One of the great challenges faced by families coping with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia is learning how to communicate effectively with the person impacted by the disease while also upholding their personhood, or sense of personal value. A new study from UConn researcher Amanda Cooper – published in time for World Alzheimer’s Month in September and World Alzheimer’s Day on Sept. 21 - offers concrete recommendations on what to do and what not to do to support personhood for a family member living with dementia. This study, “Finding the Communication Sweet Spot: Strategies Promoting Personhood in Conversations Between Individuals with Dementia and Their Family Members,” was published in the Journal of Family Communication in July.

A molecular mechanism that significantly contributes to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease has been discovered by a research team led by neurobiologist Prof. Dr Hilmar Bading of Heidelberg University. In joint experiments with researchers from Shandong University (China), the team, using an Alzheimer’s mouse model, demonstrated that a neurotoxic protein-protein complex is responsible for nerve cells in the brain dying off and the resulting cognitive decline. According to the scientists, this finding opens up new perspectives for the development of effective treatments.

Researchers found dietary changes may help improve cognitive health and stave off dementia