The study of 7,027 women, led by Kristine Yaffe, MD, of University of California, San Francisco, found that those with pre-diabetes as well as those with diabetes have worse cognitive performance, and are at an increased risk for developing cognitive impairment, including mild cognitive impairment and dementia.
A related Neurology Patient Page, written by Janet Jankowiak, MD, provides background on why increased obesity and excessive sugar consumption are to be avoided because of their ties to cognitive decline. The Patient Page also includes an explanation of dementia, the different types of dementia, how they are treated, warning signs and how to respond when you suspect dementia in a family member. The Patient Page will be available for downloading from www.neurology.org on August 24, or can be obtained in advance from AAN media relations staff.
Moderate economic value equated with treatment of severe Alzheimer's disease
Feldman et al report on the pharmacoeconomics of donepezil treatment of severe Alzheimer's disease. They report that donepezil treatment for six days within a randomized, placebo-controlled trial is associated with a total societal cost saving of $224 per patient.
Other news
The American Academy of Neurology and the Society for Neuroscience have joined with multiple patient advocacy groups, foundations, and professional organizations to establish the American Brain Coalition (ABC). ABC's mission is to reduce the burden of brain disorders to individuals, families, and society. The vision for ABC is to develop a strong voice for people with disorders of the nervous system and advocate for increased support for biomedical research. The interim chair of ABC is Francis Kittredge, Jr., MD, who was a driving force for the creation of the organization during his term as president of the AAN in 2000–2001. For more information contact Kathy Stone, American Academy of Neurology, kstone@aan.com, or Allison Kupferman, Society for Neuroscience, allison@sfn.org.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 18,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Parkinson's disease, ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), dementia, West Nile virus, and ataxia.
For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit its Website at www.aan.com.
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Neurology