Memory Loss

Ever wonder why memory decreases as age increases? The results of a study conducted by UC Irvine professor Michael Rugg may have brought researchers one step closer to answering that question. Rugg, the director of UCI's Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, conducted a study comparing brain activity in two groups of people ? those 65 to 75, and those 18 to 30. The results surprised him: In certain brain regions, the older group showed more activity than the younger group.

UCI scientists have discovered a chemical compound that reverses memory loss in people with Huntington?s disease, university officials said. Neurobiologists Gary Lynch, Danielle Simmons found that a mild ampakine treatment on mice produced dramatic amounts of the brain?s own chemicals that create and store memories. The study reveals the potential of Lynche?s ampakine-base drugs, which are being used in Alzheimer?s disease clinical trials. The chemical compound was originally created to combat Alzheimer?

Alzheimer's disease causes progressive, irreversible decline in mental functioning -- destroying memory, judgment and ability to reason. Community and social resources are available to ease the difficulties of families caring for a victim of Alzheimer's disease. One such resource is Aliso Laguna Village -- a specialized dementia residence dedicated to the care of persons with Alzheimer's, dementia and other forms of memory loss. Aliso Laguna Village's unique, multi-levels of care promotes social interaction in a resort-like setting and enables quality programming throughout all stages of memory loss.

Send CALENDAR items to the Daily Pilot, 330 W. Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627; by e-mail to mike.swanson@latimes.com; by fax to (949) 646-4170; or by calling (949) 574-4298. Include the time, date and location of the event, as well as a contact phone number. A complete listing is available at www.dailypilot.com. WEDNESDAY Jeanne Flint from the Alzheimer's Assn. will present "Focusing on Memory Loss" from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Orange Coast Unitarian Universalist Church, 1259 Victoria St., Costa Mesa.

Dementia is more likely to affect women older than 90 than men, a new UCI study says. Out of 911 persons studied, 45% of the women were found to have dementia while only 28% of the men did, according to the study which was published Wednesday in the online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study was conducted in Laguna Woods and found that chances of dementia doubled every five years for women after reaching the age of 90, while the same wasn’t true with men. Women with higher levels of education were as much as 45% less likely to have dementia when compared to women with less education, according to the study.

The FlexCare Program at Aliso Laguna Village gives those who care for a loved one with memory loss, some time for themselves. "I've used the FlexCare Program for over 18 months," said a resident's wife, who asked not to be identified. "My husband goes to Aliso Laguna Village three days a week for four to six hours, which gives me a chance to run errands, go to a movie and just be able to do things on my own." In the FlexCare, residents have a semi-private room and bathroom during their stay.

It's not surprising that Alzheimer's emerged as the most feared disease among adults 55 and older in the recently released "MetLife Foundation Alzheimer's Survey: What America Thinks." Across Orange County, an estimated 56,110 older adults currently have or are at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease — with that number expected to grow by 63% to 91,635 by 2020. As an average of three close family members are involved in the care of any single person with Alzheimer's, this disease will, by 2020, directly impact at least 400,000 Orange County residents.

NEWPORT BEACH — For the first time in decades, doctors believe that early diagnosis may help delay the onset of Alzheimer's Disease in some patients, local health experts said. The change was brought on by this week's announcement that the National Institutes of Health and the Alzheimer's Assn. have published new guidelines for diagnosing the disease — the first revised set in 27 years. The new guidelines recognize an earlier stage, a change in the memory called mild cognitive impairment, which in many patients is linked to the later development of dementia that occurs 7 to 22 years earlier than previously recognized, said Dr. William Shankle, program director for Memory & Cognitive Disorders at Hoag Hospital's Neurosciences Institute.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks, the saying goes, but a bunch of old dogs in Irvine may be teaching us a few new tricks about controlling memory loss. For five years, UC Irvine medical researcher Elizabeth Head has studied aging in the brain. Her work is part of a growing body of research suggesting that a diet rich in certain vitamins and other compounds can repair memory loss and improve learning capabilities. In a study of beagles between the ages of 8 and 12, Head tested the dogs' ability to keep and make memories.

The Orange County elite gathered forces under the leadership of the powerful First American Corporation to honor one distinguished man. Rogers A. Severson received the "American Tribute" 2003 for his lifetime of achievement and leadership. Some 600 citizens came together at the Grove of Anaheim for an event chaired by Tom and Judy Gilmer, with Newport's John and Carol Curci and Melinda and Tony Moiso serving as honorary chairs of the evening, which raised an impressive $245,000.

NEWPORT BEACH — For the first time in decades, doctors believe that early diagnosis may help delay the onset of Alzheimer's Disease in some patients, local health experts said. The change was brought on by this week's announcement that the National Institutes of Health and the Alzheimer's Assn. have published new guidelines for diagnosing the disease — the first revised set in 27 years. The new guidelines recognize an earlier stage, a change in the memory called mild cognitive impairment, which in many patients is linked to the later development of dementia that occurs 7 to 22 years earlier than previously recognized, said Dr. William Shankle, program director for Memory & Cognitive Disorders at Hoag Hospital's Neurosciences Institute.

This is huge. Seriously. It's the biggest thing to come out of USC since Paul Salata. Ever heard of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering? Neither have I. But here is all you need to know. This week, researchers at the school published a study in the Environmental Health Perspectives journal that finally, finally proves something that I have suspected for years: Spending too much time on the freeway can cause brain damage. Apparently they've never been on the Costa Mesa (55)

UCI scientists have discovered a chemical compound that reverses memory loss in people with Huntington?s disease, university officials said. Neurobiologists Gary Lynch, Danielle Simmons found that a mild ampakine treatment on mice produced dramatic amounts of the brain?s own chemicals that create and store memories. The study reveals the potential of Lynche?s ampakine-base drugs, which are being used in Alzheimer?s disease clinical trials. The chemical compound was originally created to combat Alzheimer?

High doses of an over-the-counter vitamin has prevented some memory loss in mice with Alzheimer?s disease, according to a UCI study that appears in the Journal of Neuroscience. Buoyed by the findings, scientists are moving to test its effects in humans. Nicotinamide, a form of vitamin B3, helped lower levels of a protein that produces ?tangles,? one sign of Alzheimer?s in the brain, according to the study led by UCI scientist Kim Green. The vitamin also helped bolster the path of information through brain cells, helping to keep them alive and prevent symptoms.

Dementia is more likely to affect women older than 90 than men, a new UCI study says. Out of 911 persons studied, 45% of the women were found to have dementia while only 28% of the men did, according to the study which was published Wednesday in the online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study was conducted in Laguna Woods and found that chances of dementia doubled every five years for women after reaching the age of 90, while the same wasn’t true with men. Women with higher levels of education were as much as 45% less likely to have dementia when compared to women with less education, according to the study.

It's not surprising that Alzheimer's emerged as the most feared disease among adults 55 and older in the recently released "MetLife Foundation Alzheimer's Survey: What America Thinks." Across Orange County, an estimated 56,110 older adults currently have or are at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease — with that number expected to grow by 63% to 91,635 by 2020. As an average of three close family members are involved in the care of any single person with Alzheimer's, this disease will, by 2020, directly impact at least 400,000 Orange County residents.

Usually when you're talking "fitness," it conjures up images of health clubs, but Oasis Senior Center features a four-day session to strengthen a part of the body you don't always associate with treadmills and weightlifting machines ? the mind. Memory Fitness classes organized by Adult Day Services of Orange County are being presented at the senior center by its manager of community relations, Allison Cato. "We focus on new techniques and different practices people can incorporate into their life to hopefully prevent Alzheimer's and dementia," she said.

Ever wonder why memory decreases as age increases? The results of a study conducted by UC Irvine professor Michael Rugg may have brought researchers one step closer to answering that question. Rugg, the director of UCI's Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, conducted a study comparing brain activity in two groups of people ? those 65 to 75, and those 18 to 30. The results surprised him: In certain brain regions, the older group showed more activity than the younger group.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks, the saying goes, but a bunch of old dogs in Irvine may be teaching us a few new tricks about controlling memory loss. For five years, UC Irvine medical researcher Elizabeth Head has studied aging in the brain. Her work is part of a growing body of research suggesting that a diet rich in certain vitamins and other compounds can repair memory loss and improve learning capabilities. In a study of beagles between the ages of 8 and 12, Head tested the dogs' ability to keep and make memories.

The Orange County elite gathered forces under the leadership of the powerful First American Corporation to honor one distinguished man. Rogers A. Severson received the "American Tribute" 2003 for his lifetime of achievement and leadership. Some 600 citizens came together at the Grove of Anaheim for an event chaired by Tom and Judy Gilmer, with Newport's John and Carol Curci and Melinda and Tony Moiso serving as honorary chairs of the evening, which raised an impressive $245,000.