin. Not all patients can tolerate Metformin, but Whitmer said more research should certainly be done to see if that drug should be the first-line treatment for diabetes.
Among other studies discussed at the conference, which runs through Thursday:
-- Postponing retirement may protect against Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, likely because it keeps people intellectually engaged for longer, a study of French shopkeepers and crafts workers suggests;
--Socioeconomic differences such as education and income – not lifestyle factors or health status – may explain why African-Americans are more likely to develop Alzheimer's than whites, according to a study led by Kristine Yaffe of the University of California, San Francisco.
-- An expert panel gathered by the University of British Columbia concluded that online tests for Alzheimer's are unreliable and unscientific as well as ethically questionable, because of likely conflicts of interest, lack of proper consent and privacy concerns.
How Coffee Could Save Your Life--more benefits revealed in new research
How Coffee Could Save Your Life
Yet another reason to indulge your caffeine addiction
By Claire Groden
Time
July 26, 2013
To hear most recent research tell it, coffee is a miracle drink. The magic beans will ward off skin cancer and Alzheimer’s, reduce heart failure and diabetes risks, heighten focus, and maybe even protect liver health. Oh, and decrease suicide risk, according to the newest study that validates our coffee addictions.
According to a study performed by the Harvard School of Public Health and published this month in The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry, people who drink two to four cups of java each day are less likely to commit suicide than those who don’t drink coffee, drink decaf, or drink fewer than two cups each day. The study followed over 200,000 people for at least 16 years. And it’s not just a weak link: the researchers found that the suicide risk was cut by around 50 percent for caffeine fiends.
(MORE: Caffeine Withdrawal Is Now A Mental Disorder)
This isn’t the first time that researchers have discovered that coffee and smiles might go hand-in-hand. A 2011 study found that women who drink coffee cut their risk of depression by 15 percent compared to those who don’t. Michel Lucas, the head researcher of the most recent study, told The Huffington Post that coffee addicts can thank caffeine for the good news. The drug may actually act like a mild anti-depressant by tweaking levels of happy hormones like serotonin and dopamine.
Of course, there’s plenty of research out there that doesn’t look so kindly upon coffee drinkers. Recently, the New Yorker published an article arguing that while coffee may heighten focus, that means it also puts a squeeze on creativity. And of course, coffee’s well-known negative effects like insomnia and disturbed sleep cycles still hold.
Regardless, we’ll raise our mugs to this most recent study for giving us one more validation for our vice.
Yet another reason to indulge your caffeine addiction
By Claire Groden
Time
July 26, 2013
To hear most recent research tell it, coffee is a miracle drink. The magic beans will ward off skin cancer and Alzheimer’s, reduce heart failure and diabetes risks, heighten focus, and maybe even protect liver health. Oh, and decrease suicide risk, according to the newest study that validates our coffee addictions.
According to a study performed by the Harvard School of Public Health and published this month in The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry, people who drink two to four cups of java each day are less likely to commit suicide than those who don’t drink coffee, drink decaf, or drink fewer than two cups each day. The study followed over 200,000 people for at least 16 years. And it’s not just a weak link: the researchers found that the suicide risk was cut by around 50 percent for caffeine fiends.
(MORE: Caffeine Withdrawal Is Now A Mental Disorder)
This isn’t the first time that researchers have discovered that coffee and smiles might go hand-in-hand. A 2011 study found that women who drink coffee cut their risk of depression by 15 percent compared to those who don’t. Michel Lucas, the head researcher of the most recent study, told The Huffington Post that coffee addicts can thank caffeine for the good news. The drug may actually act like a mild anti-depressant by tweaking levels of happy hormones like serotonin and dopamine.
Of course, there’s plenty of research out there that doesn’t look so kindly upon coffee drinkers. Recently, the New Yorker published an article arguing that while coffee may heighten focus, that means it also puts a squeeze on creativity. And of course, coffee’s well-known negative effects like insomnia and disturbed sleep cycles still hold.
Regardless, we’ll raise our mugs to this most recent study for giving us one more validation for our vice.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Diabetes drug metformin proves useful for other problems
Diabetes drug metformin proves useful for other problems
Karen Weintraub
USA TODAY
July 30, 2013
Early research suggests the decades-old diabetes drug metformin can slow cancer, reduce heart disease and perhaps limit the ravages of Alzheimer's. A new study shows it can extend lifespan in mice.
Could metformin, the most widely used diabetes drug in the world, be useful for fighting a number of health problems?
Early research suggests the decades-old drug can slow cancer, reduce heart disease and maybe even limit the ravages of Alzheimer's. Now, a new study in mice finds that it can extend life by a number of weeks — the human equivalent of 3-4 years.
It's far too soon for healthy people to consider taking the drug, researchers say, but the findings are provocative, and suggest science is getting closer to a day when it may be possible to pop a pill to live healthier longer.
Diseases of aging, like cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and dementia are all linked along a biological pathway, researchers say. Eating less food appears to trigger that cascade, significantly extending life in animals, probably by slowing down metabolism.
Metformin is the third drug shown in early research to affect the same pathway, along with rapamycin, a powerful medication used to prevent rejection of transplanted organs; and resveratrol, a compound found in red wine.
"It's clear that we are edging toward developing a pharmaceutical intervention that is going to be able to delay or postpone aging," said Rafael de Cabo, a biogerontologist at the National Institute of Aging, who conducted the new mouse study, published today in Nature Communications. "For how much and how long I have no idea."
Brian Kennedy, CEO of The Buck Institute for Research on Aging in Novato, Calif., said he envisions a day when, instead of giving people drugs after they get sick, healthy people will be able to take pills to avoid illness. Such a pill wouldn't prevent all aging, he said, but by delaying the deadliest diseases for even a few years, it could have a dramatic benefit on an individual's quality of life and the nation's economy.
Despite their optimism, both Kennedy and de Cabo said that healthy people should not be taking metformin at this point. While mice are a good model for diseases, they do not respond exactly as people do; and they live a totally controlled life inside a cage, de Cabo said.
Metformin caused severe kidney problems in mice taking a high dose, suggesting that researchers need to proceed with caution when testing the drug in people, de Cabo said. Even the low dose used in his study left mice with more drug in their bloodstream than diabetics get on their metformin regimen, so it's not yet clear what dose to use in healthy people.
The drug is also known to cause diarrhea, because it affects the metabolism of sugars in the digestive system.
So far, those two side effects have kept researchers from trying the drug on themselves. David Sinclair, a genetics professor at Harvard Medical School who has done extensive research on resveratrol, said he took metformin along with his resveratrol for a short time. He stopped when he saw the toxic effects in this mouse study, which he co-authored. He said he wouldn't take rapamycin because of its side effects.
A new drug will eventually be developed, he predicted, that will amplify the benefits of these drugs and minimize their side effects.
"In terms of history, we're still at the very early stages of understanding how to slow aging in a safe way," said Sinclair.
Even if it turns out not to extend life, metformin has shown powerful results in other areas of research:
• Kevin Struhl, a molecular and cancer biologist at Harvard Medical School, said he has been impressed by early studies showing metformin's effectiveness at treating cancer and stopping cells from turning cancerous in the first place.
• At the University of Pennsylvania, Alzheimer's expert Steven Arnold is studying the drug's ability to slow or prevent mental decline.
• And other work has shown that metformin can help stop pre-diabetes before it turns into type 2 diabetes, said Karin Hehenberger, a molecular biologist, diabetes expert and chief medical officer at Coronado Biosciences, a Massachusetts biotech company focused on autoimmune diseases.
In terms of aging, we already know enough to help people until a pill can be developed, Kennedy said.
"There's a huge secret to (combating) aging right now," he said. "That's eat right and exercise."
Karen Weintraub
USA TODAY
July 30, 2013
Early research suggests the decades-old diabetes drug metformin can slow cancer, reduce heart disease and perhaps limit the ravages of Alzheimer's. A new study shows it can extend lifespan in mice.
Could metformin, the most widely used diabetes drug in the world, be useful for fighting a number of health problems?
Early research suggests the decades-old drug can slow cancer, reduce heart disease and maybe even limit the ravages of Alzheimer's. Now, a new study in mice finds that it can extend life by a number of weeks — the human equivalent of 3-4 years.
It's far too soon for healthy people to consider taking the drug, researchers say, but the findings are provocative, and suggest science is getting closer to a day when it may be possible to pop a pill to live healthier longer.
Diseases of aging, like cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and dementia are all linked along a biological pathway, researchers say. Eating less food appears to trigger that cascade, significantly extending life in animals, probably by slowing down metabolism.
Metformin is the third drug shown in early research to affect the same pathway, along with rapamycin, a powerful medication used to prevent rejection of transplanted organs; and resveratrol, a compound found in red wine.
"It's clear that we are edging toward developing a pharmaceutical intervention that is going to be able to delay or postpone aging," said Rafael de Cabo, a biogerontologist at the National Institute of Aging, who conducted the new mouse study, published today in Nature Communications. "For how much and how long I have no idea."
Brian Kennedy, CEO of The Buck Institute for Research on Aging in Novato, Calif., said he envisions a day when, instead of giving people drugs after they get sick, healthy people will be able to take pills to avoid illness. Such a pill wouldn't prevent all aging, he said, but by delaying the deadliest diseases for even a few years, it could have a dramatic benefit on an individual's quality of life and the nation's economy.
Despite their optimism, both Kennedy and de Cabo said that healthy people should not be taking metformin at this point. While mice are a good model for diseases, they do not respond exactly as people do; and they live a totally controlled life inside a cage, de Cabo said.
Metformin caused severe kidney problems in mice taking a high dose, suggesting that researchers need to proceed with caution when testing the drug in people, de Cabo said. Even the low dose used in his study left mice with more drug in their bloodstream than diabetics get on their metformin regimen, so it's not yet clear what dose to use in healthy people.
The drug is also known to cause diarrhea, because it affects the metabolism of sugars in the digestive system.
So far, those two side effects have kept researchers from trying the drug on themselves. David Sinclair, a genetics professor at Harvard Medical School who has done extensive research on resveratrol, said he took metformin along with his resveratrol for a short time. He stopped when he saw the toxic effects in this mouse study, which he co-authored. He said he wouldn't take rapamycin because of its side effects.
A new drug will eventually be developed, he predicted, that will amplify the benefits of these drugs and minimize their side effects.
"In terms of history, we're still at the very early stages of understanding how to slow aging in a safe way," said Sinclair.
Even if it turns out not to extend life, metformin has shown powerful results in other areas of research:
• Kevin Struhl, a molecular and cancer biologist at Harvard Medical School, said he has been impressed by early studies showing metformin's effectiveness at treating cancer and stopping cells from turning cancerous in the first place.
• At the University of Pennsylvania, Alzheimer's expert Steven Arnold is studying the drug's ability to slow or prevent mental decline.
• And other work has shown that metformin can help stop pre-diabetes before it turns into type 2 diabetes, said Karin Hehenberger, a molecular biologist, diabetes expert and chief medical officer at Coronado Biosciences, a Massachusetts biotech company focused on autoimmune diseases.
In terms of aging, we already know enough to help people until a pill can be developed, Kennedy said.
"There's a huge secret to (combating) aging right now," he said. "That's eat right and exercise."
Friday, March 25, 2011
Social Networks Prevent Dementia in Women
June 6, 2008
Social Networks Prevent Dementia in Women, Kaiser Permanente Study Finds
Kaiser Permanente press release
A strong social network of family and friends is associated with a lower risk of dementia, says a Kaiser Permanente study published in the July issue of the American Journal of Public Health. This is the latest in a series of studies that Kaiser Permanente is conducting on the causes and prevention of dementia.
The five-year study from the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Department of Research & Evaluation followed 2,249 women 78 years or older who had not been diagnosed with dementia and found that women with large social networks were about 26 percent less likely to develop dementia when compared to those women with smaller networks.
"There are a variety of ways that a large social network can facilitate cognitive health but the possible influence on the brain is indirect and largely unknown. Future studies will need to examine which specific aspects of social network are associated with dementia risk. We also need to identify and describe what synthetic social networks may be created that serve to augment or substitute social networks for the elderly who are more socially isolated." said Dr. Valerie Crooks, lead author and research scientist at Kaiser Permanente Southern California Department of Research & Evaluation in Pasadena.
"This well done study significantly adds to the growing body of information that lifestyle, cognitive activity and social connectivity appear to reduce the risk of dementia and help maintain a healthy brain and my advice to older adults is to maintain and even increase their social ties", said Dr. Richard Della Penna, medical director, Kaiser Permanente Aging Network and national Elder Care Clinical Lead for the Care Management Institute.
As many as 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia. This study provides longitudinal evidence that having larger social networks does have a protective association on the development of dementia in very elderly women.
"The Alzheimer's Association supports the adoption of a brain-healthy lifestyle and encourages all people to remain mentally, socially and physically engaged," said William Thies, PhD, vice president of Medical and Scientific Relations at the Alzheimer's Association. "There is a growing body of scientific evidence that suggests staying socially active, in combination with other activities like managing medical risks, exercising and maintaining a healthy diet, may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's or other dementia."
This study was funded by the National Institute on Aging.
Social Networks Prevent Dementia in Women, Kaiser Permanente Study Finds
Kaiser Permanente press release
A strong social network of family and friends is associated with a lower risk of dementia, says a Kaiser Permanente study published in the July issue of the American Journal of Public Health. This is the latest in a series of studies that Kaiser Permanente is conducting on the causes and prevention of dementia.
The five-year study from the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Department of Research & Evaluation followed 2,249 women 78 years or older who had not been diagnosed with dementia and found that women with large social networks were about 26 percent less likely to develop dementia when compared to those women with smaller networks.
"There are a variety of ways that a large social network can facilitate cognitive health but the possible influence on the brain is indirect and largely unknown. Future studies will need to examine which specific aspects of social network are associated with dementia risk. We also need to identify and describe what synthetic social networks may be created that serve to augment or substitute social networks for the elderly who are more socially isolated." said Dr. Valerie Crooks, lead author and research scientist at Kaiser Permanente Southern California Department of Research & Evaluation in Pasadena.
"This well done study significantly adds to the growing body of information that lifestyle, cognitive activity and social connectivity appear to reduce the risk of dementia and help maintain a healthy brain and my advice to older adults is to maintain and even increase their social ties", said Dr. Richard Della Penna, medical director, Kaiser Permanente Aging Network and national Elder Care Clinical Lead for the Care Management Institute.
As many as 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia. This study provides longitudinal evidence that having larger social networks does have a protective association on the development of dementia in very elderly women.
"The Alzheimer's Association supports the adoption of a brain-healthy lifestyle and encourages all people to remain mentally, socially and physically engaged," said William Thies, PhD, vice president of Medical and Scientific Relations at the Alzheimer's Association. "There is a growing body of scientific evidence that suggests staying socially active, in combination with other activities like managing medical risks, exercising and maintaining a healthy diet, may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's or other dementia."
This study was funded by the National Institute on Aging.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Plant-based diet may help depression, dementia
Food Consumer
07/07/2010
A new study in the July 6, 2010, issue of Neurology suggests that having depression boosts risk of dementia like Alzheimer's disease.
This is only a suggestion because the study does not mean that depression causes dementia or vise versus.
The study involved 949 people at an average age of 79 years, who were free of dementia, but 125 of them were diagnosed with depression at the beginning of the study.
At the end of the 17-yer follow-up, 164 participants developed dementia; of those participants, 136 were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
Jane Saczynski, PhD, author of the study from the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, MA and colleagues found 22 percent of those who had depression at baseline ended up developing dementia at the end of the study compared to 17 percent of those who were not depressed.
Dr. Saczyynski said even though depression may not necessarily cause dementia, it is possible that something like inflammation of brain tissue that contributes to depression boosts the risk of dementia like Alzheimer's.
Indeed, that is a possibility. Diet is one of the things that may affect risk of both depression and dementia.
A study led by Nanri A and colleagues from the National Center for Global Health and Medicine in Tokyo, Japan shows that a plant-based diet protects against depression.
Nanri found a healthy Japanese diet, consisting of high amounts of vegetables, fruit, mushrooms and soy products was associated with fewer depressive symptoms...
Food Consumer
07/07/2010
A new study in the July 6, 2010, issue of Neurology suggests that having depression boosts risk of dementia like Alzheimer's disease.
This is only a suggestion because the study does not mean that depression causes dementia or vise versus.
The study involved 949 people at an average age of 79 years, who were free of dementia, but 125 of them were diagnosed with depression at the beginning of the study.
At the end of the 17-yer follow-up, 164 participants developed dementia; of those participants, 136 were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
Jane Saczynski, PhD, author of the study from the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, MA and colleagues found 22 percent of those who had depression at baseline ended up developing dementia at the end of the study compared to 17 percent of those who were not depressed.
Dr. Saczyynski said even though depression may not necessarily cause dementia, it is possible that something like inflammation of brain tissue that contributes to depression boosts the risk of dementia like Alzheimer's.
Indeed, that is a possibility. Diet is one of the things that may affect risk of both depression and dementia.
A study led by Nanri A and colleagues from the National Center for Global Health and Medicine in Tokyo, Japan shows that a plant-based diet protects against depression.
Nanri found a healthy Japanese diet, consisting of high amounts of vegetables, fruit, mushrooms and soy products was associated with fewer depressive symptoms...
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