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The only approved treatments for Alzheimer’s disease are medications with limited effectiveness and a risk of severe, sometimes deadly, side effects. Researchers found that when the device was aimed at the right spot in the brain, it could slow the development of symptoms, such as memory loss, compared to an inactive treatment. In Alzheimer’s, nerve cells in the brain at some point start to dysfunction, leading to the debilitating symptoms of memory loss. What’s more, during the yearlong TMS trial, participants receiving the experimental treatment showed little decline in their abilities to perform the activities of daily living. Sinaptica’s weekly brain stimulation therapy is intended to strengthen connections in areas of the brain that control memory.

Persons: Giacomo Koch, ” Koch, Koch, Irina Skylar, Scott, “, ”, Lawrence Honig, Honig, Ryan Darby, Darby Organizations: University of Ferrara, Sinaptica, NBC News, TMS, Alzheimer’s Association, Food and Drug Administration, Stanford University’s Center, Memory Disorders, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center Locations: Madrid, Cambridge , Massachusetts, U.S

Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, appeared to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in people with Type 2 diabetes, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia. Another study, published in August, found that semaglutide appeared to cut the risk of dementia in people with Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a risk factor for dementia and Alzheimer’s. The study found that patients prescribed semaglutide had a significantly lower risk for Alzheimer’s disease than those who had taken one of the seven other diabetes drugs. The biggest difference was seen when comparing patients who took semaglutide to those who took insulin: Semaglutide patients had a 70% lower risk of Alzheimer’s, the study found.

Persons: —, semaglutide, ”, Stephen Salloway, ” Salloway, Rong Xu, liraglutide, Xu, ” Xu, they’re, Salloway, they’ve, Donna Wilcock, there’s, ” Wilcock, Dr, Alberto Espay, Espay, What’s, “, ” Espay Organizations: Alzheimer’s Association, Conference, Novo Nordisk, Warren Alpert Medical, Brown University, Center, Artificial Intelligence, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Drug Administration, ”, Alzheimer’s, Indiana University School of Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine Locations: Novo, Rhode Island, Ohio

☆ Lack of purpose may predict cognitive decline, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Well-being and cognitive declineMore research is needed due to the lack of diversity in this study, which also includes the fact that participants were volunteers from communities with higher levels of education, the study authors said. It’s possible that poor well-being may lead to cognitive impairment and vice versa. On one hand, greater well-being may lower risk for cognitive impairment and dementia by mitigating the effects of Alzheimer’s disease processes on cognition, the authors said. Positive well-being has been associated with lower levels of inflammatory cytokines and lower cardiovascular risk, which can reduce risk of cognitive impairments. Compared with participants who remained cognitively intact, those who developed cognitive impairment were more likely to be older and have lower body mass index (BMI) and lower psychological well-being.

Persons: ”, Angelina Sutin, Sutin wasn’t, White —, “, Glen R, Finney, Finney wasn’t, ” Sutin, ” Finney, Sutin, — Organizations: CNN, Neurology Neurosurgery, Psychiatry, Florida State University College of Medicine, Alzheimer’s Association Locations: Illinois, Pennsylvania

The Summary Studies have found that wildfire smoke negatively affects brain health. “A lot of the research on wildfire smoke has historically focused on our lungs and our hearts,” said Stephanie Cleland, an assistant professor at Simon Fraser University who studies the health impacts of wildfire smoke. Scientists think the reason wildfire smoke affects the brain is that the tiny particles within it can cross the barrier between the bloodstream and the brain, causing inflammation in the central nervous system. Other research published the same year showed that exposure to wildfire smoke during the school year reduced students’ test scores relative to a year with no smoke. “Last summer completely changed our conversation around who’s exposed to wildfire smoke,” she said.

Persons: ”, Stephanie Cleland, Holly Elser, Cleland, Marshall Burke, ” Burke, ” Elser, “, Elser, it’s, who’s Organizations: Simon Fraser University, Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, Hospital of, University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University Locations: California , Oregon, Montana, Northern, Southern California, U.S, Midwest, “ Oregon, California, Washington, British Columbia, Northeast U.S, Ontario

☆ Replacing red meat cuts dementia risk by 20%, study says
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The risk for dementia dropped by 20%, however, for people who replaced that small daily serving of processed red meat with a daily serving of nuts and legumes. Processed red meats such as bacon, sausage, hot dogs and deli meats often contain higher levels of sodium, nitrates and saturated fat. Each additional serving of processed red meat raised riskAn abstract of the study, which is under review for publication, was presented Wednesday at the 2024 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Philadelphia. Red meat intake is limited. Red meat, especially processed red meat as seen here, is linked to an unhealthy heart and brain.

Persons: ”, Walter Willett, ” Willett, David Katz, Katz, Maria Carrillo, Tanja Ivanova, Yuhan Li, Li, Christopher Gardner, ” Gardner, chia, sprinkle chia Organizations: CNN, Harvard, of Public Health, True Health Initiative, International Conference, Nurses, Alzheimer’s Association, Getty, Division, Network Medicine, Brigham, Women’s Hospital, Stanford Prevention Research, Nutrition Studies Research Locations: Chan, Boston, Philadelphia, bologna, lima, California

☆ Shingles vaccines may reduce dementia risk, two large new studies suggest
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Brenda Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

In 2017, a stronger vaccine, Shingrix, became available. “While research into whether vaccines affect dementia risk continues, people should be aware that there are other factors that have definitively been linked to an increased dementia risk. This study also found that the new shingles vaccine was associated with a larger degree of benefit than the older one. Although the findings are intriguing, the association needs more study before researchers can know for sure that the shingles vaccine is definitively behind the benefit. So for the time being, the best reason to get a shingles vaccine is still to avoid the misery of shingles.

Persons: stow, Shingrix, that’s, ”, Paul Harrison, ” Harrison, Dr, Andrew Doig, ” Doig, it’s, Sheona Scales, Scales, Sanjay Gupta, Phil Dormitzer Organizations: CNN, US Centers for Disease Control, Nature, GlaxoSmithKline, GSK, University of Oxford, University of Manchester, Alzheimer’s Research, Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, Oxford, CNN Health Locations: United States

☆ Ozempic predecessor suggests potential for GLP-1 drugs in Alzheimer’s in early trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Meg Tirrell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“This is the first study that actually looked at a relatively large number of patients for whether there is any neuroprotective effect in Alzheimer’s disease,” Edison said. The trial enrolled predominantly people with mild Alzheimer’s disease, measured by a test known as the Mini-Mental State Examination, a scale that goes up to 30. The GLP-1 drug class also includes Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro and Zepbound, which use the active ingredient tirzepatide, which mimics not just the hormone GLP-1 but another called GIP. But it hasn’t announced any trials of its GLP-1 drugs in Alzheimer’s. GLP-1 drugs can have side effects, though, primarily gastrointestinal problems like nausea and vomiting.

Persons: liraglutide, “, ”, Maria Carrillo, Carrillo, Paul Edison, ” Edison, Edison, Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro, Alzheimer’s Lilly, hasn’t, Lilly, Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, there’s, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, semaglutide Organizations: CNN, Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, Alzheimer’s Association, Novo Nordisk, Imperial College London, ”, Nordisk, ” Novo Nordisk, CNN Health, University of Oxford, Alzheimer’s Society, Alzheimer’s Locations: United Kingdom, Philadelphia, Alzheimer’s, ” Novo, Danish

☆ Long-term exposure to wildfire smoke linked to increased risk of dementia diagnosis, new study finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-29 | by ( Maya Davis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The researchers measured the impact of PM2.5 - air pollution particles that are 2.5 microns or smaller in diameter – from wildfire smoke as well as other sources, such as motor vehicles and factories. The research also indicates that associations between wildfire smoke and dementia diagnoses are most pronounced among people from racially and ethnically minoritized groups and in high-poverty areas. What you can doIndividuals can protect themselves from air pollution, including wildfire smoke, by staying indoors on poor air quality days. Home air filtration systems, including box fan air circulation, can also significantly improve indoor air quality, she said. “Our paper underscores that [wildfire smoke] is potentially an important one for individual patients and their providers who are who are curious what steps they can take.”

Persons: ”, Holly Elser, Maria Carrillo, they’ll, ” Elser, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, Carillo, there’s Organizations: CNN, International Conference, University of Pennsylvania, Alzheimer’s Association, Western, Get CNN, CNN Health Locations: Southern California, California, Canada, Greece, Western United States, Hawaii

☆ Alzheimer’s blood test catches 90% of early dementia cases, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-28 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —A combined blood test for cognitive decline has a 90% accuracy rate in determining whether memory loss is due to Alzheimer’s disease, a new study found. “The p-tau217 blood test is turning out to be the most specific for Alzheimer’s and the one with the most validity. “These are absolutely transformational times.”How does a p-tau217 blood test work? The results of the blood tests were then measured against patient diagnoses provided by Swedish primary care doctors and specialists. “There’s no one more bullish on these tests than I am, but Alzheimer’s blood tests aren’t fully definitive yet,” he said.

Persons: CNN —, Sebastian Palmqvist, ” Palmqvist, ”, Maria Carrillo, Carrillo, “ You’re, that’s, ” Carrillo, “, ” Tau tangles, Richard Isaacson, Oskar Hansson, ” Hansson, Hansson, Isaacson, ” Isaacson Organizations: CNN, Lund University, “, Alzheimer’s Association, International Conference Locations: Sweden, Alzheimer’s, Florida, United States, Philadelphia

☆ In new criteria for Alzheimer’s, some see much-needed progress while others fear profit may be driving ‘diagnostic creep’
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-01 | by ( Brenda Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —With another pricey Alzheimer’s disease treatment expected to receive an approval decision soon, the nonprofit Alzheimer’s Association has published the final version of its new diagnostic criteria for the disease. Together with another protein, tau, which makes fibrous tangles that block the communication of nerve cells, they are considered a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. “There’s no evidence for it,” said Dr. George Perry, a neurobiologist and editor of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Two members of the panel were employees of the Alzheimer’s Association, which also takes funding from pharmaceutical companies. Widera says he hopes that in the next round of guidelines, the Alzheimer’s Association will consider the risks involved.

Persons: There’s, –, donanemab, “, ”, George Perry, Adriane Fugh, Berman, haven’t, Maria C, Carrillo, Alzheimer’s, It’s, Eric Widera, Widera, it’s, Aduhelm, Karl Herrup, Clifford Jack, ” Jack, “ It’s, Niles Franz, ” Franz, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, Franz, ” Widera Organizations: CNN, Alzheimer’s Association, Food and Drug Administration, FDA, Georgetown University, University of California San, American Geriatrics Society, Abbott Labs, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Nature Medicine, federal National Institute, Aging, Alzheimer’s Association International, National Institute, National Institutes of Health, NIA, Alzheimer’s, National Academy of Medicine, CNN Health, Association Locations: University of California San Francisco

☆ Apparently Healthy, but Diagnosed With Alzheimer’s?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Paula Span | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Determining whether someone has Alzheimer’s disease usually requires an extended diagnostic process. A doctor takes a patient’s medical history, discusses symptoms, administers verbal and visual cognitive tests. or a spinal tap — tests that detect the presence of two proteins in the brain, amyloid plaques and tau tangles, both associated with Alzheimer’s. All of that could change dramatically if new criteria proposed by an Alzheimer’s Association working group are widely adopted. Its final recommendations, expected later this year, will accelerate a shift that is already underway: from defining the disease by symptoms and behavior to defining it purely biologically — with biomarkers, substances in the body that indicate disease.

Organizations: Alzheimer’s Association

☆ How to fight dementia, according to neurologists
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

What about diabetes, cancer, thyroid disease, high blood pressure or heart disease? Some of the questions might seem unexpected to those who don’t write about brain health. However, my risk of developing vascular dementia, the second most common type after Alzheimer’s disease, is elevated. "Such spikes cause brain inflammation, disrupt brain metabolism and increase shrinkage of the thinking part of the brain," Isaacson said. The National Institute on Aging currently supports nearly 500 active clinical trials on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

Persons: Louise Dittner, Krysta, Ryan LaMotte, It’s, ”, Natalia Rost, “, Rost, ” Rost, Richard Isaacson, ” Isaacson, mockingbird …, birthed, it’s, I’ve, Isaacson, Sandee LaMotte Organizations: CNN, Comprehensive, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, American Academy of Neurology, Boca Raton, Weill Cornell Medicine, Presbyterian, Mayo Clinic, Volunteers, Alzheimer’s, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health Locations: Massachusetts, Boston, neonatologists, Florida, United, New York, New York City, Nature

☆ New blood test that screens for Alzheimer’s may be a step closer to reality, study suggests
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Jacqueline Howard | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Alzheimer’s disease, a brain disorder that affects memory and thinking skills, is the most common type of dementia, according to the National Institutes of Health. “A blood test being negative speeds up the investigation for other causes of the symptoms and this is just as important,” Ashton said. Isaacson, who has researched blood biomarkers in people with no or minimal cognitive complaints, likened testing blood samples for signs of Alzheimer’s disease to how people undergo routine blood tests for high cholesterol. It is possible that currently available treatments for Alzheimer’s disease would work better in those diagnosed early in this way,” he said. The combination of a simple screening test with an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease would have a dramatic impact for individuals and for society.”

Persons: ” Nicholas Ashton, Ashton, ”, Kaj Blennow, Henrik Zetterberg, antiamyloid, immunoassay, ” Ashton, Richard Isaacson, ” Isaacson, Isaacson, ‘, “, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, David Curtis, ” Curtis Organizations: CNN, University of Gothenburg, National Institutes of Health, Quest Diagnostics, Alzheimer’s, Alzheimer’s Association, Get CNN, CNN Health, University College London, Science Media Locations: Sweden, United States, Wisconsin, Pau, Florida

☆ What to Know About Home Care Services
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Reed Abelson | More About Reed Abelson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

And most middle-class people will have to pay for home care themselves if they will need it for the long haul. After a fall or surgery, some older people will need short-term care at home from a nurse or therapist to help them recover. Medicare, the federal insurance program for those 65 and over, typically pays for this kind of home health care. They need a home health aide or personal care assistant, who may not have much, if any, medical training. A wide range of services are available, whether it’s light housekeeping or hiring a private-duty nurse.

Persons: Monica Moreno Organizations: Medicare, Alzheimer’s Association

☆ Doubts abound about a new Alzheimer’s blood test
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Judith Graham | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The Quest Diagnostics blood test, AD-Detect, measures elevated levels of amyloid-beta proteins, a signature characteristic of Alzheimer’s. But Alzheimer’s researchers and clinicians aren’t convinced the Quest test is backed by sound scientific research. Though blood tests for Alzheimer’s are likely to become common in the years ahead, the Alzheimer’s Association said it’s premature to offer a test of this kind directly to consumers. Because the science behind blood tests for Alzheimer’s is still developing and because “patients may not really understand the uncertainty of test results,” Edelmayer said, the Alzheimer’s Association “does not endorse the use of the AD-Detect test by consumers.”Quest’s blood test is one of several developments altering the landscape of Alzheimer’s care in the United States. The bottom line: Before taking a test, “older adults need to ask themselves, ‘Why do I want to know this?

Persons: aren’t, Alzheimer’s, Michael Racke, ”, there’s, Suzanne Schindler, St . Louis, That’s, ” Schindler, Racke, Meera Sheffrin, —, Rebecca Edelmayer, ” Edelmayer, Eric Widera, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, Emily Largent, ’ ”, Munro Cullum Organizations: Health, Diagnostics, Alzheimer’s Association, Quest, University of Michigan, International Conference, Washington University School of Medicine, Senior, Stanford Healthcare, The University of Michigan, FDA, National Institute, Aging, University of California, Get CNN, CNN Health, University, Pennsylvania’s Perelman, of Medicine, HIPAA, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Kaiser Health, KFF Locations: U.S, San Diego, St ., United States, San Francisco

☆ Purpose in life may decline after a dementia diagnosis. Experts share what to do
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —A person’s sense of purpose declines leading up to and following a diagnosis of dementia or cognitive decline, according to a new study. “Purpose in life is the feeling that one’s life is goal-oriented and has direction. “Purpose may be an intervention target following cognitive impairment to maintain well-being and to reduce or slow emergence of behavioral symptoms associated with low purpose,” the study said. But it is critically important for everyone to maintain a sense of purpose later in life, Sutin said. “The opposite of purpose in life — apathy — is a significant problem in dementia.

Persons: ”, Angelina Sutin, Sutin, Sam Fazio, —, Fazio, ” Fazio, “, ’ ” Fazio Organizations: CNN, JAMA, Florida State University College of Medicine, National Health, Alzheimer’s Association Locations: Tallahassee

☆ Living with air pollution, especially from wildfires or agriculture, raises risk of dementia, US study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Jen Christensen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The study authors said it’s the first nationally representative study of the potential effects of particle pollution on dementia in the US, and the link to dementia was most robust in areas with pollution from agriculture and wildfires. Pesticides are neurotoxins to animals, she said, so those may be the particles in agriculture pollution that are affecting human brains, as well. As for wildfires, the smoke doesn’t just come from burning trees; things like homes and gas stations burn too, becoming the particle pollution that people breathe in. The new study cannot determine the exact mechanism connecting particle pollution and dementia, but scientists have some theories. A study in England found that adults living with the highest annual concentration of air pollution had 1.4 times the dementia risk as those living with the lowest annual concentration.

Persons: it’s, ”, Sara Dubowsky Adar, Boya Zhang, Adar, Caleb Finch, William F, It’s, Masashi Kitazawa, Kitazawa, ” Kitazawa, Finch, Zhang, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, ” Zhang, “ Organizations: CNN, US Environmental Protection Agency, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Pesticides, ARCO, William, Kieschnick, University of Southern, World Health, Alzheimer’s Association, University of California, Alzheimer’s, CNN Health, World Health Organization Locations: United States, University of Southern California, Irvine, Canada, England, California

☆ Volunteering in late life may protect the brain, research finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New research backs her up: Volunteering has been linked with better scores on tests of cognitive function, according to research presented Thursday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Amsterdam. “We hope these new data encourage individuals of all ages and backgrounds to engage in local volunteering — not only to benefit their communities, but potentially their own cognitive and brain health.”Previous studies have found positive links between volunteering and cognitive function. These adults were around age 74 on average and had participated in the Kaiser Healthy Aging and Diverse Life Experiences Study or the Study of Healthy Aging in African Americans. Barberena thinks volunteering helps maintain her cognition by engaging her memory, verbal and reasoning skills, she said. Previous studies have found socializing and physical activity, both often involved in volunteering, to be beneficial for brain health.

Persons: Celia Barberena, Barberena, ”, “, Donna McCullough, —, it’s, Maria C, Carrillo, wasn’t, hadn’t, ” Carrillo, Yi Lor, Lor, ” Barberena, ” Lor Organizations: CNN, Alzheimer’s Association International, “ Volunteers, Alzheimer’s Association, Healthy Aging, Aging, University of California, Alliance Locations: Latina, Pacific Grove , California, Amsterdam, Davis, Monterey County, “, California’s Monterey

☆ Constipation linked with cognitive decline, research finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Chronic constipation has been linked with inflammation and mental disorders such as anxiety and depression, but there have been many unanswered questions about the relationship between digestive health and long-term cognitive function, according to a news release. Cognitive function refers to a person’s mental capacity for learning, thinking, reasoning, problem-solving, decision-making, remembering and paying attention. To find clues to these queries, the authors assessed more than 112,000 adults who had participated in the Nurses’ Health Study, Nurses’ Health Study II and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. The authors of the latest research collected data on participants’ bowel movement frequency from 2012 to 2013, participants’ self-assessments of cognitive function between 2014 and 2017, and details on some participants’ objectively measured cognitive function between 2014 and 2018. But bowel movement frequency and subjective cognitive function were also linked with the participants’ gut microbiomes, the authors found.

Persons: ”, Chaoran Ma, pooped, Maria C, Carrillo, wasn’t, “, ” Ma, Butyrates, Ruminococcus, ” Carrillo Organizations: CNN, Alzheimer’s Association International, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Nurses, Health, Alzheimer’s Association, Cleveland Clinic, Food and Drug Administration Locations: Amsterdam, “, North America

☆ Second Alzheimer’s drug to slow disease’s progression may be approved in the US this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Meg Tirrell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

It was shown in May and in fuller Phase 3 clinical trial results released at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference on Monday to delay the disease’s progression. More than 6 million Americans are estimated to have Alzheimer’s disease, with about 1 million estimated to be in the early symptomatic stages where these drugs have shown benefit. Both Leqembi and donanemab work by clearing buildups of a protein in the brain called amyloid, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s. It’s been a hypothesis that treating Alzheimer’s earlier with amyloid-clearing drugs would yield better results; Skovronsky said the donanemab trial bore that out. “We could look at people who had mild cognitive impairment, MCI, which is the earliest stage, versus mild Alzheimer’s versus moderate Alzheimer’s,” Skovronsky explained.

Persons: Leqembi, Eli Lilly’s donanemab, Lilly, “ Donanemab, Jennifer Manly, Kacie, ”, Dr, Gil Rabinovici, Renaud La Joie, Daniel Skovronsky, “, Skovronsky, ” Skovronsky, It’s, Eric Widera, Sharon Brangman, University of Wisconsin’s Dr, Nathaniel Chin, Donanemab, Lilly hasn’t, Lawrence Honig, Honig, White, Sanjay Gupta, Deters, ” Lilly, it’s “, it’s, there’s, Joe Montminy Organizations: CNN, Alzheimer’s Association, Food and Drug Administration, American Medical Association, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, University of California, MCI, SUNY, University of Wisconsin’s, Leqembi, FDA, donanemab, CNN Health, ” Manly Locations: Los Angeles, “

☆ Treating Alzheimer’s Very Early Offers Better Hope of Slowing Decline, Study Finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Pam Belluck | More About Pam Belluck | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Treating Alzheimer’s patients as early as possible — when symptoms and brain pathology are mildest — provides a better chance of slowing cognitive decline, a large study of an experimental Alzheimer’s drug presented Monday suggests. The study of 1,736 patients reported that the drug, donanemab, made by Eli Lilly, can modestly slow the progression of memory and thinking problems in early stages of Alzheimer’s, and that the slowing was greatest for early-stage patients when they had less of a protein that creates tangles in the brain. For people at that earlier stage, donanemab appeared to slow decline in memory and thinking by about four and a half to seven and a half months over an 18-month period compared with those taking a placebo, according to the study, published in the journal JAMA. Among people with less of the protein, called tau, slowing was most pronounced in those younger than 75 and those who did not yet have Alzheimer’s but had a pre-Alzheimer’s condition called mild cognitive impairment, according to data presented Monday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Amsterdam. “The earlier you can get in there, the more you can impact it before they’ve already declined and they’re on this fast slope,” Dr. Daniel Skovronsky, Eli Lilly’s chief medical and scientific officer, said in an interview.

Persons: Eli Lilly, donanemab, “, they’ve, Dr, Daniel Skovronsky, Eli Lilly’s Organizations: Alzheimer’s Association International Locations: Amsterdam

Trial data showed that the treatment slows progression of the brain-wasting disease by 27% for patients in the earliest stages of Alzheimer's. The FDA placed its strongest "boxed" safety warning on Leqembi's label, flagging the risk of potentially dangerous brain swelling for Alzheimer's drugs in the same class. Leqembi is an antibody designed to remove sticky deposits of a protein called amyloid beta from the brains of Alzheimer's patients. Biogen and Eisai stock has risen since FDA granted accelerated approval to Alzheimer's drug Leqembi earlier this yearLeqembi's new label explains the need to monitor patients for potentially dangerous brain swelling and bleeding associated with amyloid-lowering antibodies. The first FDA-approved disease-modifying Alzheimer's drug, Aduhelm, was also developed by partners Eisai and Biogen, but Medicare coverage restrictions have severely limited its use.

Persons: Leqembi, drugmakers, Ivan Cheung, Chiquita Brooks, LaSure, Babak Tousi, Tousi, Biogen, Dr, Erik Musiek, Eli Lilly, Co's, Cheung, Joanne Pike, Eisai, Leqembi's, Deena Beasley, Julie Steenhuysen, Bill Berkrot, Matthew Lewis Organizations: U.S . Food, Drug Administration, FDA, Medicare, Medicaid Services, Cleveland Clinic, Washington University, Barnes, Jewish, Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer's Association, Thomson Locations: ANGELES, U.S, Los Angeles, Chicago

☆ Fluctuating cholesterol linked with Alzheimer’s, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

In addition to total cholesterol, the study tracked triglycerides, a type of fat that comes from butter and oils; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, also known as LDL or “bad” cholesterol; and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, known as HDL or ‘good’ cholesterol. In the Neurology study, variations in LDL and HDL cholesterol weren’t associated with higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias. Lipids and neurodegenerative diseaseThe authors found a link, but not a causal relationship, between fluctuating levels of cholesterol and triglycerides and risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Exactly how varying lipid levels and risk for Alzheimer’s or related dementias are related remains unclear, Bielinski said. “Always consult your doctor or healthcare provider if you are concerned about your cardiovascular health, cholesterol levels, or cognitive decline,” Weber said via email.

Persons: ”, Christopher Weber, Suzette J, Bielinski, hadn’t, ” Bielinski, ” Weber, “, Weber Organizations: CNN, Alzheimer’s Association, Mayo Clinic, Neurology Locations: Minnesota

☆ Medicare offers details on reimbursement for new Alzheimer's drugs
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Julie Steenhuysen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

CHICAGO, June 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. Medicare health plan on Thursday offered details of plans to collect patient data as a condition for reimbursement for Eisai Co Ltd (4523.T) and Biogen Inc's (BIIB.O) new Alzheimer's drug Leqembi, should it win traditional U.S. approval as expected by July 6. If it wins traditional FDA approval, Leqembi would be the first disease-modifying drug ever to achieve the regulatory milestone. Current treatments only treat symptoms but do not change the course of the disease, which affects 6 million Americans, according to the Alzheimer's Association. On that basis, CMS said it would only pay for Leqembi if patients were enrolled in a clinical trial. The CMS data requirements apply to all Alzheimer's treatments that reduce beta amyloid from the brain, including Eli Lilly and Co's donanemab, which recently reported positive results from its late-stage trial.

Persons: Biogen, Eisai's Leqembi, Leqembi, Eli Lilly, Co's, “, Robert Egge, Julie Steenhuysen, Daniel Wallis Organizations: U.S, Eisai Co, Centers, Medicare, Medicaid Services, CMS, Alzheimer's Association, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, FDA, Alzheimer’s Association, Thomson Locations: U.S

☆ Daytime naps may be good for our brains, study says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Jack Guy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Taking daytime naps may help maintain brain health as we age, according to a new study. The results show “a small but significant increase in brain volume in people who have a genetic signature associated with taking daytime naps,” she told the Science Media Centre. “Even with those limitations, this study is interesting because it adds to the data indicating that sleep is important for brain health,” she said. MoMo Productions/Digital Vision/Getty ImagesHowever, such a technique can only show an association between nap and brain health, not cause and effect. Grandner directs the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Clinic at the Banner-University Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona, and was not involved in the study.

Persons: ”, Victoria Garfield, Tara Spires, Jones, Valentina Paz, they’re, Paz, MoMo, Michael Grandner, Grandner, Raj Dasgupta, “ Organizations: CNN, University College London, UCL, University of, British Neuroscience Association, Centre, Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Science Media, Sleep Health, Alzheimer’s Association, Sleep Medicine, Banner - University Medical Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern Locations: Republic of Uruguay, Tucson , Arizona, University of Southern California

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