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NEWS:
It May Be Possible To Restore Memory Function In Alzheimer's, Preclinical Study Finds
Research published in the journal Brain reveals a new approach to Alzheimer's disease (AD) that may eventually make it possible to reverse memory loss, a hallmark of the disease in its late stages.
The team, led by University at Buffalo scientists, found that by focusing on gene changes caused by influences other than DNA sequences -- called epigenetics -- it was possible to reverse memory decline in an animal model of AD.
"In this paper, we have not only identified the epigenetic factors that contribute to the memory loss, we also found ways to temporarily reverse them in an animal model of AD," said senior author Zhen Yan, PhD, a SUNY Distinguished Professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB.
The research was conducted on mouse models carrying gene mutations for familial AD -- where more than one member of a
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Community Health Center Establishes Medical Home For Former Illinois, Cook County Inmates
The University of Illinois at Chicago is working with the Illinois and Cook County departments of corrections to establish its community health center in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood as a medical home for individuals transitioning from secure custody and parole back to community life.
The goal of the initiative, which is led by the UIC College of Nursing, is to reorient people living in a transition center and those recently released from custody to the health care system and reduce the poor health outcomes experienced by this population.
Formerly incarcerated individuals have high rates of certain chronic conditions, such as asthma, diabetes and hypertension, for example, and these conditions can often include substance abuse and mental illness.
Program leaders say introducing former offenders to affordable and comprehensive primary care services during their transition back
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Blood Test Detects Alzheimer’s Damage Before Symptoms
A simple blood test reliably detects signs of brain damage in people on the path to developing Alzheimer’s disease – even before they show signs of confusion and memory loss, according to a new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases in Germany.
The findings, published Jan. 21 in Nature Medicine, may one day be applied to quickly and inexpensively identify brain damage in people with not just Alzheimer’s disease but other neurodegenerative conditions such as multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury or stroke.
“This is something that would be easy to incorporate into a screening test in a neurology clinic,” said Brian Gordon, PhD, an assistant professor of radiology at Washington University’s Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology and an author on the study. “We validated it in people with Alzheimer’s disease b
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Some Pregnant Women Don't Believe Cannabis Is Harmful To Their Fetus
Up to one-third of pregnant women do not believe cannabis is harmful to their fetus, according to a new review by UBC researchers.
In some cases, women perceived a lack of communication from their health care providers about the risks of cannabis as an indication that the drug is safe to use during pregnancy.
The findings are outlined in a new review, published in the journal Preventive Medicine, in which UBC researchers sought to identify the latest evidence on women's perspectives on the health aspects of cannabis use during pregnancy and post-partum and whether their perceptions influence decision-making about using the drug.
"Our research suggests that, over the past decade, more women seem to be using cannabis during pregnancy than ever before, even though evidence of its safety is limited and conflicting," said lead author Hamideh Bayrampour, assistant professor in the UBC depar
