VA researchers seek to understand and address the causes of Alzheimer's disease. Some areas of focus for Alzheimer's research are potential drug therapies, genetic and environmental causes, and long-term care models for patients. Still other researchers are working to better understand the connection between Alzheimer's and chronic diseases like diabetes.

New scanning technology could help diagnose Alzheimer's disease using light
VA researchers developed technology to scan the brain for Alzheimer's disease using light.... (07/28/2021)

VA telehealth clinic focused on cognitive issues helps Veterans in rural areas
A VA neuropsychologist has led a study on patient satisfaction with a telehealth clinic that serves older Veterans with cognitive aging concerns, mainly those related to Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia.... (04/09/2021)

Study: Brain stimulation improves condition of patients with Alzheimer's
A VA pilot study finds that a brain stimulation therapy provided to patients with Alzheimer's disease improved their state of apathy, a profound loss of motivation and initiative and a feeling of social withdrawal.... (10/14/2020)

Review finds strong evidence on emerging biomarkers for Alzheimer’s diagnosis
Biomarkers—measurable physical signs of a condition—could be a useful way of testing for Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new review study by a VA team in Minneapolis.... (04/27/2020)

Brain organoids: Emerging method to study brain diseases
Brain organoids, made in the lab from cultured cells, are miniature replicas of areas of the human brain. Scientists are using them to model brain diseases.... (04/23/2020)

Alzheimer’s screening tool highly effective in Mexican American patients

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A blood-based screening tool can help detect Alzheimer’s disease and may increase Mexican Americans’ access to clinical research, found a study including VA researchers. Mexican Americans have been poorly represented in Alzheimer’s disease research. As part of the Health & Aging Brain among Latino Elders (HABLE) study, researchers studied data on 1,600 patients. About half were Mexican American, and the other half were non-Hispanic whites. Profiling the protein content of patients’ blood was highly accurate in detecting mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Blood protein profiles varied significantly between ethnic groups and disease state. The findings could help bridge the gap between community-based and clinical settings and recruit more Hispanic patients into Alzheimer’s disease research, say the researchers. (Alzheimer’s and Dementia, May 31, 2021)

Cognitive behavioral therapy beneficial for dementia patients

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Cognitive behavioral therapy could improve mood and insomnia in people with dementia, found a review by Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center researchers and colleagues. Cognitive behavioral therapy aims to improve mental distress by helping a person modify and control their thought processes. Researchers reviewed the available evidence on this approach for people with mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Multiple studies showed that cognitive behavioral therapy can improve anxiety, depression, and quality of life in these patients. Some evidence also suggests that the therapy can reduce insomnia and improve sleep quality. The results show a need for more study on cognitive behavioral therapy in dementia patients, especially regarding insomnia, say the researchers. (Alzheimer’s Disease and Associated Disorders, April 28, 2021)

Gene therapy could prevent learning and memory loss from Alzheimer’s disease

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VA San Diego researchers and colleagues used gene therapy to prevent learning and memory loss in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers introduced a compound called AAV-SynCav1—a protein that can potentially activate mechanisms to prevent structural damage in the brain—into the hippocampus brain region of mice with deficits like Alzheimer’s. The hippocampus is one of the first parts of the brain affected by Alzheimer’s. At nine and 11 months after treatment, hippocampus-related learning and memory were preserved. Important membrane structures and receptors also remained intact in the treated mice, while control mice had damage. The results show the treatment has potential to restore brain plasticity and improve function in humans with Alzheimer’s, according to the researchers. (Molecular Therapy, March 29, 2021)

Inflammation linked to Alzheimer’s disease risk

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Inflammation in the brain is linked to greater Alzheimer’s disease risk, found a VA San Diego study. Researchers analyzed the cerebrospinal fluid and performed cognitive testing on 81 cognitively normal older adults and 137 with mild cognitive impairment. In the cognitive impairment group, those with biomarkers for vascular inflammation also had increased levels of tau proteins, which have been linked to Alzheimer’s. Higher levels of tau protein were associated with poorer memory performance in the cognitive impairment group only. However, in the cognitively normal group, participants with lower pulse pressure who had greater inflammation showed signs of lower burden of amyloid-beta, an amino acid also linked to Alzheimer’s. The findings suggest that pulse pressure and inflammation have a complex effect on markers of Alzheimer’s disease, say the researchers. (Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, March 4, 2021)

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