|
Welcome to the Mountain Life Care Cognitive Research section. This page provides links to research and news articles on Brain and Nervous
System research and findings. We are constantly searching for the latest
in research and improving treatments to Dementia, Stroke and Traumatic Brain
Injuries, so please come back often to learn more about the latest studies and
the scientific investigation.
Most of the links within the Cognitive Research pages lead to internet locations outside of the
Mountain Life Care website. While we strive to make sure all our links
point to available content, we cannot assure the constant availability of the
information.
U.Va.
Scientists Identify 'Missing Link' in Process Leading to Alzheimer's Disease,
UVa Today, February 6, 2007
A recent study published in the November 2006 issue of Cell Biology
reports new findings on the precursor biological events that ultimately lead
to Alzheimer's disease. Senior author of the study George Bloom
(professor of biology and cell biology at U.Va) found that two specific
cellular compounds work together to destroy microtubules within nerve cells.
When nerve cells loose their microtubules they also lose the ability to
repair damage--ultimately the affected brain nerve cells die, cutting off
connections (synapses) to other nerve cells.
“We think we’ve found one of the seminal cell biological events in the
pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s and if we can figure out all of the steps in the
process and understand each player at every step, it will represent many
potential new drug targets for Alzheimer’s therapy,” Bloom said. “Our paper
defines one of the earliest events that causes neurons to die in both
early-onset familial Alzheimer’s and late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. We
believe this is the first evidence for the long elusive ‘missing link’
between amyloid and tau in Alzheimer’s disease.” Bloom continues, stating,
"What makes it most remarkable, though, is that it requires a form of
amyloid that represents the building blocks of plaques, so called
“pre-fibrillar beta-amyloid,” and it only happens in cells that contain tau.
Even though they account for just 10 percent of the cells in the brain,
nerve cells are the major source of tau, which likely explains why they are
specifically attacked in Alzheimer’s disease."
Can
Thoughts and Action Change Your Brain? NPR, Talk of the Nation,
Science Friday, February 2, 2007
A radio interview with science writer Sharon Begley about some of the
shifting views that recent research into brain plasticity is having with
researchers, doctors and scientists. NPR describes the interview as,
"For years, scientists believed the brain's structure couldn't be changed.
The new science of neuroplasticity says that's not the case, and argue the
brain is much more flexible than previously thought. Science writer
Sharon Begley talks about her new book, Train Your Mind, Change Your
Brain."
How the Brain Rewires itself, Sharon Begley, Time, January 19, 2007
Time Magazine article on some of the studies in neuroplasticity and how thinking and exercise can measurably and physically
change the brain.
New Brain Imaging
Compound Shows Promise For Earlier Detection of Alzheimer’s Disease, National
Institute on Aging, December 20, 2006
An imaging molecule has been discovered that can detect and map plaques
and tangles in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease. It could
eventually lead to earlier diagnosis. The compound called FDDNP, also
holds promise as a research tool to evaluate new treatments for Alzheimer's.
The molecule bonds to the plaques and tangles (abnormal deposits that form
within the brain) and allow these deposits to be seen on PET scans.
Long-term Effects of Cognitive Training on Everyday Functional Outcomes in Older
Adults, JAMA, Vol. 296 No. 23, December 20, 2006
Journal of the American Medical Association article describing a
"Five-year follow-up of a randomized controlled single-blind trial with 4
treatment groups. A volunteer sample of 2832 persons (mean age, 73.6 years;
26% black), living independently in 6 US cities, was recruited from senior
housing, community centers, and hospitals and clinics. The study was
conducted between April 1998 and December 2004. Five-year follow-up was
completed in 67% of the sample." The authors concluded that,
"Reasoning training resulted in less functional decline in self-reported
IADL. Compared with the control group, cognitive training resulted in
improved cognitive abilities specific to the abilities trained that
continued 5 years after the initiation of the intervention." Free Abstract
available, Full Text Available online with fee.
Mental Exercise Helps Maintain Some Seniors' Thinking Skills, National
Institute on Aging, December 19, 2006
National Institute on Aging press release discussing the findings of a
group of researches studying the impacts of Cognitive Training on
individuals 65 and older. The researches concluded that “The
improvements seen after the training roughly counteract the degree of
decline in cognitive performance that we would expect to see over a seven-
to 14-year period among older people without dementia,” says Dr. Willis.
New Thinking about Cognitive Reserves, (pg 14 - 18) and
People with Early AD Can Still Learn, (pg 60), Progress Report on
Alzheimer's Disease 2004-2005, National Institute on Aging
The National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the Federal Government’s
National Institutes of Health (NIH), describes it's role as having the
"primary responsibility for basic research in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) as
well as research aimed at finding ways to prevent and treat AD." This
informative and easy to read 88 pages report covers a broad range of
Alzheimer's related topics and the state of knowledge as it existed in 2005
including: Characteristics of AD Brains (pg 6-7), Research Advances (pg 13 -
54), What Can be done to Slow the progression of AD (pages 55-57), Cognitive
Rehabilitation Strategies (page 60).
Efficacy of an
Evidence-Based Cognitive Stimulation Therapy Programme for People with Dementia,
British Journal of Psychiatry, 2003, issue 183, pages 248-254.
This single-blind, multi-center randomized controlled trial recruited 201
individuals from 23 centers (residential homes and day-centers) to study the
efficacy of cognitive stimulation and reality orientation. "The
cognitive stimulation therapy was piloted in three care homes and one day
centre, leading to improvements in cognition and depression for people
participating in the programme compared with the control group (Spector et
al, 2001). The aim of the study reported here was to evaluate the effects of
cognitive stimulation therapy groups on cognition and quality of life for
people with dementia." At the end of the study the researches
concluded that, "the results compare favourably with trials of drugs
for dementia. CST groups may have worthwhile benefits for many people with
dementia."
Effects of Cognitive Training Interventions With Older Adults: A Randomized
Controlled Trial, JAMA, Vol. 288 No. 18, November 13, 2002
Journal of the American Medical Association article describing a
"Randomized, controlled, single-blind trial with recruitment conducted from
March 1998 to October 1999 and 2-year follow-up through December 2001." The
article concluded that, "Results support the effectiveness and durability of
the cognitive training interventions in improving targeted cognitive
abilities. Training effects were of a magnitude equivalent to the amount of
decline expected in elderly persons without dementia over 7- to 14-year
intervals. Because of minimal functional decline across all groups, longer
follow-up is likely required to observe training effects on everyday
function." Free Abstract available, Full Text Available with
registration.
Traumatic Brain Injury: Hope Through Research, National Institute of
Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Traumatic Brain Injury: Hope Through Research is booklet available
online and through mail from the NINDS. It covers Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
affects, long-term issues of TBI, rehabilitation suggestions, brain
plasticity, research activities, information resources, a glossary of terms
plus other related information.
"Chemo Brain" in
Cancer Survivors, The National Women's Health Information Center, October
2006
A measurable number of people after undergoing chemotherapy report
feeling forgetful, disoriented and unable to concentrate. Often this
condition has been attributed to the patient's imagination, but a new study
lead by Dr. Daniel Silverman suggests that it might be linked to
chemo-induced brain metabolism and blood flow changes that may persist for
more than a decade. In the study, people who had undergone
chemotherapy showed mental-activity alterations in portions of the frontal
cortex, cerebellum and basal ganglia. In short-term memory activities,
post-chemo patients showed a 13% decrease in mental performance.
Please note that inclusion of research sources on this page should not be
construed as an endorsement by Mountain Life Care of these studies, nor should
it be interpreted as an endorsement of Mountain Life Care by the study
participants or Publishers.
| .jpg)
