FDA to make a decision on whether to approve first Alzheimerโs drug
The FDA is set to decide whether it will fully approve the first Alzheimerโs drug to show it could slow the diseaseโs progression in certain patients. But the decision could also have other implications, including who would get access to it.
Alzheimerโs Gender Gap: Why more women are being diagnosed
Researchers used to think that more women got Alzheimerโs because they lived longer. But why does Alzheimerโs affect more women than men? Scientists scanned the brains of women and men and found declines in estrogen were involved in Alzheimerโs abnormalities. Specifically, women with a higher waist circumference had a 39% increased risk of dementia in 15 years. Specifically, one of the genes was linked to Alzheimerโs risk in women and three were linked to risk in men.
Lifestyle changes improve cognition in people at risk for Alzheimer's
(CNN) - A new study finds personalized lifestyle interventions not only stopped cognitive decline in people at risk for Alzheimer's, but actually increased their memory and thinking skills within 18 months. "This is the first study in a real-world clinic setting showing individualized clinical management may improve cognitive function and also reduce Alzheimer's and cardiovascular risk," Isaacson said. The study was published Wednesday in the journal "Alzheimer's and Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association." "Our study was designed to look at the effects of lifestyle intervention on cognitive function," Isaacson said. The study was not designed to prevent Alzheimer's, only to see if lifestyle changes affected cognitive function.
Regular aerobic exercise may slow progression to Alzheimer's
Subjects were randomized to 12 months of aerobic exercise or stretching and toning. Both aerobic and stretching may prevent or slow cognitive decline, according to the researchers, but aerobic exercise had more benefits on reducing hippocampal shrinkage than stretching. But MRI and PET imaging showed those who did aerobic exercise had slower degeneration in the hippocampus than those who did flexibility training. "The brains of participants with amyloid responded more to the aerobic exercise than the others," Zhang said. "Most physicians believe in the power of exercise to support overall brain health, but fewer believe that exercise can specifically impact people with early Alzheimer's," Isaacson said.
The Signs Dr. Oz Says He Missed That His Mom Had Alzheimer's
Dr. Mehmet Oz has revealed that his mother has Alzheimer's disease. Im feeling guilty because I completely missed the signs until fairly late in the process, Oz told People. If the right word was, You look beautiful today, she would use, You look pretty prettier today. I missed those clues, Oz said. Oz said there are other signs to look out for if you suspect your loved one has early-stage Alzheimer's, including confusing time and place, misplacing things and trouble with visuals. Oz revealed he was tested in the wake of learning about his mother's diagnosis and he too has one of the genes for Alzheimer's.