The medications may help a bit with thinking and memory, but the results vary among patients, and may not be that big, says Dr. Claudia Kawas, a neurologist at UC Irvine. Still, they can make a difference. If family members start noticing that a person remembers conversations better, she’d call that a “great” result. read more>
Read More
“We show a proof-of-concept therapy where we could reverse some of the abnormalities in the blood vessel cells by treating them with a drug,” - Thompson, who is affiliated with UCI MIND and the Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center
Read More
“Stroke is a major cause of human disability and we are trying to come up with ways of giving people a larger dose of rehabilitation therapy, especially in the home, in order to reduce disability after stroke.” - Cramer
Read More
UCI MIND Co-Director, Dr. Frank LaFerla, discusses Alzheimer's disease research funding with CNBC... California, one of the few states that does Alzheimer's research, has even cut back its funding, said Dr. Frank LaFerla, dean of the UCI School of Biological Sciences at University of California Irvine. "Almost all funding comes from the NIH now," he said. Dr. LaFerla, who is waiting for his own Alzheimer research grants to be approved, is also an advocate. He also takes regular trips to Washington, D.C., to meet with members of Congress to push for more money that creates "a healthy ecosystem in the…
Read More
UCI MIND investigators Mathew Blurton-Jones, PhD, Assistant Professor of Neurobiology & Behavior, Wayne Poon, PhD, Director of UCI MIND Tissue Repository, and Edsel Abud, MD/PhD student, have created a method to generate brain cells called microglia using human skin cells. Here, they discuss their findings and what it means for Alzheimer's disease research in an interview with Chelsea Cox, Associate Director of Education: What is microglia and what role does it play in Alzheimer's disease? Poon: Microglia are the immune cells of the brain. They play a big role in the inflammation of the brain that occurs in Alzheimer’s disease. How can…
Read More
UCI-led study to advance understanding of the role of microglia in Alzheimer’s disease Using human skin cells, University of California, Irvine neurobiologists and their colleagues have created a method to generate one of the principle cell types of the brain called microglia, which play a key role in preserving the function of neural networks and responding to injury and disease. The finding marks an important step in the use of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells for targeted approaches to better understand and potentially treat neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s. These iPS cells are derived from existing adult skin cells and…
Read More
"UCI MIND, Orange County’s only state and federally funded Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, is calling on Orange County residents age 65 to 85 who have normal memory function to help in meeting its urgent need for study participants in an active clinical study now underway. The researchers are hoping to find new ways to prevent, slow, and/or stop Alzheimer’s disease before it begins..." read more>
Read More
by Joshua Grill, PhD April 12, 2017 On April 6, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) partially reversed an earlier decision to halt direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing by the company 23andMe, a personal genomics company based in Silicon Valley. The new decision approves the company to provide “genetic health risk reports” for 10 diseases, including 8 rare disorders—Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, Celiac Disease, Early-Onset Primary Dystonia, Factor XI Deficiency, G6PD Deficiency, Gaucher Disease, Hereditary Hemochromatosis, and Hereditary Thrombophilia—and two common age-related neurological disorders—Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). After age, the strongest risk factor for AD is genetics. The e4…
Read More
by Mary Rechtoris - April 5, 2017 Researchers spanning the nation are working to employ analytics to drive real changes for patients with various conditions. Joshua Grill, PhD, co-director of the Memory Impairments Neurological Disorders Institute at University of California Irvine, details how he and fellow researchers are using analytics systems for clinical trials on Alzheimer's disease research and how data may shape trials moving forward...
Read More
by Joshua Grill, PhD Letters: A quick cure for Alzheimer's? OC Register, March 29, 2017 Re: “Is Alzheimer’s treatment of injecting stem cells into the brain a breakthrough or quackery?” : The Register recently reported on a local neurosurgeon who is injecting liposuctioned stem cell serum into the brain of a patient with Alzheimer’s disease for $10,000 per treatment. The neurosurgeon says the patient is improving...
Read More
American Academy of Neurology March 22, 2017 UCI MIND faculty member, Dr. Claudia Kawas, was announced as one of two recipients of the 2017 Potamkin Prize for her dementia research in The 90+ Study. Dr. Kawas has studied over 1,700 people over the age of 90, called the "oldest-old," to understand more about brain aging and Alzheimer's disease in the fastest-growing population segment throughout much of the world. The $100,000 Potamkin Prize is an internationally-recognized achievement, sometimes referred to as the Nobel Prize of Alzheimer's research. The other recipient, Dr. Kristine Yaffe from UCSF, focuses on modifiable risk factors for dementia, such as sleep disturbances and traumatic…
Read More
by Joshua Grill, PhD March 9, 2017 Clinical trials: Trust the process Patients with Alzheimer’s disease and their families are desperate. Currently, no treatment can cure or even slow the course of this insidious and unrelenting brain disease. Scientists are desperate too. Many of us have committed our lives to improving the way we understand, diagnose, and treat this terrible disorder. A few weeks ago, I was asked to comment on an anecdote: a single patient whose own fat was liposuctioned and injected into his brain. I was told that the patient and his neurosurgeon were convinced that he had…
Read More
by Joshua Grill, PhD February 15, 2017 Merck announced on Tuesday, February 14, that yet another clinical trial of a promising Alzheimer’s disease drug had failed. The trial was testing the safety and efficacy of verubecestat, an oral therapy that, at some doses, can reduce amyloid beta production by as much as 90% (Kennedy et al., Science 2016). The trial was being conducted in patients with mild-to-moderate dementia and was stopped because it was determined early that there was essentially no chance of showing a clinical benefit of the drug, compared to placebo. Perhaps importantly, based on the limited available…
Read More
The 23rd UCI Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning, and Memory hosted by UCI MIND, UCI School of Biological Sciences, and UCI Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory was held on February 7, 2017, at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. Dr. Ruth Benca, UCI MIND faculty member and Professor and Chair of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, delivered a lecture on sleep and brain health to over 850 community members, the largest attendance for this series to date. Dr. Benca’s engaging presentation first addressed why human’s need sleep and some of the common disorders that interfere with the critical sleep…
Read More
MedPage Today February 8, 2017 Learn more about a recent research study conducted by UCI MIND Co-Director, Dr. Joshua Grill, and colleagues to better understand patient and caregiver reactions to clinical amyloid imaging. Read more>
Read More
U.S. News & World Report February 6, 2017 "This is not a deal-breaker," co-author Charles Limoli, a neurobiologist at the University of California, Irvine, said last fall. "I do not think that during the course of a trip to Mars and back the astronauts will come back with anything remotely similar to full-blown Alzheimer's. But more mild changes, more subtle changes − they would still be concerning, given the level of autonomy astronauts operate under and the amount of work they have to do." Read more>
Read More
December 6, 2016 Joshua Grill, PhD, and Aimee Pierce, MD This week, at the Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease (CTAD) meeting in San Diego, we will likely learn more about the recent announcement from Eli Lilly and company that their Phase 3 clinical trial of the monoclonal antibody against the soluble form of beta amyloid, solanezumab, did not demonstrate adequate efficacy to pursue approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Until then, here is what we do know: The drug solanezumab failed, but the trial didn’t. The purpose of the trial was to measure whether solanezumab was safe and…
Read More
December 1, 2016 KCAL9/CBS2 If you missed UCI MIND Gala Co-Chairs, Lucy & Roger Lisabeth, on KCAL 9 last night, tune into CBS 2 Los Angeles tonight at 5pm with Elsa Ramon to hear their powerful story. Learn more about what the Lisabeths and UCI MIND are doing in the fight against Alzheimer's disease here.
Read More
November 28, 2016 60 Minutes Did you hear UCI MIND researcher Dr. Claudia Kawas last night on 60 Minutes? Click here to read the script and learn more.
Read More
Ira T. Lott, M.D. is the Director of the UCI MIND Down Syndrome Program and Professor Emeritus of UC Irvine School of Medicine. While focused on helping people with Down syndrome, Dr. Lott is also expanding knowledge about Alzheimer's disease in the general population. Dr. Lott's work exemplifies the vital collaboration among people with Down syndrome, their families, and the researchers who work with them. We are honored to present him with the 8th Annual UCI MIND Award at this year's Gala. The UCI MIND Award is the Institute’s most distinguished honor bestowed upon an individual who exemplifies the mission…
Read More
Join us in honoring our 2016 Community Leadership Honorees, Linda Young and Burton Young, at A December to Remember Gala on December 3 at the Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach. Linda and Burton have worked tirelessly to increase research funding for treatments and a cure for Alzheimer’s disease at UCI MIND. Burton, Principal and Founder, Sperry Equities & Sperry Commercial, has served as chair of the UCI MIND Leadership Council since its inception. His message is clear: private gifts provide leverage and flexibility for researchers to test innovative ideas that will help find treatments, preventions and cures for dementia…
Read More
Elsa Ramon is the weekend evening anchor and weekday reporter for CBS2/KCAL9 and has received four Emmy nominations for her exceptional work in newscasting. Elsa graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a B.A. in English Literature and is a proud Anteater in support of Alzheimer’s disease research at UCI MIND. Elsa recently participated in a behind-the-scenes tour of the UCI MIND research labs seeing for herself the dedication and determination of each and every faculty, staff, and student involved. Elsa’s grandmother suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, which compels and excites her to share with her southern California viewers the exciting…
Read More
Join our community partners, Orange County Aging Services Collaborative and Family Caregiver Resource Center, for a special evening celebrating caregivers.
Read More
Have questions about healthy brain aging, memory loss, or Alzheimer's disease research? Come to an open forum Q&A session on November 3 at The Covington in Aliso Viejo from 5:30-7:30 pm. UCI MIND is bringing a panel of experts to you at no cost. Hope to see you there! Click here to register online or call Kirsten Klein at (949) 824-9475. http://askucimind.eventbrite.com
Read More
Reserve tickets today for the 7th Annual UCI MIND Gala, A December to Remember, on December 3rd at the Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach! Toast the holidays with an elegant evening of dining, dancing, and philanthropy that will have a lasting impact. All proceeds will support Alzheimer's research at UCI MIND, OC's only state and federally funded Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. Tickets & Event Information>
Read More
"UCI MIND takes multipronged approach to finding preventions, cures in effort to avert baby-boom crisis..."
Read More
Click to view a message from Dr. Grill!
Read More
Education is essential to help increase awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Join us for our biggest education event of the year next Friday, September 30, at the Irvine Marriott. Click here to learn more and register!
Read More
September 21, 2016, is World Alzheimer's Day! Learn more about Alzheimer's disease on our website and help spread the word about the exciting happenings in Alzheimer's disease research at UCI MIND.
Read More
Research is the key to finding treatments and cures for Alzheimer’s disease and other urgent health problems. If you or someone you know is interested in helping researchers at UCI find cures faster, check out our new online potential participant registry, Consent 2 Contact (C2C)! c2c.uci.edu
Read More
September 1, 2016 Nature A paper published August 31 in Nature, describes that Biogen Idec’s candidate treatment, aducanumab, reduced amyloid-β in the brains of patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. Patients receiving the highest doses of the medicine in the Phase IB trial had the largest reductions in brain amyloid and also declined the least in clinical assessments. These are promising results that will require replication in larger clinical trials, which have recently launched, including at UCI MIND. Read the Nature news article about the study here.
Read More
The EARLYBIRD deadline for the research conference is quickly approaching! Register online before September 9 and SAVE! What allows people to live to age 90 and beyond? How does memory loss affect those in their 90’s? How do people remain #dementia-free into their 90’s? The 90+ Study at UCI MIND seeks to address these questions by longitudinally following the oldest-old members of our community, now the fastest growing age group in the U.S. Learn more about this exciting topic with Dr. Maria Corrada-Bravo, Co-Principal Investigator for The 90+ Study, at our upcoming research conference on Friday, September 30 in Irvine. …
Read More
(Steve Wood/Rex/Shutterstock) August 30, 2016 Huffington Post We are deeply saddened by the passing of beloved actor Gene Wilder yesterday. His family confirmed Alzheimer's disease as the cause of death, helping to lift the "veil of stigma about the most common cause of dementia."
Read More
(www.raiznerlaw.com) According to the New York Times, the NFL has stated in federal court documents that, “it expects nearly a third of retired players to develop long-term cognitive problems and that the conditions are likely to emerge at ‘notably younger ages’ than in the general population.” Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive degenerative disease found in people with repetitive brain trauma, such as athletes like football players and boxers. Repetitive brain trauma can cause an abnormal tau protein to accumulate and kill brain cells, even years after trauma stops. Learn more about the association between head trauma and dementia with Dr.…
Read More
Caring for a loved one with dementia poses unique challenges based on the specific diagnosis. Dr. Jill Shapira, a researcher and practitioner in the field of dementia caregiving, will moderate a diverse panel of dementia caregivers, including the wife of a husband with Lewy body dementia, the wife of a husband with frontotemporal dementia, the mother of a daughter with Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease, and the daughter of a parent with Alzheimer’s disease. Do not miss this invaluable discussion with the real experts, the caregivers who live the reality of managing dementia everyday, at our upcoming research conference. Friday,…
Read More
(Dan Steinberg/Invision/AP Images) The brain autopsy of Robin Williams showed signs of diffuse Lewy body disease, a dementia that affects 1.4 million Americans and their families, according to the Lewy Body Dementia Association. Lewy body dementia (LBD) can closely resemble and overlap with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s making it widely underdiagnosed. Some patients start out with a movement disorder leading to a diagnosis of Parkinson’s, then develop dementia and other symptoms of LBD. Others present with cognitive dysfunction that may look like Alzheimer’s initially, but with time, hallucinations, motor impairments and fluctuating attention appear. A third smaller group present first with…
Read More
Did you know that frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is more common than Alzheimer’s disease in people younger than 60 years old? FTD is a cluster of progressive, degenerative brain diseases that result in significant behavior and personality changes, typically before symptoms of memory loss occur. Learn more about FTD with Dr. Howard Rosen from UCSF’s Memory and Aging Center at our upcoming research conference on Friday, September 30 in Irvine. Register online before September 9 and SAVE!
Read More
UC Office of the President July 25, 2016 University of California announces UCI team, led by UCI MIND co-director Dr. Joshua Grill, as a recipient of the UC Cures for Alzheimer’s award. Read more..."Joshua Grill, associate professor in the department of psychiatry and human behavior at UC Irvine, will lead a team to study the effects of high doses of vitamin nicotinamide in reducing tau phosphorylation in patients with Alzheimer’s disease..."
Read More
July 22, 2016 The latest findings from The 90+ Study were recently published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS) by UCI MIND's Szofia Bullain MD, Maria Corrada ScD, Shawna Perry MS, and Claudia Kawas MD. Dr. Bullain will be discussing the article and its findings on Doctor Radio, SiriusXM channel 110 from 2:00-2:30pm PT Monday, July 25. Don't miss this exciting update! Don't have a subscription to SiriusXM? Sign up for a free 30-day online pass and listen online. The show will also be posted here ~48 hours after the show. Read the full paper here.
Read More
Nell Redmond, AP July 20, 2016 USA Today "Nearly 45 years after his last Cup race, Lorenzen hoped he would still make his mark on the NASCAR community. Inspired by Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s decision to pledge his brain to the Concussion Legacy Foundation, Lorenzen became the second known driver to make the same decision."
Read More
July 19, 2016 MariaShriver.com UCI MIND Co-Director Dr. Joshua Grill and A4 Study Project Leader Dr. Reisa Sperling work to understand the heavy burden Alzheimer's disease places on women-- and what women can do to help today.
Read More
July 18, 2016 Alzforum The Senate Committee drafted a bill with a $400 million hike in AD research funding last month. The House crafted their version of the bill last Friday. See how their proposal stacks up.
Read More
UCI MIND & Alzheimer's Orange County are excited to announce the 27th Annual Southern California Alzheimer's Disease Research Conference! Nationally-renowned experts will address the latest advances in Alzheimer’s and dementia research across unique populations, such as victims of head trauma and people living with Down syndrome. Join over 400 community members, clinicians, researchers, students, service providers, and caregivers on September 30, 2016 at the Irvine Marriott Hotel. Continuing education credits and discounted student rates are available. Register online today!
Read More
July 13, 2016 HealthCanal Read about Professor David Cribbs' global partnership in developing anti-amyloid-beta & anti-tau vaccines with "promise for both preventive & therapeutic approaches in AD." more>
Read More
"Dear Dr. Grill, My Mom is interested in taking part in a “transparent” preclinical trial on Alzheimer’s disease. As part of the study, she would undergo Positron Emission Tomography, also called a PET scan. Because this is a transparent study, I understand she’ll receive the results of this PET scan. What kind of support should I seek for my Mom if the results show she has amyloid in her brain, a biomarker for Alzheimer’s? Are transparent studies becoming more common for Alzheimer’s disease?" Read Dr. Grill's response here>
Read More
"Dear Dr. Grill, My Mom is interested in taking part in a “transparent” preclinical trial on Alzheimer’s disease. As part of the study, she would undergo Positron Emission Tomography, also called a PET scan. Because this is a transparent study, I understand she’ll receive the results of this PET scan. What kind of support should I seek for my Mom if the results show she has amyloid in her brain, a biomarker for Alzheimer’s? Are transparent studies becoming more common for Alzheimer’s disease?" Read Dr. Grill's response here>
Read More
Washington Post "I believe that Pat died to demonstrate that the day in, day out way we treat people with cognitive decline has to get better. You’d like to think that Pat got the kind of generous, sensitive care that she gave to others. But the fact is, she didn’t always, for the simple reason that not enough of that care exists. We can do something about that." more>
Read More
Join UCI MIND next Tuesday, July 12, to learn about healthy brain aging and Alzheimer's disease prevention, including a monumental new clinical study. Email kleinkm@uci.edu if you would like to register yourself and others. Space and time are limited, so act today! What: A4 Study Information Session When: July 12, 2016 from 10:00-11:00 AM Where: Vivante, 1640 Monrovia Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92627 more>
Read More
