Alzheimer Related News Items

News as of 11/4/01
For more info on these abstracts write/call Ed Cabic (edcabic@home.net or 410-992-7197)
For more AD information, see Alzheimer Information athttp://www.connext.net/~seniors/infoad.htm
Copies of these reports are posted there
This web page was started at the Florence Bain Senior Center in Columbia MD

Genes & Genetic Issues
Head Size, Genes Linked to AD Onset - Having a small head along with a genetic predisposition to AD may hasten the onset of the disease, report researchers at the University of South Florida in Tampa. The current findings lend support to the "brain reserve" theory of AD, the researchers note. According to the brain reserve theory, once the accumulation of plaques and tangles reaches a critical point, mental function is affected. But this critical point may vary among individuals, depending on how much "brain reserve" they have. Theoretically, smaller head size would result in a smaller brain reserve and an earlier onset of AD symptoms. The study measured the head size of 1,865 people aged 65 and older who had no signs of dementia. They were also able to check whether or not 1,111 of these individuals had a gene variation called APOE e4, which is known to increase AD risk. The researchers found that people with the APOE e4 gene were nearly five times more likely to develop AD than those without this variation. And people with the APOE e4 gene whose head circumference was less than 21.4 inches were 14 times more likely to develop the disease. But head circumference alone had no significant association with AD risk. People who developed AD were also older, less educated, shorter, lighter and had lower estimated verbal IQ scores than people who did not develop the disease, the researchers note. "We don't think that head circumference is a risk factor for AD," Dr. Amy Borenstein Graves told Reuters Health. "However, head circumference does seem to influence the age of clinical onset in individuals with pathologic changes," she said. "Therefore, in people with APOE e4--a gene associated with rapid plaque accumulation--clinical disease onset is earlier in individuals with smaller head circumferences." Graves mentioned that her team is "currently trying to understand why some people with the neuropathologic changes of AD do not develop clinical manifestations in their lifetime." Once the factors that influence disease onset are understood, "we may be able to develop therapeutic interventions that delay onset so that predisposed individuals actually die from other causes before AD is clinically apparent," she said. By Anthony J. Brown, MD Reuters Health 10/24/01 Neurology 2001;57: 1453-1460

Lines for Stem Cell Research Still in Question - A National Institute of Health (NIH) registry of cell lines available for embryonic stem cell research is set to go on-line within the next week, an agency official told lawmakers 10/31/01. It is now available at http://escr.nih.gov/ . But officials are still not sure exactly how many of the lines will be available for research under guidelines laid down by President George W. Bush last August. Embryonic stem cell research is thought to hold promise for treating a host of degenerative illnesses, including diabetes, spinal cord injuries, and AD. Administration officials at the time identified approximately 60 stem cell lines that met all of the criteria. But questions remain as to how many of the lines will meet the president's rules, said Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), the ranking member on the Senate Appropriations health subcommittee. NIH expects to make its first grants for stem cell research in early 2002, said Dr. Wendy Baldwin. By Todd Zwillich Reuters Health 10/31/01

Pattern in Protein Manufacture Found in Hippocampus - Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have discovered a pattern to protein manufacture in the hippocampus, the part of the brain devoted to making memories. They measured a protein as it was being made in structures of brain cells called dendrites. Their research could have important implications for other research into how memories are stored in the brain. Neuronal dendrites are known to pick up and convey information in the form of electrical pulses, but they could also store information by synthesizing proteins from mRNA templates. "This raises the possibility that there is a pattern or code in the order of translation and mechanics of the translational process that exists in these translation sites at the dendritic level for the formation of memories," said professor James H. Eberwine. "It could also be important for illnesses involving memory loss or mental retardation, such as AD and fragile X retardation." PR 10/22/01 Proceedings of the National Academy of Science published online 10/23/01 10.1073/pnas.231485698

Caregivers
Wandering Common Among AD Patients - Wandering is very unpredictable and can occur at any point in AD," Dr. Meredeth A. Rowe of the University of Florida, Gainesville, told Reuters Health. In fact, "it is likely to occur at some point of the disease," she said. Along with Judith C. Glover they examined data collected from 1997-1998 by the Alzheimer's Association's national Safe Return Program, which is dedicated to identifying patients with dementia who have wandered and helping them get back home safely. The data included 675 cases in which an elderly person was reported missing or discovered. Wandering seniors were most often found by a Good Samaritan or a law enforcement officer, Rowe and Glover report. The remaining discoveries were made by neighbors or individuals in the place of business or healthcare facility that the senior wandered into, and in a few instances the senior returned home on his or her own. "Preventing cognitively impaired individuals from wandering, or returning them safely, requires a three-pronged approach with the caregiver, Good Samaritans and law enforcement agencies each having an important role," Rowe said. "Caregivers...need to register with Safe Return even if the cognitively impaired person has never wandered," she said, and individuals should be "more aware about this problem and how difficult it is for the caregiver to watch someone every minute of the day and night. Wandering does not mean poor caregiving, and neighbors and general public should try to help," she concluded. By Charnicia E. Huggins Reuters Health 10/26/01 American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias 2001.

Senior Power - The U.S. National Institute on Aging is now offering its "Resource Directory for Older People." It's a virtual "Yellow Pages," listing hundreds of non-profit organizations and government agencies that focus on health care, legal and financial issues, long-term care, volunteerism, even travel opportunities geared to seniors. A cooperative effort between the NIA and the federal Administration on Aging, the 111-page directory is designed to help not only consumers, but also health and legal professionals, and social-service providers, among others. Some of the organizations listed, like the Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral Center or the Eldercare Locator, directly serve older people and their families. Other groups include the National Association of Activity Professionals -- adult day care workers. "This is a wonderful resource book specifically focused on the needs of older people," says Dr. Stanley L. Slater, NIA's deputy associate director for geriatrics. "Children with older parents, as well as older persons themselves, would have an interest in it. We're all so mobile, we need helpers who are close by when we're far away. If parents are distant from their children, the children have a way of accessing resources." The "Resource Directory for Older People" can be accessed at the Web sites of the National Institute on Aging (http://www.nih.gov/nia/health/resource/rd2001.htm) and the Administration on Aging ( http://www.aoa.gov/directory). A printed copy is available for free by calling 1-800-222-2225. By Pat Curry HealthScoutNews Reporter 10/14/01

Prevention
Anti-Aging Drugs Extend Life Span of Mice - Antioxidant drugs have quadrupled the life span of mice genetically engineered to live only a week, according to a new study that researchers say may represent a step toward unlocking the secrets of aging. These drugs work in making mammals live longer. We are starting to have a very good understanding of the types of damage that can arise in the aging process," said Simon Melov, a molecular gerontologist at the private, nonprofit Buck Institute for Age Research in California. Oxidation in cells can damage DNA leading sometimes to cancer, other diseases and, many scientists believe, to the changes associated with aging. The mice used were genetically engineered to undergo a form of oxidative damage and without drugs only live about a week, allowing researchers to quickly see the results. The drugs work by zeroing in on so-called free radicals-cell-damaging molecules that are a natural byproduct of metabolism. The antioxidant compounds move into cells and even into the mitochondria--the centers of metabolism--to counter the aging effects wrought by free radicals. The research showed the genetically-engineered mice lived about 4 weeks using the drugs--four times longer than normal, Melov said. These drugs are very effective against preventing oxidative damage in the brain,. "That may have utility in diseases like AD and Parkinson's disease," he said. By Michael Kahn Reuters 11/2/01 Journal of Neuroscience Nov. 1, 2001, 21(21):8348-8353

Other Items
AD May Be Linked to Body Shape - AD may be more common among people with a relatively small waist but sizable hips than among people with the opposite proportions, researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle suggest. The measurement of the waist relative to the hips, called the waist-to-hip ratio, measures the distribution of body fat. People carrying extra weight around their waist (a "high" waist-to-hip ratio) are thought to be at increased risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes compared with those carrying extra weight around their hips (a "low" waist-to-hip ratio). In their study of over 2,500 elderly people who were free of AD symptoms at the beginning they found that the group with the lowest waist-to-hip ratios were about three times more likely to develop AD than those with a high waist-to-hip ratio. During the study period, a total of 89 participants developed AD. These individuals had similar physical characteristics than those who did not develop the disease, with the one exception of having a lower waist-to-hip ratio. This result held true even when taking into account other factors that could have influenced the risk of AD, such as body weight and gender, the researchers note. They presented the findings 10/24/01 at the American Public Health Association's annual meeting. According to Dr. Eric B. Larson, the most obvious explanation for this finding is that persons with low waist-to-hip ratios are more likely to survive to develop AD because they are less likely to have heart disease and diabetes. "However, we are most interested in whether early life development or genetic factors (which also influence the ratio) might influence the risk in and of themselves," Larson told Reuters Health. By Emma Hitt, PhD Reuters Health 10/25/01

Real Risks of AD - Leading AD researchers say they know who is likely to get the disease, but they still have little idea what to do to prevent it. These findings came in a survey of a dozen leading AD researchers by ABCNEWS' Medical Unit.
1. Age is the No. 1 risk factor because of the normal wear and tear the cells of the brain undergo as we age.
2. Genetics is No. 2 and this involves family history. The earlier the age of onset, the stronger the genetics. This is especially the case with early onset AD, which accounts for 5 percent of cases, particularly when the disease sets in before age 50. In late onset there is still a genetic predisposition but it's not a clear inheritance pattern.
3. Serious head injury as a strong risk factor for the disease; inflammation in the brain can lead to the death of cells which contributes to the disease.
4. Sex - female hormone estrogen may be protective against the disease, making lack of the hormone a possible risk factor.
5. Cholesterol is an emerging risk factor. The accumulation of the bad beta-amyloid protein is related to higher cholesterol levels. It is important to keep cholesterol down for heart disease and AD.
6. Antioxidants can also lower one's AD risk. Though some experts dismiss the correlation between intake of antioxidants such as vitamin E and C and reduced AD risk for lack of substantial evidence, others see little harm in making sure it's in the diet. By Jenette Restivo ABCNEWS.com 11/1/01

Brain Cell Transplantation with Controlled-release Nerve Growth Factor Is Demonstrated in Rats - Bioengineers at Cornell University have demonstrated a system for transplanting clusters of brain cells, together with controlled-release microcapsules of protein, to enable cell differentiation and growth. The system, first tested with rat fetal brain cells and nerve growth factor (NGF) implanted in the brains of adult rats, has yet to be demonstrated in humans. But the technique to create microenvironments for tissue growth is said to be adaptable to a variety of other transplantation needs, including the treatment of neurodegenerative disease and spinal cord injuries. "We have been trying to overcome some of the barriers to successful nerve cell transplantation and regeneration," W. Mark Saltzman a professor of Chemical Engineering at Cornell explains. "After the fetal stage of life, we cannot -- normally -- produce new cells in the central nervous system, including the brain, to replace nerve cells that are lost to injury, disease or aging processes." The Cornell researchers said they can now envision further uses of the microenvironment delivery system with other substances to encourage nerve cell regeneration, including axon-guidance factors and stimulants to axon extension, antibodies against the formation of myelin scars on injured nerves, and molecules to modify the local immune response to transplanted cells. These are all problems that must be overcome in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and spinal cord injuries. PR 10/10/01 Nature Biotechnology 19, 934-939 (Oct. 2001)

Cause of Scarring in Cirrhosis Identified - Scientists in the US and the UK have identified a bit of a protein that causes excess scarring in the liver disease cirrhosis and other illnesses. By altering the protein, the researchers were able to block the formation of excess scar tissue in mice. The research eventually may lead to improved treatment for cirrhosis and the many other types of disease that involve the growth of fibrous tissue, the study's lead author Dr. Martina Buck from the University of California, San Diego told Reuters Health. After an injury, fibrous tissue develops to form a scar. Sometimes too much scar tissue forms, however. In the case of cirrhosis, for example, excess scar tissue eventually may prevent the liver from working properly. Fibrous tissue also accumulates in the vessel-blocking plaques that form in people with artery disease, Buck said. She added that fibrous tissue can also cause further deterioration in patients who have suffered a head injury or who have AD or Parkinson's disease. "This research offers therapeutic hope for these diseases," she said. Buck and her colleagues discovered that a section of a protein called C/EBP-beta is responsible for the growth of fibrous tissue after an injury or illness. The researchers explain that the process begins when the injury or illness triggers a phosphorous molecule to link to an amino acid called KTVD, which is part of the C/EBP-beta protein. This in turn causes KTVD to block the enzymes that normally keep the growth of fibrous tissue in check. But when Buck's team performed a single switch--turning KTVD into KAVD--they were able to block the formation of excess scar tissue in mice. KAVD seemed safe in mice, so it may be possible to develop an oral or inhaled drug to treat cirrhosis and other diseases that involve excess scarring, according to the researchers. By Merritt McKinney Reuters Health 10/25/01 Molecular Cell 2001 8:807-816

Mental Illness Affects One in Four, WHO Reports - More than 450 million people worldwide suffer mental or neurological disorders but many governments are failing to tackle the problem, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on 10/4/01. In a new report, the agency launched an appeal for understanding of those afflicted by mental illness, and called on governments to address the issue. An estimated 120 million people worldwide have clinical depression, 37 million have AD, 50 million have epilepsy and 24 million suffer from schizophrenia, according to the report, which is based on responses from WHO's 191 member states. By Robert James Parsons Reuters Health 10/4/01

adn1101.htm