Researchers in the US have reported that sleep-disordered breathing, characterised by abnormal breathing patterns during sleep, may be associated with an earlier onset of memory and thinking problems in older people. The results are published on 15 April in the journal Neurology.
Researchers at Duke University in the US have completed a mouse study which suggests that the amino acid arginine could be involved in the body’s response to Alzheimer’s disease. The study is published on 14 April in the Journal of Neuroscience.
Early results from a phase 1b trial of a new Alzheimer’s drug suggest possible benefits for people in the early stages of the disease. The antibody, known as aducanumab or BIIB037, was tested by pharmaceutical company Biogen, with results presented today at the International Conference on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases and Related Neurological Disorders in Nice, France.
Researchers in the US have found that older people with a strong sense of purpose in life may be less likely to have damage in the brain caused by decreased blood flow. The study is published in the journal Stroke.
Leading charity, UK government and pharmaceutical companies join forces to invest in pioneering research
Together, leading funders of research in the US, Canada and the UK are advancing a global funding initiative aimed at better understanding the similarities and differences between progressive brain-deteriorating diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, with an expanded partnership and increased funding.
The Prime Minster, David Cameron, announced today (21 Feb) a strategy to help combat dementia over the next five years, with measures to boost research, improve care and increase public awareness of dementia. Alzheimer’s Research UK is delighted to have launched a number of key strategic initiatives that will have a significant impact on the search for a treatment.
Alzheimer’s Research UK, the world’s largest dedicated dementia research charity, has announced a £30m Drug Discovery Alliance, launching three flagship Drug Discovery Institutes at the Universities of Cambridge, Oxford and UCL (University College London). The Drug Discovery Institutes will see 90 new research scientists employed in state-of-the-art facilities to fast-track the development of new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
Scientists in Cambridge have found that a particular molecule may prevent the build-up of a hallmark Alzheimer’s protein. The study is published on Monday 16 February in the journal Nature Structural & Molecular Biology.
Research led by scientists at Trinity College Dublin has identified a protein called NLRP3 which plays a role in inflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis and cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome (CAPS). The researchers have developed a compound that can block the action of NLRP3 and shown that it can reduce the severity of disease in a mouse showing features of human multiple sclerosis. The research team suggests that the compound could have benefits across a wide range of immune disorders, as well as against diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.