Brain Health Registry

The Covid-19 pandemic has posed unique challenges to many individuals living with dementia, as well as their caregivers. Dementia responds well to routine: rigid, time-blocked schedules and familiar faces. But the pandemic has shown us, and warned us, how quickly the fragile channels of dementia care the muddled blend of formal and informal networks that sustain those routines can collapse under strain."

Neurogenesis the process by which new neurons are produced in the brain can be impaired in older adults with Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers are studying whether manipulating and increasing neurogenesis could help treat or prevent Alzheimer’s disease, or at least alleviate symptoms. This could one day pave the way toward new types of therapeutic interventions for the condition.

Distinct from Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body dementia is a disorder characterized by abnormal protein deposits in the brain. In a recent study, NIH researchers found five genes that may play a role in determining whether a person will develop Lewy body dementia. These findings could help researchers unravel potential connections between Lewy body dementia and related diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, while also providing insight into how dementia is inherited.

Dementia can fundamentally alter subjective experiences and perceptions of pain. An estimated one-third of homebound dementia patients and two-thirds of older nursing-home residents with dementia suffer through undiagnosed or unaddressed pain, according to a recent article in The Atlantic.

By analyzing data from almost 62 million electronic medical records, researchers found that individuals with dementia were twice as likely to get Covid-19 than individuals without dementia. Furthermore, Black people with dementia were almost three times as likely as white people with dementia to become infected with the novel coronavirus. These findings reflect the pandemic’s disproportionate toll on communities of color, and the need for equitable access to care.

In a cohort of over 5,000 adults age 65 and older, researchers found that people living in noisy neighborhoods were at higher risk for Alzheimer’s than those in quieter locations. The reason? The researchers aren’t entirely sure. However, too much noise can cause elevated blood pressure, sleep deprivation, and hearing loss, all of which are associated with increased dementia risk.

Researchers often rely on tools like brain scans and spinal taps to diagnose neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s. However, misdiagnosis still happens. New research suggests that a simple skin test may help researchers quickly and reliably detect deposits of a protein called Alpha-synuclein, a pathologic hallmark of Parkinson’s disease.

How did a conceptual album about memory loss go viral among teens?

A major challenge in treating Alzheimer’s and related disorders is detecting the diseases early on, before they progress. An AI model developed by researchers at IBM and Pfizer analyzes a person’s written speech to help predict Alzheimer’s several years before someone shows disease symptoms. This model is still in its very early stages and has its limitations, but shows some promise nonetheless.

COVID-19 has put many clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease across the globe on hold. However, researchers have devised strategies for continuing their studies and recruiting new participants, even in the midst of the pandemic. These include detailed safety measures, community outreach, and even food drives.

What exactly causes memory loss in Alzheimer’s and related disorders? The answer remains elusive, but methods like deep-brain stimulation and genetic interventions could help unearth some clues.

Some COVID-19 survivors experience cognitive symptoms like memory loss, confusion, and difficulty focusing. Scientists are still not sure what causes this brain fog, but experts think it may occur when the body’s immune response to the virus doesn’t shut down, or from inflammation in blood vessels leading to the brain.

This opinion piece offers a unique perspective on neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and asks a fundamental question: why are these conditions so difficult to stop?

Researchers found an association between air pollution particles in the brain stems of young people and molecular damage tied to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases. This study builds on previous research showing connections between neurodegeneration and environmental pollutants. However, brain diseases like Alzheimer’s are complicated; scientists don’t entirely understand the many causal factors at play, and the precise role of pollutants in triggering the disease.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way researchers study Alzheimer's disease and related disorders? And what could the future of clinical research look like? The October 2020 edition of the Brain Health Registry Newsletter delves into these questions:

Plaques of amyloid protein in the brain are a well-studied hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease; however the precise role of these plaques in neurodegeneration remains uncertain. Now, an international team of researchers has found a new type of amyloid plaque so called course-grained plaques which have a different structure, composition, and distribution in the brain from typical amyloid plaques. A better understanding of these plaques could help shed light on the complex mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease.

A group of Irish-Nigerian teenagers created an innovative new smartphone app, which combines music, memory games, and communication tools to support individuals living with dementia. This app evidences technology’s ever-increasing potential to enrich health care across the globe, especially during the era of COVID-19.

Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania published a new study in the journal Nature Genetics, exploring the genetic drivers of late-onset Alzheimer’s Disease. Their findings could inform potential drug treatment strategies for Alzheimer’s.