Study Confirms Biomarkers Combined With Sensitive Cognitive Tests Are Important For Identifying Early Stage Alzheimer’s Disease
September 24, 2016
After more than ten years, the amyloid cascade hypothesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is still at the core of new research findings. By proposing that AD starts with the accumulation of beta amyloid (Aβ) protein plaques in the brain, which may lead to the twisted tangles of the tau protein, researchers have focused on the […]
Subjective Memory Decline Shown To Be Early Warning Sign Of Cognitive Disease
September 9, 2016
The first signs of cognitive decline among older adults are often memory-related. Forgetting a name, misplacing objects, or not remembering prior conversations becomes more common over the age of 50, sometimes leading to concerns that this forgetfulness is more than just normal aging. Known as subjective memory decline (SMD), researchers are asking if these episodes […]
Research Finds Neurodegeneration In The Absence Of Beta Amyloid Is Not Associated With Cognitive Decline
August 30, 2016
As we age, our brains inevitably change just as the rest of our bodies do. Once past 60 years old, some of those changes can become noticeable in our daily lives such as small slips of memory. With the increasing information available on Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and other age-related cognitive decline, those signs can cause […]
Computerised Cognitive Test Battery Matches Gold Standard for HAND Screening
July 8, 2016
Besides enduring the challenges of HIV infection, 20-50% of patients also experience cognitive decline, including difficulty with attention, memory and executive functions. Diagnosed as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND), the symptoms can cause difficulty with everyday work/life tasks and may progress to more severe limitations over time. Standard neuropsychological (NP) tests can identify the three categories […]
Study Suggests Dementia After CABG Surgery Is Not Related To POCD
May 28, 2016
Over 15 years ago, a groundbreaking study found that over 40% of patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery still showed signs of cognitive impairment five years later. Grouped under the blanket diagnosis of postoperative cognitive disorder (POCD), some researchers question whether the surgery itself caused the impairment or the underlying cardiovascular […]
Understanding Cognitive Decline In Breast Cancer Patients Treated With Endocrine Therapy
May 14, 2016
While there will be almost a quarter million new diagnoses of breast cancer this year in the U.S., the percentage of survivors has been on the rise since 1989. Treatment regimens that include chemotherapy and adjuvant endocrine therapies have been proven effective for hormone receptor positive patients. Specifically, two recent clinical trials, TEXT and Suppression […]
Study Provides New Insight Into Relationship Of Beta Amyloid And APOE4 To Cognitive Decline
April 29, 2016
In the continuing search for the underlying causes of Alzheimer’s disease, two biomarkers consistently demonstrate their significance; the levels of beta amyloid (Aβ) in the brain and the presence of the Apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele genotype. Previous studies have shown that in cognitively normal older adults, the combination of high levels of Aβ with […]
Lithium Treatment For Bipolar Disorder Shown To Also Improve Verbal Fluency
April 19, 2016
During the dramatic mood swings of bipolar disorder (BP), between depression and euphoric mania, patients often experience cognitive impairment particularly in working memory, verbal fluency and visual memory. A mix of a mood stabilizer (lithium) and an antipsychotic (quetiapine) is often prescribed to treat BP symptoms. However, there are mixed reports on the effect of […]
Dementia With Lewy Bodies Predicted By Autonomic Testing in Major Depressive Disorder
April 1, 2016
As the third leading type of dementia, behind only Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is often linked with symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease. Present in several other brain disorders, Lewy bodies are abnormal aggregates of protein, primarily alpha-synuclein. Detecting Lewy bodies early before dementia-related symptoms emerge is important to the […]
Study Finds Use of Nicotinic Alpha-7 Agonist Improves Cognitive Function In Parkinson’s Patients
March 24, 2016
For patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD), the need to balance effective treatments with their unpleasant side effects is an ongoing battle. Long considered the gold standard for treating early symptoms of PD, levodopa (L-DOPA) is able to cross the blood-brain barrier to produce dopamine in the brain which helps manage the symptoms of motor […]
Cogstate Welcomes Jessica Gordon, M.A., Scales & Rater Training Director
February 29, 2016
Jessica oversees the Scales & Rater Training department at Cogstate, leading a growing and diverse team of experts, continuously refining systems and processes to optimize delivery of rater training solutions. Prior to joining Cogstate, Jessica was co-founder of ProPhase, LLC, a specialty service provider for applied measurement solutions in CNS therapeutic areas. There she managed […]
Heart Health And Cognitive Function Linked In New Study
February 23, 2016
While today’s medical research tends to divide the human body into separate systems to better focus on specific disease states, our overall health is still an integrated whole. Two of these systems, cardiovascular and the central nervous system, have been shown to influence each other. A heart suffering from cardiovascular disease can affect the available […]
Combined Antiretroviral Therapy With Maraviroc Improves HIV-associated Neurocognitive Dysfunction
February 17, 2016
Many people with HIV infection report that they have problems in thinking clearly and accurately. Formal neuropsychological studies using objective assessment techniques show that, at all stages of HIV severity, people can have difficulty with attention, memory, language, problem solving and decision making. Known as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND), symptoms can include confusion, forgetfulness, headaches, […]
FDA Advisory Committee Support of Brintellix for Cognitive Dysfunction in Depression: A Re-consideration of What Makes a Clinically Meaningful Cognitive Deficit
February 12, 2016
Takeda and Lundbeck announced recently that the U.S. FDA Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee voted 8 to 2 that the companies presented substantial evidence to support the effectiveness of Brintellix (vortioxetine) for treating aspects of cognitive dysfunction in adults with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). There has been a great deal of optimism and analysis about what […]
Predicting Surgery-Related Cognitive Dysfunction Using An Alzheimer’s Disease Biomarker
February 9, 2016
With average lifespans increasing thanks to improved medical care and healthy habits, older adults are undergoing more major surgeries, whether it be for cardiac care or orthopaedic conditions. However, one of the side effects of operations requiring significant anesthesia is a form of cognitive decline immediately after recovery that may last for weeks or months. […]
