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Alzheimer's & Dementia

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Long-winded speech could be early sign of Alzheimer's
  • Rambling and long-winded explanations may be an early sign of mild cognitive impairment. The problem is not the increase in verbosity, however, but a growing inability to be precise.

A study comparing the language abilities of 22 healthy young individuals, 24 healthy older individuals and 22 people with MCI, has found that those with MCI:

Gut microbiome a risk factor for dementia
  • Preliminary research suggests that microbes in the gut directly affects dementia risk.

A Japanese study looking at 128 patients' fecal samples, found that fecal concentrations of ammonia, indole, skatole and phenol were higher in dementia patients compared to those without dementia, while levels of beneficial Bacteroides were lower in dementia patients.

New retinal test for early Alzheimer's disease
  • A new test can quickly detect reduced blood capillaries in the back of the eye that are an early indication of Alzheimer's, and shows that it can help distinguish Alzheimer's from MCI.

A study has shown new technology can quickly and non-invasively detect reduced blood capillaries in the back of the eye that are an early indication of Alzheimer's. It also shows that these signs can help distinguish between Alzheimer's and MCI.

Green tea compound reverses Alzheimer's-like symptoms in mice
  • Compounds found in green tea and carrots reversed Alzheimer's-like symptoms in mice.

A diet containing compounds found in green tea and carrots reversed Alzheimer's-like symptoms in mice genetically programmed to develop the disease.

High dose statins prevent dementia

Data from 57,669 older Taiwanese patients (65+) with no dementia at the beginning of the 5-year study has found that the risk of developing dementia was inversely related to statin dosage. Those on the highest doses of statins were three times less likely to develop dementia.

Different kinds of physical activity improve brain volume & cut Alzheimer's risk
  • A large long-running study adds to growing evidence that higher levels of physical activity reduce brain atrophy and Alzheimer's risk, and shows that many types of aerobic activity are beneficial.

Data from 876 patients (average age 78) in the 30-year Cardiovascular Health Study show that virtually any type of aerobic physical activity can improve brain volume and reduce Alzheimer's risk.

Lower tau levels may obscure early Alzheimer’s in black patients
  • Two large studies show an association between the Alzheimer's protein tau and the Alzheimer's gene APOE4, but the association varies across race and gender.

Data from 1,215 older adults, of whom 173 (14%) were African-American, has found that, although brain scans showed no significant differences between black and white participants, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) showed significantly lower levels of the brain protein tau in African-Americans.

New mechanism adds to understanding of Alzheimer's causes
  • Age-related changes in gene enhancers have been linked to faster cognitive decline in Alzheimer's brains.

New findings identify a mechanism that accelerates aging in the brain and gives rise to Alzheimer's disease.

Review ranks safety, effectiveness of Alzheimer's drugs
  • A review of the safety and effectiveness of the four drugs approved for Alzheimer's treatment found that donepezil was the most effective, but also the most likely to produce side effects.
  • A small study found that combining a specific care management program with memantine multiplied the drug’s ability to improve daily function by about 7.5 times.

I rarely report on drugs, but because I do have a number of early reports on the four drugs approved for use with Alzheimer’s, I wanted to provide this update.

Weak handgrip may warn of cognitive impairment
  • A large study finds weaker handgrip strength is associated with a progressively greater risk of developing severe cognitive impairment.
  • Another large long-running study similarly finds slow walking speeds and weak grip strength is associated with a greater risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
  • Weaker grip strength, in those older than 65, was also linked to a higher risk of stroke.

A large study, involving nearly 14,000 older adults (50+) participating in the 2006 Health and Retirement Study, found that weaker handgrip strength was associated with a greater risk of developing cognitive impairment, especially severe impairment, over the eight-year study period.

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