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Scientists create experimental Alzheimer’s vaccine that delays symptoms in mice

If proven successful in humans, it could be a big step forward.

China approves world's first Alzheimer's drug in 20 years

The research began in 1997 thanks to a unique sugas in seaweed

Healthy lifestyles can offset the genetic risk of dementia by 32%

Healthy body, healthy mind.

How to prevent dementia, according to new WHO guidelines

If you want to save your brain, here are the do’s and don’ts from the new WHO guidelines.

Poor sleep linked to increased risk of Alzheimer's disease

The findings underline the importance of good sleep for preserving brain health.

Scientists develop new Alzheimer's blood test for early signs

The new blood test uses the immunoprecipitation with mass spectrometry technique, which deploys antibodies to bind and identify proteins.

Bill Gates invests $100 million to study and defeat Alzheimer's

Putting his money where his mouth is: Gates invests massively into addressing Alzheimer's disease.

Dolphins can also get Alzheimer's, surprising new study finds

We really do have a lot in common with dolphins.

Scientists think they have a good drug target to prevent Alzheimer's

It would be like taking drugs that lower cholesterol, researchers say.

An antibody that clears Alzheimer's patients' brains of plaque could be the treatment we've been waiting for

Clean brain, clean memories.

Study finds why men have a better sense of direction

What generates the different takes on the same problem between men and women? It's not the brain -- we know that for all intents and purposes, brains can't be distinguished by sex (but they do form connections differently). Cultural conditioning, upbringing and other factors certainly play a part in this, and that can't be quantified. But Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) team was interested in the effect of something we can quantify -- sexual hormones.

Drug reverses Alzheimer's effects in rats

There's no cure for Alzheimer's - the devastating neurodegenerative disease which causes progressive dementia in 5.3 million Americans - only treatments that help slow down a certain outcome. A milestone research may have finally broken the dry spell in Alzheimer's research looking for the much sought after cure. While current drugs help mask symptoms, a intravenous drug developed by US researchers actually treats the disease itself with patients showing marked improvements in memory and cognition. At the brain level, new blood vessel formation and an increase in neuronal cell counts was registered. The bad news is that the Alzheimer's patients are rats and experience has taught us that Alzheimer's research seldom translates to humans. Seldom, not never though.

Ultrasound treatment restores memory in Alzheimer's plagued mice

The most effective weapon against the dreadful Alzheimer's might not be a drug, but a breakthrough therapy based on ultrasounds that clears tangles of plaques, which have been linked to the neurodegenerative disease. So far, the Australian researchers behind the novel treatment have fired focused beams of ultrasound on the brains of diseased mice. The rodents' memory reverted to normal levels. Though careful with words, the researchers confidently state this is a real breakthrough.

Anxiety can damage the brain and foster Alzheimer's

Researchers at Baycrest Health Sciences’ Rotman Research Institute have found that patients diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) who also show anxiety symptoms are at a much greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s. This was the first study of its kind that isolated anxiety in a longitudinal study covering people diagnosed with MCI, painting a clearer picture of […]

Chemical switch found in Alzheimer's and stroke victims' brains kills neurons

Researchers at the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) have found a chemical switch that both regulates the generation of new neurons from neural stem cells and the survival of existing nerve cells in the brain. Postmortem examination of the brains of Alzheimer’s patients and stroke victims found the switch that shuts off the signals was […]

Genetic variant explains why women are more prone to Alzheimer's

Like a sticking nail, Alzheimer’s has been irritating neuroscientists for decades. After so many years and billions worth of research, the underlying causes and mechanics that cause the gruesome neurodegenerative disease have yet to be identified, though hints suggest genetics have a major role to play – never mind a cure! Clearly, Alzhaimer’s is formidable […]

For the first time, scientists show coffee works against Alzheimer's disease

As part of a German-French research project, a team led by  Dr. Christa E. Müller from the University of Bonn and Dr. David Blum from the University of Lille was able to demonstrate that coffee consumption works against Alzheimer’s disease. With coffee, it’s a “one step further two steps back” dance. Its benefits, when consumed […]

Tweaking potassium in brain cells helps fight Huntington's disease

Approximately one in 20,000 Americans suffer from Huntington’s disease, a devastating neurodegenerative affliction that  gradually deprives patients of their ability to walk, speak, swallow, breathe and think clearly. Like other similar diseases, like Alzheimer’s, there isn’t any cure, but scientists at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) may have discovered a way to tackle it by […]

Improving the Quality of Life for People with Dementia

Caring for a loved one who suffers from dementia is demanding. It often seems like a losing battle too. One thing that caregivers often fail to do is to consider things from the dementia sufferer’s perspective. That’s not to say that it’s easy. Erratic behaviour, miscommunication and other everyday occurrences can quickly erode the patience […]

Blood test for Alzheimer's detects the disease with 90% accuracy

Considering population growth and increased life expectancy, experts estimate that by  2050 some 115 million people will be afflicted by Alzheimer’s disease – a prevailing neurodegenerative disease that needs no introduction. There’s no cure to Alzheimer’s, but there are treatments that help mild symptoms or prolong sanity before the point of no return is reached. All […]

Playing video games improves spatial orientation, memory formation and strategic planning

Parents usually don’t encourage their kids to play computer games, even though by now, several studies have established significant benefits that come with the game. This most recent study from the Max Planck Institute showed that even playing a game as simple as Super Mario 64 results in increased size in brain regions responsible for […]

Massive database of of 1,500 stem cell lines derived from diseased cells set to aid drug development

The StemBANCC project, developed as a joint effort between the European Union and Europe’s pharmaceutical industry, is set to culture 1,500 pluripotent stem cell lines derived from the cells of diseased individuals like Alzheimer’s patients is currently planned. Using this massive database, researchers will be able to achieve much smoother and faster drug screening process in order to […]

Keeping the brain healthy with age: reading, writing or playing games

A new study found a direct correlation between the frequency of cognitive activity at later life and brain health. As we age, the brain’s structural integrity begins to dwindle, however these effects can be hampered to a certain degree by engaging in intellectual activities like reading, writing or playing chess. Any kind of activity that puts strain on the […]

Earliest signs of Alzheimer's found in 20-something year olds. Provides hints for prevention treatments

Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease for both patients and their families that typically affects the elderly in large proportions. Detecting the disease in its early phase gives the best chances for effective treatment. A team of scientists recently performed an extensive survey in a group of  20-somethings, marking the earliest ever detection of early-onset dementia warning signs and […]

Intelligent nanoparticles drop anti-aging cargo

A group of researchers have successfully tested a novel nanodevice treatment, in which intelligent nanoparticles selectively open and release drugs which target aging cells. The approach could render results when treating patients suffering from diseases involving tissue or cellular degeneration such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, accelerated aging disorders (progeria). It could also boosts results in the cosmetic industry, […]

New method allows visualizing of protein self-assembly - paves way for nanotech against diseases

Be it a bacteria or a fully complex being, say a human, all living, biological organisms undergo lighting fast protein structure reassembly in response to environmnetal stimuli. For instance,  receptor proteins in the sinus are stimulated by various odor molecules, basically telling the organism that there’s food nearby or it’s in the vicinity of danger (sulphur, methane, […]

Drug used for skin cancer might provide remarkable results for Alzheimer's patients

Researchers report that after testing on lab mice an FDA-approved drug, used as treatment for skin cancer, that significant improvements in cognitive recovery were signaled, shinning a new ray of hope for Alzheimer patients. Neuroscientists Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine discovered that bexarotene, a skin cancer drug, remarkably also appears to reverse cognitive […]

Memory deficits of the elderly may be reversed

A team of researchers from Yale University have shown at a cellular basis why we tend to be more forgetful as we age, and claim that the condition may be reversed. There’s no secret to the fact that an elderly person has a much weaker memory than the one he did at 20 years of […]

An unhealthy lifestyle leads to brain shrinkage later on, study says

The latin phrase “mens sana in corpore sano” has been put to the test by researchers who wanted to study what kind of repercussions an unhealthy lifestyle has on the mind. What they found was a dramatic increase in brain damage and dementia cases among subjects who have experienced high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and obesity […]

Scientists genetically engineer glowing dog

In a recent groundbreaking research study, scientists from Seoul National University in South Korea have successfully created a dog that can glow in the dark, using genetic engineering techniques. This achievement holds the potential for finding cures for human diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The dog in question, a genetically modified female beagle named […]

Over half of Alzheimer's cases could be avoided

According to a study conducted by Deborah Barnes, PhD, a mental health researcher at the San Francisco VA Medical Center, more than half of all Alzheimer’s cases could be prevented through lifestyle changes or light treatment. Analyzing thousands of cases worldwide, she concluded that the biggest impacting factors on Alzheimer that can be modified are, […]

Remember and forget at the flick of a button

A team of neuro-scientists have managed to restore lost memories to rats by activating a part of their brains through an artificial memory chip – just like a sort of neuro-prosthesis. Further advances backed by this study might lead to the development of important leaps in long-term memory treatment, providing relief for Alzheimer or dementia […]

Obesity linked to dementia, study says

According to a recently published study reported by Swedish scientists, people who are obese and middle aged are up to four times more likely do develop dementia than people of normal weight. Published in the journal Neurology, the research was conducted 8,534 Swedish twins over the age of 65, of which data showed that 350 […]

Take your brain to a whole new level - learn as a child does

The brains of adults can grow significantly in a staggeringly short amount of time if you just start learning like children do, according to research that had the purpose of treating braind disorders; they seem to have stumbled into something different, but extremely interesting. The researchers unexpectedly discovered that adult brains can grow in only […]

Gene therapy for Parkinson disease boasts remarkable results

While gene-therapy is still regarded as a very innovative practice, it seems like the procedure might take traction as of today when remarkable results were concluded after the first successful double-blind gene therapy for Parkinson disease. In the case of this dreadful disease, medical researchers injected patients with a a gene that codes for glutamic […]

Increasing brain enzyme may slow Alzheimer's

The fight against Alzheimer’s is a harsh and rugged one, and despite numerous advancements, there still isn’t a definitive cure for the disease around – or a fail proof way to detect it in the early stages.. Still, if you can’t defeat it, it’s still better to slow it down a little, and that’s exactly […]

New ways to detect Alzheimer found

Alzheimer is one of the nastiest diseases you can get; it is a degenerative disease that affects your brain cells, and as far as we know, the best way to prevent it is by being mentally active throughout your life. The most recent study conducted about it takes a look at ways of detecting the […]

Function found for Alzheimer protein

Recently, numerous developments in Alzheimer research have been made, including a ‘brain pacemaker‘ and the discovery of an extremely promising chemical, p7c3, that might help treat patients. This time, researchers went for a different approach; what happens in Alzheimer is that the brain basically grows some lumps of protein, developing formations known as amyloid plaques […]

Improved memory in Alzheimer patients with the help of a 'brain pacemaker'

Alzheimer’s  is one of the most common, yet devastating, form of dementia which currently accounts for more than 5 million patients in the US alone, most of which are elderly. By now, I’m sure most of you know how this terrible disease manifests itself, enough to make a sexagenarian forget his children and nephews. What’s […]

P7C3: a chemical to make brain cells grow (possible cure for Alzheimer)

A group of scientists from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center discovered a new chemical compound that helps newborn neurons grow into mature brain cells called P7C3. This particular chemical makes new neurons grow in the part of the brain that is integral to learning and memory! This means the research, funded in part […]

Potential Alzheimer's, Parkinson's Cure Found In Century-old Drug

Every once in a while, you hear about the hardest of problems that have really easy solutions. In numerous cases, cures have been found in most common of substances, or even foods. This time, a study led by researchers at Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland showed that in small concentrations, something as common as […]

Low Education Level Linked To Alzheimer's

  There are some very dangerous diseases which it is very hard to fight against. Alzheimer makes the sick man lose parts of his memory and makes him forget the easiest things like dressing himself or finding the way back home. It appears mostly in older people. But a according to a study published in […]