Facebook Live Series - ASK THE DOC: Alzheimer's Research Today! This monthly series features short talks and Q&A with experts from the University of California, Irvine Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), 1 of 32 congressionally designated Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers in the nation. Join UCI MIND on Facebook (@UCIrvineMIND) the first Friday of every month from 9:00-9:30 AM PST to learn about advances in research to improve Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Episode 10: "Will I get Alzheimer's if I live long enough?" This month, we're joined by Maria Corrada, ScM, ScD, Professor of Neurology…
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Contributed by Joshua Grill, PhD Yesterday morning, Biogen announced the company’s intention to file with the FDA for approval of Aducanumab, a monoclonal antibody that until recently had been in development as a potential disease-modifying therapy for Alzheimer’s disease. The news came as a shock to us, since two large Phase 3 clinical trials of Aducanumab had been halted for futility earlier in 2019. “Futility” is defined as an early indication that a trial is not likely to demonstrate a drug benefit. As a site for one of those trials, we – along with the research participants and the entire…
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Facebook Live Series - ASK THE DOC: Alzheimer's Research Today! This monthly series features short talks and Q&A with experts from the University of California, Irvine Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), 1 of 32 congressionally designated Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers in the nation. Join UCI MIND on Facebook (@UCIrvineMIND) the first Friday of every month from 9:00-9:30 AM PST to learn about advances in research to improve Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Episode 9: "When should I see a doctor about memory concerns?" This month, we're joined by UCI MIND Senior Neuropsychologist, Malcolm Dick, PhD.…
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Join us for the 30th annual research conference on October 25th at the Irvine Marriott Hotel. Come learn from internationally renowned experts about how far we have come and where we are headed in the battle against Alzheimer's disease. Register now at http://conference.mind.uci.edu
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Contributed by Joshua Grill, PhD Dorene Rentz and her husband, Ray Berggren, at their home in Natick, Mass. Dr. Rentz helped design the cognitive tests used in the A4 Alzheimer’s clinical trial in which her husband is now participating. Photo credit: M. Scott Brauer for the Wall Street Journal Alzheimer’s disease is a public health crisis. UCI MIND investigators regularly speak in public to increase awareness of the magnitude of the problem and the urgency of our work (see Event Calendar). But many of us leave the clinic, laboratory, or office to face this crisis at home as well. In this excellent…
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Learn about the 30th annual conference panel in today's #SpeakerSpotlight: Moderated by UCI MIND Director Joshua Grill, a diverse panel of stakeholders will provide their unique perspective on challenges and successes in Alzheimer's disease research and what they anticipate for the future of the field. Panelists include a research participant, a family caregiver, and clinicians and scientists from University of California, Irvine: Dr. Lisa Gibbs is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Chief of the Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology at UCI School of Medicine. She also serves as Medical Director of the UC Irvine HealthSeniorHealth Center in Orange…
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. . . And there are nearly 10 million new cases each year. Today is World Alzheimer’s Day. It is a day to remember those we have lost, honor those still fighting, and acknowledge those dedicated to finding a cure. To all the patients, families, research participants, study partners, donors, community members, faculty, staff, and students working with UCI MIND to rid the world of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, thank you! UCI MIND collaborates with researchers worldwide to solve this health crisis, and you, too, can be a part of the solution right here in Orange County. Join us…
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Contributed by David Sultzer, MD, Professor of Psychiatry & Human Behavior Last week, Acadia Pharmaceuticals announced findings from its trial of pimavanserin for treatment of delusions and hallucinations related to dementia: Participants treated with pimavanserin had better outcomes than those treated with placebo. The study design was different from usual treatment comparisons of drug and placebo. In this trial, all participants with psychosis symptoms along with Alzheimer’s disease or another cognitive disorder were treated with pimavanserin for 12 weeks. Those who showed improvement were then assigned to either continue taking the drug or cross over to placebo treatment. The study…
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What lifestyle factors increase and decrease risk for Alzheimer’s disease? October 25th Research Conference #SpeakerSpotlight: Dr. Rebecca Gottesman is a board-certified Neurologist and Professor of Neurology and Epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University. Her research focuses on the short-term and long-term cognitive effects of heart disease and stroke. She uses a combination of clinical studies in patients and epidemiological studies to evaluate the impact of heart disease on the brain. In the session, “Risk and Prevention Across the Lifespan,” Dr. Gottesman will discuss the link between heart health and brain health and identify lifestyle factors that increase and decrease risk for…
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How can “smart” technology be used to detect cognitive problems? October 25th Research Conference #SpeakerSpotlight: Dr. Rhoda Au is a Professor of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Neurology and Epidemiology at Boston University and has served as an investigator on the Framingham Heart Study since 1990, conducting research related to cognitive aging and dementia. Dr. Au’s research focuses on a how “bigdata” analytics can better inform our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease. In the session, “Detection in the Digital Era,” Dr. Au will discuss how innovative technology can be used to track cognitive performance in older adults. Attendees will learn how digital technologies…
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Join us October 7th for ASK THE DOC! Time: Monday, October 7 @ 6:00-8:00 PM Location: Fullerton Public Library (353 W Commonwealth Ave, Fullerton, CA 92832) RSVP: bit.ly/UCIaskthedoc (link is case-sensitive) or 800.272.3900 UCI MIND's quarterly ASK THE DOC Q&A panel provides a unique opportunity for the community to have their most pressing questions answered by Orange County's experts in brain health, Alzheimer's disease, and dementia.
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Facebook Live Series - ASK THE DOC: Alzheimer's Research Today! This monthly series features short talks and Q&A with experts from the University of California, Irvine Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), 1 of 32 congressionally designated Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers in the nation. Join UCI MIND on Facebook (@UCIrvineMIND) the first Friday of every month from 9:00-9:30 AM PST to learn about advances in research to improve Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Episode 8: "What have researchers learned from brain donations?" This month, we're joined by Edwin Monuki, MD, PhD. Dr. Monuki is a neuropathologist,…
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How are brain scans improving our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease? October 25th Research Conference #SpeakerSpotlight: Dr. William Jagust is a Professor of Public Health and Neuroscience at UC Berkeley and heads the national Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative’s (ADNI) Core Laboratory for PET imaging. His laboratory was the first to describe Alzheimer’s-related hippocampal atrophy quantified with MRI and has continued to pioneer approaches using brain imaging to improve understanding of aging and dementia. In the session “Brain Scans and Biomarkers,” Dr. Jagust will describe how brain imaging has helped advance the field and discuss the strengths and challenges of brain scan…
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How are donated human brains used to study Alzheimer’s disease? October 25th Research Conference #SpeakerSpotlight: Dr. Julie Schneider is a board-certified Geriatric Neurologist and Neuropathologist, Professor of Pathology and Neurological Sciences at Rush University, and Associate Director of the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center. Dr. Schneider’s research focuses on linking pathology with risk factors and brain imaging to improve understanding of cognitive aging and dementia. Brain donation has been an invaluable resource for researchers to better understand the causes of and treatment options for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. In the session, “Gifted Brains Yield Priceless Gains,” Dr. Schneider will discuss…
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In this issue of MIND Matters: UCI MIND Scientists Discover Exercise Can Reprogram Genes Welcome, New Faculty & Staff New FDA Black Box Warning for Insomnia Medications Announcing the 10th Annual UCI MIND Gala Honorees... And more! Download Newsletter > Upcoming Events: Facebook LIVE Q&A Series: "What have researchers learned from brain donations?" Friday, September 6 | 9:00-9:30 am | UCI MIND Facebook Page Follow @UCIrvineMIND to receive notifications when we go LIVE Live online Q&A with Edwin Monuki, MD, PhD, Professor and Warren L. Bostick Chair of Pathology in the UCI School of Medicine. Attend the video live on our Facebook page or view archived…
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Contributed by Bryce Mander, PhD Getty Images Our colleagues at UCSF recently published findings in the journal Alzheimer’s and Dementia examining how tau pathology in different brain diseases – Alzheimer’s disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, and corticobasal degeneration – impacts brain cells that are in charge of keeping us awake. This study reported several important findings: In all three diseases, there was a reduction in brain cells that help promote cortical arousal. In all three diseases, tau pathology was quite substantial in several of the wake-promoting cells in the brainstem region. Tau pathology in the brainstem in Alzheimer’s disease was associated with…
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Contributed by Joshua D. Grill, PhD A recent article in the New York Times highlights an important set of conundrums regarding amyloid imaging for Alzheimer’s disease. Amyloid imaging can detect with relative certainty whether beta amyloid plaques, which are a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease, are accumulating in a person’s brain. Conundrum #1: Amyloid scans are not covered by insurance for people with cognitive problems. Research led by our friend Dr. Gil Rabinovici at UCSF has demonstrated that amyloid imaging can and does yield important guidance to clinical care. It can change diagnoses and instruct prescribing decisions (more on this >).…
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Facebook Live Series - ASK THE DOC: Alzheimer's Research Today! This monthly series features short talks and Q&A with experts from the University of California, Irvine Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), 1 of 32 congressionally designated Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers in the nation. Join UCI MIND on Facebook (@UCIrvineMIND) the first Friday of every month from 9:00-9:30 AM PST to learn about advances in research to improve Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Episode 7: "Can brain scans be used to diagnose Alzheimer's?" This month, we're joined by Craig Stark, PhD. Dr. Stark earned a doctorate…
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iStock Recent stories, including one this week by Washington Post, have highlighted the possible impact of anticholinergic medications on dementia. Some studies note that these medications may have negative side effects that mimic dementia in older adults. Others show a possible increase in dementia risk when taking strong anticholinergics long-term. However, more research is needed to understand this potential link. It's important to speak with your doctor about all your medications regularly, discussing potential benefits, risks, and interactions, to help manage your health over time. To learn more about medications and Alzheimer's disease, view UCI MIND's recent Facebook LIVE episode with…
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Join national experts for the 30th Annual SoCal Alzheimer’s Disease Research Conference! Friday, October 25th Irvine Marriott Hotel How close are we to solving Alzheimer’s disease? What have we learned so far? Where do we go from here? For 30 years, the Annual SoCal Alzheimer’s Disease Research Conference has delivered the latest knowledge in dementia research and care to the Orange County community. In its Pearl Anniversary, join national experts as they explore what we have discovered and charge forward with hope for solutions! Prices will increase after September 1, 2019
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UCI MIND faculty member, Craig Stark, PhD was recently quoted in Science Magazine discussing the critical role scientists play in helping improve society. The article focuses on a push to better understand the science behind addiction, and how scientists are spreading evidence-based treatment knowledge through regional and national seminars. By regularly hosting seminars to gather scientific and legal experts, researchers can better inform the criminal justice system on how to improve substance abuse recovery rates in the incarcerated population. Dr. Stark, a neurobiologist who specializes in brain imaging at UCI, has presented at dozens of these legal seminars, speaking on…
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Stewart Cohen/Getty Images NPR recently spoke on All Things Considered about the EXERT Study, a nationwide clinical trial of exercise led by Carl Cotman, PhD, UCI MIND's Founding Director, and Laura Baker, PhD, Associate Director of the ADRC at Wake Forest School of Medicine. The study involves an 18-month exercise program at the local YMCA for 65-89 year-olds with Mild Cognitive Impairment. Throughout the program, researchers look at participants' cognition, blood flow, atrophy (cell loss), and harmful protein accumulation in the brain. Researchers hope to learn about the clinical effect of exercise, as well as the scientific basis for their…
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Days 3-4 at #AAIC19 included more impressive poster presentations from UCI MIND researchers AND prestigious poster awards received by TWO postdoctoral trainees 👏 Congrats to Drs. Lindsay Hohsfield (Kim Green lab) & Davis Woodworth (Ahmad Sajjadi lab)!Postdoctoral trainee in Dr. Kim Green's lab, Dr. Lindsay Hohsfield, won the Basic & Translational Science Poster Competition at #AAIC19 for her innovative research on the association between microglia and tau pathology in Alzheimer's disease.Postdoctoral trainee with Dr. Ahmad Sajjadi, Dr. Davis Woodworth, won the Diagnosis & Prognosis Poster Competition at #AAIC19 for his innovative research into the utility of MRI detection of atrophy…
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Day 2 of #AAIC19 included lectures on sleep and Alzheimer's disease from Drs. Ruth Benca and Bryce Mander, opportunities for collaboration, and rich discussion over poster presentations from numerous UCI MIND faculty and trainees.Dr. Ruth Benca, UCI Professor & Chair of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, was invited to deliver a plenary lecture among the world's experts in Alzheimer's disease research. #AAIC19Dr. Ruth Benca presented a plenary lecture on sleep and Alzheimer's disease to over 5,000 international investigators at #AAIC19ASK! Open Q&A session with Dr. Ruth Benca after her plenary lecture #AAIC19Dr. Bryce Mander presented on using local slow-wave measured during…
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This week, many UCI MIND researchers are sharing their work and collaborating with researchers across the globe at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in LA! Check out some photos from Day 1 and stay tuned for updates.#AAIC2019 in LA!Davis Woodworth, a postdoctoral trainee working with Dr. Ahmad Sajjadi presented a poster on using MRI to detect atrophy in hippocampal sclerosis. #AAIC2019UCI MIND project scientist and epidemiologist, Christian Salazar, presented a poster on racial and ethnic differences in willingness to be contacted about research studies. #AAIC2019Dr. Claudia Kawas was asked to present and participate on an esteemed panel discussion of limbic-predominant…
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Facebook Live Series - ASK THE DOC: Alzheimer's Research Today! This monthly series features short talks and Q&A with experts from the University of California, Irvine Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), 1 of 32 congressionally designated Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers in the nation. Join UCI MIND on Facebook (@UCIrvineMIND) the first Friday of every month from 9:00-9:30 AM PST to learn about advances in research to improve Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Episode 6: "What medications can I take to prevent or treat Alzheimer's?" This month, we're joined by Steven Tam, MD. Dr. Tam is…
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The Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH), in partnership with AARP, recently released an extensive report reviewing the current evidence on brain health supplements. AARP formed the GCBH by bringing together an independent group of scientists, physicians, researchers, and other experts. Click here to learn more about these specialists. The GCBH found that there was a lack of evidence for effectiveness, concerns about false claims in marketing, and uncertainty of the possible risks of brain health supplements, since they are not required to be reviewed for purity, safety, and efficacy. The GCBH concluded that no endorsement could be made for…
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Contributed by Joshua Grill, PhD The field of Alzheimer’s disease drug development received more troubling news yesterday, when the leaders of the GENERATION program halted their prevention clinical trials of a drug aiming to prevent the formation of the beta amyloid protein in people at risk to get Alzheimer’s disease. The GENERATION program is led by investigators at Banner Alzheimer’s Institute and is an important study in people at increased genetic risk to someday develop Alzheimer’s disease, based on the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene. The trials were stopped because preliminary results indicated that the drug under study, CNP520 (being developed…
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Contributed by Joshua Grill, PhD, Director of UCI MIND A recent report from The Economist concludes that three neurological disorders — migraine, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer’s disease — are impacting workplace productivity. Notably, all three conditions disproportionately affect women. While it is now clear that Alzheimer’s disease begins decades prior to diagnosis, the larger impact on the global economy results from the growing number of workers who are trying to balance employment as well as caregiving for a parent with the disease. More than 16 million Americans are unpaid caregivers for someone with Alzheimer’s disease and the most common caregiver is…
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Contributed by Carl W. Cotman, PhD and Nicole C. Berchtold, PhD It is increasingly recognized that exercise builds brain health. At a fundamental level, brain health and function depend on the expression of the brain’s genes, the building blocks of cells. In a recent paper that appeared in the journal “Neurobiology of Aging” (2019), Drs. Carl Cotman, Nicole Berchtold and coworkers demonstrated that in the brains of healthy older people, exercise reprograms gene expression patterns to a more youthful state, even in cognitively normal people (75-100 yrs old). Genes that were particularly targeted are those that boost cellular energy production and build…
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Facebook Live Series - ASK THE DOC: Alzheimer's Research Today! This monthly series features short talks and Q&A with experts from the University of California, Irvine Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), 1 of 32 congressionally designated Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers in the nation. Join UCI MIND on Facebook (@UCIrvineMIND) the first* Friday of every month from 9:00-9:30 AM PST to learn about advances in research to improve Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Episode 5: "Is there a blood test for Alzheimer's?" This month, we're joined by Mark Mapstone, PhD. Dr. Mapstone earned a PhD in…
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Contributed by Joan Steffan, PhD In a recent paper published in Proceedings of the National Academic of Sciences, colleagues and I show that a critical regulator of the immune system - called kinase IKKbeta - helps slow the onset of Huntington’s disease (HD) in mice, and this may be due to activation of a process called autophagy. Autophagy helps cells clean out and recycle their 'trash'. Accumulation of trash can occur as we age and when disease is present, so regular cleaning enabled by autophagy is critical to maintain cellular function. In HD, brain cell autophagy fails, leading to an accumulation of harmful proteins that…
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Contributed by Joan Steffan, PhD & Leslie Thompson, PhD Results from a recent study published by Tabrizi and colleagues and Ionis/Roche Pharmaceuticals in The New England Journal of Medicine are very exciting for the Huntington’s disease (HD) patient, family, and scientific communities. The researchers showed for the first time that treatment with a huntingtin lowering drug called an antisense oligonucleotide, or ASO, is safe in HD patients. Huntingtin is the protein linked to the genetic mutation that causes HD. With these results, researchers are planning a large clinical trial to test whether ASO can reduce symptoms in HD patients. The HD community is…
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Contributed by Bryce Mander, PhD The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently required some sleep medications which are commonly used to treat insomnia to add black box warning labels. The reason for this decision is because there have been reported incidents of individuals engaging in activities that commonly occur during wakefulness during sleep while on these medications, including sleep walking, sleep driving, sleep eating, and sleep cooking. On rare occasions, these symptoms have resulted in serious injuries or life-threatening incidents, which has led to the inclusion of the black box label. The FDA has also issued a contraindication for…
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Contributed by Craig Stark, PhD Researchers from the UK have just released a report showing how we can extract valuable cognitive data out of video game performance. Using the mobile game Sea Hero Quest, which relies heavily on spatial memory and navigation, the researchers were able to discriminate healthy aging from those at-risk for Alzheimer's. By using games that are fun and engaging, but are designed to tap into specific brain processes, we can usher in a new era of diagnosis. Research in my lab here at UCI is further looking at whether playing certain kinds of video games can actually…
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Facebook Live Series - ASK THE DOC: Alzheimer's Research Today! This monthly series features short talks and Q&A with experts from the University of California, Irvine Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), 1 of 32 congressionally designated Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers in the nation. Join UCI MIND on Facebook (@UCIrvineMIND) the first Friday of every month from 9:00-9:30 AM PST to learn about advances in research to improve Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Episode 4: "Are there any promising vaccines for Alzheimer's?" This month, we're joined by Elizabeth Head, PhD. Dr. Head earned a PhD in…
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Contributed by Andrea J. Tenner, PhD Researchers at McGill University recently published results from a clinical trial of the common non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), naproxen, showing that it was ineffective at preventing Alzheimer's disease (AD) in cognitively unimpaired people with a family history. I am not surprised by this result, as naproxen is a nonselective inhibitor of inflammatory mediators. Dr. Breitner, the lead investigator on the manuscript, is an excellent physician scientist. The study authors indicated that the results do not rule out a benefit from mid-life anti-inflammatory drugs, and that the study turned out to have too few participants…
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