Alzheimer's of Central Alabama

Serving people with Alzheimer’s, caregivers and professionals in central Alabama through education, caregiver services and research grants.

ACA’s Weekly Email December 2, 2022

AFTD Meet & Greet for all on the FTD journey, Tuesday, December, 6, 6 – 8 pm, Vestavia Hill United Methodist Church.  Email amber.guy@icloud.com

In-person and zoom Support Groups:

Alzheimer’s News:

The amyloid-clearing drug lecanemab is poised for FDA approval early next year and is hailed as a positive step in the treatment of Alzheimer’s.  Alzheimer’s is a complex disease with multiple underlying causes tied to the biology of aging, therefore the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) has long held that a combination drug approach is needed. Results show a 27% slowing of cognitive decline with lecanemab.  Amyloid-clearing drugs are one part of the solution, but there remains a pressing need to develop a new generation of drugs targeting all aspects of the biology of aging that can be combined to address the full array of underlying pathologies that contribute to the disease. New and emerging easy-to-use diagnostic tools pinpoint the specific underlying causes of each person’s Alzheimer’s, enabling precision treatment approaches.  Unique drug combinations matched to each patient’s underlying pathologies is the answer, and our best hope to give patients long-lasting relief from this insidious and progressive disease.  Alzheimer’s Amyloid-Clearing Monoclonal Antibody Drug Lecanemab Shows Positive Results, Poised for FDA Approval – Neuroscience News

Widely anticipated data from a phase 3 trial of the monoclonal antibody lecanemab suggest the drug “modestly” relieved cognitive impairment in patients with early Alzheimer’s disease — but at a cost.  In the CLARITY AD trial, adverse events (AEs) were common compared with placebo, including leaking blood vessels ; and a news report this week linked a second death to the drug.  The phase 3 trial of lecanemab has been closely watched in AD circles.The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is expected to make a decision about possible approval of the drug in January 2023. Only one other antiamyloid treatment, the highly controversial and expensive aducanumab (Aduhelm), is currently approved by the FDA.   New Alzheimer’s Drug Shows ‘Modest’ Success, And Risks (webmd.com)

See the December newsletter from the Dementia Action Alliance that includes an article on emotional health for the holidays.   Emotional Health for the Holidays (mailchi.mp)

Teepa Snow offers 6 Tips to Have A Better Holiday Season When Dementia Is Involved – Positive Approach to Care (teepasnow.com)

Chris Hemsworth underwent genetic testing for an episode of his docuseries Limitless — and found out he has an 8 to 10 times greater chance of getting Alzheimer’s.  While working on his new docuseries, National Geographic’s Limitless with Chris Hemsworth, the 39-year-old underwent genetic testing and learned he has a greater chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

The series features Hemsworth pushing his body’s limits to beat stress, maximize performance and fight back aging. In the fifth episode, “Memory,” a doctor tells Hemsworth he has two copies of the gene APOE4, which is linked to an increased risk of the disease.Chris Hemsworth Learned He Has a Greater Chance of Getting Alzheimer’s Disease (people.com)

See Being Patient’s favorite gift ideas for people with dementia during the holiday season that can be helpful, calming or stress-relieving, whether they’re intended to spur memories, inspire social interaction, or provide comfort and anxiety relief.  The Being Patient Alzheimer’s & Dementia Holiday Gift Guide – Being Patient

There are hundreds, maybe thousands of different natural supplements and vitamins in your local health food store or pharmacy.   Many make claims about improving brain health.  But these general claims, and even the ingredients on the bottles don’t necessarily need to be accurate before hitting the market. These standards stem from US legislation enacted in 1994 in response to lobbying efforts from the supplement industry which reclassified nutritional and dietary products — including supplements and vitamins — as food rather than drugs. It meant it was easier to get these products onto the market, fueling the growth of a supplement and vitamin industry worth an enormous $140 billion worldwide.  Neuriva Plus settled a lawsuit last year barring them from making false claims about their products’ cognitive and memory boosting effects. Just one year prior to this, another brain-boosting supplement called Prevagen settled a class-action lawsuit for making unfounded scientific claims.  Read Pieter Cohen’s, a physician and researcher at Cambridge Health Alliance, best practices for taking vitamins and natural supplements to boost brain health.   Natural Supplements for Alzheimer’s Disease – Being Patient

Somewhere between 22% and 32% of people who recover from COVID-19 get “brain fog,” a non-scientific term used to describe slow or sluggish thinking. While this is disturbing at any age, it can be particularly upsetting to older patients and their caregivers, who fear they’re having or witnessing not just an after-effect of a disease, but the start of a permanent loss of thinking skills. And some scientists are starting to confirm what doctors, patients, and their families can already see: Older patients who have had COVID-19 have a higher risk of getting dementia or, if they already have mental confusion, the illness may worsen their condition.  Is It Long COVID, or Dementia, or Both? (medscape.com) 

Nearly 1 in 7 older adults die within a year of undergoing major surgery, according to an important new study that sheds much-needed light on the risks seniors face when having invasive procedures.  Especially vulnerable are older patients with probable dementia (33% die within a year) and frailty (28%), as well as those having emergency surgeries (22%). Advanced age also amplifies risk: Patients who were 90 or older were six times as likely to die than those ages 65 to 69.  The study in JAMA Surgery, published by researchers at Yale School of Medicine, addresses a notable gap in research: Though patients 65 and older undergo nearly 40% of all surgeries in the U.S., detailed national data about the outcomes of these procedures has been largely missing. Should Older Seniors Risk Major Surgery? New Research Offers Guidance (medscape.com)

You can get all the exercise you need in just 8 minutes a day if you work out a bit harder, according to a new study.  Just 54 minutes of vigorous exercise per week provides the most bang for your buck, researchers found, lowering the risk of early death from any cause by 36%, and your chances of getting heart disease by 35%.  Scientists examined data from fitness trackers worn by more than 71,000 people studied in the United Kingdom, then analyzed their health over the next several years.  Just 8 Minutes of Exercise a Day Is All You Need (medscape.com)

Having high blood pressure greatly increases your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. But there’s another reason to keep your blood pressure in check. People who have high blood pressure have a faster decline in memory and thinking skills than their peers with healthy blood pressure.  That was the finding of a new analysis that looked at data from six large studies conducted over many years.  Keeping your blood pressure down, through a heart-healthy diet, regular exercise and blood pressure medications, if needed, can help to preserve brain health, the study found.  Another Alzheimer’s Risk Factor | Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation (alzinfo.org)

Researchers have developed a point-based score that can help clinicians predict an individual’s risk of developing dementia over 13 years, allowing for early action to delay or prevent cognitive problems. However, some experts are skeptical.  Not surprisingly, increasing age was strongly associated with higher dementia risk. Other dementia risk factors included socioeconomic adversity, sleep disorders, and several comorbidities including respiratory disease, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.  Men and women shared some modifiable dementia risks and protective factors, but they also had some independent risk factors that accounted for about 32% of men and 53% of women developing dementia.  New Risk Score Predicts Dementia Probability (medscape.com)

December Webinars from Alabama Lifespan Respite: https://alabamarespite.org/events2/

Support ACA by using AmazonSmile!   Designate Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama and Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchases. smile.amazon.com 

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