On April 30, the FDA granted approval for a combination medication of dextromethorphan and bupropion for the treatment of agitation in Alzheimer’s disease.  The medication (Auvelity; Axsome Therapeutics) was previously approved for major depression and is a unique combination of two drugs—burproprion and dextromethorphan.  The approval for agitation was based on two randomized trials of the medication.  The first was a five-week placebo controlled trial that demonstrated statistical benefit of the drug compared to placebo on a measure of 29 agitated behaviors that occur in AD.  The second was a relapse prevention study, where all participants with agitated behaviors were…

— Toward the Development of New Dopamine-Based Therapies — In the US, the increasing number of patients with Alzheimer’s disease has become a major social issue. Development of effective treatments is an urgent priority. One key to treatment development could be to identify specific neurons responsible for memory impairment. At UCI MIND, Kei Igarashi and his lab members previously discovered in 2021 that dopamine in a brain region called the entorhinal cortex plays a key role in memory formation. In a new study published in Nature Neuroscience, the team found that memory impairment in Alzheimer’s disease is caused by dysfunction of…

Board-certified neuropsychologist Dr. Hayley B. Kristinsson, affiliated faculty with UCI Health and UCI MIND, was recently featured in U.S. News. Dr. Kristinsson shared crucial guidance for caregivers of people living with dementia, covering topics such as navigating dementia delusions, utilizing the validation method, and identifying phrases to avoid. Check out the full article here: https://health.usnews.com/senior-care/articles/how-to-talk-to-someone-with-dementia-expert-tips-and-phrases

🧬 Ask the Doc LIVE | Where is Down Syndrome Research Heading? 🎙️ Join us for an exciting Ask the Doc Livestream with Dr. Mark Mapstone, Professor in Residence at UC Irvine, as he takes us inside the latest and most promising advances in Down syndrome research! 📍 Streaming LIVE on Facebook & YouTube 💬 Got questions? Drop them in the comments — this is YOUR chance to ask the doc directly! During this session, Dr. Mapstone will be diving into: 🔬 Biomarkers & Diagnosis — What new tools and indicators are shaping earlier and more accurate diagnoses? 🧬 Genetics…

  🧠 ASK THE DOC LIVE: Understanding cutting edge spatial technologies🔬 We'll discuss how Dr. Shi uses biochemistry and advanced microscope technology to create maps within brain tissue to better understand the cellular basis of diseases like Alzheimer's and depression. Host: Joshua Grill, PhD, Director of UCI MIND Guest: Xiaoyu Shi, PhD, Associate Professor, Developmental and Cell Biology, Chemistry, BME 🔍 What You'll Discover: How does microscopy lead to new biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease? What is spatial proteomics? LIVE Q&A – Ask your questions in real-time! 📅 Wednesday, March 25th @ 12:00 PM PT 📍 Facebook Live & YouTube Live…

Professor of Health, Society, & Behavior, Leigh Turner, PhD, was recently quoted in Nature regarding the risks and regulatory gaps surrounding stem-cell clinics. Read the full article here.

Celebrating Leadership in Brain Health Equity: Dr. Crystal M. Glover By Lupe Morales This Black History Month, I’m honored to share highlights from the UC Irvine School of Medicine spotlight on Dr. Crystal M. Glover’s research, released earlier this month. Dr. Crystal M. Glover serves as the Leader of the Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement (ORE) Core at the UC Irvine Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND) and is an Associate Professor of Neurology focused on advancing aging and brain health equity. Her work centers on a simple but powerful belief: everyone deserves the opportunity to age with…

UCI MIND's Dr. Min Zhang has published groundbreaking research in the journal, Alzheimer's & Dementia, revealing a first-of-its-kind genetic map that explores how genes may interact in a human brain with Alzheimer's. This innovative approach opens new pathways to explore other networks involved in Alzheimer's disease-specific pathologies.  To read a summary of the journal article click here: https://www.sciencealert.com/first-of-its-kind-map-of-alzheimers-reveals-hidden-gene-activity

Critical gaps remain for people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease disease seeking treatment and care. To address these gaps, Congress has introduced the BRIDGING Relief in Delayed Government Enrollment (BRIDGE) for Young Onset Alzheimer’s Disease Act (H.R. 6799). This legislation could fundamentally change access to care for people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s before age 65.   Today, individuals with young onset (<65 years of age) Alzheimer’s typically face a 29-month wait for Medicare coverage for new amyloid-targeting treatments, after being determined eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance. During that time, the disease progression continues and may render many of these patients no longer…