Monthly Archives: September 2012

The authors of this paper performed a number of different experiments including synaptic-plasticity–based analysis and behavioral screening of synthetic compounds, for identifying single compounds that are capable of rescuing the amyloid β-induced memory loss in both transgenic fruit fly and … Continue reading →

Three subtypes of Alzheimer’s disease have been defined on the basis of neurofibrillary tangle distribution. These are typical Alzheimer, hippocampal-sparing Alzheimer, and limbic-predominant Alzheimer subtypes. Compared with typical Alzheimer’s, hippocampal-sparing Alzheimer’s has more neurofibrillary tangles in the cortex and fewer … Continue reading →

Recent studies indicate that fewer adolescents believe that regular cannabis use is harmful to health. The authors of this study examined whether there is an association between persistent cannabis use and neuropsychological decline. Participants were 1,037 individuals from the Dunedin … Continue reading →

The trajectory of cognitive decline in patients with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease varies widely. Genetic variations in CLU (clusterin), PICALM (phosphatidylinositol binding clathrin assembly protein), and CR1 (complement component (3b/4b) receptor 1) are associated with Alzheimer’s disease, but it is unknown … Continue reading →

The authors of this study examined the effects of glucose loading on plasma β-amyloid levels in Alzheimer and non-Alzheimer dementia patients. After fasting, an oral glucose load was administered to Alzheimer patients and non-Alzheimer dementia patients and measurements of blood … Continue reading →

This paper comments on development of preventive therapies for dementia associated with Down’s syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease.  There appears to be a common pathological role of amyloid precursor protein in the two conditions. The idea that dementia seen in Down’s … Continue reading →