Researchers have zeroed in on a protein that may play a role in the progression of Alzheimer's disease. The team found that increasing levels of the protein prevented the accumulation of an enzyme linked to Alzheimer's. The strategy may lead to new treatments for the neurodegenerative disease.

Although caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive drug worldwide, its potential beneficial effect for maintenance of proper brain functioning has only recently begun to be adequately appreciated. Substantial evidence from epidemiological studies and fundamental research in animal models suggests that caffeine may be protective against the cognitive decline seen in dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

New findings reveal treatment of the most common heart rhythm disorder that affects more than two million Americans significantly reduces the risk of stroke, mortality, Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.

Husbands or wives who care for spouses with dementia are six times more likely to develop the memory-impairing condition than those whose spouses don't have it, according to results of a 12-year study. The increased risk that the researchers saw among caregivers was on par with the power of a gene variant known to increase susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease, they report.

Family members who provide care to relatives with dementia, but do not have formal training, frequently experience overwhelming stress that sometimes leads to breakdowns or depression, according to researchers. Interventions to alleviate this stress are not always effective, leaving caregivers isolated to deal with their stresses.

A new test developed by Japanese scientists may revolutionize how and when physicians diagnose Alzheimer's disease. According to new research, the new test measures proteins in the spinal fluid known to be one of the main causes of brain degeneration and memory impairment in Alzheimer's patients: high molecular weight A-Beta oligomers.

Cognitive impairment is common in transient ischemic attack and minor ischemic stroke patients. Cognitive impairment in these patients can be detected with tests that evaluate the brain's "executive functions" -- but not with another commonly used screening designed to test for Alzheimer's dementia.

Dr. Zsuzsanna Nagy of the University of Birmingham presented data from a clinical study, funded by Cytox Limited, demonstrating that a simple blood-based biomarker discriminated between patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and control subjects. The findings were statistically highly significant, and the test discriminated between the two groups with 80% sensitivity and 80% specificity.

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have shown that disclosing genetic risk information to adult children of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) who request this information does not result in significant short-term psychological distress.

UCLA scientists and colleagues from UC Riverside and the Human BioMolecular Research Institute have found that a form of vitamin D, together with a chemical found in turmeric spice called curcumin, may help stimulate the immune system to clear the brain of amyloid beta, which forms the plaques considered the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease.

Pfizer Inc announced today results from two Phase 1 safety studies, one of PF-04360365, a humanized anti-amyloid monoclonal antibody (mAb), and another of dimebon (latrepirdine*) in combination with donepezil HCl tablets, in patients with Alzheimer's disease.1,2 Based on the Phase 1 study results, PF-04360365 has advanced into Phase 2.3 Dimebon (latrepirdine), being co-developed by Pfizer and Medivation Inc., is in Phase 3 development.

Johns Hopkins researchers have discovered a novel protein that can protect brain cells by interrupting a naturally occurring "stress cascade" resulting in cell death. Reporting in the July 16 issue of the journal Neuron, the scientists say drugs mimicking the protein, nicknamed GOSPEL, have the potential to protect brain cells against a range of neurodegenerative conditions, including stroke and Alzheimer's and Huntington's diseases.

Many people who discover that they have inherited a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's can cope with the news, especially if they receive the it through genetic counseling: they may experience depression or anxiety at first, but it does not last long, according to a new study from the US.

This week, more than 3,000 leading scientists convened to report and discuss the latest advances in research on treatments, risk factors, diagnosis and causes for the health epidemic of the 21st century -- Alzheimer's disease -- at the Alzheimer's Association 2009 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD 2009) in Vienna, Austria.

Dimebolin, originally administered as an antihistamine, has previously been found to help slow the decline of cognitive ability in participants. This study analysed tau and how dimebolin affects build up of the toxic beta amyloid protein, which is widely believed to be linked to the development of dementia. This research showed that while dimebolin had a beneficial effect it actually caused an increase of the beta amyloid in mouse models.

Surprising new insights into how a Phase III Alzheimer's drug might work were among the advances in potential therapies targeting two abnormal brain proteins -- beta amyloid and phosphorylated tau -- that were reported today at the Alzheimer's Association 2009 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD 2009) in Vienna.

Memory lapses that occur with normal aging are a source of worry for many who fear Alzheimer's disease. Now a new Mayo Clinic-led study published in the July 16 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that the carriers of a common genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease begin to have memory declines in their mid-50s, far earlier than previously thought.

New insights into how a Phase III Alzheimer's drug might work were among the advances in potential therapies targeting two abnormal brain proteins - beta amyloid and phosphorylated tau - at ICAD. Scientists also reported on how clinicians view and treat mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a research category used to define the state between normal ageing and Alzheimer's, that is now being used widely in clinical practice.

Eighty percent of baby boomers caring for an aging parent say that it has put a strain on their marriage. This insight is one of many garnered from a new research study conducted by http://www.caring.com to measure the impact of caregiving on spousal relationships. The Caring.

The Department of Health has announced a "landmark strategy to transform dementia services". It claims care for patients with dementia will be transformed as dementia advisers are appointed, GPs receive improved training, and memory centres run by specialists to provide early diagnosis and treatment are opened nationwide.