Contributed by Joshua Grill, PhD On Thursday, December 5, attendees at the Clinical Trials in Alzheimer’s Disease (CTAD) Conference heard more from Biogen about its recently resurrected drug, aducanumab (see previous Blog). New data were presented that were consistent with what had previously been shared. Biogen claims that a single positive Phase 3 trial of aducanumab and a secondary analysis of data from a second, negative Phase 3 trial suggest a benefit among patients receiving the highest dose for the full duration of the study (18 months). In both cases, high dose aducanumab appeared to slow the rate of disease…
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Tune in this Friday, December 6th @ 9AM for the next episode of our monthly Facebook LIVE series, "What is the link between Down syndrome and Alzheimer's?" This month, we're joined by Ira Lott, MD, Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics and Neurology at UCI School of Medicine. Dr. Lott is a child neurologist at UCI and CHOC Children's Hospital and Director of the UCI MIND Down Syndrome Program, which studies Alzheimer's disease in individuals with Down syndrome. His research has been supported by the NIH, the Alzheimer's Association, and the State of California, including the largest clinical research grant for Down…
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UCI MIND faculty members, Tallie Z. Baram, MD, PhD and Marcelo A. Wood, PhD are named among nine UCI researchers as fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Dr. Baram, the Danette Shepard Chair of Neurological Science and Director of the Conte Center at UCI, is recognized for her distinguished contributions to the understanding of childhood and febrile seizures as well as early life adversity on brain development and their enduring consequences. Dr. Wood, Professor and Chair of Neurobiology & Behavior, is recognized for his distinguished teaching and contributions to the field of memory and addiction, particularly the…
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Contributed by Chelsea Cox, MPH, MSW, Associate Director of Education In a recent study, researchers at the University of Michigan analyzed survey responses from over 1,000 adults age 50 to 64 to learn about their perceived risk for developing dementia and any actions they take to reduce their own risk. The study found that more than half of respondents believed they were not likely to develop dementia, with this outlook being more common in non-Hispanic blacks who are, in fact, at a greater risk of developing dementia than non-Hispanic whites. The vast majority of respondents reported having never discussed risk…
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UCI MIND faculty member, Dr. Ruth Benca, discussed sleep, brain health, and Alzheimer’s disease at the October 2019 #MIHealthSummit in Washington, D.C., hosted by the Milken Institute. The session opens with a conversation with Maxine Waters, U.S. Representative of California, followed by a panel discussion among leading researchers and policymakers on the latest evidence regarding reducing risk for cognitive decline, including nutrition, exercise, sleep, socialization, and stress management. View the plenary session below.
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Contributed by Bryce Mander, PhD A new landmark study from researchers in Boston was published in Science this month. This study linked human brain waves during deep sleep, called “slow waves,” with the pulsating flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) through the brain. Fultz et al., 2019, NPR This study is important because it is the first to directly link sleeping brain waves with a mechanism thought to clear the brain of metabolic waste and toxins, called the “glymphatic system.” Prior studies in rodents indicate that the glymphatic system actively clears Alzheimer’s disease pathology, as well as other toxins and…
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Contributed by David Sultzer, MD, Professor of Psychiatry & Human Behavior This past weekend, China’s regulatory agency conditionally approved sodium oligomannate for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. The approval was based on results from a 9-month treatment study of 818 people, and is the first approval globally of an Alzheimer’s drug in 16 years. Oligomannate (GV-971) is a plant-based complex sugar derived from ocean seaweed. It’s thought to adjust the microbiome in the GI tract, thereby tweaking amino acid levels in the body and reducing the toxic effects of brain inflammation that contribute to Alzheimer’s disease. Results from…
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