TeamAlzheimers.org

Socioeconomic and Cultural Implications

Alzheimer's Hits Minorities Especially Hard

As more Americans benefit from life-saving medical innovations, deaths from illnesses like cancer and heart disease are on the decline. But longer lives are leaving us vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease, which is now killing more elderly Americans than ever before -- especially blacks and Hispanics�

REASONS FOR RUNNING

More Stories From Our Runners

We have so many wonderful runners with their own reasons for being a part of the Team. Please read inside as a few more runners tell their stories.

DISAPPOINTING NEWS FOR TREATING ALZHEIMER'S

Pfizer, Medivation�s Drug
Fails in Alzheimer�s Study

By Michelle Fay Cortez

Pfizer Inc. and Medivation Inc. said their experimental Dimebon drug for Alzheimer�s disease failed to benefit patients in an advanced study, sending Medivation shares plunging.

The results of the 600-person trial counter an earlier study in Russia that found improvement in patients getting Dimebon. Medivation, which has no marketed products, dropped 67 percent in Nasdaq trading. Development of the drug may be halted, said Raghuram Selvaraju, head of health-care research at Hapoalim Securities USA Inc., in New York�

DREW GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND

Casino Night Fundraiser To Be
Held for TeamAlzheimers

TeamAlzheimers runner Drew Paradis has been featured in his local newspaper the Ware River News for his fundraising efforts on behalf of TeamAlzheimers. This is Drew�s third year running with TeamAlzheimers. His passion, enthusiasm and commitment go far beyond our expectations. Congratulations Drew and we hope for a very successful Casino night.

Please enjoy the article inside�

LEGISLATION FOR ALZHEIMER'S PROJECT OFFICE

Bayh, Collins Combat Alzheimer�s Disease

National office would coordinate federal research
to improve treatment and prevention; develop a cure

Washington � Senators Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced legislation Wednesday to create the country�s first national office responsible for leading government efforts to treat and prevent Alzheimer�s disease. Located within the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Alzheimer�s Project Office would coordinate and oversee federal research on Alzheimer�s disease to develop a plan to combat the disease and to eventually develop a cure�

HEALTHY WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR BRAIN

5 Ways To Keep Your Brain Healthy

By Lila Havens

Alzheimer's is a devastating brain disease, and the exact cause isn't known. But researchers continue to search for answers. They hope to find better treatments and ways to prevent the disease.

You can't control two of the strongest risk factors for the disease: age and family history. But experts are finding that in fact, lifestyle may play a very important role in who gets Alzheimer's and who doesn't�

HEAD INJURIES AND DEMENTIA

Will Science Take the Field?
By DEBORAH BLUM

THE warning in The Journal of the American Medical Association is not ambiguous: �There is a very definite brain injury due to single or repeated blows on the head or jaw which cause multiple concussion hemorrhages. ... The condition can no longer be ignored by the medical profession or the public��

WHAT'S NORMAL AGING

When Do Memory Lapses,
Common With Age, Signal A Problem?

By Rachel Saslow
The Washington Post

Where did I park my car?

What is that lady's name?

Where are my glasses?

Some call these "senior moments" or "tip-of-the-tongue" experiences. They're mundane for many elderly (and not-so-elderly) adults, but when do they become something more serious? How does one know when it's time to get screened for a memory disorder?

"The reason it's becoming such an acute concern for everybody is that baby boomers are starting to get into the higher-risk age group, but the bigger driver for this is the baby boomers' parents," says James Lah, an Emory University neurologist, who is 48 and has parents ages 73 and 81. "That age bracket is very high risk, and seeing it in our parents makes you acutely aware and afraid of that prospect." �

UNDERSTANDING APATHY

Apathy a Common Problem in Alzheimer�s

Most people think of memory loss when they think of Alzheimer�s. But the disease can cause a wide range of behavioral and personality changes as well. One of the most common is apathy, or loss of motivation, and the condition seems to have a biological basis. Using brain scans, researchers in Sweden report that changes in the brain�s white matter are a common feature in apathetic patients who have Alzheimer�s or other forms of dementia�

TAKE CARE OF THOSE LESS FORTUNATE

Happy Valentine's Day

For most of us, Valentine�s Day is a time when we exchange loving sentiments with those closest to us. I already know that before the day ends, my husband, David, will surprise me with some sweet gift and a card that expresses his love. And, of course, I have a card and a special surprise with his name attached. Our family valentine exchange extends to our children, to our mothers, and to others we hold especially dear�