Mayo Clinic Conference On Brain Health & Dementia To Take Place Virtually On October 29th 2021
Conference on Brain Health & Dementia at a Glance:
Date: Friday, October 29th
Time: 10:30am-5:30pm ET
Location: Virtual
Formerly known as ‘Meeting of the Minds’, the Mayo Clinic Conference on Brain Health & Dementia will pay tribute to all that families impacted by dementia are going through during these unprecedented times, while providing a unique opportunity to learn, feel connected, and gain a renewed sense of hope for a brighter path forward.
Mayo Clinic Adrc Investigators Study Form Of Alzheimer’s Disease That Strikes Younger Adults
Mayo Clinic researchers have defined a form of Alzheimers disease that can strike younger people as early as their 40s, presents with symptoms that are different from typical Alzheimer’s disease, and affects a different part of the brain than is typically seen in Alzheimers disease.
In a paper published in the journal Brain Communications, the ADRC researchers report a series of 55 patients with this form of Alzheimer’s disease. The average age of symptom onset was approximately 54 years old, whereas typical Alzheimer’s is most likely to appear after age 65. In these patients with younger onset Alzheimer’s disease, the progressive dementia syndrome more prominently affected the ability to multitask, organize and plan, whereas the memory deficits seen in typical Alzheimers disease were not as significant. In fact, many patients showed no dysfunction or cell loss in the memory center of the brain. This pattern of Alzheimer’s disease has been observed before, but the new study helps characterize and understand it better.
Mayo Clinic Investigators Work To Develop A Blood Test To Accurately Diagnose Alzheimers Disease In African Americans
Mayo Clinic researchers are developing a simple blood test to make it possible for African Americans to get an accurate diagnosis of Alzheimers disease. This is possible because Jacksonville community members consented to donate blood samples to advance Mayo Clinic studies on aging, memory loss, and dementia. We are grateful to our local community for their support and partnership in working towards a cure for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. To quote Dr. Minerva Carrasquillo, Determining the most relevant risk factors and mechanisms of disease in each community will help us develop ways to prevent and treat Alzheimers disease equitably in all communities. Please visit the Jacksonville Free Press website to learn more about this study. If you are interested in joining the fight against Alzheimer’s disease, contact us at 904-953-6523.
Recommended Reading: What Is The Main Cause Of Alzheimer’s
Mayo Clinic Q And A: 4 Ways To Reduce Your Risk Of Dementia
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I am in my mid-40s and have two young children. My mother developed memory issues in her early 60s, and it has progressively worsened. Her sisters also have related issues. How can I reduce my riskand my children’s riskfor dementia? Are there certain foods, supplements or activities that we should incorporate into our lives to lower the chances for memory loss?
ANSWER: Dementia describes symptoms that affect a person’s memory, thinking and social abilities to the point that it’s difficult to perform normal daily activities. Dementia is caused by brain disease. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common and the one best known to the public. Diseases that affect the blood vesselsthe same diseases that cause heart attacks and strokeare the second most common cause of dementia.
Having a family history of dementia increases your risk of developing the condition. However, many people with a family history never develop symptoms. And those who don’t have a family history also may experience memory issues as they age.
Consider these four tips to reduce your overall risk of memory challenges.
If the health of those blood vessels deteriorates when people are younger, it’s difficult to mend the damage later. And damage to the brain’s blood vessels can be a factor in dementia.
Explore further
National Institutes Of Health Receive Boost In Alzheimers Disease Funding
The US Senate has approved a $350 million increase in funding for the National Institutes of Health to advance research on Alzheimers disease and AD-related dementia. This raises the total NIH budget for AD research to $2.8 billion for fiscal year 2020, recognizing the widespread public health crisis presented by this disease. Over the last five years, advances in research have led to many discoveries, including new genes and pathways linked to the disease. The increased funding will help keep momentum going towards the discovery of new and effective treatments.
AD cannot currently be cured and is considered the most expensive disease in the country, costing taxpayers $290 billion in 2019. More than 5 million Americans are currently living with the disease and an estimated 16 million more are providing unpaid care to loved ones with dementia. As noted by the Alzheimers Association, “we owe it to these individuals and the millions more who will be impacted in the coming years to leave no stone unturned so we can advance treatments and find a cure for this devastating disease.”
Also Check: How Does Dementia Affect The Muscular System
Our Work Depends On The Frequent Acquisition Of Both Normal And Diseased Viable Human Organs Dr Kurten Said With A National Network For Procurement 24/7 Staffing And The Use Of Efficient Courier Services Ndri Is A Critical Partner
Richard Kurten, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
NDRI National Disease Research Interchange has been fulfilling the biomedical research communitys human tissue needs since 1980. We provide academic and corporate investigators worldwide with high-quality human biospecimens to advance biomedical research.
NDRI serves as a Human Tissue and Organ for Research Resource . We receive funding and oversight from federal agencies, including the Office of the Director at the National Institutes of Health , to support the recovery and distribution of donated human organs and tissues for use in research programs across multiple disciplines.
Every prospective researcher completes an application process to determine whether the project falls within NDRIs capabilities and mission. The tissue acquisition and processing is tailored to meet the specific needs of these approved projects.
NDRI can provide an array of tissue types from any body system. Biospecimens from diseased and non-diseased surgical, autopsy, and low post-mortem interval donors are available. Preservation methods include fresh, frozen, and fixed suitable for various analytical techniques. To begin the application process, Request Tissue below.
To learn more, contact:
Alzheimer’s Disease Biospecimen Resource
The use of human biospecimens plays a key role in accelerating scientific discoveries in neurological research by providing scientists with a direct experimental model system to advance understanding of pathogenesis and treatment of neurological disease, including Alzheimers disease and related dementias . Access to the appropriate human biospecimen can be challenging for some investigators. To address thus gap, NDRIs Human Tissue and Organs for Research Resource Program was recently awarded an administrative supplemental grant from the National Institute on Aging to support Alzheimers Disease and AD-related dementia studies that require whole brain and other tissues for their experimental analysis.
The ADBR program can tailor acquisition of both whole brain and other tissue samples to meet the specific needs of each research project. The ADBR can provide tissue types for a wide range of experimental needs. This includes:
- Fixed tissue, frozen tissue, or fresh tissue shipped on ice in culture media with antibiotics
- CNS and PNS structures whole brain, brain tissue samples, spinal cord, dorsal root ganglia, peripheral nerves
- Tissues from any body system
- Samples from both AD/ADRD and non-diseased, control donors are available
Don’t Miss: Can Dementia Patients Take Sleeping Pills
Statement From Gianrico Farrugia Md President & Ceo Mayo Clinic And Jeff Bolton Chief Administrative Officer Mayo Clinic
May 27, 2020
We were deeply saddened and troubled to learn the tragic news of George Floyds death in Minneapolis, so close to home to many of us. Mr. Floyd died on Monday after being held down by a Minneapolis police officer.
This is just one of several recent incidents drawing national attention that show that we as a society still have a long way to go in stamping out violence and hate, negative biases and stereotypes.
Mayo Clinic stands united in rejecting all forms of discrimination against our staff, our patients and people in our communities. These incidents are deeply troubling, and combined with daily news about COVID-19, they are even more stressful.
We invite everyone to renew your commitment to supporting our colleagues. Be there for each other, help one another, be a force for good and hope for one another, inside and outside of Mayo Clinic.
Songfest For Alzheimer’s: Hbcu Choirs Partner With Mayo Clinic Florida Adrc To Help The Community Learn About Alzheimer’s Disease
Members of the Aeolian Choir of Oakwood University, Bethune-Cookman University Choir, and Hampton University Concert Choir have partnered with the community outreach program of the Mayo Clinic Florida Alzheimers Disease Research Center and The Bethel Church to create a virtual concert program to help raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease. Pre-recorded selections from prior live performances at The Bethel Church were compiled along with important messages about Alzheimer’s disease from Drs. Floyd Willis and Maisha Robinson of the Mayo Clinic Florida ADRC. This hour-long event streamed on The Bethel Church social media platforms on Saturday, January 30, 2021.
If you would like to view the program, please click on this link to The Bethel Church YouTube channel.
Read Also: What Is The Clock Test For Dementia
Pressing Toward The Mark: A Faith
Dr. Maisha Robinson of the Mayo Clinic Alzheimers Disease Center was awarded a grant from the Community Foundation of Northeast Florida to forge partnerships with local Black Churches and the Alzheimers Association to help provide resources in their approach to congregation members who are having memory issues or other signs of Alzheimers Disease and dementia.
Mayo Clinic Florida Resumes Alzheimer’s Disease Research Visits & Community Outreach Events
The Mayo Clinic Alzheimers Disease Center has re-opened and will gradually resume research visits and community outreach activities in the coming weeks. We look forward to resuming our important work of discovering and developing effective therapies in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease and AD-related dementia.
Mayo Clinic has taken several extra precautions to safely resume in-person visits, including enhanced cleaning, robust screening, new safety guidelines and strategies to minimize the risk of the COVID-19 virus on our campus.
If you are in a research study, you may receive a call from a study coordinator to schedule an appointment. Some visits may be in-person but for other visits we may be able to offer a virtual visit online. Please feel free to ask your study coordinator about these options. If you have questions, please call us at 904-953-6523.
Similarly, we will be continuing our community partnerships in education, skill-building, and caregiver support. Although some of the larger community events we had planned for this year will need to be scaled back or postponed, we soon plan to move forward with activities such as our Memory Cafe and Community Support groups. Please know that we will do everything possible to ensure community health, wellness, and safety as our top priority, and that we will continue to offer virtual online activities for those unable to join us in person.
Thank you! We hope that you and your loved ones remain safe and healthy.
Recommended Reading: Is Alzheimer’s Caused By Prions
Dr Floyd Wills Honored As Community Health Hero
Dr. Floyd Wills, Family Medicine physician and investigator in the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, has been named a recipient of the inaugural “Community Health Heroes” award from Agape Family Health, a local non-profit organization whose mission is to make comprehensive healthcare services available to the entire Jacksonville community, regardless of race, national origin, gender, age or socioeconomic status.
Dr. Willis is recognized for his research in Alzheimers disease among African-Americans, as well as for his current partnership with Edward Waters College to examine the potential role of students from minority-serving institutions in providing health education to the surrounding community.
Mayo Clinic Investigators Begin New Projects To Understand The Genetic Risk Of Alzheimer’s Disease
The apolipoprotein E gene is known to play a role in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Some forms of ApoE convey greater risk of getting the disease, while other forms of the gene appear to be protective against the disease. The gene has far-reaching effects, including a role in age-related cognitive decline and vascular cognitive impairment.
Led by Dr. Goujun Bu, a Professor and Chair of the Department of Neuroscience at Mayo Clinic Florida, investigators from the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center are collaborating and sharing information with colleagues at Washington University in St. Louis and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York to open up new research projects that will better understand the role of ApoE in disease. According to Dr. Goujun, “While significant progress has been made in identifying ApoE pathways in the brain, there are critical gaps in knowledge to guide therapeutic strategies.” The goal of this work is to identify individualized therapies that will target ApoE and prevent and perhaps cure Alzheimer’s disease.
Recommended Reading: Did Robin Williams Have Alzheimer’s
Mayo Clinic Expert Offers Perspective On Experimental Alzheimers Disease Drug
According to drugmakers Eisai and Biogen, a Phase 3 clinical study on a potential new Alzheimer’s disease drug shows promise. The study findings show that the drug, lecanemab, reduced clinical decline of people with Alzheimer’s disease by 27% compared with a placebo after 18 months of treatment.
“This is very good news for Alzheimer’s disease patients and their families,” says Dr. Ronald Petersen, a neurologist and director of Mayo Clinic’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. “While this is not a cure for the disease, it represents a step in the right direction by slowing cognitive decline.”
A monoclonal antibody, lecanemab shows promise in removing amyloid plaques from the brain. Plaques are one of the defining features of Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Petersen adds: “These data suggest that we can intervene on the amyloid process and slow it down. Now, we need to move earlier in the disease process to treat people who are amyloid positive but clinically normal.”
The study included 1,795 participants with early Alzheimer’s disease in Japan, the U.S., Europe and China.
The drugmaker has requested accelerated approval from the Food and Drug Administration . The study results will be presented at the Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Congress in November and is expected to be published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.
Brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease can lead to growing trouble with:
Dr Maisha Robinson Awarded Florida Department Of Health Ed And Ethel Moore Alzheimer’s Disease Research Program Grant
Congratulations to Mayo Clinic ADRC investigator, Dr. Maisha Robinson, for being one of 4 Mayo Clinic recipients of a Florida Moore grant. Her project: Between Here and There: Addressing End-of-Life Disparities Among African Americans with MCI and Dementia Through Community-Based Training in Advance Care Planning seeks to empower African American communities to ensure that the end-of-life wishes and preferences of community members with memory loss and dementia are made known, documented, and respected. Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the awards at a press conference on January 13.
The Ed & Ethel Moore grant program funds research seeking to improve the health of Floridians through better prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for Alzheimers disease and AD-related dementia. Congratulations are also in order for the three other Mayo ADRC investigators awarded Moore grants:
- Dr Pamela McLean, Modeling Lewy body dementias: Towards a better understanding of amyloid-beta and alpha-synuclein in ADRDs.
- Dr. Rickey Carter, Racial and Ethnic Differences in Gene Expression Data.
- Dr. Pritam Das, Detection of vascular and inflammatory plasma biomarkers in patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea and cerebral small vessel disease.
Don’t Miss: Is Dementia The Beginning Of Alzheimer’s
A Message To The Community From The Mayo Clinic Florida Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Outreach Team
We recognize the long-standing social, economic and political inequalities that underlie current nationwide demonstrations for social justice. We are committed to maintaining and strengthening relationships with our community partners to address disparities in all forms and to eliminate the systemic racism and discrimination that perpetuate these social ills.
We understand that these are unprecedented times but our priority will always be the health and well-being of our community members. We strongly believe that change is needed and we strive to be a positive force for change in the communities we serve.
Mayo Clinic Alzheimers Disease Research Center
The Mayo Clinic Alzheimers Disease Research Center is funded by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging to improve the lives of people with Alzheimers disease and AD-related disorders. This is accomplished through the discovery of newer and better ways to diagnose and treat dementia, and to support those who are living with disease or providing care to loved ones with dementia.
We are one of about 30 centers in the U.S. funded by the National Institute on Aging to better understand the causes of Alzheimers disease and AD-related dementia, to identify the best way to detect disease in its earliest stages, and to help develop and test potential new therapies.
Don’t Miss: What Race Is Most Likely To Get Alzheimer Disease
Patients And Families Have The Opportunity To Help Find New Treatments Or Cures For Diseases And Disabilities By Donating Organs And Tissues For Medical Research
Donating to NDRI helps support important research in many areas, including diabetes, HIV/AIDs, cancer and rare diseases such as cystic fibrosis lymphangioleiomyomatosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , also called Lou Gehrigs disease.
You have the power to make a difference, and it is easier than you might think. It could be as simple as making a phone call when scheduling surgery to donate tissue that would otherwise be discarded. Patients and their families can also donate tissue and organs after a loved one has passed. Human tissue whether healthy or diseased is critical to making the next breakthrough.
NDRI is a Not-For-Profit Corporation.
National Disease Research Interchange