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

A First Look at the Upcoming Film “Remembering Gene Wilder”

The upcoming film “Remembering Gene Wilder” will give a rare glimpse into Gene Wilder’s personal life and battle with Alzheimer’s. UsAgainstAlzheimer’s is proud to be an official community partner of this incredibly important project. Gene Wilder’s wife Karen says of the film that: “Our goal for telling Gene’s story is to create awareness and attention for Alzheimer’s disease. So many people in this country have the disease but sadly, have never been diagnosed. We hope that by watching his story, people will be encouraged to see their family physician if they suspect or start showing symptoms similar to Gene’s.” Click

Opinion: Like Nixon’s ‘war on cancer,’ President Trump should open a war on Alzheimer’s

Re-Posted from STAT News By George Vradenburg and Howard M. Fillit “The time has come in America when the same kind of concerted effort that split the atom and took man to the moon should be turned toward conquering this dread disease.” That was President Nixon in his State of the Union address 48 years ago. The dread disease he was talking about was cancer, the second leading cause of death in the country, and he used the address to open his “war on cancer.” Since then, we have made major strides against that disease. Death rates have been declining

Opinion: The Importance of Productive ‘Failure’ on the Path to Curing Alzheimer’s

Re-Posted from Modern Consult The path to success is paved with failure. Some of the world’s most successful enterprises have achieved breakthrough accomplishments by promoting creativity and risk in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges. Those searching for a cure for Alzheimer’s disease — researchers, companies, patients, caregivers, regulators, government, and private funders of research — have experienced several high-profile recent setbacks. However, finding a cure for Alzheimer’s will require more frequent and bold “failure” of this kind. More than 5 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s, putting a crushing burden on more than 16 million family caregivers. As 74 million

Ending the Stigma

This past year my husband, Dr. Don Wendorf, and I have had the privilege of serving as Senior Editors for ClergyAgainstAlzheimer’s upcoming book, Dementia-friendly Worship: A Multifaith Handbook for Chaplains, Clergy and Faith Communities. It has afforded us many blessings, not the least of which has been to develop friendships with some amazing individuals, one of whom is Rev. Dr. Cynthia Huling Hummel, a Presbyterian (USA) pastor who is living with Alzheimer’s. Not surprisingly, our friendship and shared advocacy has deepened with the sharing of our thoughts, feelings and activities. And, so, it came as no surprise to open our

WATCH NOW: UsAgainstAlzheimer's 2018 National Alzheimer's Summit Live Stream

Below you'll find the full suite of sessions from the 2018 National Alzheimer's Summit. That National Alzheimer's Summit took place September 24th- 26th in Washington D.C. Panelists and attendees from diverse communities impacted by the disease worked together to develop a clear agenda for action against Alzheimer's. Enjoy! The Last Generation: A Dialogue on Intergenerational Caregiving and Advocacy Developing Brain Health Equity Indicators: Leveraging Data to Measure Progress for Patients and Communities Addressing Unconscious Bias to Drive Inclusion in Alzheimer’s Research, Care and Treatment Opening Remarks Day 2 Fighting Alzheimer’s in a Connected World: Harnessing Innovative Approaches for Powering Research

Interview with Dr. Michael Rafii

The upcoming documentary, “Remembering Gene Wilder” His Life, Legacy and Battle with Alzheimer’s Disease is centered around Gene’s incredible life and subsequent diagnosis with Alzheimer’s disease. Neurologist, Dr. Michael Rafii diagnosed and treated Gene for Alzheimer's Disease up until his passing in 2016. Below is an interview transcript with Dr. Rafii, discussing what he saw and experienced with Gene and Karen Wilder as they battled against this devastating disease.