An Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
Illustration of amyloid plaques on a nerve cell
Over the past 25 years, biomedical research has revolutionized the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Once based solely on clinical signs and symptoms, today’s diagnosis involves advanced methods that can detect neurodegeneration far earlier than before, including imaging and biological fluids.
Novartis, Amgen and Banner Alzheimer’s Institute discontinued investigation of the BACE1 inhibitor CNP520 (umibecestat) in two pivotal Phase II/III studies in the Alzheimer’s Prevention Initiative Generation Program.
An assessment of unblinded data during a regular pre-planned review identified worsening in some measures of cognitive function. Given these findings, the sponsors concluded that the potential benefit for participants in the studies did not outweigh the risk.
“Novartis has a strong research focus and commitment to patients. As researchers we have to accept today’s disappointing news as part of the search for innovative new treatments,” said John Tsai, Head of Global Drug Development and Chief Medical Officer. “We remain committed to advancing science in Alzheimer’s disease and continue to seek future solutions for people with neurodegenerative conditions.”
Researchers at the Penn Memory Center and their collaborators will present their work at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC), held in Los Angeles from July 14-18.
AAIC is the world’s leading forum for the advancement of dementia science, and the PMC team will share a wide range of research.
Thankfully, home care services are available to help care for a family member with dementia. Home health services range from medical care to support for daily tasks and companionship. While many families know that skilled nursing is available in the home, helpful therapies such as physical, occupational and speech therapy can also be performed at home.
The process of selecting an appropriate home care agency can be confusing. Moreover, many families express concerns that home care workers will not be familiar with the special needs of their loved one’s illness. This is particularly true for those with non-Alzheimer’s dementias, like frontotemporal dementia.
Cynthia Clyburn, MSW, LSW, works with families at the Penn Frontotemporal Dementia Center to tailor care plans to individual needs. She recommends that families who are considered home care services ask potential agencies the following questions to decide if they would be a good fit:
A recent report published by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and funded by Novartis evaluated the effects of three neurological conditions — migraine, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) — on people in the workplace.
With increased life expectancy and extended retirement ages, more older adults are part of the workforce. As a result, a growing number of employees are either living with AD or caring for someone with AD.
“Previously, by the time we saw these patients, they would be quite disabled and their history would include how they stopped work,” Penn Memory Center Co-Director Jason Karlawish wrote. “More often than not, now they have milder symptoms [of AD] and people are still at work [as they were diagnosed earlier].”
The Philadelphia Financial Exploitation Prevention Task Force
By Christine Willinger
A 77-year-old widow requests a withdrawal of $20,000 from her bank account. She just purchased a second home and needs the funds for home improvement, she says, and an account manager approves the request.
One week later, she withdraws $30,000 for the same reason. The request goes through easily.
Another week goes by; now she requests $100,000 for an “investment.” Concerned, the account manager offers to vet this investment opportunity, but she declines. The request goes through.
The withdrawals were for neither home improvements nor investment opportunities; she was making payments to a “friend,” made on an online dating site, who claimed to need financial support to visit her in the U.S.
This is a real case described by Nancy Heffner, CRCP, Director of Compliance at Lincoln Investment Planning and panelist at this year’s World Elder Abuse Awareness Day event, held by the Philadelphia Financial Exploitation Prevention Task Force.
01 Siemens MAGNETOM Trio by Image Editor. CC-BY-2.0 via Flickr.
Measuring blood flow in the brain with MRI may help predict decreases in brain volume due to Alzheimer’s disease (AD), according to a recent study published by Penn Memory Center researchers in the journal Hippocampus.
David Dyke has a hard time remembering details and dates.
“But he knows when this is,” Sue Dyke says of her husband, a patient at the Penn Memory Center. “It’s written down in his calendar, he knows it’s time to come to the Memory Café.”
Music is a shared language, the sounds often allowing for complex sharing of emotions and experiences.
The piece begins with sounds of anticipation, moves to excitement and stress, and ends in feelings of relief. With the help of musicians from the Curtis Institute of Music, Penn Memory Center (PMC) community members translated their emotions of moving into music.
Faster cognitive decline in individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) is associated with a gene once thought to only be connected to frontotemporal dementia (FTD), new research from the University of Pennsylvania finds.
Versions of the gene, TMEM106B, have long been associated with a higher risk and disease severity in a subtype of FTD called FTLD-TDP. But emerging evidence demonstrates TMEM106B may play a role in other neurodegenerative diseases, like PD and Alzheimer’s disease (AD).