Lilly drug chosen for Alzheimer’s prevention study

By Marilynn Marchione
Associated Press

SOURCE: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/86009/lilly-drug-chosen-for-alzheimers-prevention-study

Dr. Reisa Sperling, director of the Alzheimer’s center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. www.brighamandwomens.org

Researchers have chosen an experimental drug by Eli Lilly & Co. for a large federally funded study testing whether it’s possible to prevent Alzheimer’s disease in older people at high risk of developing it.

The drug, called solanezumab, is designed to bind to and help clear the sticky deposits that clog patients’ brains.

Earlier studies found it did not help people with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s but it showed some promise against milder disease. Researchers think it might work better if given before symptoms start.

“The hope is we can catch people before they decline,” which can come 10 years or more after plaques first show up in the brain, said Dr. Reisa Sperling, director of the Alzheimer’s center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

She will help lead the new study, which will involve 1,000 people ages 70 to 85 whose brain scans show plaque buildup but who do not yet have any symptoms of dementia. They will get monthly infusions of solanezumab or a dummy drug for three years. The main goal will be slowing the rate of cognitive decline. The study will be done at 50 sites in the U.S. and possibly more in Canada, Australia and Europe, Sperling said.

Singer Bobby Womack diagnosed with Alzheimer’s

Associated Press
SOURCE: http://entertainment.inquirer.net/74801/singer-bobby-womack-diagnosed-with-alzheimers

NEW YORK – Singer Bobby Womack has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member told the BBC in a recent interview the diagnosis came after he began having difficulty remembering his songs and the names of people he’s worked with.

A spokeswoman did not immediately reply to a message left by The Associated Press.

The soul singer has cut a wide path through the music business as a performer and songwriter in his 50-year career. He recently launched another act with “The Bravest Man in the Universe,” the Damon Albarn-produced comeback album that made several best-of lists.

Alzheimer’s is a degenerative brain disease characterized by memory loss. It’s the latest health problem for the 68-year-old singer, who’s also been fighting cancer and other maladies.