Connections Newsletter -- Winter 2013

New Research Resources

• Latest NIH Alzheimer’s Research Progress Report Available [1]
• The NIH "Toolbox" Is Open [2]
• New Database Aims to Capture International Alzheimer’s Disease Research Efforts [3]

NIA News & Research Highlights

• NIH-supported Alzheimer’s studies to focus on innovative treatments [4] (January 14, 2013)
• NIA researchers find protein PGC-1alpha may play important role in brain health [5] (December 12, 2012)
• NIH-supported international teams identify rare Alzheimer’s disease risk gene variant [6] (November 15, 2012)
• Dr. Neil Buckholtz named head of Division of Neuroscience [7] (October 2, 2012)
• Risk gene for Alzheimer’s disease associated with lower brain amyloid [8] (October 1, 2012)
• Investigators create “brain map” of key epigenetic processes [9] (August 14, 2012)

Also of Note

• Request for Information: Increasing Enrollment in Alzheimers Disease and Related Clinical Trials and Studies [10]
• Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease: What Do We Know? [11]
  New booklet looks at current research on risk factors and prevention strategies
• Read about NIA’s minority research and training activities in NIA’s LINKS e-newsletter [12]
• New online tip sheets [13] for Alzheimer’s caregivers:
  • Bathing [14] (PDF, 619K)
  • Disaster Preparedness [15] (PDF, 613K)
  • End-of-Life Care [16] (PDF, 156K)
  • Going Out [17] (PDF, 401K)
  • Grooming and Dressing [18] (PDF, 168K)
  • Incontinence [19] (PDF, 501K)
  • Managing Medicines [20] (PDF, 625K)
  • Managing Personality and Behavior Changes [21] (PDF, 748K)
  • Money Problems [22] (PDF, 156K

Clinical Trials Now Recruiting

Major Studies:

• Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative 2 (ADNI2) [23]
• Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer’s Network (DIAN) [24]
• Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial, Memory and Cognition in Decreased Hypertension (SPRINT-MIND) [25]

Drug Trials:

• Gantenerumab for Prodromal Alzheimer's Disease [26]
• Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IGIV), 10%, in Alzheimer's Disease [27]
• RG1662 in Individuals with Down Syndrome [28]
• RO4602522 in Patients with Moderate Alzheimer Disease on Donepezil or Rivastigmine Therapy [29]

Other Trials:

• ADvance Deep Brain Stimulation in Patients with Mild Probable Alzheimer's Disease [30]
• Risk Evaluation and Education for Alzheimer’s Disease (REVEAL) IV [31]
• Metabolic Cerebral Imaging in Incipient Dementia [32]

Exercise Trials:

• Cognitive Benefits of Aerobic Exercise Across the Age Span [33]
• Dose Response Study of Aerobic Exercise in Older Adults [34]
• Fit & Active Seniors Trial (FAST) [35]

Connections Newsletter -- Summer 2012

Features

• Researchers, Advocates Gather to Accelerate Alzheimer's Research [36]
• Exendin-4: From Lizard to Laboratory...and Beyond [37]

Research Highlights

• Experimental Alzheimer’s drug shows promise in small, early-phase clinical studies [38] (July 12, 2012)
• Cancer drug bexarotene reverses Alzheimer’s deficits in mice [39] (June 1, 2012)
• Protein involved in brain-wave maintenance linked to Alzheimer’s-related cognitive dysfunction [40] (June 1, 2012)
• NIH-funded research provides new clues on how ApoE4 affects Alzheimer's risk [41](May 16, 2012)
• Obama administration presents national plan to fight Alzheimer’s disease [42] (May 15, 2012)
• Genes involved in age-related declines in brain volume may play role in Alzheimer’s disease [43] (April 16, 2012)
• New study identifies role of large protein fragment in blocking amyloid build-up [44] (April 13, 2012)
• Smoking in middle age is associated with increased rate of cognitive decline in men [45] (March 22, 2012)
• Brain imaging shows lifetime cognitive activity may influence Alzheimer’s disease risk [46] (February 1, 2012)
• Pilot clinical trial shows nicotine patch may improve cognition in older people with memory loss [47]
  (January 10, 2012)

Clinical Trials Now Recruiting

• New, improved Alzheimer's clinical trials finder launched [48]
• Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative 2 (ADNI2) [49]
• Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network (DIAN) [50]
• Exendin-4 for the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease [51]
• Resveratrol for Alzheimer’s Disease [52]
• Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial—Memory and Cognition in Decreased Hypertension (SPRINT-MIND) [53]

Also of Note

• Register now for "Unveiling the NIH Toolbox" meeting, Sept. 10-11 [54]
• New online tip sheets for Alzheimer’s caregivers [55]
• NIH steps up efforts on clinical research awareness [56]
• Organ donation–You’re never too old to make a difference [57]
• NIH partners with new public TV project [58]
• Sign up for NIA and ADEAR email alerts [59]