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 9, 2022

In-person and zoom Support Groups:

Alzheimer’s News:

The use of hearing restorative devices was associated with a 19% reduction in cognitive decline. The data suggest that the protective benefits accrue over time and that even those with some dementia when they begin wearing hearing aids see improvement. The large meta-analysis pools data from smaller studies and provides what outside experts call “convincing evidence” that using hearing restorative devices could help prevent dementia.  ‘Convincing Evidence’ Hearing Aids Reduce Dementia Risk (medscape.com)

A diet rich in flavanols adds powerful antioxidant compounds that reduce inflammation in the brain, as well as B vitamins which support energy and neurotransmitter production, and fiber, which nourishes the gut according to a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Aging, and the USDA Agricultural Research Service.  The study found:

  • Participants with the highest intake of kaempferol, which is found in kale, beans, tea, spinach, and broccoli, had a 32% slower rate of cognitive decline compared with those with the lowest kaempferol intake.
  • Those with the highest intake of quercetin, which is found in tomatoes, kale, apples, and tea, had a 30% slower rate of cognitive decline compared with those who consumed the least quercetin.
  • Participants with the highest intake of myricetin, which is found in wine, kale, oranges, and tomatoes had a 31% slower rate of cognitive decline compared with those who consumed the lowest amount.More Evidence Flavonols Preserve Memory, Cognition (medscape.com)

Holiday resources:

Can’t find a doctor who specializes in geriatrics?  Here’s why… In the 2010s, geriatricians called for “25,000 [such specialists] by 2025.” As of 2021, 7123 certified geriatricians were practicing in the United States, according to the American Board of Medical Specialties.  The Health Resources and Services Administration, a federal agency that addresses medical workforce shortages, estimates that there will only be 6230 geriatricians by 2025, or approximately 1 for every 3,000 older adults requiring geriatric care. HRSA projects a shortage of 27,000 geriatricians by 2025. Mind the Geriatrician Gap (medscape.com)

In a widely anticipated report, researchers reported that a phase 3 study showed statistically significant improvements in patients with agitation related to Alzheimer’s disease who took the atypical antipsychotic brexpiprazole (Rexulti).  They noted that the available data make it difficult to understand the impact of the drug on the day-to-day life.  How it affects the patients, their quality of life, and the family members and their burden.  Currently, there’s no US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved treatment for agitation in AD.  Antipsychotic Shows Benefit for Alzheimer’s Agitation (medscape.com)

A Lancet editorial hopes to temper “hype and hope” regarding lecanemab.  “The Alzheimer’s disease community has become accustomed to false hope, disappointment, and controversy. Whether lecanemab is the game changer that some have suggested remains to be seen,” the editorial states.  Full findings from the CLARITY AD trial released last week show that treatment with the monoclonal antibody lecanemab led to modest cognitive benefit in patients with early Alzheimer’s disease (AD) — but at a cost of increased risk of amyloid-related edema and effusions.  Yet, the modest benefit got lost in some mainstream news coverage; one headline hailed lecanemab as a “momentous breakthrough.”  Lecanemab a Game-Changer for Alzheimer’s? Not So Fast (medscape.com)

To acknowledge AFTD’s 20th anniversary, the AFTD-News-Fall-2022.pdf (theaftd.org) newsletter takes a look back, highlighting the accomplishments made over the past 20 years.

Read Alzheimer’s Disease International’s latest newsletter:  Global Perspective (mailchi.mp)

A recently identified biomarker found in urine could be the first step toward the development of a simple and inexpensive test for early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.   Investigators found that levels of formic acid, a metabolic product of formaldehyde found in urine, were significantly higher in individuals with AD, including those with subjective cognitive decline, which may indicate very early stages of the disorder.  Biomarker a First Step Toward an Alzheimer’s Urine Test (medscape.com)

A new study supports the hypothesis that changes in levels of amyloid and tau occur many years before the emergence of clinical symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).  Study results suggest that there is a short therapeutic window for slowing AD pathogenesis prior to the emergence of clinical symptoms ― and that this window may occur after amyloid accumulation begins, but before amyloid has substantial impacts on tau accumulation. Confirmed: Amyloid, Tau Rise Years Before Alzheimer’s Onset (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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