Higher Midlife Fitness Can Impact Brain Health in Later Life

New Study Shows That People Who Are Fit at Midlife Have a Lower Risk of Developing Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias

It turns out that what's good for your heart is also good for your brain. This is the conclusion of a new study from The Cooper Institute in collaboration with UT Southwestern Medical Center and Cooper Clinic. The study, published this month in Annals of Internal Medicine, shows that individuals who are fit at midlife have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and other dementias in their Medicare years.

"We've known that exercise is beneficial to brain health in the short-term," says Laura DeFina, MD, of The Cooper Institute, and first author on the study. "What's unique about this study is that it demonstrates the long-term, positive effect of fitness on the brain."

The study followed more than 19,000 generally healthy men and women who completed a preventive medical exam at Cooper Clinic in Dallas when they were, on average, 49 years of age. The exam also included an assessment of other health risk factors such as body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, and cholesterol. Their health status was evaluated using Medicare data between the years 1999 and 2009, an average of 24 years after their Cooper Clinic examination.

"The exercise we do in middle-age is relevant for not only how long we live, but also how well we live. This data provides insight into the value of lifelong exercise and its protection against dementia in older age," says Jarett Berry, MD, of UT Southwestern Medical Center, and a co-author on the study. "The fear of dementia in later life is real, and the possibility that exercise earlier in life can lower that risk is an important public health message."

Alzheimer's disease and other related dementias are an important public health problem. "One in eight people age 65 and older has Alzheimer's disease," says Kenneth H. Cooper, MD, MPH, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of The Cooper Institute. "And payments for health care for 5.4 million Americans with dementia are projected to reach $1.1 trillion in 2050. This study shows that the most cost-effective ways to prevent dementia are through lifestyle changes that require minimal medical intervention."

Laura DeFina, MD, was the first author on the study which also included co-authors Benjamin Willis, MD, MPH, and David Leonard, PhD, of The Cooper Institute; Nina Radford, MD, of Cooper Clinic; Jarett Berry, MD, Myron Weiner, MD, and Ang Gao, MS, of UT Southwestern Medical Center; and William Haskell, PhD, of Stanford University.

About The Cooper Institute
Established in 1970 by Kenneth H. Cooper, MD, MPH, The Cooper Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated worldwide to preventive medicine research and education, housing one of the world's largest databases on exercise and health. Each year The Cooper Institute develops engaged learners in fitness and health with its courses and nationally accredited Personal Trainer Certification exam. The Cooper Institute offers web-based tools for schools to track and report on youth fitness and nutrition: FitnessGram® and NutriGram®. For more information, visit CooperInstitute.org.

About Cooper Clinic
Cooper Clinic, a Cooper Aerobics company based at the world-renowned Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas, helps patients Get Cooperized™ by giving them an in-depth picture of their health and an action plan to improve it. A leading preventive medicine facility offering same-day results, Cooper Clinic provides comprehensive physical exams, cardiology, breast health, preventive and cosmetic dermatology, gastroenterology, imaging and nutrition services. Founded in 1970 by preventive medicine pioneer and "father of aerobics" Kenneth H. Cooper, MD, MPH, Cooper Clinic has seen more than 100,000 patients and performed more than 265,000 physical exams.

Testing brain pacemakers to zap Alzheimer's damage

WASHINGTON — It has the makings of a science fiction movie: Zap someone's brain with mild jolts of electricity to try to stave off the creeping memory loss of Alzheimer's disease.

And it's not easy. Holes are drilled into the patient's skull so tiny wires can be implanted into just the right spot.

A dramatic shift is beginning in the disappointing struggle to find something to slow the damage of this epidemic: The first U.S. experiments with "brain pacemakers" for Alzheimer's are getting under way. Scientists are looking beyond drugs to implants in the hunt for much-needed new treatments.

The research is in its infancy. Only a few dozen people with early stage Alzheimer's will be implanted in a handful of hospitals. No one knows if it might work, and if it does, how long the effects might last.

Kathy Sanford was among the first to sign up. The Ohio woman's early stage Alzheimer's was gradually getting worse. She still lived independently, posting reminders to herself, but no longer could work. The usual medicines weren't helping.

Then doctors at Ohio State University explained the hope — that constant electrical stimulation of brain circuits involved in memory and thinking might keep those neural networks active for longer, essentially bypassing some of dementia's damage.

Sanford decided it was worth a shot.

"The reason I'm doing it is, it's really hard to not be able, sometimes, to remember," Sanford, 57, said from her Lancaster, Ohio, home.

Her father is blunter.

"What's our choice? To participate in a program or sit here and watch her slowly deteriorate?" asked Joe Jester, 78. He drives his daughter to follow-up testing, hoping to spot improvement.

A few months after the five-hour operation, the hair shaved for her brain surgery was growing back and Sanford said she felt good, with an occasional tingling that she attributes to the electrodes. A battery-powered generator near her collarbone powers them, sending the tiny shocks up her neck and into her brain.

It's too soon to know how she'll fare; scientists will track her for two years.

"This is an ongoing evaluation right now that we are optimistic about," is how Ohio State neurosurgeon Dr. Ali Rezai cautiously puts it.

More than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer's or similar dementias, and that number is expected to rise rapidly as the baby boomers age. Today's drugs only temporarily help some symptoms. Attempts to attack Alzheimer's presumed cause, a brain-clogging gunk, so far haven't panned out.

"We're getting tired of not having other things work," said Ohio State neurologist Dr. Douglas Scharre.

The new approach is called deep brain stimulation, or DBS. While it won't attack Alzheimer's root cause either, "maybe we can make the brain work better," he said.

Implanting electrodes into the brain isn't new.

Between 85,000 and 100,000 people around the world have had DBS to block the tremors of Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders. The continuous jolts quiet overactive nerve cells, with few side effects. Scientists also are testing whether stimulating other parts of the brain might help lift depression or curb appetite among the obese.

It was in one of those experiments that Canadian researchers back in 2003 stumbled onto the Alzheimer's possibility. They switched on the electrical jolts in the brain of an obese man and unlocked a flood of old memories. Continuing his DBS also improved his ability to learn. He didn't have dementia, but the researchers wondered if they could spur memory-making networks in someone who did.

But wait a minute.

Alzheimer's doesn't just steal memories. It eventually robs sufferers of the ability to do the simplest of tasks. How could stimulating a brain so damaged do any good?

A healthy brain is a connected brain. One circuit signals another to switch on and retrieve the memories needed to, say, drive a car or cook a meal.

At least early in the disease, Alzheimer's kills only certain spots. But the disease's hallmark gunky plaques act as a roadblock, stopping the "on" switch so that healthy circuits farther away are deactivated, explained Dr. Andres Lozano, a neurosurgeon at Toronto Western Hospital whose research sparked the interest.

So the plan was to put the electrodes into hubs where brain pathways for memory, behavior, concentration and other cognitive functions converge, to see if the jolts reactivate those silenced circuits, added Ohio State's Rezai.

"It's like going through Grand Central Station and trying to affect all the trains going in and coming out," he said.

Lozano's team found the first clue that it's possible by implanting six Alzheimer's patients in Canada. After at least 12 months of continuous stimulation, brain scans showed a sign of more activity in areas targeted by Alzheimer's. Suddenly, the neurons there began using more glucose, the fuel for brain cells.

"It looked like a blackout before. We were able to turn the lights back on in those areas," Lozano said.

While most Alzheimer's patients show clear declines in function every year, one Canadian man who has had the implants for four years hasn't deteriorated, Lozano said, although he cautioned that there's no way to know whether that's due to the DBS.

The evidence is preliminary and will take years of study to prove, but "this is an exciting novel approach," said Dr. Laurie Ryan of the National Institutes of Health's aging division, which is funding a follow-up study.

In research under way now:

—The Toronto researchers have teamed with four U.S. medical centers — Johns Hopkins University, the University of Pennsylvania, University of Florida and Arizona's Banner Health System — to try DBS in a part of the brain called the fornix, one of those memory hubs, in 40 patients. Half will have their electrodes turned on two weeks after the operation and the rest in a year, an attempt to spot any placebo effect from surgery.

—At Ohio State, Rezai is implanting the electrodes into a different spot, the frontal lobes, that his own DBS work suggests could tap into cognition and behavior pathways. That study will enroll 10 participants including Sanford.

Surgery back in October was Sanford's first step. Then it was time to fine-tune how the electrodes fire. She took problem-solving tests while neurologist Scharre adjusted the voltage and frequency and watched her reactions.

Sanford was cheered to see her test scores climb a bit during those adjustments. She said she knows there are no guarantees, but "if we can beat some of this stuff, or at least get a leading edge on it, I'm in for the whole deal."

source: yahoo

Siemens Announces First Integrated Amyloid Imaging Solution for Use in Evaluation of Alzheimer's Disease

Siemens Announces First Integrated Amyloid Imaging Solution in the U.S. Market for Use in Evaluation of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Causes of Cognitive Decline

Introducing solutions for PET imaging of beta-amyloid neuritic plaques in the living brain - combining reliable radiopharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution with innovative PET hardware and software

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Siemens Healthcare SI -1.88% is the first company worldwide to announce a complete integrated diagnostic imaging solution proposed for the detection of amyloid plaques -- one of the necessary pathological features of Alzheimer's disease(1,2,3) -- in the living brain. The latest elements of Siemens' integrated solution came today with the company's U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) application for its syngo®.PET Amyloid Plaque(4) proprietary neurology quantification software, as well as the recent FDA approval of Eli Lilly and Company's Amyvid(TM) (Florbetapir F 18 Injection), a radioactive diagnostic agent indicated for brain imaging of beta-amyloid plaques in patients with cognitive impairment who are being evaluated for Alzheimer's disease and other causes of cognitive decline.(5)

Siemens integrated amyloid imaging solution encompasses three unique elements -- the new Biograph mCT(TM) PET-CT scanner, FDA 510(k)-pending syngo.PET Amyloid Plaque neurology quantification software and the manufacturing and distribution of Amyvid. All are examples of Siemens Healthcare's innovative power and competitiveness, which are two goals of the company's global initiative, Agenda 2013.

As the largest producer and distributor of Amyvid, PETNET Solutions, Siemens' network of PET drug manufacturing establishments, will begin supplying Amyvid to imaging centers in limited U.S. markets beginning in June 2012. Complementing the new radioactive diagnostic agent, Siemens pending software could potentially support the quantification of amyloid plaque in the brain. Combined with the company's family of high-resolution PET imaging scanners, Siemens now announces for the first time an integrated diagnostic tool for patients with cognitive impairment who are being evaluated for Alzheimer's disease and other causes of cognitive decline.

"Siemens is proud to be the first and only company to implement an integrated solution to support the evaluation of Alzheimer's disease and other causes of cognitive decline," said Britta Fuenfstueck, CEO of Molecular Imaging, Siemens Healthcare. "The combination of reliable manufacturing and distribution of Amyvid with Siemens' new Biograph mCT PET-CT and our pending syngo.PET Amyloid Plaque neurology quantification software will give physicians in the U.S. additional tools for the evaluation of Alzheimer's disease and other neurologic conditions."

A negative Amyvid scan indicates sparse to no amyloid plaques are currently present, which is inconsistent with a neuropathological diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and reduces the likelihood that a patient's cognitive impairment is due to Alzheimer's disease.(1,6) A positive Amyvid scan indicates moderate to frequent amyloid plaques are present; this amount of amyloid plaque is present in patients with Alzheimer's disease, but may also be present in patients with other types of neurologic conditions and in older people with normal cognition.(3, 5, 7)

It is important to note that Amyvid is an adjunct to other diagnostic evaluations. A positive Amyvid scan does not establish a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or other cognitive disorder. Additionally, the safety and effectiveness of Amyvid have not been established for predicting development of dementia or other neurologic condition, or monitoring responses to therapies.(5)

Amyvid images should be interpreted only by readers who successfully complete a special training program, which will be provided by Lilly.

Siemens PETNET Solutions to supply Amyvid to imaging centers across the U.S.

The combination of higher purity demands and the complex nature of F-18 amyloid imaging compounds introduces the need for rigorous purification techniques, as well as new manual and automated manufacturing steps. As a result, the standard manufacturing process for novel, non-traditional imaging biomarkers presents greater opportunity for failure and consequently lower delivery reliability compared with traditional PET radiopharmaceuticals. To overcome this, Siemens PETNET Solutions employs standardized and validated equipment, dedicated and experienced scientists and pharmacists, and automated processes in combination with unique redundant back-up production. As such, the company is able to offer reliable access to Amyvid.

With a commitment to high quality and industry leadership, Siemens PETNET Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc., has established a manufacturing and distribution agreement with Eli Lilly and Company, serving as the largest U.S. supplier of Amyvid. Siemens PETNET Solutions will begin supplying the radioactive diagnostic agent to imaging centers in limited U.S. markets beginning in June 2012. By the end of the year, the company anticipates having 25 cGMP-certified manufacturing centers and co-located radiopharmacies commercially offering the compound.

Quantification and localization of Amyloid may enable accurate, more confident interpretation

Because some amyloid tracer is naturally retained in the normal brain, it is important to appropriately differentiate between white matter uptake and gray matter amyloid plaque deposits. While amyloid within the brain's white matter is, in most cases, considered normal, uptake in the gray matter may indicate abnormal activity.(8) Because gray and white matter are interlaced in such a compact way, distinguishing the two can be challenging. Once localized, accurately quantifying the presence of amyloid plaques may help to more confidently interpret an amyloid scan.(9) In cases where the intensity of amyloid uptake is insufficient, it may become challenging to accurately interpret based on visual assessment alone. Therefore, equally important to localization is quantification.(8,9)

Traditional scanners in use today often lack the fine volumetric resolution and high-contrast ratio required to precisely differentiate between gray and white matter. Inherent scanner drift as well as inaccurate attenuation correction impact the accuracy of acquired quantitative data. In addition, conventional interpretation software does not offer automatic quantification and leaves the reader to rely solely on subjective interpretation.

With the new Biograph mCT from Siemens, physicians can attain the highest image quality(10) and quantifiable results that are accurate. With its OptisoHD Detection System, UltraHD-PET and acquisition matrix of 400 x 400, Biograph mCT enables physicians to visualize different brain matter with the industry's finest volumetric resolution(11) of 87mm(3) and four times improvement in contrast (signal to noise). With its unique combination of daily calibration and precise anatomical and functional co-registration, Biograph mCT can make a quantifiable improvement in diagnostic confidence in dementia diagnosis.

syngo.PET Amyloid Plaque, Siemens' proprietary quantification software, is intended to take a patient's PET amyloid exam and automatically register it against a reference model of a PET amyloid brain. Siemens' proprietary affine registration algorithm has been shown in research(12) to have a correlation coefficient of 0.98 to the Fleisher method.(8) Pioneered by Dr. Adam Fleisher, this reference model identifies six optimal zones to evaluate pathological levels of amyloid plaque burden. syngo.PET Amyloid Plaque enables physicians to calculate uptake ratios. Uptake ratios, such as SUVr, can be compared to Fleisher thresholds, thus allowing to reflect pathological levels of amyloid.(8) Combined with visual assessment, these capabilities may give physicians added confidence in determining amyloid plaque burden -- for instance, in borderline cases, which otherwise could result in inconclusive or false scanning reports.(9)

Support for establishing new imaging services

Siemens has a recognized portfolio of programs to help customers establish and grow their PET imaging offerings and provide new services to their communities. Siemens imaging outreach program includes a broad range of exclusive offerings, including business plan development, site readiness consulting, optimized scanner protocols, workflow consulting, training and marketing support.

The impact of Alzheimer's disease

With aging populations and extended life expectancies, the number of Alzheimer's cases in the United States and worldwide is growing at epidemic levels. Progressing steadily and unmercifully, Alzheimer's disease is now the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. With 5.4 million Americans living with the disease -- and another person joining that group every 69 seconds -- this number is predicted to triple by 2050.(3) As deaths from stroke, cancer and heart disease decreased significantly between 2000 and 2008, Alzheimer's-related deaths rose 66%.(3) It is estimated that one in five patients diagnosed with probable Alzheimer's disease do not end up having Alzheimer's disease pathology upon autopsy.(13,14)

Indication and Important Safety Information About Amyvid

Indications and Usage

Amyvid is indicated for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging of the brain to estimate beta-amyloid neuritic plaque density in adult patients with cognitive impairment who are being evaluated for Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and other causes of cognitive decline.

A negative Amyvid scan indicates sparse to no neuritic plaques and is inconsistent with a neuropathological diagnosis of AD at the time of image acquisition; a negative scan result reduces the likelihood that a patient's cognitive impairment is due to AD. A positive Amyvid scan indicates moderate to frequent amyloid neuritic plaques; neuropathological examination has shown this amount of amyloid neuritic plaque is present in patients with AD, but may also be present in patients with other types of neurologic conditions as well as older people with normal cognition. Amyvid is an adjunct to other diagnostic evaluations.

Limitations of Use:

A positive Amyvid scan does not establish a diagnosis of AD or other cognitive disorder. Additionally, the safety and effectiveness of Amyvid have not been established for predicting development of dementia or other neurologic condition or monitoring responses to therapies.(1)

Amyvid is supplied in 10 mL, 30 mL, or 50 mL multidose vials containing 500-1900 MBq/mL Florbetapir F 18.

Important Safety Information

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Risk for Image Misinterpretation and Other Errors

Errors may occur in the Amyvid estimation of brain neuritic plaque density during image interpretation.

Image interpretation should be performed independently of the patient's clinical information. The use of clinical information in the interpretation of Amyvid images has not been evaluated and may lead to errors. Other errors may be due to extensive brain atrophy that limits the ability to distinguish gray and white matter on the Amyvid scan as well as motion artifacts that distort the image.

Amyvid scan results are indicative of the brain neuritic amyloid plaque content only at the time of image acquisition and a negative scan result does not preclude the development of brain amyloid in the future.

Radiation Risk

Amyvid, similar to other radiopharmaceuticals, contributes to a patient's overall long-term cumulative radiation exposure. Long-term cumulative radiation exposure is associated with an increased risk of cancer. Ensure safe handling to protect patients and health care workers from unintentional radiation exposure.

MOST COMMON ADVERSE REACTIONS

The most common adverse reactions reported in clinical trials were headache (1.8 percent), musculoskeletal pain (0.8 percent), fatigue (0.6 percent), nausea (0.6 percent), anxiety (0.4 percent), back pain (0.4 percent), blood pressure increased (0.4 percent), claustrophobia (0.4 percent), feeling cold (0.4 percent), insomnia (0.4 percent), and neck pain (0.4 percent).

DRUG INTERACTIONS

Pharmacodynamic drug-drug interaction studies have not been performed in patients to establish the extent, if any, to which concomitant medications may alter Amyvid image results.

A Renewed Effort to Fight Alzheimer’s Disease

The Obama administration has tasked the science community with finding some effective treatments for Alzheimer’s disease by 2025. Experts consider the quest as ambitious. Still, health advocates applaud the government’s initiative, calling it an important step towards prevention, delay and, eventually, cure of the disorder.

Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most feared health conditions among Baby Boomers, second only to cancer, according to a survey conducted by the Alzheimer’s Association and the Harvard School of Public Health, which was first published at an international conference in Paris, France, last year. However, because of stigma and misinformation about Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, too many cases still remain undiagnosed. As a first step, the government has announced a major campaign to better educate both the medical community and the public at large about the disease.

“Alzheimer’s is the most significant social and health crisis of the 21st century,” said Dr. William Thies, the Chief Medical and Scientific Officer of the Alzheimer’s Association. “The overwhelming numbers of people whose lives will be altered by the disease, combined with the staggering economic burden on families and nations, make Alzheimer’s the defining disease of this generation. However, if governments act urgently to develop national research and care strategies with appropriate smart investments, the impact of Alzheimer’s and dementia can be managed,” he added.

Currently, over five million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementias, a toll that is expected to triple by 2050. The numbers may be much higher yet because as many as half of those affected have not been formally diagnosed. According to the American Health Assistance Foundation (AHAF), almost half a million new cases are added annually. Over 80,000 patients die from the disease every year, making Alzheimer’s the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S.

The annual costs for treatments and care of Alzheimer’s patients in the U.S. amounted approximately to $183 billion in 2011; they are expected to reach over one trillion dollars by 2050. The vast majority of people with Alzheimer’s receive home care by relatives, which is not covered by Medicare and most health insurance plans. For this reason, the new government initiative also aims at providing some form of relief for overwhelmed families who carry the burden of caring for loved ones, although the details hereto are still unclear.

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia. The disease worsens as it progresses and leads to death within four to seven years on average, although 20 years are not unheard of. It was first described in 1906 by the German psychiatrist and neuropathologist, Alois Alzheimer, and was named after him.

Early symptoms are often overlooked or misinterpreted as age- or stress-related phenomena such as forgetfulness or confusion. Since the disease affects each individual differently, predicting its course is difficult.

What causes Alzheimer’s in the first place is not yet fully understood. Currently available treatments can only help with its symptomatic effects but are not able to halt or reverse progression. Some have suggested that diet, exercise and mental stimulation can have a positive impact, however, there is no clinically proven evidence that such measures have a real effect in terms of prevention.

Still, most experts agree that healthy diet and lifestyle choices are the best weapons we currently have against all age-related diseases, including Alzheimer’s and dementia.

source: seattlepi

First European-wide research strategy to tackle Alzheimer’s and other Neurodegenerative Diseases

Research leaders and stakeholders from across Europe will gather today in Brussels for the launch of a European-wide strategy to coordinate and prioritize research aimed at tackling the enormous challenge of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease.

The EU Joint Programme in Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND) is the first of the European Joint Programming initiatives which are designed to address the ‘grand challenges’ facing EU society in the coming years. These challenges are considered beyond the scope and resources of any one country to tackle.

Welcoming the JPND strategy, European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn said: “I am delighted to welcome this common strategy, agreed under this unprecedented collaborative initiative in research, to channel participating countries’ scientific competencies, medical strengths and social approaches to tackle this important challenge. The JPND strategy can not only make research efforts more effective in the area of neurodegenerative diseases but can also have very wide benefits for society, health and the research community in Europe.”

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are debilitating and largely untreatable conditions that are strongly linked with age. Amongst these disorders, the dementias are responsible for the greatest burden of disease, with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders affecting over 7 million people in Europe, and this figure is expected to double every 20 years as the population ages. It currently costs approximately €130 billion per annum to care for people with dementia across Europe, highlighting age-related neurodegenerative disease as one of the leading medical and societal challenges faced by EU society.

The strategy sets out the common vision of the 25 European countries involved, and provides a strategic approach to support world-class research that can exploit emerging scientific opportunities, confront barriers to progress, and provide new approaches to prevention, intervention and care.

“This common Research Strategy will guide research activity and investments in the field of neurodegenerative diseases over the coming decade in Europe”, says Professor Philippe Amouyel, Chair of the JPND Management Board. “The ultimate goal is to undertake research that can be translated into new interventions that improve the health and wellbeing of patients with neurodegenerative diseases and their families and carers, and that delivers economic and societal benefit throughout the European Union”, he said.

The goals of the European-wide strategy are:

• To develop new treatments and preventive strategies
• To improve health and social care approaches
• To raise awareness and de-stigmatise Alzheimer’s and other Neurodegenerative disorders
• To alleviate the economic and social burden of these diseases.

JPND is working to implement these goals through:

• building capacity in excellent basic, clinical and healthcare/social research
• coordinating and aligning European and national research activities
• translating research evidence into clinical, social and public health practice
• partnering with industry, patient, carer and health service stakeholders, and decision makers.

The strategy is based on the recommendations of the JPND Scientific Advisory Board which constitutes fifteen of the very best scientists and physicians from the research areas related to neurodegenerative diseases. Extensive consultations with over 140 scientists and multiple stakeholder communities were also conducted and recommendations were validated through a broad public consultation. Research priorities identified in the strategy include investigating the origins of neurodegenerative disease; studying disease mechanisms and models; exploring disease definitions and diagnosis; developing therapies, preventive strategies and interventions; improving healthcare and social care.

“The recommendations outlined address the full spectrum of research and approaches that are required to achieve impact, and recognise the important role that other stakeholder groups including research funding agencies, patient and carer organisations and industry representatives have in delivering this agenda” says Professor Thomas Gasser, Chair of the JPND Scientific Advisory Board.

Identified JPND priorities will be addressed within the next ten years through a range of long-term, medium-to-large-scale, programmatic initiatives. In order to implement and deliver its strategy, JPND is recognising the importance of engagement and partnership with industry, patient and carer organisations, research funding agencies and the European Commission. Working Groups are already classifying priorities according to scale, impact, and agreed timelines, and it is expected that the first of the implementation initiatives will emerge during 2012.

source: cordis.europa.eu

Running may counteract risks of Alzheimer’s gene

Here’s one more reason to go for a walk or go jogging today: Doing so might help fight Alzheimer’s, especially if you’re predisposed to the disease, according to a new study published in Archives of Neurology.

Previous studies have examined the effect exercise has on the disease, with mixed results. Some found exercise to be very beneficial whereas others found its impact on the disease to be marginal at best. In an attempt to better understand the effects, researchers at Washington University decided to study people with a particular gene variant called APOE e4. Everyone carries the APOE gene, but those with this particular variant are 15 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s than those who do not carry it.

The scientists looked at 201 adults aged 45 to 88. Some had a family history of Alzheimer’s, but at the time of the study all of them were cognitively normal – even the 56 volunteers who were found to carry the APOE e4 gene variant, according to Denise Head, an associate professor of psychology who led the study.

Brain scans were used to discover the level of amyloid plaques, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s, on the volunteers’ brains. Those volunteers also provided detailed questionnaires regarding their exercise habits during the past decade.

Taken as a whole, exercise did little to mitigate the accumulation of plaque for the entire group. However, when researchers looked only at those who carried the e4 variant, the results were remarkable.

People who carried the gene variant and who reported walking or jogging for at least 30 minutes five times a week were found to have the same level of plaque buildup as people who were not carriers of e4. In other words, exercise seemed to counteract the increased risks posed by the e4 variant.

“It could be particularly beneficial for you to exercise if you have the at-risk gene,” Prof.. Head said. (The only way to know if you have the gene variant is to get tested for it.)

Prof. Head said the study provides reason to be “cautiously optimistic” regarding the link between exercise and Alzheimer’s. “We have a small sample, we didn’t follow these people over time. There are a lot of limitations to this story,” she said.

But it’s still a good idea to lead an active lifestyle.

“There’s a lot of reasons to be aerobically active,” said Prof. Head. “This study suggests this may be one more.”

Why exercise is good for the brain:

The effect of exercise on the brain has become a hot topic in research circles. Many recent studies have revealed a link between active living and improved memory.

How can exercise improve memory? Irish scientists may have come up with the answer in a study published last fall in the journal Physiology & Behavior. Male college students took a memory test and then one half of the volunteers rode an exercise bike until they were exhausted, while the other half sat idle. Both groups took the test again. The bike riders did much better, while those who rested showed no improvement. Those who exercised were found to have increased levels of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which promotes the health of nerve cells.

In a 2010 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers from the University of Cambridge and the National Institute on Aging in Baltimore, Md., found that mice that had access to a running wheel performed nearly twice as well on memory tests than mice with no access. Moreover, the running mice were found to have grown an average of 6,000 new brain cells per cubic millimetre in the hippocampus, which researchers hypothesized was due to the fact exercise increases blood flow to the brain.

In another study of running mice, researchers at the University of South Carolina discovered that mice that had run on a treadmill every day for eight weeks developed new mitochondria in their brain cells. Mitochondria, which help power cellular activity, may help prevent against neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, researchers said shortly after the study was published in the Journal of Applied Physiology in August 2011.

SOURCE: theglobeandmail

Reducing Risk Factors for Alzheimer’s Disease

At an international conference, sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association last July in Paris, researchers discussed the growing global risk of Alzheimer’s disease. It is estimated that 36 million people currently suffer from the disease worldwide. Predictions are that those numbers will triple by the mid-century.

Although the causes of Alzheimer’s disease are not yet fully understood, it is becoming increasingly evident that diet and lifestyle choices play a more significant role than previously thought. Altogether seven lifestyle-related risk factors were identified based on a new mathematical model that was developed by a research team from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

They are: Physical inactivity (21 percent), depression (15 percent), smoking (11 percent), hypertension (8 percent), obesity (7 percent), low education (7 percent) and diabetes (3 percent). These risk factors combined are believed to contribute to about five and a half million cases of Alzheimer’s in the United States alone.

Based on findings such as these, the Alzheimer’s Association has pledged to fund more studies to explore the importance of mental and physical health for risk reduction and ultimately prevention of the disease.

One area on which researchers have been able to shed some light is the connection between Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease. Autopsy studies have shown that 80 percent of Alzheimer’s patients suffered from cardiovascular disease or related conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol and stroke.

“Taking care of your heart protects your brain,” said Dr. Jack C. de la Torre, a leading researcher in the field. He believes that reducing cardiovascular risk factors as early as possible is key in the prevention of memory loss and dementia in later years. There is general agreement among the experts that a healthy, balanced diet and regular exercise are the most effective measures people can take to protect their mental health.

A study report from Rush Medical College in Chicago concluded that a Mediterranean-style diet, which is predominantly vegetarian and low in fat, may have positive effects on the brain as well. For this project, 3,790 men and women ages 65 and older were periodically tested over an average of 15 years for memory and thinking skills. The participants who adhered most strictly to the Mediterranean diet scored significantly higher in the tests and were diagnosed as two years younger in “brain age” in comparison to their counterparts who didn’t follow a particular diet regimen. The findings still held after adjustments were made for other risk factors like age, sex, race, education, etc.

The report, which was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, concluded that, although the research “could not account for all the many factors that may contribute to cognitive decline in old age, […] a Mediterranean diet helps cut down on inflammatory substances in the body.” Inflammation has long been tied to heart disease and now possibly to Alzheimer’s disease as well.

Key ingredients of the Mediterranean diet, which derives its name from the typical food choices in countries around the Mediterranean Sea, include an abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, olive oil and fish but only limited amounts of dairy products and meats.

The other equally important component of an anti-Alzheimer’s disease lifestyle is regular exercise. A study on the benefits of physical activity for mental health, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, found that “regular exercise may be good for staying mentally sharp into old age.”

Particularly resistance training (weight lifting) was singled out as a highly effective form of exercise in a study from Vancouver, Canada. Participating seniors who engaged at least twice a week in weight lifting scored on average higher on mental acuity tests than those who did only aerobics.

Still, as other studies from the U.S. and Europe have shown, older men and women who follow a moderate to intense exercise regimen of any kind score regularly higher on cognitive tests than their sedentary contemporaries.

Alzheimer’s is a complex phenomenon. Understanding it enough to hope for better prevention, let alone a cure, requires much further studying, especially with regards to its genetic components. However, since lifestyle factors almost certainly play a major role, we all can start taking steps to do our part in preventing this terrible disease.

source: seattlepi

The return of electric shock therapy?

Alzheimer's 'could be eased by bursts of electricity to the brain'

* Region linked to memory stopped shrinking in small study
* Tests also appeared to prevent other areas from 'shutting down'
* Electrodes placed deep in brain released 130 pulses a second
* Same technique used to successfully treat symptoms of Parkinson's Disease
* Researchers in Canada described results as 'amazing'

Alzheimer’s could be eased by bursts of electricity to the brain, research suggests.

In a small-scale study, regular fleeting pulses of electricity stopped the brain shrinkage linked to the memory-robbing disease.

The bursts of energy also appeared to prevent key brain regions from ‘shutting down’, this week’s New Scientist reports.

The research is very preliminary, with just six patients treated, but the results have been described as ‘amazing’.

Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia affect more than 800,000 Britons, and the number is expected to double in a generation as the population ages.

Current drugs can halt the progression of the disease, but do not work for everyone and their effects wear off over time, leaving the disease free to take its cruel course.

To try to halt and even reverse the brain wasting effects, the Canadian researchers turned to a technique called deep-brain stimulation.

This involves implanting electrodes deep within the brain and programming them to give off tiny pulses of electricity 130 times a second.

While this may seem radical, it is already successfully used to ease the tremors, stiffness and walking problems of Parkinson’s Disease.

In Alzheimer’s, the hippocampus, the brains’ memory hub, shrinks.

In addition, brain scans show that the temporal lobe, the region which contains the hippocampus, and another region called the posterior cingulate, use less sugar than normal, suggesting they have slowed or shut down.

To try to combat this, the Canadian researchers inserted electrodes into the brains of six patients, each of whom had been diagnosed with the disease at least a year earlier.

During the brain surgery, the electrodes were carefully placed next to a bundle of brain cells that carry signals to and from the hippocampus.

The electrodes released 130 bursts of electricity a second and, after a year, the brain’s use of sugar had returned to normal in all six patients.

And while the brain’s memory hub shrunk in four of those taking part, it grew in the remaining two, a neuroscience conference heard last week.

Describing the result as ‘amazing’, researcher Andres Lozano said: ‘Not only did the hippocampus not shrink, it got bigger – by 5 per cent in one person and 8 per cent in the other.

Tests showed that their minds also seemed to be sharper than expected.

Dr Lozano isn’t sure how the treatment works, but it may be through the electrical current driving the birth of new brain cells.

And, in mice, deep brain stimulation triggers the production of proteins that encourage brain cells to form new connections.

Dr Lozano, of Toronto Western Hospital, is starting a bigger trial involving 50 people.

Answering criticism about the practicalities of using brain surgery to treat a common disease, he pointed out that deep brain stimulation has already been used 90,000 times in Parkinson’s patients from around the world.

He told New Scientist that Alzheimer’s is just five times more common than Parkinson’s.

And added: ‘If it can be used in Parkinson’s, it can be used in Alzheimer’s.’

source: dailymail

'Red glow test’ shows early warning signs of Alzheimer's

Scientists have come up with a cutting edge technology that would help in detecting Alzheimer’s disease with almost perfect precision.

The new brain- scanning technique gives new hope for diagnosing the disease in its initial stages, even before symptoms develop completely and also indicates that there will be fewer chances of misdiagnosis.

The test is presently in the final clinical trial stages and if the results continue to prove successful, it could be rolled out by the end of 2012, the Daily Mail reported.

So far, the only way to diagnose Alzheimer’s (AD) was by ruling out other diseases like cancer, depression or even a vitamin deficiency.

Definitive conclusion came only after the death of the individual, when the brain samples containing high levels of beta amyloid plaques, the growths that characterise AD, were found.

But now a new compound called Flutemetamol, which highlights areas of the brain that are affected by the disease when scanned, is showing hopeful results in clinical studies.

The compound is injected into the arm of the patients and those who show symptoms of AD undergo a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan.

If beta amyloid plaques are present in the brain, Flutemetamol makes them glow red, which confirms the patient has AD.

The second phase of the Flutemetamol study was finished earlier this year.

In the study, 65 patients suffering with AD and other degenerative mental-health conditions with less than a year to live were given Flutemetamol to observe what PET scans revealed.

Post-mortem results divulged that when a specialist alone tried to diagnose each case, 15 per cent of diagnoses were wrong. However, by using Flutemetamol there was only a seven per cent failure rate.

Any errors during the scan were because low levels of beta amyloid plaques do not essentially mean a patient has developed full-blown AD.

However, many experts believe that having a positive amyloid scan may signify the risk of developing AD in the future.

“What makes the results so revolutionary is that it makes both a correct and an earlier diagnosis possible for the first time,” said Dr Francois Nicolas, director of neurology at GE Health, the company that is developing Flutemetamol.

“This could significantly increase the quality and even the length of a patient’s life.”

“Equally, those whose scan shows no signs of AD can be given the appropriate treatment they need too,” he added.

source: dnaindia

How little things help prevent Alzheimer's

Taking care of the small stuff - denture wear and vision care - could be factors

A new study on risks for Alzheimer's and dementia suggests that lots of little things - involving lifestyle upkeep, such as making sure dentures fit, and eyesight is regularly checked, could be helpful preventative measures.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Doctors acknowledge that there is no way to prevent aging, the single biggest risk factor for developing Alzheimer's disease. But gauging some 7,000 responses to the Canadian Study of Health and Aging, researchers set out to see if health problems widely believed to be risk factors for Alzheimer's and dementia, like heart disease and diabetes indeed predicted development of the disease.

Researchers also looked at health factors not typically linked with brain decline. Eyesight quality, bladder control problems, dental issues and denture fit among other factors were studied to discern what role, if any, they might play.

When people responded they had eight of the issues given, the risk for Alzheimer's and dementia increased by 30 percent. These findings prompted the authors to conclude that cumulatively, issues that "take a toll" on general health might also be associated with increased risk for dementia and Alzheimer's.

"The single risk factors that we looked at tended to be less important than overall general health," researcher Dr. Kenneth Rockwood, a professor of medicine and Alzheimer research at Dalhousie University said.

"Leading an active, healthy life when you're younger is more likely to lead to better brain health when you're older," he added.

There has been debate within the scientific community about the role modifiable factors might play in risk for Alzheimer's and dementia.

A U.S.-based panel recently found insufficient high-quality scientific evidence linking lifestyle issues with risk, which means that current studies should be taken as part of a still-growing, non-definitive body of literature.

Rockwood has encouraged that in the meantime, people concerned about developing Alzheimer's and dementia to take a more pragmatic approach.

"People should engage in a healthy lifestyle now, and that includes all of the specific factors that can add up -- particularly exercise," he said. "You don't have to wait 20 years for all of the data to come in."

source: catholic.org

Stem cell revolution that could win the war on Alzheimer’s

‘Cure’ can be stored for 20 years after blood test

Healthy adults will be able to boost their chances of surviving cancer and diseases such as Alzheimer’s by freezing stem cells taken from their blood for the first time.

A British company has been granted a licence to extract the cells, so that anyone can now pay to store them in the hope that they will one day help to cure fatal conditions.

Until now, it has only been possible to bank stem cells taken from umbilical cord blood and embryos left over from fertility treatment.

The new system, approved last week by the Human Tissue Authority, involves a nurse visiting a ‘client’ at home and taking two egg-cups of blood by syringe, as in a simple blood test. Glasgow-based company Pharmacells charges £2,495 – equivalent to the cost of storing umbilical cord blood. Another package means paying £1,695 upfront, followed by £199-a-year for storage.

The cells are stored at -80C for up to 20 years. The advantage of banking your cells is that your immune system will not react against them.

It is also most effective to use cells which are younger and healthier, because ideally they should be frozen before illness and age set in.

Scientists believe stem cells hold the key to developing cures for a huge range of fatal conditions.

They have regenerative properties because they have the ability to turn into any kind of cell in tissue, organs, nerves or bone.

Until now, processes involved in extracting them have been invasive and painful.

Now, after the blood is drawn by syringe, it is labelled with a unique barcode, then placed in a cooling pouch while it is taken to a laboratory in Sheffield.

A spinning process then separates out the blood plasma, the liquid part of blood in which cells are normally suspended.

A system developed at Wisconsin University in the United States is used to isolate the stem cells.

Every blood sample produces billions of cells. The vials are then frozen and taken to a storage unit in Rochdale. The site also stores film archives for the British Museum.

Before this new technique was discovered, adults could only bank their stem cells if they had liposuction to extract them from body fat, or via a painful process known as apheresis which circulates the blood outside the body.

Both methods are expensive and produce stem cells which are already programmed to turn into specific cells in the body, for example, tissue cells or nerve cells.

Experts have been sceptical about whether these cells are as effective as those taken from umbilical cord blood and have warned that those who bank them may have been given false hope.

Dr Irving Weissman, director of the US Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine at Stanford University in California, has warned that those paying for private umbilical cord banking are wasting their money because they can produce only certain cell types.

He said: ‘They don’t make brain, heart or skeletal muscle, despite what various people claim.’

Others question whether stem cells will be of any use at all after decades in a deep freeze.

But the latest method produces stem cells which are at a very early stage of development, meaning they have the ability to turn into any kind of cell in the body.

It is these cells which are most useful to scientists developing cures for diseases.

Pharmacells chief executive Athol Haas said: ‘Of course, we can’t make any promises. But stem cells we bank will be viable for clinical use when they are defrosted, which gives people real hope.’

Graeme Purdy, chief executive of Altrika, the company which processes the stem cells, said: ‘The real innovation here is being able to extract stem cells from blood.

‘We can take these cells from a normal blood sample, a major step forward in making this available to the masses in a way which is not harrowing or expensive.’

Stem cells already save lives. Cord blood has proven invaluable in treating leukaemia, sickle cell anaemia and immune system failures.

Researchers are also working on major projects to see if stem cells can cure blindness, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, heart disease and diabetes.

source: dailymail

Small molecule to fight neurodegenerative disorders?

A substance able to breach the protective barrier surrounding the brain has been identified in research that could improve the treatment of neurodegenerative conditions.

Scientists searched through almost 390,000 chemical compounds before they identified the cholesterol blocking substance in the study, published in journal ACS Chemical Biology.

It was previously revealed by Aleksey G Kazantsev and his colleagues that the prevention of cholesterol formation in the brain could protect against some of the damage seen in conditions such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease.

The new small molecule blocks the activity of a key protein for cholesterol production.

According to the authors, "it could have a broader application in other neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease, for which modulation of cholesterol and other associated metabolic pathways might be of therapeutic benefit".

In other news, wearing a neck patch to increase the blood flow in the brain could stave off Alzheimer's disease, according to scientists.

source: mediplacements

Breakthrough in delivering drugs to the brain

A new way of delivering drugs to the brain has been developed by scientists at the University of Oxford.

They used the body's own transporters - exosomes - to deliver drugs in an experiment on mice.

The authors say the study, in Nature Biotechnology, could be vital for treating diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Muscular Dystrophy.

The Alzheimer's Society said the study was "exciting" and could lead to more effective treatments.

Research barrier

One of the medical challenges with diseases of the brain is getting any treatment to cross the blood-brain barrier.

The barrier exists to protect the brain, preventing bacteria from crossing over from the blood, while letting oxygen through.

However, this has also produced problems for medicine, as drugs can also be blocked.

In this study the researchers used exosomes to cross that barrier.

Exosomes are like the body's own fleet of incredibly small vans, transporting materials between cells.

The team at Oxford harvested exosomes from mouse dentritic cells, part of the immune system, which naturally produce large numbers of exosomes.

They then fused the exosomes with targeting proteins from the rabies virus, which binds to acetylcholine receptors in brain cells, so the exosome would target the brain.

They filled the exosomes with a piece of genetic code, siRNA, and injected them back into the mice.

The siRNA was delivered to the brain cells and turned off a gene, BACE1, which is involved in Alzheimer's disease.

The authors reported a 60% reduction in the gene's activity.

"These are dramatic and exciting results" said the lead researcher Dr Matthew Wood.

"This is the first time this natural system has been exploited for drug delivery."

Customised

The research group believes that the method could modified to treat other conditions and other parts of the body.

Dr Wood said: "We are working on sending exosomes to muscle, but you can envisage targeting any tissue.

"It can also be made specific by changing the drug used."

The researchers are now going to test the treatment on mice with Alzheimer's disease to see if their condition changes.

The team expect to begin trials in human patients within five years.

Dr Susanne Sorensen, head of research at the Alzheimer's Society, said: "In this exciting study, researchers may have overcome a major barrier to the delivery of potential new drugs for many neurological diseases including Alzheimer's.

She said the blood-brain barrier had been an "enormous issue as many potential drugs have not been properly tested because you couldn't get enough of them into the brain."

She added: "If this delivery method proves safe in humans, then we may see more effective drugs being made available for people with Alzheimer's in the future."

Dr Simon Ridley, head of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said: "This is innovative research, but at such an early stage it's still a long way from becoming a treatment for patients.

"Designing drugs that cross the blood brain barrier is a key goal of research that holds the promise of improving the effectiveness of Alzheimer's treatments in the future."

source: bbcnews

Fantastic health benefits of reading books

Most people are so busy with their daily activity in life that they don't have enough time to read books, people prefer to watch movies, television or play computer games in their spare time. These people should know that reading not only enriches your knowledge but is also beneficial for human health.

Often reading can make people rich in knowledge and information. Besides that, reading is also beneficial for the brain and health.

There are at least 5 benefits of reading for health, according to Lifemojo.

1. Training the brain
One advantage of reading books is an exercise of the brain and mind. Reading can help the brain in order to always perform its functions perfectly. While reading, the brain is required to think more so it can make people more intelligent. But for this brain exercise, reading books should be done routinely.

2. Relieve stress
Stress is a risk factor for several dangerous diseases. the beauty of language in writing have the ability to calm and reduce stress, especially reading fiction books before bed. This method is considered good to cope with stress.

3. Avoid risk of Alzheimer's disease
Reading really can immediately increase the power of brain tissue. When reading, the brain will be stimulated and the stimulation regularly can help prevent brain disorders including Alzheimer's disease.

Research had shown that brain exercises such as reading books or magazines, playing crossword puzzles, Sudoku, etc. can delay or prevent memory loss. According to researchers, these activities stimulate the brain cells to connect and grow.

4. Develop healthy sleeping patterns
If you're used to reading books before bed, then it acts as an alarm for the body and sends signals that it is time to sleep. This will help you sleep soundly and wake up refreshed in the morning.

5. Increasing concentrations
People love to read will have a brain that is more concentrated and focused. Because of this focus, the reader will have the ability to have full attention and practical in life. It also develops skills of objectivity and decision-making.

So do not just spend hours watching television or play computer games, but also take time to read books. It is a good habit that will not only refreshes your mind but also provide benefits for health and life. -- Courtesy of Medicmagic

Also Read:

* Health Benefits of Cutting Salt From Your Daily Diet

* Health Benefits of Vitamin D on Brains And Bones

Gene Found Responsible for Brain Cell Destruction in Alzheimer’s Disease

The death of brain cells causes the Down syndrome and the patients are vulnerable to get affected by the Alzheimer's disease. In a recent study by a group of researchers at the University of British Columbia and the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute identified the gene that is responsible for the destruction of the neuron cells.

The report tells, "Alzheimer's burden to increase as population ages. A new report from a Minnesota legislature working group says the state must prepare now for the significant costs and medical demands associated with Alzheimer's disease as baby boomers retire."

The disease has a link way past in the history. During the World War II, the soldiers returned to their anxiously waiting wives and they were in a hurry to compensate the lost days in war by starting the family to grow. These baby boomers gave birth to a significant section of today's America.

There were about 3.4 million new-born babies in 1946 and this stretched till the next 2 decades. So a great part of the population is going to reach the age of 65 years or has reached already who are vulnerable to be affected by this disease.

The researchers said that this discovery will enhance the study of a possible treatment or even prevention of both Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease though that may take another decade.

source: topnews.us

Vitamin B12 Diet For Optimal Brain Health

According to a small Finnish study recently published in the journal Neurology, people who consume foods rich in B12 may also reduce their risk of Alzheimer's in their later years. For each unit increase in the marker of vitamin B12 (holotranscobalamin) the risk of developing Alzheimer's was reduced by 2 percent.

However, I strongly disagree with the dietary advice published by CNN Health on this topic, which included fish and fortified cereals.

Fortified cereals are most definitely NOT a good source of dietary B vitamins. They also have inorganic iron added. This is the worst type of iron to use as a supplement and it will raise already elevated iron in those that don't need it, like most adult men and postmenopausal women.

Elevated iron levels will actually increase your risk of Alzheimer's

Additionally, most fish are today so contaminated, I cannot recommend increasing consumption of fish either. One exception would be sardines, which are high in B12 and small enough to typically be less contaminated, compared to larger fish.

Instead, your ideal dietary sources of B12 vitamins would include:

* Liver from organic calf
* Wild caught salmon
* Organic, grass-fed beef
* Lamb (which are typically grass-fed even if not specified as organic)
* Organic, free-range eggs

Vitamin B12 is present in natural form only in animal sources of food, which is one of the reasons I advise against a strict vegetarian or vegan diet. The few plant foods that are sources of B12 are actually B12 analogs. An analog is a substance that blocks the uptake of true B12, so your body's need for the nutrient actually increases.

There are many well-documented cases of brain abnormalities in strict vegetarians, resulting from vitamin B12 deficiency.

Alzheimer's Risk Raised by Compounds in Cigarettes, French Fries

Exposure to a group of chemicals known as type-2 alkenes - which are found in the smoke inhaled from cigarettes, the exhaust of automobiles and even in French fries - can increase the chances of developing Alzheimer's disease and other neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease, research has indicated.

"The thought process and memory deficits associated with Alzheimer's disease appear to be due to the very early loss of function of nerve endings in the brain," said Richard M. LoPachin, a neurochemist and director of research in the Department of Anesthesiology at Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

According to LoPachin, this excess means that these highly toxic chemicals are also being generated within nerve endings during the disease process that presumably initiates Alzheimer's dementia.

LoPachin believes that this internal production of the type-2 alkenes, along with external exposure to these chemicals (smoking, diet and other environmental factors), causes a perfect neurological storm - a doubly powerful type-2 alkene attack on brain nerve endings from outside the body and from with-in.

"This dual intoxication of nerve endings led us to conclude that daily environmental exposure to neurotoxic type-2 alkenes could increase the incidence of Alzheimer's disease," he added.

The research has been published in a Journal of Neurochemistry.

Source-ANI

Types of Dementia That Aren't Alzheimer's and How They're Diagnosed

By Dr. Harvey Gilbert, MD

The term dementia is used broadly to describe a condition which is characterized by cognitive decline, but there are many different types of dementia. Although it is usually progressive, properly diagnosing dementia can reverse the effects and be treated and even cured completely by addressing the underlying cause. However, dementia caused by incurable conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, are irreversible.

What are the different types of dementia?

Experts estimate that Alzheimer's disease is the underlying cause of -- of all dementia cases. However, there are many other conditions which can also cause dementia, which makes it vital for the patient to obtain accurate diagnosing of dementia early on in order to get proper treatment. Following are some of the most common types of dementia and their causes.

1. Vascular Dementia
The second most common form of dementia, vascular dementia is caused by poor blood flow to the brain, which deprives brain cells of the nutrients and oxygen they need to function normally. One of the ten dementia types, vascular dementia can result from any number of conditions which narrow the blood vessels, including stroke, diabetes and hypertension.

2. Mixed Dementia
Sometimes dementia is caused by more than one medical condition. This is called mixed dementia. The most common form of mixed dementia is caused by both Alzheimer's and vascular disease.

3. Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB)
Sometimes referred to as Lewy Body Disease, this type of dementia is characterized by abnormal protein deposits called Lewy bodies which appear in nerve cells in the brain stem. These deposits disrupt the brain's normal functioning, impairing cognition and behavior and can also cause tremors. DLB is not reversible and has no known cure.

4. Parkinson's Disease Dementia (PDD)
Parkinson's disease is a chronic, progressive neurological condition, and in its advanced stages, the disease can affect cognitive functioning. Not all people with Parkinson's disease will develop dementia, however. Dementia due to Parkinson's is also a Lewy body dementia. Symptoms include tremors, muscle stiffness and speech problems. Reasoning, memory, speech, and judgment are usually affected.

More Information

Chain Smoking Doubles Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia Risk

Heavy smoking in midlife is associated with a 157 percent increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and a 172 percent increased risk of developing vascular dementia, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

This is the first study to look at the long-term consequences of heavy smoking on dementia.

Researchers followed an ethnically diverse population of 21,123 men and women from midlife onward for an average of 23 years. Compared with non-smokers, those who had smoked more than two packs of cigarettes a day had more than a 157 percent increased in risk of Alzheimer's disease and 172 percent increased risk of vascular dementia during the mean follow-up period of 23 years.

Vascular dementia, the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer's disease, is a group of dementia syndromes caused by conditions affecting the blood supply to the brain.

"This study shows that the brain is not immune to the long-term consequences of heavy smoking," said the study's principal investigator, Rachel A. Whitmer, Ph.D., a research scientist with the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, Calif. "We know smoking compromises the vascular system by affecting blood pressure and elevates blood clotting factors, and we know vascular health plays a role in risk of Alzheimer's disease."

Researchers analyzed prospective data from of 21,123 Kaiser Permanente Northern California members who participated in a survey between 1978 and 1985. Diagnoses of dementia, Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia made in internal medicine, neurology, and neuropsychology were collected from 1994 to 2008. The researchers adjusted for age, sex, education, race, marital status, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, body mass index, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and alcohol use.

"While we don't know for sure, we think the mechanisms between smoking and Alzheimer's and vascular dementia are complex, including possible deleterious effects to brain blood vessels as well as brain cells," said study co-author Minna Rusanen, MD, of the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital in Finland.

This study is the latest in a series of published Kaiser Permanente research to better understand the modifiable risk factors for dementia. This ongoing body of research adds to evidence base that what is good for the heart is good for the brain, and that midlife is not too soon to begin preventing dementia with good health.

The other studies led by Whitmer found that a large abdomen in midlife increases risk of late-life dementia, elevated cholesterol levels in midlife increase risk of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia, and low blood-sugar events in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes increase dementia risk. Another Kaiser Permanente study led by Valerie Crooks of Kaiser Permanente in Southern California found that having a strong social network of friends and family appears to decrease risk for dementia.

source: prnewswire

Overdose on B vitamins can halve the rate of brain shrinkage in elderly people with memory problems

Could This be the Key Factor Spiking the Rise in Dementia and Alzheimer's?

Large doses of B vitamins can halve the rate of brain shrinkage in elderly people with memory problems. It may slow their progression toward dementia.

A two-year clinical trial
was the largest to date into the effect of B vitamins on "mild cognitive impairment," a condition which is a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.

Reuters reports:

"[Researchers] conducted a two-year trial with 168 volunteers with MCI who were given either a vitamin pill containing very high doses of folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12, or a placebo dummy pill ...

[O]n average the brains of those taking the vitamin treatment shrank at a rate of 0.76 percent a year, while those taking the dummy pill had an average brain shrinkage of 1.08 percent."

Sources:
Reuters September 8, 2010
Los Angeles Times September 9, 2010

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

We are in the midst of an Alzheimer's epidemic. Odds are absolutely overwhelming that you personally know someone with this disease or who has recently died from it.

In the next 20 years it is projected that Alzheimer's will affect one in four Americans.

According to the Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures report for 2009, 5.3 million people in the U. S. now have the disease, which bumps it up to the sixth leading cause of death.

Reuters reports:

"Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) affects around 16 percent of people aged over 70 worldwide and is characterized by slight problems with memory loss, language or other mental functions.

MCI does not usually interfere with daily life, but around 50 percent of people diagnosed with it go on to develop the far more severe Alzheimer's disease within five years.

Alzheimer's is a mind-wasting disease for which there are few treatments and no cure, and which affects 26 million people around the world."

Absolute Best Way to Treat Alzheimer's

Believe me, I don't mention these statistics to frighten you, but to warn you, because this is a bugger of a disease to beat when you have it.

You want to avoid this disease for sure, and the BEST way to "treat" it is to lead a lifestyle that will prevent it in the first place. And I can confidently assure you that this is possible.

I have absolutely no doubt that I will successfully avoid this disease as my lifestyle prevents it.

It is important to understand that dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, is NOT a normal part of aging, which makes the steady rise in dementia cases all that more frustrating.

Clearly, determining the underlying causes of these brain disorders is imperative if we're going to slow down or reverse this troubling trend.

In this latest PLoS study, extremely high doses of B vitamins were successful in limiting brain shrinkage, which is a common precursor of Alzheimer's disease.

According to one of the co-authors:

"This is a very dramatic and striking result. It's much more than we could have predicted… It is our hope that this simple and safe treatment will delay development of Alzheimer's in many people who suffer from mild memory problems."

This is good news, but there are certain factors that must be considered here, and I believe there are other, more effective strategies to combat Alzheimer's, which I'll review at the end of this article.

source: foodconsumer.org