Pointing a Finger at Parkinson's Disease Dementia
January 12, 2018
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As many as 80% of patients with Parkinson's disease develop dementia (PDD)—a dementia that can be somewhat difficult to distinguish from Alzheimer's disease (AD). Appropriate diagnosis is key to planning as well as future application of disease-modifying treatments... |
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Diagnostic Value of PET Imaging in Patients With Cognitive Impairment
December 16, 2016
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Advancements in neuroimaging over the past decade now allow us to use positron emission tomography (PET) coupled with amyloid-binding radiotracers to visualize Alzheimer's pathology in living brains. However, the utility of amyloid PET has been under much debate: does knowing that amyloid plaques are present in an individual's brain alter diagnosis or treatment?... |
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Amyloid-Beta May Protect Against Infection
June 16, 2016
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Although amyloid-beta protein has been thoroughly researched as a key player in the neuropathology of Alzheimer's disease, its normal, physiological role has heretofore been unknown. In this extensive study by Kumar and colleagues, a wealth of data from transgenic mouse, nematode, and cell culture models are presented; collectively, these data suggest that amyloid-beta may serve an antimicrobial function designed to protect the brain from invading pathogens... |
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Studies Identify Depression and Use of Anticholinergics as Risk Factors for Dementia
April 20, 2016
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Kaup et al. conducted a longitudinal study that followed nearly 2500 black and white older adults (mean age 74) for five years. Depressive symptom trajectories and cognitive impairment were assessed at multiple time points using standardized questionnaires. Having high and increasing depressive symptoms was associated with significantly increased risk for dementia... |
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