Opinion: We can accelerate a cure for Alzheimer's

Reposted from The Hill. By George Vradenburg Since the first cases were diagnosed in 1981, 1.8 million Americans have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. A positive diagnosis was once thought to be a death sentence and the disease was considered one of the greatest public health crises ever. In response, the federal government poured massive resources into developing treatments and now, thanks to pharmacological and other research, HIV/AIDS is considered a chronic but no longer life-threatening condition. By comparison, 5.8 million Americans today are battling Alzheimer’s disease, with a new case being diagnosed every 65 seconds. By 2050, the number of

Behind Every Great Woman is a Great Brain

For the past 30 years, Americans have gathered around the month of March to celebrate the incredible accomplishments of women in this country. On March 8th, we celebrated International Women’s Day to recognize the powerful and uniting force of women across the globe. Unfortunately, a crisis is looming. The very women we’re celebrating this month and everyday are facing a public health crisis – and we have the power to make sure it’s not ignored. We bet you didn’t know that a full two-thirds of Americans living with Alzheimer’s are women, and that one in six women aged 65 or

Brain Health Equity Insights - March 2019

A Note from UsAgainstAlzheimer’s We are thrilled to introduce Equity Insights, a newsletter that will deliver the latest news, opinions, tools and practical insights from the fields of health disparities research, Alzheimer’s disparities research and prevention, and health equity policy. This interdisciplinary approach reflects the challenges we face as our population ages and communities of color face increased risk for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. Our aim is to provide our growing network of partners the insights needed to build a community of practice in brain health focused on equity and access for women and people of color. We encourage you

New Study Finds Deep Sleep is Best for Brain ‘Cleaning,’ Shows Connection Between Sleep and Alzheimer’s

A new study conducted at the University of Rochester Medical Center has found that brain activity during deep, non-REM sleep is ideal for the brain’s glymphatic system to “clean” itself of toxins. Some of these include the toxic proteins beta amyloid and tau, the buildup of which has been linked to Alzheimer’s and dementia. Beta amyloid and tau are thought to harm and inhibit communication between neurons. “Sleep is critical to the function of the brain’s waste removal system and this study shows that the deeper the sleep the better,” said Maiken Nedergaard, co-director of the] Center for Translational Neuromedicine

What’s Good for Our Hearts is Good for Our Brains

As you’re probably aware, February marks the celebration of Black History Month. But did you know that it’s also Heart Health Month? You might be surprised that both have a deep connection to the brain, and the UsAgainstAlzheimer’s team is celebrating this February by bringing awareness to the links between brain health, heart health, and health disparities. The brain controls all of our bodily functions, breathing, thinking, feeling, even the number of times our heart beats per minute. The heart on the other hand supplies blood and other nutrients our body needs to stay healthy and alive. From a young