Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common cause of dementia. Dementia describing a specific set of symptoms such as memory loss, difficulties with problem-solving, language or simply thinking. As the disease progresses, proteins build up in the brain to form structures called ‘plaques’. Eventually there is a break between the nerve cells resulting the death of the cells and a loss of brain tissue. ending in a lack of motor skills. Although progression can vary, typically after diagnosis life expectancy is around three to nine years. Fewer than 3% of people live more than fourteen years.
Management
Medications, psychological intervention and care-giving are all available to AD patients. there are currently 5 different medications on offer for AD each have different results and side affects.
Samantha Benham-Hermetz, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Alzheimer’s Research UK charts us through the priorities for dementia research in the UK in light of COVID-19.
Daniel Berman from Nesta Challenges and Colin Capper at the Alzheimer’s Society focus here on dementia tech, including comment on overcoming barriers to innovation post-pandemic.
Chairman for the global initiative EU Joint Programme – Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND) Professor Philippe Amouyel brings to light their innovative work in neurodegenerative disease research.
Researchers from Boston University, have found that incidents of racial discrimination are associated with lower subjective cognitive function (SCF) among African-American women.
Researchers at the University of Exeter Medical School and the University of Connecticut School of Medicine found that a faulty gene linked to dementia doubles the risk of developing severe COVID-19.
Jay Sibbitts, Prof Dr Stefan H. Bossmann and Prof Dr Christopher T. Culbertson, from Kansas State University, Department of Chemistry in the U.S., underline microfluidic detection of intracellular nitric oxide levels.
Rachel Conant, Vice President Federal Affairs, Alzheimer’s Association and Alzheimer’s Impact Movement, provides us with an update on Alzheimer’s and dementia funding rises in the United States.
María J. Peláez1, Prashant Dogra1, Zhihui Wang1, Vittorio Cristini1 1Mathematics in Medicine Program, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
