dementia news · edition 2, 2014 - 28 january understand participate discuss . editorial hello...
TRANSCRIPT
DEMENTIA NEWS
EDITION 2, 2014 - 28 JANUARY
UNDERSTAND PARTICIPATE
DISCUSS
EDITORIAL
Hello Dementia News readers,
As promised in the last edition, here’s another sneak peek at some of the other features that will be available through our new website, from February 19th. Along with the podcast series we announced last edition, the new website will feature a ‘Jargon Buster’ - an indexed and in-depth glossary of all of the scientific terms and references used in the dementia research world. We hope this will be a helpful resource when reading our Dementia News articles.
In this edition’s Understand section, you will find one study that assessed whether caffeine can improve brain function, and another that examined whether vitamin E tablets can reduce the risk of dementia. A third article, which looks into the link between anaemia and Alzheimer’s disease, was provided by researchers from the Co-operative Research Centre (CRC) for Mental Health, a major national research Centre with a focus on dementia.
In this edition’s Discuss section I talk about brain training. Do brain teasers, crosswords and Sudoku puzzles help reduce the risk of dementia? I spoke with one of the world’s leading researchers in this area, Professor George Rebok from the USA, who gave some insight into whether brain training really can improve cognitive performance.
I hope you enjoy this edition.
Ian McDonald Dementia News editor
1 Dementia News
“One skinny mocha frappe latte with no sugar please”.
Is this sentence (or some variation) part of your daily repertoire? New research has shown that consuming caffeine directly after a learning session can enhance your ability to retain certain long term memories. This study was published in the journal Nature Neuroscience by researchers based at the John Hopkins University in the USA.
One hundred and sixty caffeine naive people (people who didn’t drink much coffee, tea or caffeinated softdrinks) between 18 and 30 years of age participated in the study. They were asked to identify a series of images, then were given either a caffeine tablet or a placebo tablet. Participants did not know what treatment they received. After 24 hours, participants were again asked to identify a series of images and indicate whether they were similar, old or new in comparison to the set they saw the previous day. For example, a similar image would comprise a picture of a duck taken from a different angle to the original.
The researchers found that those participants given the caffeine tablet were better able to correctly identify similar images, whereas those who took a placebo tablet were more likely to identify similar images as the same as the original. Interestingly, a follow-up trial showed that higher doses of caffeine did not improve memory retention nor did taking caffeine before the test.
So while these initial results are certainly interesting and support what many people already swear by (“my brain is mush before my morning coffee”), they do not suggest that caffeine reduces the risk of dementia nor do they suggest it could help to slow or prevent the symptoms. Caution should also be taken when consuming drinks with caffeine, particularly those with a high sugar content (such as energy drinks), as too much caffeine or sugar can have negative effects on health.
Click on the link for more informationNature NeuroscienceA Current Affair video link
CAFFEINE SHOWN TO IMPROVE MEMORY PERFORMANCE
UNDERSTAND NEW RESEARCH
Dementia News 2
VITAMIN E SLOWING DOWN THE RATE OF FUNCTIONAL DECLINE IN PEOPLE WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
In one of the largest long term clinical trials to date, research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has shown that taking a high daily dose of vitamin E can slow down the progression of some symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. The study involved 613 people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease who participated in the trial between 2007 and 2012. All participants were also taking a cholinesterase inhibitor (a class of medications that provide temporary relief of some of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease for some people). Participants were divided into treatment groups: one was given a high dose of vitamin E; and another given a placebo. The duration of treatment ranged from six months to four years.
The researchers found that while vitamin E did not affect the rate of decline in memory abilities, it did slow the rate of decline in functional activities (activities such as having a shower, getting dressed and eating, as measured by the Activities of Daily Living scale). On average, the difference between groups in the rate of decline in functional activities was about six months. Measured another way, those who took vitamin E required on average two hours less care each day than those on the placebo.
This is an important finding, and adds to the growing body of evidence that suggests vitamin E might be beneficial for people with Alzheimer’s disease. However, caution should be taken before making any changes to your diet. Dementia News asked lead researcher Dr Maurice Dysken if there may be any side effects to taking vitamin E and he said; “we didn’t find any side effects in our study but extra caution should be taken for those prescribed warfarin because of a potential interaction with vitamin E that could result in an increased risk of bleeding episodes”. He went on to say “we recommend that any prescribing [of vitamin E] should be under the supervision of a primary care provider”.
What is Dr Dysken doing next? He said; “we hope the results of the study stimulates interest in testing other antioxidants and trying to understand the mechanism of action in this disease. It would be interesting to see if a combination of vitamin E with aerobic exercise might also be beneficial”.
Click on the link for further informationJournal of the American Medical Association
Vitamin E is is the collective name for a group of compounds that have antioxidant and other properties. It is found naturally in some foods (for example, nuts, seeds and vegetable oils), and can also be taken as a dietary supplement (e.g. tablet). Scientists think that vitamin E’s antioxidant properties may help prevent or delay certain chronic diseases (including, possibly, Alzheimer’s disease). Find out more here and please seek medical advice before taking dietary supplements or making changes to your diet.
3 Dementia News
LINK FOUND BETWEEN ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND ANAEMIA
Melbourne scientists have discovered a link between Alzheimer’s disease and anaemia in a study which has the potential to improve the quality of life for people with these major diseases.
The study, published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry tested iron levels and related blood chemistry in over 1,100 volunteers aged over 60 who were tested over a period of several years as part of the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle Flagship Study of Ageing (AIBL study).
The scientists compared results between groups that either had Alzheimer’s disease, complaints about their memory or were considered healthy. The study found that having Alzheimer’s disease caused a lowering of blood hemoglobin levels, and was a major risk factor for developing anaemia. It is already known that anaemia worsens cognitive decline.
Professor Ashley Bush, Chief Scientist at the CRC for Mental Health and professor at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health said “anaemia is a deficiency in red blood cells and can be caused by a variety of factors such as poor diet or blood loss. Older people more frequently develop a type of anaemia that cannot be treated by any available drugs or supplements. We’ve shown that Alzheimer’s disease may be the explanation for this treatment-resistant anaemia, as it is itself a new cause for anaemia that cannot be explained by other factors”.
He went on to say that “common symptoms of anaemia include concentration difficulties, fatigue and mood changes. So the research suggests that Alzheimer’s disease lowers hemoglobin and leads to an increased risk for anaemia, which in turn can be having an effect on memory, concentration and learning”.
The research provides a new insight into treatment-resistant anaemia in old age which until now, has remained something of a medical mystery.
Click on the links for more informationMolecular Psychiatry
Dementia News thanks the Mental Health CRC for providing this article.
4 Dementia News
Crosswords, Sudoku puzzles and brain teasers – what role do they play in improving brain performance and reducing the risk of dementia? Dementia News spoke with international expert in brain training and intervention, Professor George Rebok from John Hopkins University in the USA. When asked how important it is to keep challenging your brain, he said “I would certainly recommend that people in their early 50s and 60s undertake brain training activities. It is important that people find ways to exercise their brains as part of their everyday lives. Just as some people might take the stairs instead of the lift to exercise their bodies, we can do the same for our brains”.
While common brain training examples are crosswords and puzzles, Professor Rebok said “some other simple examples might be trying to do calculations on paper rather than automatically reaching for a calculator; reading a book or a newspaper article and then discussing it with a friend; studying a painting for a few minutes and then trying to remember everything you saw; or memorising your grocery list rather than just writing it down”.
Professor Rebok and his research team have recently published an article in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society which found that those who undertook intensive brain training exercises have a slower decline on certain measures of cognitive performance - ten years later. Over 2,800 participants took part in the trial. On average the participants were 73 years old and none of them were diagnosed with dementia. Each participant was randomly assigned to treatment groups involving training for memory, reasoning and speed of processing, as well as a no-contact control group.
Initially, ten 60 to 75–minute training sessions took place over a five-week period and optional sessions were provided again after 11 and 35 months.
What the researchers found is that the participation in the initial intensive brain training sessions resulted in a slower decline in peoples’ ability to undertake normal daily activities compared to those who did not undertake any brain training. While the intensive brain training sessions did not result in a dramatic improvement in memory function, there was evidence of enduring benefits to participants’ reasoning abilities and their speed of processing ten years later.
Professor Rebok said “this is a stunning result because it suggests that fairly modest intervention in learning and practicing cognitive skills can have relatively long term effects beyond what we might reasonably expect. However, our study did not include formal clinical diagnoses of dementia, making it difficult to say whether the training has any real effect on reducing risk of developing dementia”.
When asked for his recommendations for people looking to improve cognitive performance, he said “I think people should engage in multiple activities to improve their brain performance, not just one thing. Just as you would not only do one physical exercise (e.g. push-ups) to improve your physical performance, improving cognitive performance requires you to engage in multiple cognitive activities”.
You can find out more on how to improve your brain health by visiting the Alzheimer’s Australia dementia risk reduction program www.yourbrainmatters.org.au
Click on the link for further informationJournal of American Geriatrics Society
DISCUSS THE SCIENCETHE EFFECTS OF BRAIN TRAINING STILL BEING SEEN TEN YEARS LATER
5 Dementia News
PARTICIPATE TO LEARN MORE
NATIONAL CONSUMER ADVISORY GROUPS ON DEMENTIA LOOKING FOR NEW MEMBERSDo you have dementia, or do you care for someone with dementia? Are you interested in having a say about the needs of people with dementia in Australia?
Alzheimer’s Australia has a number of national consumer advisory groups that are currently looking for new members. These groups work with our organisation, along with policy makers and researchers from across Australia, to advocate for the needs of people with dementia and set priorities for future work. Members of the groups provide their perspective on what matters to them and are not expected to be experts in policy or research.
To find out more about the different opportunities that are available please contact Samantha Blake E: [email protected] P: (08) 6271 1007 M: 0457 343 490.
MAKE DEMENTIA RESEARCH A PRIORITY AT THE G20 SUMMIT - SIGN THE PETITION
Help Alzheimer’s Australia get 20,000 signatures for a petition to Tony Abbott to get dementia on the agenda of the G20 meeting in Australia in November.
Australia has shown international leadership on dementia and the G20 is an opportunity to take this to the next level. The recent G8 Dementia Summit led to a commitment to increase global funding for dementia research and to build upon multi-lateral partnerships to strengthen research efforts and meet the challenges of dementia. More information about the outcomes of the G8 Dementia Summit are in its summit communiqué and summit declaration.
Dementia is set to have a global economic impact with projections that by 2050 there will be 135 million people world-wide with dementia. The current worldwide cost of dementia care is over US$600 billion, or around 1% of global GDP. If dementia care were a country, it would rank as the world’s 18th largest economy. We’re urging the Prime Minister to build on action taken at the recent G8 Dementia Summit and place dementia prominently on the G20 agenda.
The goal is to get 20,000 signatures for the petition. Show your support by signing the petition and sharing the petition with your friends and family - http://bit.ly/M6BzOz
Dementia News 6
PROTECTING PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA FROM FINANCIAL ABUSEIf you are a person with dementia or care for someone with dementia who has experienced some form of financial abuse in the past, we invite you to share your story with us.
Alzheimer’s Australia NSW is conducting research about past instances of financial abuse of people with dementia. We hope that the research will raise awareness of the issue and develop solutions to reduce the incidence and impact of financial abuse.
You can help us by participating in an interview and telling us about your experiences. Participants will receive a $50 gift voucher as a thank you for their time and for sharing their experience.
NSW based service providers and professionals can also help by completing an online survey about their experiences of supporting people with dementia who have been financially abused and suggestions for preventing people with dementia from becoming victims of financial abuse.
The survey will take 10-20 minutes to complete.
You are not required to provide any information that can identify you. By completing the survey you consent to having your responses used in a consolidated form. The research project has received ethics approval from the Macquarie University Ethics Committee.
You can access the survey at the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/financial_abuse_of_people_with_dementia
We understand these experiences could be difficult and traumatic to talk about for some people. If you would like to talk to a counsellor, please contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500.
Please note that Alzheimer’s Australia NSW will not be able to help you retrieve money or property stolen as a result of financial abuse. Please contact the NSW Police if you wish to pursue this.
To find out more about the research and to register your interest in participating, please contact Kylie Sait, Research and Policy Officer at Alzheimer’s Australia NSW. Phone: (02) 8875 4641Email: [email protected]
The findings from the research will be reported in an Alzheimer’s Australia NSW discussion paper that will provide policy recommendations to Government and practice recommendations for the human service sector. We will also report the research findings at conferences, in journal articles and at community education events.
A copy of the discussion paper will be available on the Alzheimer’s Australia NSW website in mid-2014.
What is financial abuse?• Financial abuse includes a range of conduct,
including:• making money or property• Forging a person’s signature• Getting a person to sign a deed, will, or power
of attorney through deception, coercion, or undue influence
• Using a person’s property or possessions without permission
• Promising lifelong care in exchange for money or property and not following through on the promise
• ‘Cons’ - the use of deception to gain victims’ confidence
• Fraud - deception, trickery, false pretence, or dishonest acts or statements for financial gain
• Telemarketing scams
7 Dementia News
DICK SMITH FOODS $1 MILLION TO CHARITY YOU DECIDE WHERE IT GOES
Dick Smith Foods will donate $1 million to 74 charities from 1st January to 31st December 2014, and the supporters of Dick Smith Foods will be the sole decision makers as to where the money will go
Alzheimer’s Australia Dementia Research Foundation is one of the charities that you can vote for.
If you have a dick smith food product in your pantry here is how you can enter:• Take a photo of the product/s in your pantry• Email it to [email protected] • Name the charity you wish to support
More information here
THE CANBERRA COMPUTERISED COGNITIVE TRAINING TRIAL - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED• Are you over the age of 60?• Do you have concerns regarding your memory and/
or mood (e.g. depression, anxiety)?• Do you have home access to a computer with
internet?• Are you able to dedicate some time over 12 weeks
(mostly from your home)?
If you answered YES to these questions, we would love to hear from you!
Researchers at the Australian National University (ANU) are currently conducting a research trial designed to assess the benefits of computerised cognitive training for older individuals with mild cognitive impairment and/or mood-related problems. Computer experience is not essential.To register your interest, get in touch today by contacting:Ms Shannon Webb T: 02 6125 8288Dr Alex Bahar-Fuchs T: 02 6125 9705Or email: [email protected]
WHEN SHOULD I STOP DRIVING - DEMENTIA AND DRIVING: A DECISION AID
If you have dementia and drive a car, researchers at the University of Wollongong would like to invite you to participate in a telephone survey.
All participants will be mailed a free information booklet on driving and dementia. The aim of the study is to seek your feedback on this booklet.
For more information about joining this study please contact:
Dr John Carmody MRCPI FRACP Staff Specialist Neurologist, Wollongong Hospital
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: (02) 4253 4430 or 0427 468 544 (Australian residents) Telephone: 0061 2 4253 4430 or 0061 4 2746 8544 (New Zealand residents)
Dementia News 8
CONTACT
This newsletter was funded by the Australian Government as well as the Dementia Collaborative Research Centre: Carers and Consumers © Alzheimer’s Australia as represented by the Dementia Collaborative Research Centre: Carers and Consumers, 2011DISCLAIMER:The views expressed in this work are the views of its author/s and not necessarily those of the Australian Government.
Any questions or comments are welcome.To subscribe/unsubscribe or if you have any information you would like to see included in future editions please contact:E: [email protected] P: (02) 6278 8916
NATIONAL DEMENTIAHELPLINE1800 100 500
PARTICIPANTS WITH CONFIRMED MEMORY COMPLAINTS REQUIRED IN WESTERN AUSTRALIAResearchers from the University of Western Australia are seeking people over the age of 50 with confirmed memory complaints for a study investigating differences in our ability to perform two mental tasks at the same time. The researchers are looking at your ability to hold two tasks in mind at the same time, and to control what information you concentrate on.
Participation entails coming to the researchers’ Fremantle office for around 2 hours for some assessments of your memory and other thinking skills. The aim of the research is to help understand if and in what ways mental control abilities change with age-related illnesses. With your help, we can add to our knowledge about abnormal ageing. You will receive up to $15 to help cover travel expenses. If you have a friend/partner who is also interested in participating, please let the researchers know, as you may be able to complete the tasks together.
To help, please leave a message for Talitha Lowndes P: 08 6488 7342 E: [email protected]. For more information please visit the website: http://tinyurl.com/multitaskingAZ