Archive for the ‘’ Category
Drugs That Fight Herpes May Thwart Alzheimer’s Disease
Drugs That Fight Herpes May Thwart Alzheimer’s Disease
Published October 26, 2011
| MyHealthNewsDaily
Antiviral drugs used to combat herpes virus infections could slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, a new study suggests.
The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1), which causes most cold sores, has previously been tied to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
In the study, cells infected with HSV1 showed a buildup of the proteins known to damage the brains of people with Alzheimer’s. Treating the cells with the antiviral drug acyclovir significantly reduced the accumulation of these proteins. Read the rest of this entry »
Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention
Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention
Learn what lifestyle strategies can help prevent or slow down the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
By Chris Iliades, MD
Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MS, MPH
Many recent studies on Alzheimer’s disease prevention have focused on the possible benefits of new pharmaceutical drugs, but there is also a growing interest in lifestyle strategies and the role that diet, vitamins, and physical and mental exercise might play in Alzheimer’s disease prevention. Although there isn’t yet a cure for this debilitating illness, research is suggesting that lifestyle changes and diet may hold an important key to the prevention, delay, or reversal of Alzheimer’s disease.
“The problem with Alzheimer’s is that there are a number of risk factors that may be involved. Some of these factors, such as age or genetics, simply can’t be controlled. But there is ongoing research investigating other areas including, but not limited to, antioxidants such as vitamin E, , estrogen, exercise, omega-3 fatty acids, and anti-inflammatory drugs. Some of the research in these areas is quite compelling,” says Warachal Faison, MD, of the Alzheimer’s research and clinical programs at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, N.C. and a member of the medical advisory board of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. Read the rest of this entry »
Know the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s disease!
Know the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s disease!
Your memory often changes as you grow older. But memory loss that disrupts daily life is NOT a typical part of aging. It may be a symptom of dementia. Dementia is a slow decline in memory, thinking and reasoning skills. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, a fatal disorder that results in the loss of brain cells and function.
“It may be hard to know the difference between age-related changes and the first signs of Alzheimer’s disease,” explained Danielle Dodson, care navigator, clinical supervisor for the Greater Illinois Chapter. “Ask yourself: Is this something new? For example, if the person was never good at balancing a checkbook, struggling with this task is probably not a warning sign. But if their ability to balance a checkbook has changed a lot, it is something to share with a doctor.” Read the rest of this entry »
Preclinical Alzheimer’s Disease
Preclinical Alzheimer’s Disease
Recently, a group of distinguished neuroscientists commissioned by the Alzheimer’s Association and the National Institute on Aging updated for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. The new guidelines view the pathology that leads to Alzheimer’s disease as process that occurs over many years, if not decades. As a result the panel developed different guidelines for different disease stages. Perhaps the most novel and interesting is for a newly identified stage: preclinical Alzheimer’s disease.
The concept of preclinical Alzheimer’s disease recognizes that the brain damage that leads to dementia starts to develop many years before patients develop cognitive problems. For example, it is generally believed that amyloid deposits in the brain play a key role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Modern imaging methods can detect this protein in the brains of persons who are completely asymptomatic. Biomarkers in the blood and cerebral spinal fluid also suggest pathological changes that may lead to the disease. Preclinical Alzheimer’s disease would be diagnosed in a person who has no cognitive problems, but has signs of pathology on brain imaging or blood/spinal fluid biomarkers. Read the rest of this entry »
