Anemia in the long-term care setting.
Anemia is seen in up to 60% of residents in the long-term care setting, and research findings show that in older patients, it is a marker for increased morbidity, mortality, hospitalization, and health care costs, as well as frailty, mobility impairment, and an increased incidence of Alzheimer's disease. This...

Apo [epsilon]4 gene may kick off cognitive decline: homozygotes had the highest proportion of cognitive decline, with 40% showing domain decline.
Age 60 seems to be the defining year for many homozygous carriers of the apolipoprotein [epsilon]4 gene--the time when age-related changes in cognition focus more on memory and begin a steeper decline into mild cognitive impairment and, eventually, Alzheimer's disease, according to new unpublished observations from a longitudinal study...

Should primary care physicians provide dementia screening? Too many patients go undiagnosed.
Alzheimer's disease affects more than 5 million Americans and is the fourth-leading cause of death in the United States. Yet by many accounts, only 50% of the cases are diagnosed, and only 25% of patients receive the medication they need. In 40 years, more than 15 million Americans may...

High midlife cholesterol increases dementia risk.
CHICAGO -- High cholesterol levels in midlife are associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia, data from a large, diverse cohort suggest. The analysis of more than 9,500 individuals showed that patients with midlife total cholesterol levels of 249-500 mg/dL were 1.5 times...

Reduced risk of Alzheimer disease in users of antioxidant vitamin supplements: the Cache County study.
Zandi PP, Anthony JC, Khachaturian AS, et al. Arch Neurol 2004:61:82-88. BACKGROUND: Antioxidants may protect the aging brain against oxidative damage associated with pathological changes of Alzheimer disease (AD). OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between antioxidant supplement use and risk of AD. DESIGN: Cross-sectional and prospective study...

Faster FDA approval of Alzheimer drugs urged.
Drugs for treating Alzheimer disease are significantly less likely than are cancer or HIV drugs to receive priority review from the Food and Drug Administration, according to a new study that has critics saying the pattern must change as disease-modifying drugs advance in clinical trials. "In our...

Helicobacter pylori and Alzheimer's disease: a possible link.
Malaguarnera M, Bella R, Alagona G, et al. Eur J Intern Med 2004;15:381-386. BACKGROUND: Although serological findings indicate the presence of a relationship between Helicobacter pylori (HP) and vascular disease, no data have been reported about a possible association of HP with dementia. The aim of the...

Immuno-Biological Laboratories Co., Ltd. and Intellect Neurosciences, Inc. Enter into Humanized Monoclonal Antibodies Development Agreement for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease.
Intellect Advances its Patented Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibody Program TAKASAKI, Gunma, Japan and NEW YORK, Jan. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Immuno-Biological Laboratories Co., Ltd. ("IBL") and Intellect Neurosciences, Inc. ("Intellect") announced today that Intellect has purchased from IBL the rights to manufacture, develop and commercialize two therapeutic, beta-amyloid specific,...

Bayer Responds to Publication of the Alzheimer's Disease Anti-inflammatory Prevention Trial (ADAPT) Data.
MORRISTOWN, N.J., Nov. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to today's publication of the ADAPT manuscript, Bayer's position is that the data presented from the trial must be reviewed in the context of the overwhelming body of scientific evidence supporting the safety of naproxen. Bayer continues to stand behind naproxen,...

Prana Biotechnology Raises Approximately US$6 Million to Fully Fund Its Phase IIa Clinical Trial of PBT2 in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease.
- Phase IIa Trial to Commence Immediately; Regulatory and Ethics Approval Received MELBOURNE, Australia, Nov. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Prana Biotechnology Limited , today announced it has entered into agreements to raise approximately US$6.0 million (A$7.8 million) from new institutional investors in Australia, existing institutional investors in the...