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semiotic_pirateLight therapy 'can slow dementia'
Dementia could be slowed significantly by treatments which reset the body's natural clock, researchers have said.
The Dutch team used brighter daytime lighting - with or without the drug melatonin - to improve patients' sleep, mood and cut aggressive behaviour.
It concludes that these can slow deterioration by 5% - which a UK specialist said meant patients living in their own homes for months longer.
The study appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The disruption to the body's circadian rhythm - the natural cycle that governs sleep and wakefulness - can be one of the most difficult of dementia symptoms for carers to cope with.
It can mean that people with the illness can be asleep during the day, but fully awake for periods during the night.
Other studies have suggested that the use of bright room lighting and melatonin can help adjust the "clock", and the researchers from the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in Amsterdam managed to recruit 189 care home residents to take part in an unique trial.
Six of the care homes taking part had lighting installed, and this was turned on between 9am and 6pm every day.
Some of the patients, most of whom had some form of dementia, received melatonin, a naturally-occurring hormone, and their progress was then monitored for at least the next year.
Those who had melatonin, but no extra lighting, had better sleep patterns, but tended to be more withdrawn and have a worse mood.
However, patients having melatonin and bright light together managed to avoid these mood problems.
Even having the light without melatonin slowed "cognitive deterioration" by 5% compared with those homes which did not install brighter lighting, and depressive symptoms fell by 19%.
'Spectacular'
The study authors said that care homes should consider introducing the lights for their residents with dementia.
Dr Michael Hastings, from the Medical Research Council Laboratory for Molecular Biology in Cambridge, and himself a researcher into circadian rhythms and Alzheimer's disease, said the study results were "spectacular".
"Although 5% may not sound like a huge amount, it compares well with treatments such as Aricept designed to slow the progression of the illness.
"Over the course of Alzheimer's, it could represent six months, and you have to remember that the light therapy is completely non-invasive, and melatonin is a very gentle drug."
He said that sleep disturbances were often the "final straw" for relatives trying to cope for people with dementia.
"You can have a situation where someone is asleep for part of the day, then at 3am will be awake, wandering around the house, turning the gas on. Relatives can manage quite a few of the symptoms of mild or moderate dementia, but this can be too much.
"It's a crunch issue, and if someone could be kept at home for an extra six months, rather than placed in a care home, there are huge personal and social benefits."
He added that since circadian rhythm disruption was a feature of other neurological diseases, such as Huntington's and Parkinson's, there might also be an application for the therapy elsewhere.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7445606.stm
Published: 2008/06/10 23:05:35 GMT
Painkiller may cut dementia risk
Long-term use of ibuprofen may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, a large US study reports.
Data from almost 250,000 veterans showed those who used the painkiller for more than five years were more than 40% less likely to develop Alzheimer's.
The study in Neurology reported that some other similar painkillers may also have a protective effect.
Dementia experts said the results were interesting but warned against people taking ibuprofen to reduce their risk.
It is not the first time an association between non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, and Alzheimer's disease has been reported but results have been conflicting.
The researchers from Boston University School of Medicine said one possible reason for inconsistent reports may be that different NSAIDs have different effects.
They looked at five years of data in 49,300 people over the age of 55 years who had developed Alzheimer's disease and almost 200,000 controls.
Overall, use of NSAIDs for five years was associated with a 24% reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's.
But the effects of ibuprofen were the most profound and some other NSAIDs, such as celecoxib, had no effect.
Laboratory findings
Study leader Dr Steven Vlad said: "There are theoretical reasons to think that not all NSAIDs would behave the same way in terms of Alzheimer's disease."
He said ibuprofen had been shown in animal models and the laboratory to reduce levels of protein deposits associated with Alzheimer's in the brain.
The results are probably partly due to direct effects of the drug and partly due to the fact ibuprofen is the most commonly used NSAID so the finding would be picked up more easily, he added.
But he added: "All NSAIDs have well known side-effects that can be very serious and we still need trials to make sure the risks and benefits are very clear."
Professor Clive Ballard, director of research at the Alzheimer's Society, said: "This interesting research builds on evidence of the protective effects of long-term use of NSAIDs against Alzheimer's disease.
"Whilst this is important research it does not mean that people should start taking ibuprofen to reduce their risk of developing dementia.
"Long-term use of NSAIDs is associated with a number of very significant side-effects."
He added it was now up to researchers to use the results in the development of future treatments for the condition.
Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said the results were promising.
"The apparent connection between ibuprofen and a reduced risk of dementia is no silver bullet, but indicates an exciting direction for future research," she said.
A separate study also published in Neurology showed people with shorter arms and legs may be at a higher risk for developing dementia later in life.
The US researchers said poor nutrition in early life may be the link between the two.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7380064.stm
Published: 2008/05/05 23:01:34 GMT
Yeah. Okay. Who specifically funded this second study? Just wanting to know if there is any conflict of interest that would tip the data in favor of a particular sponsor... And yes, veterans are being used as test subjects... are they aware of this? Interesting indeed.
And, for those of you who were getting used to my poetry posting... If any of you were enjoying that, please SPEAK UP and I will put in a reminder on my calendar to ping me daily to make one of those posts. Things have been fun but a little hectic (in a good way) at the new job. Enthusiasm has side effects of making less time for other things.
Dementia could be slowed significantly by treatments which reset the body's natural clock, researchers have said.
The Dutch team used brighter daytime lighting - with or without the drug melatonin - to improve patients' sleep, mood and cut aggressive behaviour.
It concludes that these can slow deterioration by 5% - which a UK specialist said meant patients living in their own homes for months longer.
The study appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The disruption to the body's circadian rhythm - the natural cycle that governs sleep and wakefulness - can be one of the most difficult of dementia symptoms for carers to cope with.
It can mean that people with the illness can be asleep during the day, but fully awake for periods during the night.
Other studies have suggested that the use of bright room lighting and melatonin can help adjust the "clock", and the researchers from the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in Amsterdam managed to recruit 189 care home residents to take part in an unique trial.
Six of the care homes taking part had lighting installed, and this was turned on between 9am and 6pm every day.
Some of the patients, most of whom had some form of dementia, received melatonin, a naturally-occurring hormone, and their progress was then monitored for at least the next year.
Those who had melatonin, but no extra lighting, had better sleep patterns, but tended to be more withdrawn and have a worse mood.
However, patients having melatonin and bright light together managed to avoid these mood problems.
Even having the light without melatonin slowed "cognitive deterioration" by 5% compared with those homes which did not install brighter lighting, and depressive symptoms fell by 19%.
'Spectacular'
The study authors said that care homes should consider introducing the lights for their residents with dementia.
Dr Michael Hastings, from the Medical Research Council Laboratory for Molecular Biology in Cambridge, and himself a researcher into circadian rhythms and Alzheimer's disease, said the study results were "spectacular".
"Although 5% may not sound like a huge amount, it compares well with treatments such as Aricept designed to slow the progression of the illness.
"Over the course of Alzheimer's, it could represent six months, and you have to remember that the light therapy is completely non-invasive, and melatonin is a very gentle drug."
He said that sleep disturbances were often the "final straw" for relatives trying to cope for people with dementia.
"You can have a situation where someone is asleep for part of the day, then at 3am will be awake, wandering around the house, turning the gas on. Relatives can manage quite a few of the symptoms of mild or moderate dementia, but this can be too much.
"It's a crunch issue, and if someone could be kept at home for an extra six months, rather than placed in a care home, there are huge personal and social benefits."
He added that since circadian rhythm disruption was a feature of other neurological diseases, such as Huntington's and Parkinson's, there might also be an application for the therapy elsewhere.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7445606.stm
Published: 2008/06/10 23:05:35 GMT
Painkiller may cut dementia risk
Long-term use of ibuprofen may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, a large US study reports.
Data from almost 250,000 veterans showed those who used the painkiller for more than five years were more than 40% less likely to develop Alzheimer's.
The study in Neurology reported that some other similar painkillers may also have a protective effect.
Dementia experts said the results were interesting but warned against people taking ibuprofen to reduce their risk.
It is not the first time an association between non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, and Alzheimer's disease has been reported but results have been conflicting.
The researchers from Boston University School of Medicine said one possible reason for inconsistent reports may be that different NSAIDs have different effects.
They looked at five years of data in 49,300 people over the age of 55 years who had developed Alzheimer's disease and almost 200,000 controls.
Overall, use of NSAIDs for five years was associated with a 24% reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's.
But the effects of ibuprofen were the most profound and some other NSAIDs, such as celecoxib, had no effect.
Laboratory findings
Study leader Dr Steven Vlad said: "There are theoretical reasons to think that not all NSAIDs would behave the same way in terms of Alzheimer's disease."
He said ibuprofen had been shown in animal models and the laboratory to reduce levels of protein deposits associated with Alzheimer's in the brain.
The results are probably partly due to direct effects of the drug and partly due to the fact ibuprofen is the most commonly used NSAID so the finding would be picked up more easily, he added.
But he added: "All NSAIDs have well known side-effects that can be very serious and we still need trials to make sure the risks and benefits are very clear."
Professor Clive Ballard, director of research at the Alzheimer's Society, said: "This interesting research builds on evidence of the protective effects of long-term use of NSAIDs against Alzheimer's disease.
"Whilst this is important research it does not mean that people should start taking ibuprofen to reduce their risk of developing dementia.
"Long-term use of NSAIDs is associated with a number of very significant side-effects."
He added it was now up to researchers to use the results in the development of future treatments for the condition.
Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said the results were promising.
"The apparent connection between ibuprofen and a reduced risk of dementia is no silver bullet, but indicates an exciting direction for future research," she said.
A separate study also published in Neurology showed people with shorter arms and legs may be at a higher risk for developing dementia later in life.
The US researchers said poor nutrition in early life may be the link between the two.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7380064.stm
Published: 2008/05/05 23:01:34 GMT
Yeah. Okay. Who specifically funded this second study? Just wanting to know if there is any conflict of interest that would tip the data in favor of a particular sponsor... And yes, veterans are being used as test subjects... are they aware of this? Interesting indeed.
And, for those of you who were getting used to my poetry posting... If any of you were enjoying that, please SPEAK UP and I will put in a reminder on my calendar to ping me daily to make one of those posts. Things have been fun but a little hectic (in a good way) at the new job. Enthusiasm has side effects of making less time for other things.
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no subject
Date: 2008-06-11 12:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-11 04:17 pm (UTC)Journalism Rule 2: Whenever reporting on a published study, include what organization financed said study, as that has a direct impact on veracity and credibility.
Rule 2 = fail.
no subject
Date: 2008-06-11 05:15 pm (UTC)Fail again.
* And if there's a reason for that, say why. IIRC, when the researchers in the hormone replacement therapy study discovered how bad the risk figures looked for women on HRT, they didn't wait for peer review before making the announcement that they were calling off the study. In those circumstances, it was appropriate not to wait to have it verified.
no subject
Date: 2008-06-11 05:17 pm (UTC)It would be great if light therapy had a delayed action benefit and if the time I now spend in front of my lightbox every morning turned out to have a payoff down the road. :-)