Grantees in the News: Mark Laubach, PhD, Studies Aging Brains Transitioning between Tasks

On March 13, WNPR reported on a study led by Mark Laubach, PhD, published this week in the Journal of Neuroscience. The study assessed working memory, which is critical when managing and moving between multiple tasks, in the aging brain. By monitoring neural activity in young and old rats, Dr. Laubach and his colleagues found that the brains of the older rats were slower to respond to signs that a reward was available than those of younger rats. This was representative of the problems older brains can have recognizing cues to move on to another task when working. Dr. Laubach believes…

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Grantees in the News: Adam Gazzaley, MD, PhD, to Explore the Distracted Mind

A PBS-sponsored special, The Distracted Mind with Dr. Adam Gazzaley, in which Dr. Gazzaley will explore the impact of our multi-tasking, tech-saturated world on the brain, will air throughout March. Dr. Gazzaley will share some of his own research on the distracted brain, as well as tips to preserve attention and focus, especially as we age. A trailer and broadcast schedule are available here. Dr. Gazzaley is the founder and director of the Neuroscience Imaging Center at the University of California, San Francisco, where he is an associate professor of Neurology, Physiology and Psychiatry. Read more about his work on…

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Grantees in the News: In Alzheimer’s Disease, Tau Protein is Transmitted Cell to Cell

On February 1, The New York Times reported on two new studies led by AFAR grantees that appear to settle the question of whether Alzheimer's disease progresses through the brain by cell-to-cell transmission or because of variations in the inherent susceptibility of different areas of the brain to the processes of the disease. The studies, led by Scott A. Small, MD, and Karen Duff, PhD, (Columbia University Medical Center), and Bradley T. Hyman, MD, PhD, (Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School), used mice genetically engineered to produce the human tau protein characteristic of neuron death in Alzheimer's. Although…

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Richard Besdine, MD, on Medication Safety

AFAR Medical Officer Richard Besdine, MD, sparked a lively discussion at the "AOL Healthy Living" section of The Huffington Post with his latest blog post. Dr. Besdine explored the risks of adverse drug events (ADEs), a special concern for adults over 65. The CDC estimates that 100,000 older adults are hospitalized annually with ADEs, which can be fatal. Dr. Besdine provided an overview of some of the drugs most frequently involved in ADEs, as well as the current state of medication monitoring, an important precaution against ADEs. This is the seventh post in Dr. Besdine's series on health care and aging…

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Grantee in the News: Sei Lee, MD, Develops Tools for Physicians to Estimate Likelihood of Death

On January 11, 2012, The New York Times reported on a review, conducted by Sei Lee, MD, and colleagues, of the many assessment scales used to estimate the likelihood of death within a given timeframe. The review determined which of the assessment scales were most effective. The best possible estimate of the likelihood of death can be an important piece of information for doctors and patients weighing the benefits and risks of possible tests, treatments, and health care decisions, like whether or not to enter into hospice care. Tools based on the assessment scales identified in the review are now available to…

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