[Source: Scott Huscher, ASUWebDevil] - Although many wouldn’t think ski poles could fight the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD), a new Arizona State University study is trying to prove just that.
“Exercise training in Parkinson’s disease: Neural and functional benefits” aims to see if exercise is a key component in decreasing the symptoms of PD. The study will utilize “polestriding,” which is walking with the aid of ski-like poles. Also known as Nordic walking, the poles will help with balance, which many people with PD have trouble with.
“PD is a progressive disease in which the cells in an area of the brain called the substantia nigra that produce the neurotransmitter called dopamine keep dying,” said Narayanan Krishnamurthi, principal investigator for the study and assistant professor of research at ASU’s Center for Adaptive Neural Systems in the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering. “So if exercise can protect neurons or it can create new neurons it’s a good possibility that the progression of the disease can be stopped or reversed.”
Krishnamurthi said that he was motivated to do the study based on previous reports that animals with PD-like symptoms benefited from exercise.
“The animals that participated in the exercise program had less severe symptoms and didn’t lose as many neurons as the animals that didn’t participate in the exercise.” Krishnamurthi said.
Krishnamurthi said that other studies have shown that people with higher cardiac and aerobic fitness have better brain health than those who do not regularly exercise.
“This study investigates the functional benefits with respect to motor and non-motor symptoms before and after the exercise training for 12 weeks,” Krishnamurthi said.
This study, which was recently funded by the National Institutes of Health, is a collaborative effort between the Center for Adaptive Neural Systems at ASU, the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at the Barrow Neurological Institute, the PET Imaging Center at the Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, and the Christopher Center for Parkinson’s Research at Sun Health Research Institute.
It will involve sixteen participants with PD between the ages of 50-70, because PD usually has its onset after the age of 50.
Each participant will be involved in a 36-week period in which half of the participants will receive PET scans before and after the exercise period to see if there are any positive changes in their brain glucose consumption. The PET scans will be conducted at the Banner Alzheimer’s Institute.
“We’ll see if the exercise training produces changes in the brain metabolic activity patterns from abnormal patterns specific to PD towards the patterns of healthy people,” Krishnamurthi said. “That will give us an indication whether exercise is capable of improving brain health in PD.”
The functional outcome measurements will be completed at the Sun Health Research Institute in Sun City. The exercise sessions will be conducted by Darolyn O’Donnell, recreation therapy coordinator at the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at the Barrow Neurological Institute.
“What we aim to do is establish and provide exercise therapy people can do on their own,” O’Donnell said.
The initial idea to use poles came from a personal experience. James Abbas, a co-investigator on the study and co-director of the Center for Adaptive Neural Systems at ASU, learned about how the use of poles can increase the intensity of walking exercise and observed how they helped his mother feel more secure while walking. Since previous research results suggested an important role for exercise and clinical experience pointed to the need for some assistance during walking, the team decided to go forward with the study.
O’Donnell also said that the polestriding was chosen because it provides balance, helps work the upper body and targets core muscle. It’s also more aerobic than normal walking.
The exercise will last 45 minutes to an hour, three times per week.
Right now, the study is still in its initial phases, setting up software and hardware and recruiting participants for the study. Krishnamurthi said they should begin data collection with the first group of participants either this February or March.
“If it is really beneficial, it will be very helpful to alleviate the symptoms since current treatments do not provide cure and are generally ineffective during advanced stages of the disease,” Krishnamurthi said.
If the exercise helps fight against symptoms of PD, he said it will help those with PD everywhere.
“Since exercise can be done in any part of the world, people in underdeveloped countries where medical treatment for diseases like PD is not easily affordable can also benefit significantly.”
Showing posts with label Sun Health Research Institute. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sun Health Research Institute. Show all posts
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
Sun Health launches Parkinson's study
[Source: AzCentral.com] - The Michael J. Fox Foundation has awarded the Sun Health Research Institute a $75,000 grant to study new equipment that treats Parkinson's disease, adding to the growing list of activities at the Northwest Valley research facility.
The Parkinson's study is the institute's first major undertaking since it was acquired by Banner Health in September. The merger gave the institute a larger talent pool of scientists for such studies, since it now has access to resources at the Banner Alzheimer's Institute, a research facility in Phoenix.
The growth in local medical research doesn't only mean access to top-notch care for local residents. It is another piece in the economic-development puzzle for Surprise, the Sun Cities and other area communities, improving their prospects for attracting high-paying jobs in the fields of health and sciences.
"It just sort of shows there's activity going on here, and it plays into our overall strategy in trying to create some jobs in the whole medical arena, whether it's health care or research and development," Surprise Economic Development Director John Hagen said.
The new Parkinson's study examines the use of Nexalin headgear, a pad that attaches to patients' forehead. Electrodes connected to the pad emit low-frequency triggers that are supposed to stop Parkinson's tremors. The treatments are administered one hour a day, five days a week, for two weeks during the study.
What has researchers excited is Nexalin's "no fuss, no muss" appeal. Surgery is not required for the treatment.
"The procedure is non-invasive because it's actually headgear that you wear. It would be invasive if it went inside your body," said Banner Health spokeswoman Elle Shelley.
The Institute has six participants for the study, and a goal of getting 18 more.
Since opening its clinical-trial program eight years ago, Sun Health has conducted a variety of studies, and the Parkinson's trial is just one of a handful currently getting underway, according to Brian Browne, the Research Institute's public information officer. Eleven clinical studies are preparing to enroll participants, he said.
Most of Sun Health's trials involve those afflicted with Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, though one underway is a bladder-cancer clinical trial.
Browne said the Valley, particularly retirement areas like the Sun Cities, are prime targets for such clinical studies because it is in these communities "where we are seeing a number of neurological degenerative diseases of aging."
Browne said the recent merger of Banner and Sun Health "has positively impacted the way we do clinical trials. Some of our clinical trials are done in conjunction with our sister institute, Banner Alzheimer's Institute in Phoenix, and when you have that kind of synergy, you do much more in collaboration than separtely."
Banner's ownership transition, however, will continue to affect Surprise's efforts to get a biotech campus off the ground, Hagen said.
"Until that acquisition is fully digested, they're not going to be as big a player as we like," Hagen said, adding he expects the transition to last another six to 12 months.
Surprise, however, continues to pursue other medical and biotechnology opportunities.
The city recently announced that three science-related firms are interested in leasing the old City Hall building on Bell Road to serve as an incubator for start-up companies. City leaders are weighing each option, and a decision eventually will go before the City Council.
The city will not elaborate on the proposals until discussions proceed, Hagen said.
The city also has identified several key land parcels with potential for biotech development. It has put the most emphasis on 500-plus acres south of Bell Road and Bullard Avenue that is expected to become the future downtown. Sun Health Properties, a land-ownership group separate from the research institute, has a stake in that property.
There also is land at the city's Southwest Railplex, bordered by Peoria Avenue and Dysart, Waddell and Litchfield roads, and at the Prasada development along Loop 303, Hagen said.
For information on the new Parkinson's clinical trial, call 623-875-6500.
The Parkinson's study is the institute's first major undertaking since it was acquired by Banner Health in September. The merger gave the institute a larger talent pool of scientists for such studies, since it now has access to resources at the Banner Alzheimer's Institute, a research facility in Phoenix.
The growth in local medical research doesn't only mean access to top-notch care for local residents. It is another piece in the economic-development puzzle for Surprise, the Sun Cities and other area communities, improving their prospects for attracting high-paying jobs in the fields of health and sciences.
"It just sort of shows there's activity going on here, and it plays into our overall strategy in trying to create some jobs in the whole medical arena, whether it's health care or research and development," Surprise Economic Development Director John Hagen said.
The new Parkinson's study examines the use of Nexalin headgear, a pad that attaches to patients' forehead. Electrodes connected to the pad emit low-frequency triggers that are supposed to stop Parkinson's tremors. The treatments are administered one hour a day, five days a week, for two weeks during the study.
What has researchers excited is Nexalin's "no fuss, no muss" appeal. Surgery is not required for the treatment.
"The procedure is non-invasive because it's actually headgear that you wear. It would be invasive if it went inside your body," said Banner Health spokeswoman Elle Shelley.
The Institute has six participants for the study, and a goal of getting 18 more.
Since opening its clinical-trial program eight years ago, Sun Health has conducted a variety of studies, and the Parkinson's trial is just one of a handful currently getting underway, according to Brian Browne, the Research Institute's public information officer. Eleven clinical studies are preparing to enroll participants, he said.
Most of Sun Health's trials involve those afflicted with Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, though one underway is a bladder-cancer clinical trial.
Browne said the Valley, particularly retirement areas like the Sun Cities, are prime targets for such clinical studies because it is in these communities "where we are seeing a number of neurological degenerative diseases of aging."
Browne said the recent merger of Banner and Sun Health "has positively impacted the way we do clinical trials. Some of our clinical trials are done in conjunction with our sister institute, Banner Alzheimer's Institute in Phoenix, and when you have that kind of synergy, you do much more in collaboration than separtely."
Banner's ownership transition, however, will continue to affect Surprise's efforts to get a biotech campus off the ground, Hagen said.
"Until that acquisition is fully digested, they're not going to be as big a player as we like," Hagen said, adding he expects the transition to last another six to 12 months.
Surprise, however, continues to pursue other medical and biotechnology opportunities.
The city recently announced that three science-related firms are interested in leasing the old City Hall building on Bell Road to serve as an incubator for start-up companies. City leaders are weighing each option, and a decision eventually will go before the City Council.
The city will not elaborate on the proposals until discussions proceed, Hagen said.
The city also has identified several key land parcels with potential for biotech development. It has put the most emphasis on 500-plus acres south of Bell Road and Bullard Avenue that is expected to become the future downtown. Sun Health Properties, a land-ownership group separate from the research institute, has a stake in that property.
There also is land at the city's Southwest Railplex, bordered by Peoria Avenue and Dysart, Waddell and Litchfield roads, and at the Prasada development along Loop 303, Hagen said.
For information on the new Parkinson's clinical trial, call 623-875-6500.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Reliability Of Cognitive Assessment Tool Varies Widely, Study Suggests
[Source: ScienceDaily] - A new suggests the reliability of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale – Cognitive (ADAS-Cog) may vary and possess the ability to affect clinical trial outcomes.
Moreover, this study further suggests that ADAS-Cog rater training and experience are factors that contribute to variances seen in this assessment tool.
The importance of a reliable diagnosis of the Alzheimer's disease (AD) is critical as new pharmacotherapies are being developed. The ADAS-cog is considered the gold-standard and the most popular cognitive testing instrument used in clinical trials to detect changes in the core symptoms of AD.
This study critically looks at various factors that might influence the way the ADAS-cog is administered and therefore may lead to and yield unintended outcomes. The study found factors such as rater training, rater education, variance in time allotment during testing as well as rater experience and individual judgment may contribute to variance in scoring when using this assessment.
"Clinical trials for the possible treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias are becoming more expansive and being run in many countries. The necessity for the primary outcome instrument to be administered consistently in different countries, cultures and between different clinical trials is critical if we are to determine which treatment works better than others. Any variability in how the instruments are administered can adversely affect the ability to detect positive outcomes," says Donald Connor PhD, PhD, director of neuropsychology at Banner Health's Sun Health Research Institute.
Rater experiences were not the only factors that contributed to variances in ADAS-cog scoring. The study also suggested that test materials changed over time including large ranges in the quality of naming materials, word card decks, instruction manuals and worksheets, all factors that can affect outcomes.
"Even as we try to develop better instruments for the detection of meaningful change we must make sure that our current instruments are utilized as effectively as possible," Dr. Connor says. "As the population continues to age rapidly and new Alzheimer's medications are being developed, it is critical that all who are involved in clinical evaluation and testing does so with precision and consistency."
The study is published in the November issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease (Volume 15:3).
Moreover, this study further suggests that ADAS-Cog rater training and experience are factors that contribute to variances seen in this assessment tool.
The importance of a reliable diagnosis of the Alzheimer's disease (AD) is critical as new pharmacotherapies are being developed. The ADAS-cog is considered the gold-standard and the most popular cognitive testing instrument used in clinical trials to detect changes in the core symptoms of AD.
This study critically looks at various factors that might influence the way the ADAS-cog is administered and therefore may lead to and yield unintended outcomes. The study found factors such as rater training, rater education, variance in time allotment during testing as well as rater experience and individual judgment may contribute to variance in scoring when using this assessment.
"Clinical trials for the possible treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias are becoming more expansive and being run in many countries. The necessity for the primary outcome instrument to be administered consistently in different countries, cultures and between different clinical trials is critical if we are to determine which treatment works better than others. Any variability in how the instruments are administered can adversely affect the ability to detect positive outcomes," says Donald Connor PhD, PhD, director of neuropsychology at Banner Health's Sun Health Research Institute.
Rater experiences were not the only factors that contributed to variances in ADAS-cog scoring. The study also suggested that test materials changed over time including large ranges in the quality of naming materials, word card decks, instruction manuals and worksheets, all factors that can affect outcomes.
"Even as we try to develop better instruments for the detection of meaningful change we must make sure that our current instruments are utilized as effectively as possible," Dr. Connor says. "As the population continues to age rapidly and new Alzheimer's medications are being developed, it is critical that all who are involved in clinical evaluation and testing does so with precision and consistency."
The study is published in the November issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease (Volume 15:3).
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Banner completes acquisition of Sun Health
[Source: Ken Alltucker , The Arizona Republic] - Banner Health this week completed its $316 million purchase of Sun Health Corp. and immediately swapped out the management teams and changed the names of Sun Health's two hospitals located in the Sun City area.
Long-time fixtures in the Sun City and Sun City West communities, the facilities are now named Banner Boswell Medical Center and Banner Del. E. Webb Medical Center.
Up to 40 duplicate executive and administrative positions have been eliminated as a result of the merger, and more positions may be impacted as hospital operations are converted over the coming months, Banner representatives said Tuesday. Non-executives whose jobs are eliminated will receive job-assistance service through Banner's career-transition center.
The deal bolsters Banner's position as Arizona's largest hospital group, creating a dominant 11-hospital organization with about 28,000 employees, 3,300 beds, and significant influence over the Valley's health-care system. Banner is the second-largest private employer in the Phoenix area, trailing only Wal-Mart.
"All of our planning efforts have been focused on this week for a long time," Banner CEO Peter Fine said. The Sun City communities "can expect Banner to continue to invest resources into their community to provide the best health-care service that we can and continue to support all the efforts they have had over time."
The Banner-Sun Health merger was announced nearly one year ago and received clearance from the Federal Trade Commission in late June, removing one potential regulatory hurdle to the combination of the two hospital groups.
In July, Banner issued about $1.3 billion in bonds to refinance debt, fund ongoing capital projects and pay for the $316 million purchase of Sun Health.
Terms of the merger required Banner to assume just over $200 million in Sun Health debt.
Three entities from the original Sun Health - Sun Health Foundation, Sun Health Auxiliary and Sun Health Properties - all will keep their name because they were not part of the merger.
Sun Health Research Institute (SHRI), which has drawn national acclaim for its research of age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's, will retain its name after the merger. But like the hospitals, its management was reshuffled.
SHRI CEO Joe Rogers agreed to step down and take a position as a staff scientist. Bill Camp was named CEO of Sun Health Research Institute and Marwan Sabbagh was named chief medical officer.
"I'm just going to be one of the scientists now," Rogers said Tuesday. "But I had a wonderful ride. I am looking forward to getting back in the lab and continue what I started 35 years ago: creating a cure," for Alzheimer's disease.
Banner representatives said that Sun Health's volunteers and community fundraising efforts will be pivotal to the hospital system's overall financial success. The Sun Health hospitals were heavily dependent on Medicare, which often reimburses at a lower rate than private insurers.
Other Sun Health entities that would be folded into Banner include Sun Health MediSun, Sun Health Boswell Rehabilitation Center, Sun Health Residence for Special Adults, Sun Health Olive Branch Senior Center and Sun Health Community Education & Wellness Center.
Meanwhile, Phoenix Children's Hospital is among the hospitals interested in the outcome of the Banner-Sun Health merger.
Last year, Phoenix Children's Hospital announced plans to open a pediatric urgent-care clinic with Sun Health at a planned medical campus in Surprise.
"That was moving along nicely before the merger, but it has since been on hold, appropriately so," said Robert Meyer, chief executive officer of Phoenix Children's Hospital. "We would obviously have an interest in continuing discussions."
Still, Banner is expanding its own children's hospital at Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa, and has significantly ramped up its pediatric services. It's unclear if Banner would need to partner with Phoenix Children's Hospital in Surprise.
Fine said Banner has not yet made a decision whether to continue the Surprise development.
"There are other things that were in early stages of development - Surprise being an example of one - that we will take our time and review," he said.
Meyer said Phoenix Children's Hospital has continued its expansion in the West Valley, purchasing a building near 51st Avenue and Loop 101 with plans to open a pediatric urgent-care facility there by mid-2009.
Long-time fixtures in the Sun City and Sun City West communities, the facilities are now named Banner Boswell Medical Center and Banner Del. E. Webb Medical Center.
Up to 40 duplicate executive and administrative positions have been eliminated as a result of the merger, and more positions may be impacted as hospital operations are converted over the coming months, Banner representatives said Tuesday. Non-executives whose jobs are eliminated will receive job-assistance service through Banner's career-transition center.
The deal bolsters Banner's position as Arizona's largest hospital group, creating a dominant 11-hospital organization with about 28,000 employees, 3,300 beds, and significant influence over the Valley's health-care system. Banner is the second-largest private employer in the Phoenix area, trailing only Wal-Mart.
"All of our planning efforts have been focused on this week for a long time," Banner CEO Peter Fine said. The Sun City communities "can expect Banner to continue to invest resources into their community to provide the best health-care service that we can and continue to support all the efforts they have had over time."
The Banner-Sun Health merger was announced nearly one year ago and received clearance from the Federal Trade Commission in late June, removing one potential regulatory hurdle to the combination of the two hospital groups.
In July, Banner issued about $1.3 billion in bonds to refinance debt, fund ongoing capital projects and pay for the $316 million purchase of Sun Health.
Terms of the merger required Banner to assume just over $200 million in Sun Health debt.
Three entities from the original Sun Health - Sun Health Foundation, Sun Health Auxiliary and Sun Health Properties - all will keep their name because they were not part of the merger.
Sun Health Research Institute (SHRI), which has drawn national acclaim for its research of age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's, will retain its name after the merger. But like the hospitals, its management was reshuffled.
SHRI CEO Joe Rogers agreed to step down and take a position as a staff scientist. Bill Camp was named CEO of Sun Health Research Institute and Marwan Sabbagh was named chief medical officer.
"I'm just going to be one of the scientists now," Rogers said Tuesday. "But I had a wonderful ride. I am looking forward to getting back in the lab and continue what I started 35 years ago: creating a cure," for Alzheimer's disease.
Banner representatives said that Sun Health's volunteers and community fundraising efforts will be pivotal to the hospital system's overall financial success. The Sun Health hospitals were heavily dependent on Medicare, which often reimburses at a lower rate than private insurers.
Other Sun Health entities that would be folded into Banner include Sun Health MediSun, Sun Health Boswell Rehabilitation Center, Sun Health Residence for Special Adults, Sun Health Olive Branch Senior Center and Sun Health Community Education & Wellness Center.
Meanwhile, Phoenix Children's Hospital is among the hospitals interested in the outcome of the Banner-Sun Health merger.
Last year, Phoenix Children's Hospital announced plans to open a pediatric urgent-care clinic with Sun Health at a planned medical campus in Surprise.
"That was moving along nicely before the merger, but it has since been on hold, appropriately so," said Robert Meyer, chief executive officer of Phoenix Children's Hospital. "We would obviously have an interest in continuing discussions."
Still, Banner is expanding its own children's hospital at Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa, and has significantly ramped up its pediatric services. It's unclear if Banner would need to partner with Phoenix Children's Hospital in Surprise.
Fine said Banner has not yet made a decision whether to continue the Surprise development.
"There are other things that were in early stages of development - Surprise being an example of one - that we will take our time and review," he said.
Meyer said Phoenix Children's Hospital has continued its expansion in the West Valley, purchasing a building near 51st Avenue and Loop 101 with plans to open a pediatric urgent-care facility there by mid-2009.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Alzheimer's research earns Joseph Rogers Lifetime Achievement Award at Health Care Heroes breakfast
[Phoenix Business Journal] - Joseph Rogers, president and senior scientist at Sun Health Research Institute, received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2008 Health Care Heroes Awards breakfast presented by the Phoenix Business Journal Thursday.
Rogers has been a research pioneer on the damage inflammation does to brain tissue in Alzheimer's patients. The work by Rogers and collaborating scientists allows researchers to test different treatments that may have a positive impact on Alzheimer's and other disorders.
Eleven others also were honored at the event sponsored by Blue Cross Shield of Arizona, Abrazo Health Care, Phoenix Children's Hospital, A.T. Still University, Delta Dental and The Plaza Cos. Thirty-one finalists were nominated in 11 categories. The other winners are:
First Responder: Chris Crockett, commander, Public Affairs Bureau, Phoenix Police Department.
Education: Barbara Kavanagh, president and founder, Arizona Myeloma Network; Dr. Craig Phelps, provost, A.T. Still University.
Service Philanthropy: Judy Mohraz, president, The Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust.
Community Outreach: James Washington, director of school based clinics, Abrazo Health Care.
Dental: Dr. Doug Beischel, chief of staff, John C. Lincoln Children's Dental Care.
Nurse: Elizabeth Campbell, clinical program manager, Translational Genomics Institute.
Nurse Leader: Sue Hanauer, vice president, patient care services, John C. Lincoln North Mountain Hospital.
Physician: Dr. Oliver Harper, senior physician and co-founder, Banner Arizona Medical Clinic.
Research/Innovator: William Duckworth, VA researcher, Phoenix VA Health Care System.
Volunteer: Gary Held, president, My Guy Remodeling.
Rogers has been a research pioneer on the damage inflammation does to brain tissue in Alzheimer's patients. The work by Rogers and collaborating scientists allows researchers to test different treatments that may have a positive impact on Alzheimer's and other disorders.
Eleven others also were honored at the event sponsored by Blue Cross Shield of Arizona, Abrazo Health Care, Phoenix Children's Hospital, A.T. Still University, Delta Dental and The Plaza Cos. Thirty-one finalists were nominated in 11 categories. The other winners are:
First Responder: Chris Crockett, commander, Public Affairs Bureau, Phoenix Police Department.
Education: Barbara Kavanagh, president and founder, Arizona Myeloma Network; Dr. Craig Phelps, provost, A.T. Still University.
Service Philanthropy: Judy Mohraz, president, The Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust.
Community Outreach: James Washington, director of school based clinics, Abrazo Health Care.
Dental: Dr. Doug Beischel, chief of staff, John C. Lincoln Children's Dental Care.
Nurse: Elizabeth Campbell, clinical program manager, Translational Genomics Institute.
Nurse Leader: Sue Hanauer, vice president, patient care services, John C. Lincoln North Mountain Hospital.
Physician: Dr. Oliver Harper, senior physician and co-founder, Banner Arizona Medical Clinic.
Research/Innovator: William Duckworth, VA researcher, Phoenix VA Health Care System.
Volunteer: Gary Held, president, My Guy Remodeling.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Power3 Medical Products, Inc. Provides Progress Report – NuroPro® Clinical Validation Study of Serum Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease
[Source: BUSINESS WIRE] - Power3 Medical Products, Inc. (OTCBB:PWRM), a leading proteomics company specializing in the development and commercialization of diagnostic tests for early detection of breast cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, is providing an interim status report of its international validation study of the company’s NuroPro® blood serum biomarker test for Alzheimer’s disease.
Power3 is currently conducting a 300-patient clinical validation study of its NuroPro® blood serum test for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease in collaboration with Dr. Marwan Sabbagh, the Director of Clinical Research at the Cleo Roberts Center of Clinical Research at the Sun Health Research Institute in Sun City, Arizona. “The preliminary results of the Power3’s study look very promising. Clinicians around the world look forward to adding a tool to diagnose and treat Alzheimer’s earlier and therefore give the best care to their patients,” says Dr. Sabbagh. To date, 92 Alzheimer and Control patient samples have been analyzed in Power3’s CLIA certified laboratory and have demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
“This study confirms Power3’s panel of Neurodegenerative biomarkers’ ability to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease with superior sensitivity and specificity with results in the 95% range. Additionally, the current study validates Power3’s collection, storage, shipping, processing, and biostatistical analysis methods,” says Dr. Essam Sheta, the Director of Power3’s CLIA laboratory. Power3 expects to conclude the initial Alzheimer’s validation study in September 2008 and publish the validation study results soon after.
“Power3 is planning to expand its validation study for NuroPro® to include two additional clinical sites within the U.S. Larger patient cohorts of different ethnic and environmental backgrounds will strengthen the validity of NuroPro’s® applicability in the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases,” Steven B. Rash, Chief Executive Officer, commented. Mr. Rash added “This study confirms that Power3 is rapidly approaching the stage to commercializing the first ever blood serum proteomic tests for the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases. These encouraging Alzheimer’s test results, and the numerous validation studies that are currently underway for Parkinson’s disease, ALS, and similar neurological disorders, demonstrates our commitment to bringing these tests to market in late 2008 or early 2009. We believe this test will be a major breakthrough for patients and physicians, as it will offer a means to detect neurodegenerative diseases at their earliest stages, allowing physicians to begin treatment at stages which will produce more positive outcomes.”
In addition to the Alzheimer’s clinical validation study being conducted in collaboration with Dr. Sabbagh, the Company continues its ongoing Parkinson’s validation study under the direction of the principal investigator, Dr. Katerina Markopoulou at the Research Institute at the University of Thessaly, Greece. Power3 expects to conclude this Parkinson’s validation study in September and will publish the results soon after.
Power3 is currently conducting a 300-patient clinical validation study of its NuroPro® blood serum test for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease in collaboration with Dr. Marwan Sabbagh, the Director of Clinical Research at the Cleo Roberts Center of Clinical Research at the Sun Health Research Institute in Sun City, Arizona. “The preliminary results of the Power3’s study look very promising. Clinicians around the world look forward to adding a tool to diagnose and treat Alzheimer’s earlier and therefore give the best care to their patients,” says Dr. Sabbagh. To date, 92 Alzheimer and Control patient samples have been analyzed in Power3’s CLIA certified laboratory and have demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
“This study confirms Power3’s panel of Neurodegenerative biomarkers’ ability to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease with superior sensitivity and specificity with results in the 95% range. Additionally, the current study validates Power3’s collection, storage, shipping, processing, and biostatistical analysis methods,” says Dr. Essam Sheta, the Director of Power3’s CLIA laboratory. Power3 expects to conclude the initial Alzheimer’s validation study in September 2008 and publish the validation study results soon after.
“Power3 is planning to expand its validation study for NuroPro® to include two additional clinical sites within the U.S. Larger patient cohorts of different ethnic and environmental backgrounds will strengthen the validity of NuroPro’s® applicability in the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases,” Steven B. Rash, Chief Executive Officer, commented. Mr. Rash added “This study confirms that Power3 is rapidly approaching the stage to commercializing the first ever blood serum proteomic tests for the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases. These encouraging Alzheimer’s test results, and the numerous validation studies that are currently underway for Parkinson’s disease, ALS, and similar neurological disorders, demonstrates our commitment to bringing these tests to market in late 2008 or early 2009. We believe this test will be a major breakthrough for patients and physicians, as it will offer a means to detect neurodegenerative diseases at their earliest stages, allowing physicians to begin treatment at stages which will produce more positive outcomes.”
In addition to the Alzheimer’s clinical validation study being conducted in collaboration with Dr. Sabbagh, the Company continues its ongoing Parkinson’s validation study under the direction of the principal investigator, Dr. Katerina Markopoulou at the Research Institute at the University of Thessaly, Greece. Power3 expects to conclude this Parkinson’s validation study in September and will publish the results soon after.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Banner/Sun Health merger on target for August completion
[Source: Glendale Star] - With the tremendous growth in the Valley comes increasing needs for medical care. Banner Health is moving to complete a merger with Sun Health to try and address those needs.
An anticipated 4,700 more jobs, full and part-time, will be added to the Banner operations when the merger is complete.
“Our timing is still on track for completion at the end of August,” Banner spokesperson Bill Byron said. “It is very complex and complicated and our focus is to get it done.”
He said Banner is the largest health system in Arizona with hospitals in seven states.
The merger will see Sun Health's Boswell and Del E. Webb Hospitals, the Research Institute, MediSun and other related health care services and facilities carry the Banner name.
The mission of the facilities will continue to be supported by Sun Health Foundation, Sun Health Auxiliary and Sun Health Properties as the three non-profit organizations will remain independent and continue to encourage charitable contributions and generate other needed funding.
“Sun Health is a fine health care organization and well positioned to look after the increasing needs in that area,” Byron said.
An anticipated 4,700 more jobs, full and part-time, will be added to the Banner operations when the merger is complete.
“Our timing is still on track for completion at the end of August,” Banner spokesperson Bill Byron said. “It is very complex and complicated and our focus is to get it done.”
He said Banner is the largest health system in Arizona with hospitals in seven states.
The merger will see Sun Health's Boswell and Del E. Webb Hospitals, the Research Institute, MediSun and other related health care services and facilities carry the Banner name.
The mission of the facilities will continue to be supported by Sun Health Foundation, Sun Health Auxiliary and Sun Health Properties as the three non-profit organizations will remain independent and continue to encourage charitable contributions and generate other needed funding.
“Sun Health is a fine health care organization and well positioned to look after the increasing needs in that area,” Byron said.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Markers in Blood and Spinal Fluid, and a New Imaging Agent, Show Promise for Early Detection of Alzheimer's
[Source: PRNewswire] - With the continued aging of the population and the growing epidemic of Alzheimer's, early detection of the disease is crucial for risk assessment, testing new therapies, and eventual early intervention with better drugs, once they are developed. Four studies reported today at the Alzheimer's Association's 2008 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD 2008) in Chicago bring us closer to that goal of early detection by describing advances in biomarkers.
A biomarker is a substance or characteristic that can be objectively measured and evaluated as an indicator of normal body processes, disease processes, or the body's response(s) to a therapeutic intervention.
It is widely believed that Alzheimer's disease brain changes, including amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, begin many years before symptoms are evident or there is significant death of brain cells. It is critical to identify affected individuals while they are still cognitively normal so that future disease modifying therapies can preserve normal function. The testing and eventual use of such therapies requires identification of affected and "at risk" individuals in order to steer them to clinical trials, and to direct and monitor therapy.
"Discovery of measurable markers that track with the presence of Alzheimer's pathology and that predict the development of cognitive decline in people who are still cognitively normal, known as 'antecedent biomarkers,' are especially needed," said William Thies, PhD, vice president of Medical and Scientific Relations at the Alzheimer's Association. "It is greatly preferable that these markers be easy to obtain, such as in samples of blood or urine, or through readily available imaging technologies, such as MRI and PET."
Blood Test on White Blood Cells May Be Useful for Early Detection of Alzheimer's
Healthy brain cells do not go through the process of division and replication (known as the "cell cycle") that is common in other cells in the body. However, in Alzheimer's disease, brain cells have demonstrated an abnormal tendency to prepare to re-enter this cell cycle, which may increase their likelihood of dying or directly cause their death.
The equivalent cell cycle defect is found in lymphocytes of people with Alzheimer's. Lymphocytes are white blood cells in the immune system that can easily be collected for testing by a simple blood draw. Professor Thomas Arendt, Director of the Paul Flechsig Institute, University of Leipzig, Germany, thought that this suggested a vehicle for detecting Alzheimer's.
In a study performed in the U.S. by GW Medical, the licensor of Arendt's technology, Arendt and colleagues measured the expression of CD-69 (a protein involved in white blood cell growth and production) on multiple cell lines in people with probable Alzheimer's (n=32), healthy controls (n=30) and other dementias, chiefly Parkinson's disease dementia, (n=26).
Variations in levels of CD-69 enabled the researcher to clearly differentiate between Alzheimer's subjects and demented Parkinson's subjects. It was accurate 91 percent of the time when the diagnosis was Alzheimer's and 92 percent of the time when it was Parkinson's dementia. The assay correctly differentiated people with Alzheimer's from cognitively normal subjects 88 percent of the time when the diagnosis was Alzheimer's and 82 percent of the time when the person was cognitively normal.
In addition, Arendt found that the test results did not vary with dementia severity as measured by the Mini Mental State Exam.
"The lack of variation suggests that this test may be useful in the early stages of Alzheimer's," Arendt said. "A larger trial is underway with results expected by late summer 2008. If confirmed, it will give primary care physicians a better, more accurate and non-invasive test for Alzheimer's disease."
Spinal Fluid Marker Tracks Brain Amyloid, May Identify Alzheimer's Before Symptoms
Some researchers believe that flaws in processes governing production, accumulation, or disposal of amyloid protein in the brain are the primary cause of Alzheimer's. AB42 is a particularly "sticky" variety of amyloid protein fragment that is more likely to aggregate into small clusters and eventually into the plaques that are considered one hallmark of the Alzheimer brain.
Anne M. Fagan, PhD, of the Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, and colleagues previously demonstrated in a small group (n=24) that a low level of AB42 in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is an effective marker for determining the presence of amyloid in the brain as assessed by PET scans using a marker called Pittsburgh Compound B (PIB).
In a new study presented at ICAD 2008, Fagan reported on a much larger cohort (n=132; age 45-88 years, mean 65.7). This group included individuals who were non-demented plus those with very mild or mild dementia. Consistent with the prior study, the researchers observed a striking inverse relation between presence of amyloid in the brain and levels of AB42 in CSF.
Overall, those people with high amounts of brain amyloid (as indicated by PET scan images showing positive PIB-binding) had low CSF AB42 (36/37, 97%). Those with low levels of brain amyloid (negative PIB-binding) had high CSF AB42 (80/95, 84%). This was true regardless of cognitive status, indicating excellent sensitivity of CSF AB42 for identifying the presence of brain amyloid, according to the researchers.
In addition, they observed that three non-demented, low CSF AB42, PIB-positive study participants have subsequently received an Alzheimer's diagnosis suggesting that positive PIB and low CSF AB42 may be useful as markers of "preclinical Alzheimer's" (that is, Alzheimer's prior to visible symptoms).
"We found that CSF AB42 is an excellent marker for identifying the presence of amyloid in the brain, regardless of the person's cognitive status," Fagan said. "Our analyses also suggest that a decline in CSF AB42 may effectively identify non-demented individuals who are in the preclinical stage of Alzheimer's, even before they are PIB positive."
Brain Enzyme May Improve Alzheimer's Risk Assessment and Early Detection
Researchers have previously found elevated B-secretase (BACE1) activity in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's compared to healthy individuals. BACE1 is one of two enzymes involved in the pathological processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and the production of toxic AB (beta amyloid, the main constituent of amyloid plaques in the brains of people with Alzheimer's).
Professor Harald Hampel, of Trinity College Dublin, Ireland and the University of Munich, Germany, Professor Yong Shen, of Sun Health Research Institute, USA, and colleagues investigated whether BACE1 assessed in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) may be a feasible biomarker candidate for predicting Alzheimer's in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). MCI is a transition stage between the cognitive changes of normal aging and the more serious problems caused by Alzheimer's.
The research had two parts. In the first part, the scientists measured BACE1 levels in CSF in 80 people with Alzheimer's, 59 people with MCI, and 69 healthy elderly controls (HC) at two independent, international research centers. MCI subjects showed highly increased levels of BACE1 activity when compared to HC and people with Alzheimer's. BACE1 activity was significantly correlated with AB level. A subsequent validation study replicated these initial findings in a new and independent set of 41 people with Alzheimer's, 46 with amnestic MCI and elderly HC.
In the second part, 47 MCI subjects were clinically followed up over two years to assess the predictive value of BACE1 in combination with other biomarker candidates for predicting the conversion from MCI to Alzheimer's. The additional candidates were abnormal brain proteins total tau and phosphorylated tau measured in CSF, and baseline performance on a large neuropsychological testing battery. Fifteen (15) MCI subjects converted to Alzheimer's after a mean follow-up interval of 2.3 years. Analysis showed that BACE1 protein levels and ApoE genotype (a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's) were the strongest predictors of conversion to Alzheimer's, after controlling for age and gender. The classification accuracy was 78%, the sensitivity was 80%, and the specificity was 77% for the combined model.
"These important findings pave the way for further rigorous assessment of BACE1 as an effective and accurate clinical diagnostic tool, which could significantly improve risk assessment and early detection of Alzheimer's," Hampel said. "We believe that BACE1 will be an excellent outcome biomarker to look at in ongoing clinical trials of anti-amyloid, disease modifying therapies. Furthermore, we are working on a blood-based diagnostic test for BACE1 as well."
Improved Amyloid Imaging Agents for PET in Development
A major recent advance in Alzheimer's is the ability to create images of amyloid in the brains of living people using positron emission tomography (PET) scanners. With PET, a radioactive compound, or tracer, is injected into the person to be scanned. The tracer attaches to a target substance in the body, in this case amyloid, which then "lights up" on the image captured by the scanner.
In research reported at ICAD 2008, Michael J. Pontecorvo, PhD, of Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Philadelphia, PA, and colleagues reported the development of a novel 18F-labeled PET amyloid imaging agent, 18F-AV-45, that may eventually provide a practical approach for routine brain imaging for Alzheimer's
PET scanners are relatively common - they are available in most hospitals - yet one of the challenges to more widespread use of PET imaging in Alzheimer's is that the radioactivity of the first amyloid-imaging tracer, called 11C-PIB or Pittsburgh Compound B, is relatively short-lived. With this agent, based on radioactive carbon, half of the radioactivity is lost every 20 minutes. This means that it must be manufactured onsite, a process that requires a cyclotron (a type of particle accelerator), which is rarely found in community hospitals. This limitation has prompted a search for longer-lived tracers, such as 18F-labeled agents, based on radioactive fluorine, which would be suitable for regional production and wider community use.
In the study, three 18F-labeled compounds were evaluated in 42 cognitively healthy elderly volunteers and 39 individuals with Alzheimer's. Each participant received a single intravenous injection of one of the compounds followed by PET imaging.
People with Alzheimer's showed retention of all three tracers in brain areas expected to be high in amyloid. In contrast, cognitively healthy volunteers showed rapid removal of the tracers, with minimal retention in the brain. Two individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's had a pattern of tracer uptake similar to healthy volunteers. Chart notes for both suggested unusual presentations - prominent Parkinsonism in one case and slowly progressive dementia in the other.
While the three compounds were similar in pattern and amount of tracer retention, they differed in how they were processed by the body in ways that favored one compound, 18F-AV-45. For example, 18F-AV-45 showed rapid uptake and steady levels were maintained in the brain between 50 and 90 minutes post injection. This allowed high quality images to be obtained from PET imaging beginning 50 minutes after 18F-AV-45 administration, with minimal inconvenience or delay for the patient or the imaging center, according to the researchers.
"18F-AV-45 is being used as a research tool today, but it has the potential to aid in the diagnosis and early detection of Alzheimer's in a community setting and may be a useful biomarker for the development and monitoring of novel amyloid reducing therapies," Pontecorvo said. "On the basis of the findings we reported today, Phase II trials with 18F-AV-45 have been initiated."
A biomarker is a substance or characteristic that can be objectively measured and evaluated as an indicator of normal body processes, disease processes, or the body's response(s) to a therapeutic intervention.
It is widely believed that Alzheimer's disease brain changes, including amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, begin many years before symptoms are evident or there is significant death of brain cells. It is critical to identify affected individuals while they are still cognitively normal so that future disease modifying therapies can preserve normal function. The testing and eventual use of such therapies requires identification of affected and "at risk" individuals in order to steer them to clinical trials, and to direct and monitor therapy.
"Discovery of measurable markers that track with the presence of Alzheimer's pathology and that predict the development of cognitive decline in people who are still cognitively normal, known as 'antecedent biomarkers,' are especially needed," said William Thies, PhD, vice president of Medical and Scientific Relations at the Alzheimer's Association. "It is greatly preferable that these markers be easy to obtain, such as in samples of blood or urine, or through readily available imaging technologies, such as MRI and PET."
Blood Test on White Blood Cells May Be Useful for Early Detection of Alzheimer's
Healthy brain cells do not go through the process of division and replication (known as the "cell cycle") that is common in other cells in the body. However, in Alzheimer's disease, brain cells have demonstrated an abnormal tendency to prepare to re-enter this cell cycle, which may increase their likelihood of dying or directly cause their death.
The equivalent cell cycle defect is found in lymphocytes of people with Alzheimer's. Lymphocytes are white blood cells in the immune system that can easily be collected for testing by a simple blood draw. Professor Thomas Arendt, Director of the Paul Flechsig Institute, University of Leipzig, Germany, thought that this suggested a vehicle for detecting Alzheimer's.
In a study performed in the U.S. by GW Medical, the licensor of Arendt's technology, Arendt and colleagues measured the expression of CD-69 (a protein involved in white blood cell growth and production) on multiple cell lines in people with probable Alzheimer's (n=32), healthy controls (n=30) and other dementias, chiefly Parkinson's disease dementia, (n=26).
Variations in levels of CD-69 enabled the researcher to clearly differentiate between Alzheimer's subjects and demented Parkinson's subjects. It was accurate 91 percent of the time when the diagnosis was Alzheimer's and 92 percent of the time when it was Parkinson's dementia. The assay correctly differentiated people with Alzheimer's from cognitively normal subjects 88 percent of the time when the diagnosis was Alzheimer's and 82 percent of the time when the person was cognitively normal.
In addition, Arendt found that the test results did not vary with dementia severity as measured by the Mini Mental State Exam.
"The lack of variation suggests that this test may be useful in the early stages of Alzheimer's," Arendt said. "A larger trial is underway with results expected by late summer 2008. If confirmed, it will give primary care physicians a better, more accurate and non-invasive test for Alzheimer's disease."
Spinal Fluid Marker Tracks Brain Amyloid, May Identify Alzheimer's Before Symptoms
Some researchers believe that flaws in processes governing production, accumulation, or disposal of amyloid protein in the brain are the primary cause of Alzheimer's. AB42 is a particularly "sticky" variety of amyloid protein fragment that is more likely to aggregate into small clusters and eventually into the plaques that are considered one hallmark of the Alzheimer brain.
Anne M. Fagan, PhD, of the Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, and colleagues previously demonstrated in a small group (n=24) that a low level of AB42 in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is an effective marker for determining the presence of amyloid in the brain as assessed by PET scans using a marker called Pittsburgh Compound B (PIB).
In a new study presented at ICAD 2008, Fagan reported on a much larger cohort (n=132; age 45-88 years, mean 65.7). This group included individuals who were non-demented plus those with very mild or mild dementia. Consistent with the prior study, the researchers observed a striking inverse relation between presence of amyloid in the brain and levels of AB42 in CSF.
Overall, those people with high amounts of brain amyloid (as indicated by PET scan images showing positive PIB-binding) had low CSF AB42 (36/37, 97%). Those with low levels of brain amyloid (negative PIB-binding) had high CSF AB42 (80/95, 84%). This was true regardless of cognitive status, indicating excellent sensitivity of CSF AB42 for identifying the presence of brain amyloid, according to the researchers.
In addition, they observed that three non-demented, low CSF AB42, PIB-positive study participants have subsequently received an Alzheimer's diagnosis suggesting that positive PIB and low CSF AB42 may be useful as markers of "preclinical Alzheimer's" (that is, Alzheimer's prior to visible symptoms).
"We found that CSF AB42 is an excellent marker for identifying the presence of amyloid in the brain, regardless of the person's cognitive status," Fagan said. "Our analyses also suggest that a decline in CSF AB42 may effectively identify non-demented individuals who are in the preclinical stage of Alzheimer's, even before they are PIB positive."
Brain Enzyme May Improve Alzheimer's Risk Assessment and Early Detection
Researchers have previously found elevated B-secretase (BACE1) activity in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's compared to healthy individuals. BACE1 is one of two enzymes involved in the pathological processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and the production of toxic AB (beta amyloid, the main constituent of amyloid plaques in the brains of people with Alzheimer's).
Professor Harald Hampel, of Trinity College Dublin, Ireland and the University of Munich, Germany, Professor Yong Shen, of Sun Health Research Institute, USA, and colleagues investigated whether BACE1 assessed in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) may be a feasible biomarker candidate for predicting Alzheimer's in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). MCI is a transition stage between the cognitive changes of normal aging and the more serious problems caused by Alzheimer's.
The research had two parts. In the first part, the scientists measured BACE1 levels in CSF in 80 people with Alzheimer's, 59 people with MCI, and 69 healthy elderly controls (HC) at two independent, international research centers. MCI subjects showed highly increased levels of BACE1 activity when compared to HC and people with Alzheimer's. BACE1 activity was significantly correlated with AB level. A subsequent validation study replicated these initial findings in a new and independent set of 41 people with Alzheimer's, 46 with amnestic MCI and elderly HC.
In the second part, 47 MCI subjects were clinically followed up over two years to assess the predictive value of BACE1 in combination with other biomarker candidates for predicting the conversion from MCI to Alzheimer's. The additional candidates were abnormal brain proteins total tau and phosphorylated tau measured in CSF, and baseline performance on a large neuropsychological testing battery. Fifteen (15) MCI subjects converted to Alzheimer's after a mean follow-up interval of 2.3 years. Analysis showed that BACE1 protein levels and ApoE genotype (a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's) were the strongest predictors of conversion to Alzheimer's, after controlling for age and gender. The classification accuracy was 78%, the sensitivity was 80%, and the specificity was 77% for the combined model.
"These important findings pave the way for further rigorous assessment of BACE1 as an effective and accurate clinical diagnostic tool, which could significantly improve risk assessment and early detection of Alzheimer's," Hampel said. "We believe that BACE1 will be an excellent outcome biomarker to look at in ongoing clinical trials of anti-amyloid, disease modifying therapies. Furthermore, we are working on a blood-based diagnostic test for BACE1 as well."
Improved Amyloid Imaging Agents for PET in Development
A major recent advance in Alzheimer's is the ability to create images of amyloid in the brains of living people using positron emission tomography (PET) scanners. With PET, a radioactive compound, or tracer, is injected into the person to be scanned. The tracer attaches to a target substance in the body, in this case amyloid, which then "lights up" on the image captured by the scanner.
In research reported at ICAD 2008, Michael J. Pontecorvo, PhD, of Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Philadelphia, PA, and colleagues reported the development of a novel 18F-labeled PET amyloid imaging agent, 18F-AV-45, that may eventually provide a practical approach for routine brain imaging for Alzheimer's
PET scanners are relatively common - they are available in most hospitals - yet one of the challenges to more widespread use of PET imaging in Alzheimer's is that the radioactivity of the first amyloid-imaging tracer, called 11C-PIB or Pittsburgh Compound B, is relatively short-lived. With this agent, based on radioactive carbon, half of the radioactivity is lost every 20 minutes. This means that it must be manufactured onsite, a process that requires a cyclotron (a type of particle accelerator), which is rarely found in community hospitals. This limitation has prompted a search for longer-lived tracers, such as 18F-labeled agents, based on radioactive fluorine, which would be suitable for regional production and wider community use.
In the study, three 18F-labeled compounds were evaluated in 42 cognitively healthy elderly volunteers and 39 individuals with Alzheimer's. Each participant received a single intravenous injection of one of the compounds followed by PET imaging.
People with Alzheimer's showed retention of all three tracers in brain areas expected to be high in amyloid. In contrast, cognitively healthy volunteers showed rapid removal of the tracers, with minimal retention in the brain. Two individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's had a pattern of tracer uptake similar to healthy volunteers. Chart notes for both suggested unusual presentations - prominent Parkinsonism in one case and slowly progressive dementia in the other.
While the three compounds were similar in pattern and amount of tracer retention, they differed in how they were processed by the body in ways that favored one compound, 18F-AV-45. For example, 18F-AV-45 showed rapid uptake and steady levels were maintained in the brain between 50 and 90 minutes post injection. This allowed high quality images to be obtained from PET imaging beginning 50 minutes after 18F-AV-45 administration, with minimal inconvenience or delay for the patient or the imaging center, according to the researchers.
"18F-AV-45 is being used as a research tool today, but it has the potential to aid in the diagnosis and early detection of Alzheimer's in a community setting and may be a useful biomarker for the development and monitoring of novel amyloid reducing therapies," Pontecorvo said. "On the basis of the findings we reported today, Phase II trials with 18F-AV-45 have been initiated."
Monday, July 28, 2008
Early-diagnosis blood tests for Alzheimer's disease in development
[Source: Shari Roan, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer] - People with Alzheimer's face an awkward juncture in the near future. They'll be able to learn early on whether they have Alzheimer's disease -- even if they can't do much about it.
With therapies to halt or slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease seeming ever more elusive, several blood tests currently in development could determine who has the disease even before symptoms develop or become severe. Researchers say they believe people would use such a test, if only to prepare for a future with the limitations wrought by dementia."It would be a boon to the field," says Dr. Ronald C. Petersen, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. "Many, many people are at risk due to family history, age, genetic characteristics. But we don't have a good prediction formula for who will actually get the disease."
Alzheimer's disease is extremely difficult to diagnose in its early stages because the symptoms, such as memory problems, can also be attributed to normal aging or a number of other illnesses. Even the appearance of plaque in the brain is not considered a telltale sign of the disease because some older people have plaque but do not suffer from dementia. Doctors and patients need a test that is convenient, accurate, reliable and inexpensive, says Dr. Harold Varmus, the former director of the National Institutes of Health and a member of the Alzheimer’s Study Group(ASG), an independent working group mandated by Congress to develop a national strategic plan for Alzheimer's disease.
"It's clear that finding this disease at the earliest possible stage provides the best possible window for therapeutics," Varmus says. "If you can make an early diagnosis, you can think about trying to arrest the disease, which is better than trying to reverse it."
Targeted at research
A Redwood City, Calif., company, Satoris Inc., has announced plans to release a blood test for use in research later this year. A study published in the journal Nature Medicine in November examined blood samples from 259 people who had early- to late-stage Alzheimer's disease or did not have the disease. It found 18 proteins in the blood of Alzheimer's patients with concentrations different from normal individuals. The protein panel allowed for nearly 90% accuracy in diagnosing and characterizing the disease even among people with only a mild version of the disease called mild cognitive impairment.
The as-yet-unnamed test would be used initially with other diagnostic tests, such as brain scans, to provide a highly reliable result, says Cris McReynolds, president of Satoris. "It will be an important piece of information used with other information to make an accurate diagnosis."
McReynolds says he hopes a test for the general public will become available one or two years after researchers begin their work with it.
Another test, called NuroPro, is under development by Power3 Medical Products in the Woodlands, Texas. It measures 59 protein markers in the blood that distinguish people with Alzheimer's disease from those with Parkinson's disease as well as those without either disease. Data from a study by Sun Health Research Institute in Sun City, Ariz., are expected at the end of August, says Steven Rash, chief executive of Power3. He says the company hopes to launch a test for the public late this year.
It's too soon to tell if these tests are accurate enough to be diagnostic tests or if they may just suggest a higher risk for the disease, Petersen says.
Diagnostic tests that appear reliable in academic research settings may not be as impressive in the general population where "you take all comers," says Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy, chief of biological psychiatry at Duke University and co-author of the new book "The Alzheimer's Action Plan."
"We should be cautious in applying this technology," he says. "I think people have a right to know, but at the same time people should be counseled fully and not be led into getting these tests without knowing the risks and benefits."
Test may lead to drug
The real value for a diagnostic blood test, at least initially, may be in research. Scientists are also optimistic that an early-diagnosis blood test will spark better drug trials and, ultimately, a blockbuster medication.
Many researchers believe that previous Alzheimer's drug trials have been hindered by inaccurate methods to identify subjects -- people who have the disease rather than some other type of dementia -- and by inferior tools to gauge a drug's effectiveness, such as through cognitive testing or asking people or their family members if the symptoms have improved.
Says McReynolds: "They have been operating in the dark."
With therapies to halt or slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease seeming ever more elusive, several blood tests currently in development could determine who has the disease even before symptoms develop or become severe. Researchers say they believe people would use such a test, if only to prepare for a future with the limitations wrought by dementia."It would be a boon to the field," says Dr. Ronald C. Petersen, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. "Many, many people are at risk due to family history, age, genetic characteristics. But we don't have a good prediction formula for who will actually get the disease."
Alzheimer's disease is extremely difficult to diagnose in its early stages because the symptoms, such as memory problems, can also be attributed to normal aging or a number of other illnesses. Even the appearance of plaque in the brain is not considered a telltale sign of the disease because some older people have plaque but do not suffer from dementia. Doctors and patients need a test that is convenient, accurate, reliable and inexpensive, says Dr. Harold Varmus, the former director of the National Institutes of Health and a member of the Alzheimer’s Study Group(ASG), an independent working group mandated by Congress to develop a national strategic plan for Alzheimer's disease.
"It's clear that finding this disease at the earliest possible stage provides the best possible window for therapeutics," Varmus says. "If you can make an early diagnosis, you can think about trying to arrest the disease, which is better than trying to reverse it."
Targeted at research
A Redwood City, Calif., company, Satoris Inc., has announced plans to release a blood test for use in research later this year. A study published in the journal Nature Medicine in November examined blood samples from 259 people who had early- to late-stage Alzheimer's disease or did not have the disease. It found 18 proteins in the blood of Alzheimer's patients with concentrations different from normal individuals. The protein panel allowed for nearly 90% accuracy in diagnosing and characterizing the disease even among people with only a mild version of the disease called mild cognitive impairment.
The as-yet-unnamed test would be used initially with other diagnostic tests, such as brain scans, to provide a highly reliable result, says Cris McReynolds, president of Satoris. "It will be an important piece of information used with other information to make an accurate diagnosis."
McReynolds says he hopes a test for the general public will become available one or two years after researchers begin their work with it.
Another test, called NuroPro, is under development by Power3 Medical Products in the Woodlands, Texas. It measures 59 protein markers in the blood that distinguish people with Alzheimer's disease from those with Parkinson's disease as well as those without either disease. Data from a study by Sun Health Research Institute in Sun City, Ariz., are expected at the end of August, says Steven Rash, chief executive of Power3. He says the company hopes to launch a test for the public late this year.
It's too soon to tell if these tests are accurate enough to be diagnostic tests or if they may just suggest a higher risk for the disease, Petersen says.
Diagnostic tests that appear reliable in academic research settings may not be as impressive in the general population where "you take all comers," says Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy, chief of biological psychiatry at Duke University and co-author of the new book "The Alzheimer's Action Plan."
"We should be cautious in applying this technology," he says. "I think people have a right to know, but at the same time people should be counseled fully and not be led into getting these tests without knowing the risks and benefits."
Test may lead to drug
The real value for a diagnostic blood test, at least initially, may be in research. Scientists are also optimistic that an early-diagnosis blood test will spark better drug trials and, ultimately, a blockbuster medication.
Many researchers believe that previous Alzheimer's drug trials have been hindered by inaccurate methods to identify subjects -- people who have the disease rather than some other type of dementia -- and by inferior tools to gauge a drug's effectiveness, such as through cognitive testing or asking people or their family members if the symptoms have improved.
Says McReynolds: "They have been operating in the dark."
Monday, July 14, 2008
Power3 Reports on NuroPro® Study
[Source: The Woodlands Online.com] - Power3 Medical Products, Inc. (OTCBB:PWRM), a leading proteomics company specializing in the development and commercialization of diagnostic tests for early detection of breast cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, is providing an interim status report of its international validation study of the company’s NuroPro® blood serum biomarker test for Parkinson’s disease.
To date, Power3 has analyzed 73 patient samples for the international validation study provided by the University of Thessaly School of Medicine, in Greece, to confirm previous clinical validation studies completed in the United States. The previous study from a US patient population demonstrated that the blood serum protein biomarkers used in the NuroPro® diagnostic test have the ability to consistently distinguish between Parkinson’s disease patients and normal control subjects.
The samples from the University of Thessaly have demonstrated that changes in the blood serum concentration of the protein biomarkers were consistent with previous Power3 results obtained from US Parkinson’s disease patients. As part of the current validation study, Power3 has standardized its methods for collection, storage, shipping, processing, and biostatistical analysis. This study confirms Power3’s ability to reproduce its Parkinson’s disease diagnostic-test results with superior sensitivity and specificity in the 95% range. Power3 expects to strengthen the validation study with samples from over 100 Greek patients by September 2008.
Power3 is also conducting an additional 300-patient clinical validation study of its NuroPro® blood serum test for Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease in collaboration with Dr. Marwan Sabbagh, the Director of Clinical Research at the Cleo Roberts Center of Clinical Research at the Sun Health Research Institute in Sun City, Arizona.
“The potential of the Power3 study cannot be understated. Patients with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease will benefit by having earlier diagnosis and treatments resulting in an overall better outcome,” says Sabbagh. To date, 69 patient samples have been analyzed. Power3 expects to provide an interim report on this study in July 2008 and complete this validation study in September 2008.
Katerina Markopoulou, Assistant Professor of Neurology at the University of Thessaly, commented: “The available data regarding the sensitivity and specificity of the protein biomarkers identified by Power3 for the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease are very promising. The validation of these findings in larger patient cohorts of different ethnic backgrounds will provide additional important information regarding NuroPro’s® applicability in the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases.”
Steven B. Rash, Chief Executive Officer, commented, “This study provides further support we are rapidly approaching the stage to commercializing the first ever blood serum proteomic tests for the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases. These encouraging Parkinson’s tests results and the numerous validation studies that are currently underway for Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, and similar neurological disorders, confirm our commitment to bringing these tests to market in late 2008 or early 2009. We believe this test will be a major advance for patients and physicians, as it will offer a means to detect neurodegenerative diseases at their earliest stages without a painful and complicated spinal tap procedure.”
To date, Power3 has analyzed 73 patient samples for the international validation study provided by the University of Thessaly School of Medicine, in Greece, to confirm previous clinical validation studies completed in the United States. The previous study from a US patient population demonstrated that the blood serum protein biomarkers used in the NuroPro® diagnostic test have the ability to consistently distinguish between Parkinson’s disease patients and normal control subjects.
The samples from the University of Thessaly have demonstrated that changes in the blood serum concentration of the protein biomarkers were consistent with previous Power3 results obtained from US Parkinson’s disease patients. As part of the current validation study, Power3 has standardized its methods for collection, storage, shipping, processing, and biostatistical analysis. This study confirms Power3’s ability to reproduce its Parkinson’s disease diagnostic-test results with superior sensitivity and specificity in the 95% range. Power3 expects to strengthen the validation study with samples from over 100 Greek patients by September 2008.
Power3 is also conducting an additional 300-patient clinical validation study of its NuroPro® blood serum test for Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease in collaboration with Dr. Marwan Sabbagh, the Director of Clinical Research at the Cleo Roberts Center of Clinical Research at the Sun Health Research Institute in Sun City, Arizona.
“The potential of the Power3 study cannot be understated. Patients with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease will benefit by having earlier diagnosis and treatments resulting in an overall better outcome,” says Sabbagh. To date, 69 patient samples have been analyzed. Power3 expects to provide an interim report on this study in July 2008 and complete this validation study in September 2008.
Katerina Markopoulou, Assistant Professor of Neurology at the University of Thessaly, commented: “The available data regarding the sensitivity and specificity of the protein biomarkers identified by Power3 for the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease are very promising. The validation of these findings in larger patient cohorts of different ethnic backgrounds will provide additional important information regarding NuroPro’s® applicability in the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases.”
Steven B. Rash, Chief Executive Officer, commented, “This study provides further support we are rapidly approaching the stage to commercializing the first ever blood serum proteomic tests for the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases. These encouraging Parkinson’s tests results and the numerous validation studies that are currently underway for Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, and similar neurological disorders, confirm our commitment to bringing these tests to market in late 2008 or early 2009. We believe this test will be a major advance for patients and physicians, as it will offer a means to detect neurodegenerative diseases at their earliest stages without a painful and complicated spinal tap procedure.”
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Internship programs expand as experts worry over future work force
[Source: Phoenix Business Journal, Angela Gonzales] - Bioscience internships slowly are taking a foothold in Arizona's fledgling life sciences industry, as schools and hospitals work together to give a practical experience to tomorrow's work force.
Arizona State University is beginning its third summer, inviting 26 high school students to its Biodesign Institute. It has grown from 18 students last year.
There aren't enough spots for these scientific minds, since more than 140 students applied for the 26 spots.
"These students who applied for these programs tend to be very top students -- valedictorians; fantastic kids," said Rick Fisher, who last year was named director of education and outreach programs at ASU's Biodesign Institute.
In its seventh year of providing internships for 18 students a summer, Sun Health is looking for funding to expand its internship program to add more students. Existing funding comes from donations.
Applications come from all over the nation, including students at Yale and Harvard universities, said Brian Browne, director of education and community relations for Sun Health. Browne said he is seeing fewer students opting for math, science and health careers.
Home-grown scientists needed
"We're seeing a large increase in foreign-born scientists and health care professionals," he said. "This increase is alarming because we are not preparing the next generation of home-grown scientists and other professionals. We're having a harder time attracting students to go into the fields like science and technology."
Sun Health partners with two West Valley high school districts -- Dysart and Agua Fria -- to give students a glimpse of health care careers.
"For example, students are going to be exposed to careers of what a scientist does," Browne said. "It's my job to expose students to all of these careers and give them information on what they can be in the fields of science, technology and health care."
The Apple A Day Program not only provides tours of Sun Health's two hospitals and research institute, but it also takes health care professionals into the classrooms, where they talk about how real life -- such as steroids or drug addiction -- is rooted in science.
"We're hoping to pique their curiosity so they want to learn more and potentially go into a field like that," he said.
Browne said he hopes to get more funding to expand the Apple A Day program to other local school districts.
University of Arizona in Tucson also wants students to get excited about careers in biosciences, tripling its internship program to 28 students this summer with a $28,000 budget.
First-generation students
Kevin Hall, director of research, training and career development at UA's BIO5 Institute in Tucson, is making a big effort to reach out to economically disadvantaged students, to give them a chance at these competitive internship spots.
Sixty percent of students this summer are coming from the underserved population, and many are first-generation college students, Hall said. Students receive an $800 stipend for their work during the summer; enticing those who may need to earn money during the summer but who don't want to miss out on training.
"I would like to double it again next year," Hall said.
While universities and hospitals work to beef up their internship programs, the Translational Genomics Research Institute in January received a whopping $6.5 million from the Helios Education Foundation to start its own internship program.
Last year, Helios gave TGen $383,000 to pilot the internship program, followed by the $6.5 million over the next 25 years.
Candice Nulsen, program manager for education and outreach at TGen, said this summer will be its first official year, kicking off with 45 scholars for an eight-week session.
"From TGen's perspective, part of our strategic partnership with Helios is not only to give fantastic opportunities to students but to help grow and maintain the brain trust here in Arizona," Nulsen said.
The students accepted into the program are a mix of high school, undergraduate and a few graduate-level students.
Paul Luna, president and CEO of Helios Education Foundation, said he hopes the Helios Scholars Program at TGen will attract more students to the biosciences.
"We hope to be incubating the future scientists in Arizona by investing in this program," he said.
Arizona State University is beginning its third summer, inviting 26 high school students to its Biodesign Institute. It has grown from 18 students last year.
There aren't enough spots for these scientific minds, since more than 140 students applied for the 26 spots.
"These students who applied for these programs tend to be very top students -- valedictorians; fantastic kids," said Rick Fisher, who last year was named director of education and outreach programs at ASU's Biodesign Institute.
In its seventh year of providing internships for 18 students a summer, Sun Health is looking for funding to expand its internship program to add more students. Existing funding comes from donations.
Applications come from all over the nation, including students at Yale and Harvard universities, said Brian Browne, director of education and community relations for Sun Health. Browne said he is seeing fewer students opting for math, science and health careers.
Home-grown scientists needed
"We're seeing a large increase in foreign-born scientists and health care professionals," he said. "This increase is alarming because we are not preparing the next generation of home-grown scientists and other professionals. We're having a harder time attracting students to go into the fields like science and technology."
Sun Health partners with two West Valley high school districts -- Dysart and Agua Fria -- to give students a glimpse of health care careers.
"For example, students are going to be exposed to careers of what a scientist does," Browne said. "It's my job to expose students to all of these careers and give them information on what they can be in the fields of science, technology and health care."
The Apple A Day Program not only provides tours of Sun Health's two hospitals and research institute, but it also takes health care professionals into the classrooms, where they talk about how real life -- such as steroids or drug addiction -- is rooted in science.
"We're hoping to pique their curiosity so they want to learn more and potentially go into a field like that," he said.
Browne said he hopes to get more funding to expand the Apple A Day program to other local school districts.
University of Arizona in Tucson also wants students to get excited about careers in biosciences, tripling its internship program to 28 students this summer with a $28,000 budget.
First-generation students
Kevin Hall, director of research, training and career development at UA's BIO5 Institute in Tucson, is making a big effort to reach out to economically disadvantaged students, to give them a chance at these competitive internship spots.
Sixty percent of students this summer are coming from the underserved population, and many are first-generation college students, Hall said. Students receive an $800 stipend for their work during the summer; enticing those who may need to earn money during the summer but who don't want to miss out on training.
"I would like to double it again next year," Hall said.
While universities and hospitals work to beef up their internship programs, the Translational Genomics Research Institute in January received a whopping $6.5 million from the Helios Education Foundation to start its own internship program.
Last year, Helios gave TGen $383,000 to pilot the internship program, followed by the $6.5 million over the next 25 years.
Candice Nulsen, program manager for education and outreach at TGen, said this summer will be its first official year, kicking off with 45 scholars for an eight-week session.
"From TGen's perspective, part of our strategic partnership with Helios is not only to give fantastic opportunities to students but to help grow and maintain the brain trust here in Arizona," Nulsen said.
The students accepted into the program are a mix of high school, undergraduate and a few graduate-level students.
Paul Luna, president and CEO of Helios Education Foundation, said he hopes the Helios Scholars Program at TGen will attract more students to the biosciences.
"We hope to be incubating the future scientists in Arizona by investing in this program," he said.
Banner, Sun Health merger moves forward
[Source: YourWestValley.com] - Nine months after announcing their plans for a merger, Sun Health and Banner Health soon will be making it official.
The Federal Trade Commission said it has successfully concluded its review, and Banner Health and Sun Health expect to complete the transaction by the end of August. Officials from both organizations said this time-frame was selected to allow sufficient time to finalize all the related details.
Sun Health's patient-care related operations and employees will join with Banner Health through this transaction. Included are Boswell and Del E. Webb Hospitals, the Research Institute, MediSun and other related health-care services and facilities.
These entities will then carry the Banner Health name in lieu of Sun Health. The mission of these facilities will continue to be supported by Sun Health Foundation, Sun Health Auxiliary and Sun Health Properties as these three nonprofit organizations will remain independent and continue to encourage charitable contributions and generate other needed funding.
The merger was announced in September, with the heads of both organizations citing the rapid growth of the community as a reason for the move. At the announcement, Sun Health President and CEO Leland Peterson said West Valley residents should view the merger as a good thing.
"This merger is being pursued for very positive reasons," Peterson said. "It is critically important to meeting the challenges of the rapidly growing West Valley's increased health care needs."
In the coming weeks, staff from both organizations will continue to collaborate to finalize the details necessary to complete the transaction by the end of August.
Both organizations are committed to ensuring that employees, physicians, volunteers, payer groups, government agencies and the communities served by Sun Health facilities are kept informed of the progress of these activities.
The Federal Trade Commission said it has successfully concluded its review, and Banner Health and Sun Health expect to complete the transaction by the end of August. Officials from both organizations said this time-frame was selected to allow sufficient time to finalize all the related details.
Sun Health's patient-care related operations and employees will join with Banner Health through this transaction. Included are Boswell and Del E. Webb Hospitals, the Research Institute, MediSun and other related health-care services and facilities.
These entities will then carry the Banner Health name in lieu of Sun Health. The mission of these facilities will continue to be supported by Sun Health Foundation, Sun Health Auxiliary and Sun Health Properties as these three nonprofit organizations will remain independent and continue to encourage charitable contributions and generate other needed funding.
The merger was announced in September, with the heads of both organizations citing the rapid growth of the community as a reason for the move. At the announcement, Sun Health President and CEO Leland Peterson said West Valley residents should view the merger as a good thing.
"This merger is being pursued for very positive reasons," Peterson said. "It is critically important to meeting the challenges of the rapidly growing West Valley's increased health care needs."
In the coming weeks, staff from both organizations will continue to collaborate to finalize the details necessary to complete the transaction by the end of August.
Both organizations are committed to ensuring that employees, physicians, volunteers, payer groups, government agencies and the communities served by Sun Health facilities are kept informed of the progress of these activities.
Behind-the-scenes peek at brain research
[Source: Erin Zlomek, The Arizona Republic] - Chunks of human brain tissue, the telltale grooves still visible, soak in 1,000 formaldehyde-filled plastic tubs in a closet at Sun City's Sun Health Research Institute. Next door, researchers poke paper-thin neck arteries with special instruments.
All are on display for anyone curious to peek. But it's worth noting that at some point, the ones peeking usually become the pokers and brain donors.
"More than 80 percent of (our visitors) are engaged in science enough that they want to contribute more, in whatever way, whether it be volunteering time or becoming involved in a clinical trial," institute spokesman Brian Browne said.
Those curious observers are partly responsible for the center's blockbuster 2007-08 year. The non-profit, which specializes in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, arthritis and dementia research, finished a $5.5 million building expansion in April 2007.
The new digs allowed the institute to more than double its annual visitor capacity from about 545 in 2006-07 to 1,225 in 2007-08.
Because many visitors form relationships with the institute thereafter, this year's larger tour groups fast became a vehicle for bringing in contributions and fueling growth. The 90-minute guided visits are free, held the first Tuesday of each month. Tours require a reservation.
Once the new wing opened and larger tours started at 10515 W. Santa Fe Drive, monetary and body donations spiked nearly 50 percent.
The facility can now accommodate groups from six local high schools, compared with just two in the past. This has led to the addition of nine student interns.
Volunteerism peaked, too. The facility landed a handful of new volunteers, bringing its roster to about 20. Though the volunteer pool is modest, Browne said each must have highly specialized skills (many are retired nurses and physicians), making any new addition a major accomplishment.
The institute's volunteer program was recently profiled by a Chinese government television station for a piece about recruiting skilled volunteers to work at the coming Beijing Olympic Games.
Browne also credits the increased interest to attention brought to Alzheimer's disease this year.
In June, Alzheimer's surpassed diabetes as the sixth leading cause of death in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That hits home in Arizona, where many retirees and seniors live.
Within a 10-mile radius of the institute, more than 8,000 people are living with the disease in Surprise, Sun City, Sun City West and Youngtown, said Deborah Schaus, executive director of the Alzheimer's Association Desert Southwest Chapter.
Still, not all guests who pass through the institute's doors are science aficionados, and some are uneasy when it comes to donating remains.
Sun City resident Ty Dale said that donating was a challenging decision when his family had medical power of attorney for his mother.
Dale's mother, Mary Elizabeth Dale, died of Alzheimer's in February. She was 78.
"Immediately after her death, they did the autopsy and harvested - though I hate that word - her brain," Dale said. "Mom was more than just a number. But who knows, it could benefit her grandkids one day if this disease turns out to be hereditary. I'll feel closure someday if something good comes from it."
All are on display for anyone curious to peek. But it's worth noting that at some point, the ones peeking usually become the pokers and brain donors.
"More than 80 percent of (our visitors) are engaged in science enough that they want to contribute more, in whatever way, whether it be volunteering time or becoming involved in a clinical trial," institute spokesman Brian Browne said.
Those curious observers are partly responsible for the center's blockbuster 2007-08 year. The non-profit, which specializes in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, arthritis and dementia research, finished a $5.5 million building expansion in April 2007.
The new digs allowed the institute to more than double its annual visitor capacity from about 545 in 2006-07 to 1,225 in 2007-08.
Because many visitors form relationships with the institute thereafter, this year's larger tour groups fast became a vehicle for bringing in contributions and fueling growth. The 90-minute guided visits are free, held the first Tuesday of each month. Tours require a reservation.
Once the new wing opened and larger tours started at 10515 W. Santa Fe Drive, monetary and body donations spiked nearly 50 percent.
The facility can now accommodate groups from six local high schools, compared with just two in the past. This has led to the addition of nine student interns.
Volunteerism peaked, too. The facility landed a handful of new volunteers, bringing its roster to about 20. Though the volunteer pool is modest, Browne said each must have highly specialized skills (many are retired nurses and physicians), making any new addition a major accomplishment.
The institute's volunteer program was recently profiled by a Chinese government television station for a piece about recruiting skilled volunteers to work at the coming Beijing Olympic Games.
Browne also credits the increased interest to attention brought to Alzheimer's disease this year.
In June, Alzheimer's surpassed diabetes as the sixth leading cause of death in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That hits home in Arizona, where many retirees and seniors live.
Within a 10-mile radius of the institute, more than 8,000 people are living with the disease in Surprise, Sun City, Sun City West and Youngtown, said Deborah Schaus, executive director of the Alzheimer's Association Desert Southwest Chapter.
Still, not all guests who pass through the institute's doors are science aficionados, and some are uneasy when it comes to donating remains.
Sun City resident Ty Dale said that donating was a challenging decision when his family had medical power of attorney for his mother.
Dale's mother, Mary Elizabeth Dale, died of Alzheimer's in February. She was 78.
"Immediately after her death, they did the autopsy and harvested - though I hate that word - her brain," Dale said. "Mom was more than just a number. But who knows, it could benefit her grandkids one day if this disease turns out to be hereditary. I'll feel closure someday if something good comes from it."
Monday, June 30, 2008
Sun Health Research Institute garners award
[Source: Daily News-Sun] - The Arizona Chapter of the National Parkinson Foundation will present the Sun Health Research Institute with the 2008 Shelley Anderson Research Scholarship Award on Tuesday.
The presentation will be at 10:30 a.m at the Sun Health Research Institute, Bldg B Auditorium, 10515 W. Santa Fe Drive, Sun City
The $24,950 award will help fund research seeking to identify Parkinson's disease diagnostic markers in biofluids, including blood and cerebrospinal fluid.
More than 50 people are expected to attend the award presentation and stay for a free monthly tour of the research institute, an event held on the first Tuesday of the month.
The presentation will be at 10:30 a.m at the Sun Health Research Institute, Bldg B Auditorium, 10515 W. Santa Fe Drive, Sun City
The $24,950 award will help fund research seeking to identify Parkinson's disease diagnostic markers in biofluids, including blood and cerebrospinal fluid.
More than 50 people are expected to attend the award presentation and stay for a free monthly tour of the research institute, an event held on the first Tuesday of the month.
Valley researchers take a look at longevity
[Source: Mary K. Reinhart, East Valley Tribune] - Lloyd Pearsall really did walk to school barefoot. Rosalee Sproul made ends meet by tending a garden and canning her own fruits and vegetables. Henrietta Pearsall was known in her neighborhood as the "Brownie Lady" and when she wasn't baking, she was knitting, crocheting and sewing.
Throughout their long lives - this week Rosalee turned 105 and the Pearsalls celebrated 75 years of marriage - they worked hard, traveled some, raised children and collected lovely antiques and even lovelier memories.
They also struggled through the Depression and outlived most of their children, siblings and friends.
So what makes the Pearsalls, Sproul and the growing number of Arizonans surviving well into their 90s and beyond different from those who don't?
And what can they teach us about how to live not just a long life, but a good long life?
"I guess love is what it amounts to," says Lloyd, gazing at his wife. "We've had a good family. We've traveled a lot and met so many nice people."
More than 700 centenarians live in Arizona, and the number is growing at an astounding rate. Nationwide, there are about 85,000 centenarians and by 2040 there are projected to be more than 580,000, according to the U.S. Census.
The fastest-growing segment of our population are those 85 and older - a group that in Arizona is projected to grow by 102 percent between 2000 and 2020.
Researchers attribute these numbers to the huge wave of baby boomers, medical advances that have lead to growing life expectancy (though that's starting to level off) and, in Arizona, migration.
Setting aside the policy implications for health care, employment, Social Security and myriad other issues - and they are enormous - it's clear that people who've lived longer have, to a large extent, lived healthier.
Dr. Walter J. Nieri wants to know how they've done it.
Together with his colleagues at the Sun Health Research Institute's Center for Healthy Aging and a team from Arizona State University West, Nieri is studying the lives of people aged 98 years and older to learn more about healthy aging.
The researchers also need participants as young as 50 years to follow long-term for what is believed to be the first longitudinal aging study in Arizona.
Though many studies have looked at the physical aspects of old age, and chalked up about half of it to genetics and much of the rest to exercise and a balanced diet, Nieri's research is more holistic, focusing on stress and psychological factors as well as physical health, and how they interact.
"We're looking at their psychological makeup. How they're coping with stress," said Nieri, a geriatric physician and director of the aging center. "Particularly the fact that they're getting older and they're not as independent as they'd like to be."
Nieri, who's also medical director at Huger Mercy Living Center in Sun City, said depression can take hold as people age and the losses stack up: career, spouse, friends, home, independence.
"We just assume that they've reached that stage and they're doing fine," he said. "But a lot of times they're hung up on the would've, could've, should've."
Nieri encourages people to stay engaged and try new things, from politics to college coursework. Exercise, he says, can help people make new friends while keeping fit.
The longevity study, in cooperation with TGen, the Translational Genomics Research Institute, also will examine whether some people are genetically predisposed to handle stress better than others. Much like the 100-year-old man who visited Nieri this week and, just months after losing his wife of 67 years, still maintained his sense of humor and a positive view toward the future.
In addition to being born with good genes that enable them to avoid heart disease, diabetes, cancer and dementia, researchers are finding that people who age well also have good attitudes.
"They tend to be optimistic and have fun. They tend to let troubles roll off their backs," said Dr. Mitchell Harman, founding director of Kronos Longevity Research Institute. "They're not bitter. They don't hold grudges. They don't withdraw.
"Their basic attitude is, 'Life is good and I'm going to have a good time.'"
Also, he added, "most of them aren't fat, and most of them never were."
Other than that, people in this age group, known as the oldest old, may not have much else in common. Women outnumber men by more than 2-1.
"Some of them smoked, some of them didn't. Some of them exercised a lot, some of them didn't," Harman said. "It seems like they're resistant to everything. They dodged. There's no question that about half of that is having the right genes."
They also aren't any more likely to suffer a long, slow decline than are people in their 60s or 70s, Harman said. Research has shown that most people spend about two to three years on a progressively slippery slope toward death. Centenarians generally spend the vast majority of their years in pretty good health.
"So it really doesn't matter. Whether you live to be 75 or 105, the amount of time you spend sick, frail and dependent is the same," Harman said. "The real issue becomes, at any age, what can you do to enrich your life and stay healthy?"
At 105, Rosalee Sproul is in remarkably good health, though she had a stroke about four years ago and is slipping deeper into dementia. Granddaughter Linda Heimer of Queen Creek says Rosalee hasn't called her by name in about 10 years, but otherwise has no health problems.
Dressed in a flowered dress and pearls, Rosalee sat serenely in her wheelchair Monday at Citadel Care Center in Mesa while everyone made a fuss and enjoyed birthday cake and punch. Among those congratulating her was a very spry 102-year-old Emily Schneider.
Emily's knees are bad and she uses an oxygen tank most days, but her mind is sharp. She gives much of the credit for her longevity to God, but also allows, "I've had a beautiful family."
Rosalee does, too. Though she's outlived two husbands and her two children, she has five grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandkids.
Heimer says her grandmother was canning and preserving food well into her 90s. She enjoyed playing the piano, painting landscapes of the nearby Superstition Mountains and quilting, and had little use for TV beyond the 10 o'clock news.
"She was real laid-back," said great-granddaughter Michele Walcott, of Mesa.
At 96, Henrietta Pearsall still knits three or four colorful doilies each day. Visitors to the Pearsalls' Scottsdale home are implored to take one or two home.
Lloyd, 98, tells wonderful, detailed stories of the early years at General Motors, where he not only drove a Dusenberg, but met Mr. Dusenberg. He helped with the development of air conditioning and adjustable seats and chatted with some of the country's elite as he drove them from the Detroit train station to the GM proving grounds.
He also remembers the day he worked up enough gumption to make his pitch to Henrietta as they approached each other on the street.
"I just kept looking at her," he recalls. "I said to my dad, 'I'm going to hit her up for a date.'" They were married at Henrietta's parents' home in 1933. Five years later, the couple bought their first home, in Brighton, Mich., for $2,600.
This week their surviving son, Dennis, and his family came from Michigan and New York to help celebrate the Pearsalls' 75th anniversary. Hospice of the Valley, which helps care for the couple in their Scottsdale home, brought a cake, champagne and sparkling apple juice.
The Pearsalls have seen many changes over their long lives and, when asked, Lloyd says families don't seem to be as cohesive as they used to be, with children "farmed out" to others much of the time.
Mark Pearsall remembers watching his grandparents on camping trips, with Henrietta setting up the camp kitchen while Lloyd got ready for fishing. The couple had their own interests - she worked at a local bank and owned an antique store - but life mainly centered on the family.
"They each had their independence," he said. "But they were a good team."
Lloyd, diagnosed with congestive heart disease, has been receiving hospice care for nearly two years. He isn't sure why he's lasted so long, but is grateful for the years he's had.
"It's been a great trip."
Throughout their long lives - this week Rosalee turned 105 and the Pearsalls celebrated 75 years of marriage - they worked hard, traveled some, raised children and collected lovely antiques and even lovelier memories.
They also struggled through the Depression and outlived most of their children, siblings and friends.
So what makes the Pearsalls, Sproul and the growing number of Arizonans surviving well into their 90s and beyond different from those who don't?
And what can they teach us about how to live not just a long life, but a good long life?
"I guess love is what it amounts to," says Lloyd, gazing at his wife. "We've had a good family. We've traveled a lot and met so many nice people."
More than 700 centenarians live in Arizona, and the number is growing at an astounding rate. Nationwide, there are about 85,000 centenarians and by 2040 there are projected to be more than 580,000, according to the U.S. Census.
The fastest-growing segment of our population are those 85 and older - a group that in Arizona is projected to grow by 102 percent between 2000 and 2020.
Researchers attribute these numbers to the huge wave of baby boomers, medical advances that have lead to growing life expectancy (though that's starting to level off) and, in Arizona, migration.
Setting aside the policy implications for health care, employment, Social Security and myriad other issues - and they are enormous - it's clear that people who've lived longer have, to a large extent, lived healthier.
Dr. Walter J. Nieri wants to know how they've done it.
Together with his colleagues at the Sun Health Research Institute's Center for Healthy Aging and a team from Arizona State University West, Nieri is studying the lives of people aged 98 years and older to learn more about healthy aging.
The researchers also need participants as young as 50 years to follow long-term for what is believed to be the first longitudinal aging study in Arizona.
Though many studies have looked at the physical aspects of old age, and chalked up about half of it to genetics and much of the rest to exercise and a balanced diet, Nieri's research is more holistic, focusing on stress and psychological factors as well as physical health, and how they interact.
"We're looking at their psychological makeup. How they're coping with stress," said Nieri, a geriatric physician and director of the aging center. "Particularly the fact that they're getting older and they're not as independent as they'd like to be."
Nieri, who's also medical director at Huger Mercy Living Center in Sun City, said depression can take hold as people age and the losses stack up: career, spouse, friends, home, independence.
"We just assume that they've reached that stage and they're doing fine," he said. "But a lot of times they're hung up on the would've, could've, should've."
Nieri encourages people to stay engaged and try new things, from politics to college coursework. Exercise, he says, can help people make new friends while keeping fit.
The longevity study, in cooperation with TGen, the Translational Genomics Research Institute, also will examine whether some people are genetically predisposed to handle stress better than others. Much like the 100-year-old man who visited Nieri this week and, just months after losing his wife of 67 years, still maintained his sense of humor and a positive view toward the future.
In addition to being born with good genes that enable them to avoid heart disease, diabetes, cancer and dementia, researchers are finding that people who age well also have good attitudes.
"They tend to be optimistic and have fun. They tend to let troubles roll off their backs," said Dr. Mitchell Harman, founding director of Kronos Longevity Research Institute. "They're not bitter. They don't hold grudges. They don't withdraw.
"Their basic attitude is, 'Life is good and I'm going to have a good time.'"
Also, he added, "most of them aren't fat, and most of them never were."
Other than that, people in this age group, known as the oldest old, may not have much else in common. Women outnumber men by more than 2-1.
"Some of them smoked, some of them didn't. Some of them exercised a lot, some of them didn't," Harman said. "It seems like they're resistant to everything. They dodged. There's no question that about half of that is having the right genes."
They also aren't any more likely to suffer a long, slow decline than are people in their 60s or 70s, Harman said. Research has shown that most people spend about two to three years on a progressively slippery slope toward death. Centenarians generally spend the vast majority of their years in pretty good health.
"So it really doesn't matter. Whether you live to be 75 or 105, the amount of time you spend sick, frail and dependent is the same," Harman said. "The real issue becomes, at any age, what can you do to enrich your life and stay healthy?"
At 105, Rosalee Sproul is in remarkably good health, though she had a stroke about four years ago and is slipping deeper into dementia. Granddaughter Linda Heimer of Queen Creek says Rosalee hasn't called her by name in about 10 years, but otherwise has no health problems.
Dressed in a flowered dress and pearls, Rosalee sat serenely in her wheelchair Monday at Citadel Care Center in Mesa while everyone made a fuss and enjoyed birthday cake and punch. Among those congratulating her was a very spry 102-year-old Emily Schneider.
Emily's knees are bad and she uses an oxygen tank most days, but her mind is sharp. She gives much of the credit for her longevity to God, but also allows, "I've had a beautiful family."
Rosalee does, too. Though she's outlived two husbands and her two children, she has five grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandkids.
Heimer says her grandmother was canning and preserving food well into her 90s. She enjoyed playing the piano, painting landscapes of the nearby Superstition Mountains and quilting, and had little use for TV beyond the 10 o'clock news.
"She was real laid-back," said great-granddaughter Michele Walcott, of Mesa.
At 96, Henrietta Pearsall still knits three or four colorful doilies each day. Visitors to the Pearsalls' Scottsdale home are implored to take one or two home.
Lloyd, 98, tells wonderful, detailed stories of the early years at General Motors, where he not only drove a Dusenberg, but met Mr. Dusenberg. He helped with the development of air conditioning and adjustable seats and chatted with some of the country's elite as he drove them from the Detroit train station to the GM proving grounds.
He also remembers the day he worked up enough gumption to make his pitch to Henrietta as they approached each other on the street.
"I just kept looking at her," he recalls. "I said to my dad, 'I'm going to hit her up for a date.'" They were married at Henrietta's parents' home in 1933. Five years later, the couple bought their first home, in Brighton, Mich., for $2,600.
This week their surviving son, Dennis, and his family came from Michigan and New York to help celebrate the Pearsalls' 75th anniversary. Hospice of the Valley, which helps care for the couple in their Scottsdale home, brought a cake, champagne and sparkling apple juice.
The Pearsalls have seen many changes over their long lives and, when asked, Lloyd says families don't seem to be as cohesive as they used to be, with children "farmed out" to others much of the time.
Mark Pearsall remembers watching his grandparents on camping trips, with Henrietta setting up the camp kitchen while Lloyd got ready for fishing. The couple had their own interests - she worked at a local bank and owned an antique store - but life mainly centered on the family.
"They each had their independence," he said. "But they were a good team."
Lloyd, diagnosed with congestive heart disease, has been receiving hospice care for nearly two years. He isn't sure why he's lasted so long, but is grateful for the years he's had.
"It's been a great trip."
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Banner, Sun Health institutes seeks patients for Alzheimer's study
{source: Phoenix Business Journal} - Banner Alzheimer's Institute and Sun Health Research Institute are enrolling patients in a study of the investigational drug Dimebon for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
The study will evaluate the safety and effect of Dimebon taken in combination with Aricept, an FDA-approved Alzheimer's treatment. Results from a one-year study of Dimebon -- showing significant improvements in memory, thinking, function and behavior -- were highlighted at the recent 2008 Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium Annual Conference. Both Banner Alzheimer's Institute and Sun Health Research Institute are members of the group.
More than 5 million people in the U.S. are living with Alzheimer's disease, according to the Alzheimer's Association. It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that destroys brain cells and affects areas of the brain involved in memory, cognition, judgment, language and behavior. Currently available therapies treat the symptoms with modest effect in most patients, according to researchers.
"We are encouraged by the results Dimebon has shown in clinical studies to date and believe it is imperative to fully assess its promise in the fight against Alzheimer's disease," said Dr. Pierre N. Tariot, director of the Memory Disorders Center at Banner Alzheimer's Institute, in a statement.
Patients 50 and older with a clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and taking Aricept for at least 60 days may be eligible to participate in the study.
For more: Banner Alzheimer's Institute, 602-239-6900; Sun Health Research Institute, 623-875-6500; www.shri.org.
The study will evaluate the safety and effect of Dimebon taken in combination with Aricept, an FDA-approved Alzheimer's treatment. Results from a one-year study of Dimebon -- showing significant improvements in memory, thinking, function and behavior -- were highlighted at the recent 2008 Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium Annual Conference. Both Banner Alzheimer's Institute and Sun Health Research Institute are members of the group.
More than 5 million people in the U.S. are living with Alzheimer's disease, according to the Alzheimer's Association. It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that destroys brain cells and affects areas of the brain involved in memory, cognition, judgment, language and behavior. Currently available therapies treat the symptoms with modest effect in most patients, according to researchers.
"We are encouraged by the results Dimebon has shown in clinical studies to date and believe it is imperative to fully assess its promise in the fight against Alzheimer's disease," said Dr. Pierre N. Tariot, director of the Memory Disorders Center at Banner Alzheimer's Institute, in a statement.
Patients 50 and older with a clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and taking Aricept for at least 60 days may be eligible to participate in the study.
For more: Banner Alzheimer's Institute, 602-239-6900; Sun Health Research Institute, 623-875-6500; www.shri.org.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Scientists present Alzheimer's research update at confab
[Source: www.yourwestvalley.com ] -Sun Health Research Institute and its partners in the Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium will have a free conference for the public to learn about progress in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 30 at the Renaissance Glendale Hotel & Spa, 9495 W. Coyotes Blvd.
The 10th annual event will feature presentations by leading physicians, researchers and scientists. Speakers include Joseph Rogers, Ph.D., president of Sun Health Research Institute, and Dr. Marwan Sabbagh, director of the Cleo Roberts Center for Clinical Research at Sun Health Research Institute.
A free buffet breakfast and lunch will be provided. Seating is limited, and registration is required by visiting www.azalz.org or by calling 602-239-6901.
The morning program features a community awareness forum, "Facing Alzheimer’s Together," with a focus on:
• Advances in diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease.
• Providing emotional support for caregivers.
• Physician and caregiver panel discussion with audience question-and-answer session.
The afternoon program is structured as a scientific forum, and morning session attendees are welcome to say for the afternoon session, featuring:
• Keynote speaker.
• Poster presentations.
• "Data blitz" presentations.
Alzheimer’s disease is the seventh-leading cause of death in the U.S., afflicting one in 10 people older than 65.
Treatments are available that improve the quality of life for some people with Alzheimer’s. Investigative treatments are being studied in clinical trials, and scientists have discovered several genes associated with the disease.
In addition, techniques are available to help people caring for a loved one with the disease.
The 10th annual event will feature presentations by leading physicians, researchers and scientists. Speakers include Joseph Rogers, Ph.D., president of Sun Health Research Institute, and Dr. Marwan Sabbagh, director of the Cleo Roberts Center for Clinical Research at Sun Health Research Institute.
A free buffet breakfast and lunch will be provided. Seating is limited, and registration is required by visiting www.azalz.org or by calling 602-239-6901.
The morning program features a community awareness forum, "Facing Alzheimer’s Together," with a focus on:
• Advances in diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease.
• Providing emotional support for caregivers.
• Physician and caregiver panel discussion with audience question-and-answer session.
The afternoon program is structured as a scientific forum, and morning session attendees are welcome to say for the afternoon session, featuring:
• Keynote speaker.
• Poster presentations.
• "Data blitz" presentations.
Alzheimer’s disease is the seventh-leading cause of death in the U.S., afflicting one in 10 people older than 65.
Treatments are available that improve the quality of life for some people with Alzheimer’s. Investigative treatments are being studied in clinical trials, and scientists have discovered several genes associated with the disease.
In addition, techniques are available to help people caring for a loved one with the disease.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
First Diagnostic Test For Alzheimer's And Parkinson's Disease On The Horizon
[Source:ScienceDaily] -A new blood test that can give an early diagnosis of neurodegenerative disease and distinguish between Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease could be launched this summer, reports Marina Murphy in SCI's Chemistry & Industry magazine.
Manufacturer, Oklahoma-based proteomics company, Power3 Medical Products, said it plans to sell the test, NuroPro, which would be the first diagnostic test for neurodegenerative diseases on the market, in Greece by Q3 with further plans for it to go on the US market by late Q3 or Q4."
"There is currently no diagnostic test for any neurodegenerative disease on the market -- diagnoses are currently based solely on a clinical diagnosis of symptoms," said chief executive, Steve Rash.
Power3 has identified and patented several blood proteins(1) associated with neurodegenerative disease. The test NuroPro measures a suite of 59 protein biomarkers, the relative levels of which, they say, can help distinguish between Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Lou Gehrig's disease or tell whether a patient is disease free. The test is highly accurate with a specificity and sensitivity in the high 90s, according to Rash.
Although the test has been welcomed by Kieran Breen, director of research at the Parkinson's Disease Society, as being particularly useful for monitoring the progression of disease and assessing the effectiveness of drugs, he urged caution saying: "While the test seems promising, larger studies need to be conducted before it can be confirmed as being helpful in making a diagnosis."
Susan Sorensen, head of research at the UK Alzheimer's Society said: "There are 700,000 people living with dementia in the UK, 62 per cent have Alzheimer's disease and this will rise to more than a million in less than 20 years. An effective blood test would present those diagnosed and their families with an opportunity to prepare for the impact of this devastating illness and make crucial decisions about their future.
"The method, known as proteomics, involves analysing proteins in the blood although it remains unclear which group of proteins gives the definitive signs of Alzheimer's disease... Some suggest Alzheimer's, for example, is too complex to be identified in this way."
Two clinical validation studies are currently underway at the Cleo Roberts Center of Clinical Research in Arizona, US, and the Research Institute of Thessaly in Greece.
Note: (1) Expert Review of Proteomics 2008, 5(1), 1-8; Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 2006, 342, 1034-1039
Adapted from materials provided by Society of Chemical Industry, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Manufacturer, Oklahoma-based proteomics company, Power3 Medical Products, said it plans to sell the test, NuroPro, which would be the first diagnostic test for neurodegenerative diseases on the market, in Greece by Q3 with further plans for it to go on the US market by late Q3 or Q4."
"There is currently no diagnostic test for any neurodegenerative disease on the market -- diagnoses are currently based solely on a clinical diagnosis of symptoms," said chief executive, Steve Rash.
Power3 has identified and patented several blood proteins(1) associated with neurodegenerative disease. The test NuroPro measures a suite of 59 protein biomarkers, the relative levels of which, they say, can help distinguish between Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Lou Gehrig's disease or tell whether a patient is disease free. The test is highly accurate with a specificity and sensitivity in the high 90s, according to Rash.
Although the test has been welcomed by Kieran Breen, director of research at the Parkinson's Disease Society, as being particularly useful for monitoring the progression of disease and assessing the effectiveness of drugs, he urged caution saying: "While the test seems promising, larger studies need to be conducted before it can be confirmed as being helpful in making a diagnosis."
Susan Sorensen, head of research at the UK Alzheimer's Society said: "There are 700,000 people living with dementia in the UK, 62 per cent have Alzheimer's disease and this will rise to more than a million in less than 20 years. An effective blood test would present those diagnosed and their families with an opportunity to prepare for the impact of this devastating illness and make crucial decisions about their future.
"The method, known as proteomics, involves analysing proteins in the blood although it remains unclear which group of proteins gives the definitive signs of Alzheimer's disease... Some suggest Alzheimer's, for example, is too complex to be identified in this way."
Two clinical validation studies are currently underway at the Cleo Roberts Center of Clinical Research in Arizona, US, and the Research Institute of Thessaly in Greece.
Note: (1) Expert Review of Proteomics 2008, 5(1), 1-8; Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 2006, 342, 1034-1039
Adapted from materials provided by Society of Chemical Industry, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Latest study says statins don't slow Alzheimer's
[Source: Steven Reinberg, HealthDay News] - Despite some reports that statins might slow or prevent Alzheimer's disease, a new study finds no evidence for the theory. While some animal studies have suggested this possibility, whether the same benefit translates to humans hasn't been clear, the researchers said. "We didn't find a relation between statin use and the risk of Alzheimer's disease or a decline in thinking ability," said lead researcher Dr. Zoe Arvanitakis, an associate professor of neurology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.
In addition, brain autopsies found no effect of statins on the two main causes of dementia, Alzheimer's and stroke, Arvanitakis said. In the study, Arvanitakis' team collected data on 929 Catholic clergy who took part in the Religious Orders Study, which looks at aging and Alzheimer's disease. At the start of the study, all the participants were around 75 years old and had no signs of dementia. All had a brain autopsy after death, and each had yearly cognitive exams for up to 12 years. The findings were published in the Jan. 16 online edition of Neurology.
When the study started, 119 people were taking statins. Over the 12 years of the study, 191 people developed Alzheimer's. Of these, only 16 had been taking statins. Moreover, brain autopsies on more than 250 people who died during the study failed to find any evidence that taking statins had an effect on pathology of Alzheimer's disease or strokes, the scientists found. "This study adds to the growing evidence that statins don't lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease," Arvanitakis said.
However, one expert thinks this study is not conclusive, and clinical trials that are under way should provide a definitive answer on the issue. "We will see the results of these trials fairly soon," said William Thies, vice president of medical and scientific affairs for the Alzheimer's Association. "This finding fits in with a great deal of other work that has been done on statins," said Thies. "Most of these studies show a benefit, but this is not the first one to show there isn't a benefit." Statins are excellent drugs for lowering cholesterol, Thies said. "But there is no recommendation that you take statins for Alzheimer's disease," he added.
Larry Sparks, director of the Roberts Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease Research at the Sun Health Research Institute in Arizona and one of the first to link statins with Alzheimer's prevention, doesn't think the study was large enough to give a definitive result. In his own work, Sparks has found a benefit from statins in treating patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. However, he thinks the type of statin makes a difference. "Research suggests that statins that don't get into the brain may prevent or slow the progression of Alzheimer's," Sparks said. "This is a continuing story."
In addition, brain autopsies found no effect of statins on the two main causes of dementia, Alzheimer's and stroke, Arvanitakis said. In the study, Arvanitakis' team collected data on 929 Catholic clergy who took part in the Religious Orders Study, which looks at aging and Alzheimer's disease. At the start of the study, all the participants were around 75 years old and had no signs of dementia. All had a brain autopsy after death, and each had yearly cognitive exams for up to 12 years. The findings were published in the Jan. 16 online edition of Neurology.
When the study started, 119 people were taking statins. Over the 12 years of the study, 191 people developed Alzheimer's. Of these, only 16 had been taking statins. Moreover, brain autopsies on more than 250 people who died during the study failed to find any evidence that taking statins had an effect on pathology of Alzheimer's disease or strokes, the scientists found. "This study adds to the growing evidence that statins don't lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease," Arvanitakis said.
However, one expert thinks this study is not conclusive, and clinical trials that are under way should provide a definitive answer on the issue. "We will see the results of these trials fairly soon," said William Thies, vice president of medical and scientific affairs for the Alzheimer's Association. "This finding fits in with a great deal of other work that has been done on statins," said Thies. "Most of these studies show a benefit, but this is not the first one to show there isn't a benefit." Statins are excellent drugs for lowering cholesterol, Thies said. "But there is no recommendation that you take statins for Alzheimer's disease," he added.
Larry Sparks, director of the Roberts Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease Research at the Sun Health Research Institute in Arizona and one of the first to link statins with Alzheimer's prevention, doesn't think the study was large enough to give a definitive result. In his own work, Sparks has found a benefit from statins in treating patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. However, he thinks the type of statin makes a difference. "Research suggests that statins that don't get into the brain may prevent or slow the progression of Alzheimer's," Sparks said. "This is a continuing story."
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Centenarians wanted for Sun Health Research Institute study on healthy aging
Sun Health Research Institute's Center for Healthy Aging and the West campus of Arizona State University are seeking out valley residents ages 98 and older for a new study that will examine the link between longevity and factors for healthy aging. “The purpose of this project is to gain a better understanding of the many factors involved in healthy aging. The best place to start is with people who've accomplished it,” says Walter Nieri, MD, director of the Sun Health Research Institute’s Center for Healthy Aging. “From this project, we seek to build wellness models that emphasize what individuals and the communities in which they live have done right to achieve longevity.”
Participation includes a brief phone interview followed by a one- to two-hour in-person interview at the individual’s residence or at the Sun Health Research Institute. Participants may have another family member, caregiver, or friend join them in the interview, but are encouraged to answer the questions on their own. Interviewers are specially selected, screened, and trained graduate students and professionals interested in the field of aging and work on a team with David W. Coon, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology at the West campus of Arizona State University.
The Longevity Project seeks participation of people from all cultures and backgrounds. Spanish-speaking interviewers are also available. If you or someone you know is approaching 100 or older, please call the Longevity Project hotline at the Center for Healthy Aging at the Sun Health Research Institute at 623/815-7677. Sun Health Research Institute’s Center for Healthy Aging was established to provide seniors with information, education and resources necessary to age gracefully and in a healthy manner.
Participation includes a brief phone interview followed by a one- to two-hour in-person interview at the individual’s residence or at the Sun Health Research Institute. Participants may have another family member, caregiver, or friend join them in the interview, but are encouraged to answer the questions on their own. Interviewers are specially selected, screened, and trained graduate students and professionals interested in the field of aging and work on a team with David W. Coon, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology at the West campus of Arizona State University.
The Longevity Project seeks participation of people from all cultures and backgrounds. Spanish-speaking interviewers are also available. If you or someone you know is approaching 100 or older, please call the Longevity Project hotline at the Center for Healthy Aging at the Sun Health Research Institute at 623/815-7677. Sun Health Research Institute’s Center for Healthy Aging was established to provide seniors with information, education and resources necessary to age gracefully and in a healthy manner.
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