For a century it has been known that the chronic bacterial infections, namely Treponema pallidum (a form of geral paresis in syphilis), is the most frequent cause of dementia. Alois Alzheimer suggested a century ago that microorganisms may be contributors in the generation of Alzheimer’s disease plaques. A special May issue of the Journal of […] Read more

DHEA is a supplement believed by many to help prevent chronic diseases. It is a hormone that occurs naturally in the human body and serves as a precursor to male and female sex steroid hormones. The peak level of DHEA occurs between 20-30 and then begins a slow decline as we age. By age 70, […] Read more

Researchers have been on a quest to find a vaccine for a Alzheimer’s disease and recent studies suggest that they may be close to a solution and possibly just years away from human testing. William Bowers, associate professor of neurology, microbiology, and immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, believes he and his co-workers have demonstrated a […] Read more

Alzheimer’s disease researchers see the search for the gene responsible for the disease akin to the quest for the Holy Grail. Shirley E. Poduslo, PhD, neuroscientist, Medical College of Georgia Schools of Medicine and Graduate Studies, studied the genetic profile of 2 large Georgia families with high rates of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Poduslo was shocked when […] Read more

Alzheimer’s disease and mad cow disease (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease) are similar in that both are thought to be caused by abnormally folded prion proteins in the brain. It is the accumulation of amyloid fibers created by the abnormal prion proteins that is seen as the cause for Alzheimer’s disease. James Shorter, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry […] Read more

Recently there have been reports that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have shown a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Principally, the NSAID drugs naproxen and celecoxib have been cited as improving cognitive function in older adults with a family history of Alzheimer’s disease. The Alzheimer’s Disease Anti-Inflammatory Prevention Trial (ADAPT) Research Group studied 2,117 individuals, 70 […] Read more

Over the past few years rheumatoid arthritis researchers have noticed decline in reporting of women with the disease. In an article published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases a study reports that researchers compared 136 women with rheumatoid arthritis with 544 women of a similar age without the disease. They found that those who had […] Read more

For thousands of years classic Chinese acupuncture treatment has been used to treat pain. Since its development in the 1800s myofascial trigger-point therapy has been used in the western world for pain treatment. A recent May Clinic study surprises practitioners of both systems that they are fundamentally similar despite the differences in approach to treat […] Read more

The origins of Alzheimer’s disease is thought to be the result of A-beta peptide (Alzheimer’s peptide) when it clumps together in the brain and forms long fibrils. Whether it is the protein clumps or the fibrils that kill brain neurons is still being debated. Nikolaus Grigorieff, biophysicist, Brandeis University, along with researchers at Leibniz Institut, […] Read more

Depressed people are known to have fewer of the ‘feel-good’ receptors for serotonin. Jon-Kar Zubieta, MD, PhD, University of Michigan, reports that depression is rooted in genetic and molecular factors and are unique for each individual. Using PET (positron emission tomography) scans, Zubieta studied patients who met the criteria for major depression, but had not […] Read more