Who Me? A Brain Research
Volunteer?
Progress on cognitive health, dementia, caregiving, and aging treatments lags because there are simply not enough people volunteering to participate in research. Making a difference starts with understanding what research looks like. Clinical trials range from things one can do from the couch or home office, to complex clinical trial in major medical centers.
Caring Connections hosts aging advocate Mike Splaine for a virtual chat to discuss the hows and whys of participating in brain health research. This presentation is helpful for anyone interested in research, especially those with family members experiencing cognitive decline.
This free virtual event will be Tuesday, September 27th at 7:30pm EST
Register HERE.
World Alzheimer’s Report
The World Alzheimer Report 2022 has launched! The Alzheimer’s Disease International World Alzheimer Report: ‘Life after diagnosis: Navigating treatment, care and support’, launched September 21st, on World Alzheimer’s Day. Within the report, there is a collection of essays covering the many facets of life following a diagnosis of dementia, written by experts from around the world – whether they be researchers, health and social care professionals, informal carers, or people living with dementia.
Mike Splaine’s essay ‘A Demographic and Community Challenge: People Living Alone with Dementia’ can be found in the report. The essay outlines how people living alone with dementia can live well and how people who live alone with dementia can be better supported. Some key factors to supporting these people include building a care community, innovations in housing and service delivery, and ensuring people who live alone with dementia are better represented in large-scale research studies.
Race, Ethnicity, and Dementia
Black patients do want to help with medical research. Here are ways to overcome the barriers that keep clinical trials from recruiting diverse populations:
- Pre-screen potential study participants by looking through their electronic medical records and provider referrals. Proactively reach out to these qualifying patients.
- Train research staff, hospital administration, faculty, and students on the study, on how to interact with underserved and underrepresented patients.
- Encourage clinicians and researchers to create a safe space for participants to be able to ask questions.
- If possible, allow flexibility to the study to accommidate a patient’s schedule and other factors.
Indian Health Service Announces Investment to Address Alzheimer’s Disease in Indian Country on World Alzheimer’s Day.
The Indian Health Service is announced $662,176 in cooperative agreements for tribal and urban Indian health clinics and systems to develop models incorporating comprehensive approaches to care and service for people living with dementia, and their caregivers.
Recruitment Partners at NADSA
The 2022 NADSA National Conference takes place October 12-14 in Pittsburgh PA. The conference will include workshops, educational sessions and vendor showcases hosted by NADSA strategic partners.
The conference will focus on:
- Established and novel programs and services across the nation
- Advocacy efforts to secure policy and funding changes needed to expand the industry
- Partnerships that serve programs and participants and expand service offerings
- Strengthening ADS programs in individual communities and around the nation.
The Recruitment Partners’ team, including Managing Partner Mike Splaine, will be attending the event. We look forward to seeing you there!
What’s Happening in the Alzheimer’s Field?
Mount Sinai AI uncovers new brain analysis method to help predict dementia
Overall, according to the developers of the AI model, the trained deep learning algorithm was able to predict the presence of cognitive impairment “with a modest accuracy that was significantly greater than chance. The deep learning model may not yet be ready for widespread use – especially since follow-up analyses weren’t entirely able to understand how the AI reached some of its predictions – but the researchers expressed optimism that it and other similar algorithms could one day be used to improve diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. Learn more HERE.
Alzheimer’s researchers are looking beyond plaques and tangles for new treatments
Researchers continue to explore potential Alzheimer’s risk factors beyond plaques and tangles such as genes, brain injury, clogged arteries and inflammation, to develop new effective AD treatments. While both plaque and tangle proteins can be present in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s, their role in killing brain cells is still unclear. Recent experimental drugs have succeeded in removing amyloid plaques and tau tangles from the brain, but have fallen short in stopping the progression of the disease. Researchers continue to look further into new treatments. Learn more HERE.
UCSD Alzheimer’s Study
The UC San Diego Alzheimer’s study is seeking participants who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, aged 50-83, and who live in the San Diego area. Study participants receive Memantine, an FDA approved medication for Alzheimer’s disease and participants are compensated for their time.
Interested? Fill out this interest survey HERE.
LEAF Study
Do you have caregivers of persons with AD in your network that may benefit from participating in positive emotion research? CLICK HERE to view the LEAF Study flyer or visit the study website.
Here is a testimonial from one of the participants: “I enjoyed this study for a number of reasons. The one stand out is that it was time “to myself” and it was meant to improve my life. Grateful for being part of it.”
Interested in joining the study? Fill out this pre-screener survey.