#108: Imagery for Neurology, Installment #3 [15:53m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (542)

Imagery and images for neurology professionals: part 2 of a 2-part mini series.

Today’s show: Second part of the interview with Dr. Daniel Amen, MD and Dr. Douglass. They discuss the accuracy of SPECT images for ‘imaging human behavior,’ and the accuracy of SPECT scans for diagnosing preclinical and clinical Alzheimer’s disease. They’ll also touch upon the potential quagmire of neuroethical issues related to the health insurance industry, particularly when insurance companies may discriminate against patients who test positive for Alzheimer’s based on SPECT neuroimaging, or based on positive tests for the APO E-4 allele (the Alzheimer’s ‘risk gene’).

For more information about SPECT scanning and the Amen Clinics: www.AmenClinics.com.

Next week’s show: It will be the first of a four-part Reap the Sleep series on Sleep Medicine - with focus on sleep apnea. We’ll interview sleep medicine experts Drs. Michael Littner and Jay Puangco.

 

 #105: Defeating Dementia, Installment #11 [32:02m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (502)

Promising news and approaches for progressive brain disorders - Part 3 of a 4-part mini series.

Hear these reports:

Omega-3 Fatty Acid Docosahexaenoic Acid Increases SorLA/LR11 - a Sorting Protein with Reduced Expression in Sporadic Alzheimer’s Disease (AD): Reduced LR-11 protein is associated with increased amyloid beta production. Increasing LR-11 levels using the docosohexaenoic acid, DHA may play an important role in preventing Alzheimer’s.

Oxidation, Inflammation and APO E4: We touch upon the importance of each.

Possible New Alzheimer’s Gene Identified: The CDC2 gene is associated with hyperphosphorylation of tau in neurons of the Alzheimer’s brain. The researchers found that the CDC2 allele was associated with a gene dose-dependent increase of total-tau levels in the CSF.

Memory Test Can Reveal Nascent Dementia: The Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test is a useful test for identifying patients at high and low risk for cognitive decline. Adding CSF values for beta amyloid (42 amino acid form) increases the ability to differentiate those who will decline - from those who will not decline. Increasing phosphorylated tau levels during cognitive decline suggests that measuring phosphorylated tau may be useful as a longitudinal marker of the early neurodegenerative process in Alzheimer’s.

Can Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease Be Trusted in Clinical Trials? According to the results from this Swedish study, there’s low individual variation in amyloid and tau biomarker levels in Alzheimer’s patients over time. This information may be important for interpreting the validity of decreases in the biomarkers resulting from therapeutic interventions (DHA in the current NIH study, for example?).

New Online Diagnostic Algorithm for Mapping Different Types of Mild Cognitive Impairment: An excellent interactive diagnostic work-up of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Check symptoms from a list of 18 symptoms while the diagnosis is being constructed for you. This is the wave of future web-based clinical tools. It’s described as the operationalization of mild cognitive impairment.

Next week’s show: It will be our 12th installment of Defeating Dementia. During the 4th part of this 4-part mini series we’ll discuss news related to Alzheimer’s treatment and prevention. We’ll also have a review of the 4-part series, with rapid fire questions and answers.

 

 #104: Defeating Dementia, Installment #10 [28:38m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (487)

Promising news and approaches for progressive brain disorders - Part 2 of a 4-part mini series.

Hear these reports:

Lipids in the brain: an important factor for Alzheimer’s disease? Researchers at VIB Switch Laboratory in Switzerland recently discovered that a certain brain fat promotes formation of Alzheimer’s peptide, the neurotoxic protofibril. Key concept: concentrations of various lipids in the brain strongly affect biological equilibriums between senile plaques of Alzheimer’s disease and toxic protofibrils.

Omega-3 supplements in mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease: effects on neuropsychiatric symptoms. The omega-3 fats used in this study helped combat depression and agitation in Alzheimer’s patients who received the supplements.

A diet enriched with the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid reduces amyloid burden in an aged Alzheimer mouse model: Mouse study. From Journal of Neuroscience (2005). Researchers employed the omega-3 fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and demonstrated that DHA-enriched diets reduce total amyloid-beta by more than 70%. Overall plaque burden was reduced by 40%, compared to mice on a low-DHA or control diet.

NIH study on DHA in Slowing Progression of Alzheimer’s Disease: Four hundred (400) Alzheimer’s patients are being studied, based on evidence that omega-3 fatty acids appear to have anti-amyloid, anti-oxidant and neuroprotective properties. This study has huge implications and may provide hope for delaying onset of Alzheimer’s, and for fending off the impending Alzheimer’s crisis, saving billions of health care dollars.

Plight of natural product therapies in US medicine: we discuss some of the underlying politics and possibilities.

Alzheimer and trans fatty acids from hydrogenation of vegetable oils: There’s a possible link. We discuss some of the evidence and current efforts by many of the States to ban trans fats, and require warnings about their damaging health effects. University of Maryland researcher Dr. Mary Enig has done extensive research in this area.

Next week’s show: It will be our 11th installment of Defeating Dementia. During the 3rd of this 3-part mini series we’ll discuss Alzheimer’s-related genetics news and some research discoveries related to diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s. We’ll also have more news and information on prevention of Alzheimer’s.

 

 #103: Defeating Dementia, Installment #9 [27:45m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (483)

Promising news and approaches for progressive brain disorders - Part 1 of a 4-part mini series.

Hear these reports:

• Multifaceted Aspects of Alzheimer’s Disease: From Social to Molecular Problems. We touch upon the many insights presented in this report from a special issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
• ‘Young-Onset’ Alzheimer’s Is Increasing: Increased awareness of young-onset Alzheimer’s - in 55 to 65-year old patients with memory problems - is important because these people are experiencing delays in correct diagnosis of their dementia, and therefore treatment and support for these relatively young patients is delayed.
• Brain-Injured War Veterans Show A Faster Decline In Cognitive Functioning As They Age. What was especially interesting about the findings from this research was that the rate of cognitive decline could be predicted – at least in part - by how intelligent the veterans were, and their level of education, before they sustained their brain injuries. The research results may stress the importance of the concept of ‘brain reserve’ and maximizing that reserve with intellectual stimulation, for prevention of dementia.
• Borrelia Bug Revisited: We review the evidence and resources to further understand the paradigm of Borrelia Burdorferi as a cause of Alzheimer’s disease. STAT listeners will recall Dr. Alan MacDonald’s comment that “Round things happen in neurodegeneration.” For an overly packed, but useful view into this paradigm go to www.MolecularAlzheimer.org.

Next week’s show: It will be our 10th installment of Defeating Dementia - Promising news and approaches for progressive brain disorders. During the second of the 2-part mini series we’ll discuss the importance of good and bad lipids in the brain (as factors in Alzheimer’s), and we’ll report on research linking genetic mutations to frontotemporal dementia. We’ll also discuss and review important comorbidities with Alzheimer’s – like diabetes and sleep apnea. And we’ll cover more research news related to Alzheimer’s diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

 

 #91: Movement Disorder Quarter, Installment #2: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (421)

Steadying Guidance on Motor Disturbances

Hear these reports:

• Gene Therapy Showed Promise for Parkinson Disease
• NIH Examines Creatine for Parkinson’s Therapy
• Tips for Calming Motor Fluctuations
• Parkinson’s Drug Permax Withdrawn from Market
• Parkinson’s Rotigotine Patch Treatment Approved
• Safinamide Enhances Control of Parkinson’s: Combining the drug with dopamine enhanced the latter’s efficacy, which can lessen over time
• Simvastatin Found to Reduce Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s Risk
  

We also reviewed these reports from previous STAT! episodes:

• sNNOO31 neural stem cell differentiator protein for Parkinson’s (from episode #7)
• Stereotactic implantation of human cadaveric dopamine-producing retinal pigment epithelial cells into the striatum of Parkinson’s patients shows promise. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study underway (from episode #7)
• Parkinson’s may improve when H. pylori infections eradicated (from episode #73)

Weblinks to:

• Genomic Pathway Approach to a Complex Disease
• Coenzyme Q10 supplementation may slow disease progression in early-stage Parkinson’s disease.

Citations (other): Depletion of CoQ10 by Statin Drugs:

• Langsjoen PH, Langsjoen AM. The clinical use of HMG CoA-reductase inhibitors and the associated depletion of coenzyme Q10. A review of animal and human publications. Biofactors 2003;18:101-11.
• Jula A, Marniemi J, Huupponen R, Virtanen A, Rastas M, Ronnemaa T. Effects of diet and simvastatin on serum lipids, insulin, and antioxidants in hypercholesterolemic men: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 2002;287:598-605.

Next week’s show: Our 4th installment of Nerve University – Education, Research And Scholarship In Neurology. We’ll continue our discussion on genetics and gene therapies - their potential for diagnosing and treating a number of neurological disorders.

 

 #84: Ideology for Neurology - Installment #6 [26:28m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (810)

Ideology for Neurology: Working toward neurological perfection.

Ideology-related Case File: ‘Why I Would Choose Neurology Again.’ Would you?

And ideally, with scientific advancements someday we’ll have highly effective diagnostics and treatments related to these news items:

• Iron Accumulation in Gray Matter Tied to Multiple Sclerosis
• New Stem Cell Legislation Introduced
• Stem Cell Therapy For Patients With Sinusitis Successful
• E-Prescribing Called ‘Win-Win’
• Alzheimer’s Programs Recognized for Excellence

Next week’s show: It’s the start of our Summer series of Rapid Fire episodes. There’s so much news to report that we’ll employ our bulleted format of news items, and strive to keep the next 6-8 shows to 15-20 minutes in length. We’ll still report the neurology news using our theme specific installments: Next week it’s our 6th installment of Neurology’s Cutting Edge - Surgery and trauma-related issues for neurology professionals:

• What two classes of medications have recently been found to lessen the deficits resulting from traumatic brain injury?

• And the “jacket” of a delicious sea creature shows great healing and biostimulant properties.

• Recent research from New York and California shows either carotid endarterectomy or stenting is superior to the other.

Weblinks:

• Iron linked to: Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease, Migraine.
• European Scientists’ Call For Action On Stem Cell Legislation.
• Stem Cells Effectively Treat Sinusitis
• Alzheimer’s Foundation Excellence in Care Program

Citations:

• Cohort study of relation between donating blood and risk of myocardial infarction in 2682 men in eastern Finland. British Medical Journal. 2006-12-17.
• Red blood cell aging and risk of cardiovascular diseases. Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation 18 (1998) 67-74; 67

 

 #80: Defeating Dementia - Installment #7 [31:01m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (965)

Installment #8 of Defeating Dementia - Promising news and approaches for progressive brain disorders.

Treat Alzheimer’s Early With Cholinesterase Inhibitors, Treat Long Term?

• At 1 year, patients on donepezil were significantly less likely to convert to Alzheimer’s disease. Over a year and a half, they did better on thinking, memory, and daily functioning measures, but by 3 years, there was no difference in the rate of conversion to Alzheimer?s signs and symptoms.
• Listeners are reminded of the potential importance of the likely neuroborreliosis etiology of Alzheimer’s; also the free CSF testing for evidence of the bug, being offered by Dr. Alan MacDonald in his research. Contact Dr. MacDonald via his website www.molecularalzheimer.org
• We also reflect briefly on research focusing on the use of vitamin E to reduce Alzheimers. The National Guideline Clearinghouse says vitamin E should be considered - at 1000 I.U. PO BID - in an attempt to slow progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Not a cure, but maybe Alzheimer’s patients can live longer and have better health if they take vitamin E.

Rivastigmine Patch Gets Approval for Dementia: It?s the second patch approved for Parkinson’s disease. One of the researchers (a consultant for the manufacturer, Novartis) said the patch appears better tolerated than the pill.

Alzheimer’s Disease Affects 5 Million: The prevalence is projected to skyrocket in the next 40 years.

Money and Leadership Sought As Alzheimer’s Crisis Looms: The Center for Health Transformation is a health policy think tank founded by former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. The Center has a national financial-plus-leadership strategic plan intended to tackle the impending Alzheimer’s epidemic.

Race and Ethnicity Play Role in Alzheimer’s Treatment Delays: The survey found that essentially 70% of both African American and Hispanic caregivers were likely to dismiss the symptoms of Alzheimer’s as “old age” compared with just 50% of caregivers of other races. And African American caregivers were more likely to report that stigma of the diagnosis affected their decision to obtain a diagnosis for a family member.

CAIDE Dementia Risk Score Validated: This risk score predicts the likelihood of a middle-aged person developing dementia within 20 years. It has been independently validated in an ethnically diverse population.

Imaging Compound Pittsburgh B May Help Track Alzheimer’s: The investigational Pittsburgh B compound that binds to cerebral -amyloid and is visible on positron emission tomography — PET scans — maintains its promise as a way to distinguish the elderly patients presenting with memory problems who will go on to develop Alzheimer’s disease from those who won’t progress.

Stroke in Early Alzheimer’s Ups Dementia Risk: The interaction of cerebrovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease pathology appears to significantly increase the risk of dementia from Alzheimer’s, even when only a small amount of Alzheimer’s pathology is present.

And Last but not least: Marijuana’s active ingredient, THC, acts as a cholinesterase inhibitor and may slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

Next week’s show: Our 5th installment of Vulnerability in Neurology - Potential challenges for neurologists on the clinical front lines. Tune in as we discuss insights about the doctor shortage from the results of a large survey done on hospital CEOs. We’ll have other important vulnerability-related news too.

Weblink (other): Alzheimer’s is the 3rd most expensive medical condition in the US. The direct and indirect costs of Alzheimer’s disease add up to essentially $150 billion each year. That?s on the ?billions scale? the Iraq war is costing us each year. BTW: Click here for an interesting website showing a running total estimate of the ongoing costs of the Iraq war.

 

 #73: Infection - Inflammation: Calor, Dolor, Rubor, Tumor for the 21st century Neurologist. Installment #5 [28:22m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (782)

Infection - Inflammation: Calor, Dolor, Rubor, Tumor for the 21st century Neurologist. Installment #5

Publication Date: Jun 8th, 2007.

Focus: Stealth infections, and the possible effect that ONE of the numerous hidden invaders has on Parkinson’s disease.

The bug is Helicobacter pylori. It’s back in the limelight. And Parkinson’s pathogenesis may be eased from its eradication.

And does herpes simplex virus play a role in Alzheimer’s?

Listen and learn about other concealed infectious entities possibly cohabitating, within our bodies, and causing varying degrees of stress on our physiological systems - our “psychoneuroimmunology.”

And last but not least (on the flip side): “Filth and Felicity” - Is our obsession with having a sterile environment for daily living contributing to us humans being a bunch of “psycho-enodo-neuro-immunological” wimps?
(…More…)

 

 #68: Defeating Dementia, Installment #7 [53:10m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (693)

Promising news and approaches for progressive brain disorders (previously called ’senility Solutions”). Installment #6

Publication Date: May 4th, 2007.

Show Summary:
Researcher and pathologist Dr. Alan MacDonald explores the link between Borrelia burgdorferi infection - neuroborreliosis - and Alzheimer’s disease. Previous STAT coverage of his work: #23, #26 and #65.

On this episode, ‘Reflections on Recent Alzheimer’s News,” Dr. Macdonald mirrors his thoughts about recent news from Clinical Neurology News based on: 1) the neuroborreliosis hypothesis, 2) what he learned during the recent 10th International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease in Madrid, Spain (Jul, 2006).

Dr. Macdonald will reflect on news about: the genetics and markers of Alzheimer’s disease; new research efforts and related political issues; diagnosis and treatment; the diabetes-Alzheimer’s comorbidity; and the importance of inflammation and oxidation in Alzheimer’s pathogenesis - all from the perspective of the neuroborreliosis paradigm.

Dr. Macdonald’s papers and presentations can be downloaded from www.molecularalzheimer.org. He can be contacted from the website too.