The Biology of How Memories are Formed

Contributed by: Dennis Fortier, President, Medical Care Corporation
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It goes without saying, but it is worth repeating, that rats are not humans and our brains are very different. Nonetheless, a lot of what we learn about the human brain is first learned in rat brains.

With an interesting publication last week in the journal Nature, researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine may have embarked on key learning about how biology plays a role in preserving memories.  This work was done in rats but may have human implications.

The scientists found that a particular hormone known as IGF-II became more prevalent in a rats brains immediately after learning that entering a dark box resulted in a shock to the foot.  They also showed that by injecting the same hormone into rat brains, they could help the rats preserve a memory for a longer period of time.

This finding may prove to clarify our understanding of the biology involved in memory formation and preservation, which could lead to breakthroughs in the field of human memory enhancement.  Better insights into the hormones that play a role in the process could also lead one day to supplements that actually improve memory performance.

Again, this is early stage work performed in rats, not in humans.  Years of validation work will follow prior to any new "memory pills" that could be based on this insight.  It's interesting, but it is early.

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2 Steps Toward Better Alzheimer's Diagnosis

Contributed by: Michael Rafii, M.D., Ph.D - Director of the Memory Disorders Clinic at the University of California, San Diego. ______________________________________

While we sometimes note that the press over-emphasizes the difficulty in diagnosing Alzheimer's disease, there is no doubt that new tests could make the process faster and more accurate.  Two recent news stories have converged on this theme.

First, regarding efforts to diagnose Alzheimer's using PET scans to view amyloid plaques in brain, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Advisory Committee decided that it could not recommend approval of Amyvid™ (florbetapir) at this time based on the currently available data (13-3); but, voted unanimously (16-0) to recommend approval of Amyvid conditional on specialized training being instituted for the medical professionals who would administer it.  It is expected that this training will be formalized, and FDA approval granted by the end of this year.

Second, Kristine Yaffe and colleagues at UCSF published an article in JAMA this week in which they report on a new blood test that predicts subsequent cognitive decline. In the study, they took baseline plasma samples from nearly 1,000 elderly normal volunteers and then followed the participants for nine years, regularly measuring their cognitive performance.

Unlike similar previous studies, Yaffe and colleagues looked at cognitive decline rather than conversion to Alzheimer's disease (AD). They found that a low ratio of two forms of beta-amyloid at baseline correlated with a greater drop in cognition over the duration of the study. Intriguingly, this association was strongest in participants with low levels of education, and much weaker in subjects with more education. This is in accord with the long-standing view that a person’s cognitive reserve can protect against cognitive decline. If the result proves robust in future studies, it may lead to further development of blood tests to monitor for AD.

Yaffe K, Weston A, Graff-Radford NR, Satterfield S, Simonsick EM, Younkin SG, Younkin LH, Kuller L, Ayonayon HN, Ding J, Harris TB. Association of plasma beta-amyloid level and cognitive reserve with subsequent cognitive decline. JAMA. 2011 Jan 19;305(3):261-6.

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What is the Best Brain Exercise?

Contributed by: Dennis Fortier, President, Medical Care Corporation
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What is the best brain exercise?

This is a question that remains unanswered by current science.  However, one could easily be confused by the competing claims in the growing market of "brain training" programs and exercises.  Importantly, as we describe in this blog from time to time, conversing and socializing both constitute excellent work-outs for the brain involving multiple realms of cognition.

The online version of the Daily Mail ran a story today that referred to an un-cited research study making this same point.  According to the story, researchers in Zurich had performed a review of the published literature on the benefits of brain training and intellectual activities specifically designed to improve cognitive function.  They found that, in many studies, subjects who performed the activity under review performed no better than subjects who were instructed to have a conversation.

I remain optimistic that we will identify brief, pleasurable activities that exercise the brain and improve its function.  However, to date, the best advice is probably to stay socially and intellectually engaged across a wide range of circumstances and topics.

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A better understanding and more awareness of Alzheimer's related issues can impact personal health decisions and generate significant impact across a population of aging individuals. Please use the share button below to spread this educational message as widely as possible.