This editorial for the Journal of Alzheimers Research and Therapy outlines persistent questions in Alzheimer biology and care, and highlights emerging tools and study designs. The journal aims to connect mechanistic insight with therapeutic development and practice. It invites interdisciplinary work to accelerate translation and improve outcomes for patients and caregivers. Show less

Studies reported that a videophone conversation allows individuals with dementia to be psychologically stable even after a 3 h conversation session. The individuals who exhibited difficulty in watching TV programs could still enjoy a conversation. This follow-up study investigated the effectiveness of a videophone conversation using five subjects with mild to moderate dementia. Two sessions were conducted during the study. In Session A, a subject convers with a talking partner through videophone for 30 min, and in Session B, a subject watches his/her favorite TV program. Sessions A and B were rotated on a day-by-day basis. Their psychological stability was evaluated by caregivers using the revised GBS scale (concomitant evaluation) and the overall psychological stability 3 h after each session (delayed evaluation) was also assessed. The significant psychological stability was obtained for two subjects in the concomitant evaluation, and one subject in the delayed evaluation. This indicates that a videophone conversation is a promising remote intervention for assisting individuals with dementia. Further investigation with the participation of more subjects must be conducted. Show less

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is one amongst the overwhelming types of dementia that distresses the brain nerve cells leading to a perpetual loss in memory and creating a lot of difficulties for the family members in caretaking. The prediction of the disease at an earlier stage is a common problem. The most prevalent imaging modalities used for diagnosing AD are Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT). They can provide valuable information regarding the changes in internal and external brain regions and activities for diagnosing AD. But the relevant studies made on retina reveals that in addition to brain changes there are some variations on the retina layers of the AD patients. Therefore, the retina can be used as a biomarker for diagnosing AD. There are different techniques available for an eye examination. Most noticeable of them are Fundus Imaging and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). In this paper, we have focused on OCT retinal images of AD patients for the early diagnosis of AD. Show less

This study systematically reviews the literature on non-pharmacological interventions for disrupted sleep-in people meeting established criteria for moderate-severe dementia, and to analyze the methodological quality of the included studies. The PubMed, PEDro, Cochrane, Virtual Health Library, APA PsycInfo databases were searched using a systematic literature review approach to identify various types of non-pharmacological treatments that improve disrupted sleep-in subjects with moderate-severe dementia. In accordance with the inclusion criteria, eight studies were systematically reviewed and analyzed according to the type of non-pharmacological treatment carried out. This systematic review showed that 50% of the studies used bright light therapy, 12.5% ​​the use of manual therapy, and 37.5% sleep hygiene or walking or a combination of these interventions. Based on the results of the present study, although there is some evidence to support these strategies, it is not significantly supported and highlights variation in the way the interventions were delivered. Disrupted sleep is highly prevalent in people with dementia and have a negative impact on the quality of life of the sufferer and the caregiver. Non-pharmacological approaches to its treatment are increasingly popular as an alternative to drugs, whose efficacy and side effects have raised concerns among the population. Currently, there is a need to carry out more future research to establish its effectiveness and to be able to provide clear guidelines at the time of clinical practice. Show less