No evidence for the use of aspirin, steroids or NSAIDs for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

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Alzheimer’s disease affects 1-2% of people aged 65-70 and approximately 20% of those over 80 years. As our population ages, the condition is on the increase and it’s estimated that 2030, an estimated 7.7 million Americans aged 65 and older will have Alzheimer’s disease. We do not yet know exactly how and why Alzheimer’s disease [read the full story…]

New guides to help GPs commission mental health services

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The Joint Commissioning Panel for Mental Health (JCP-MH) have published the first of their guides aimed at GPs who will soon be commissioning mental health services. Each of the guides provide a description of what a ‘good’ service configuration should look like, and brings together scientific evidence, service user and carer experience, and case studies [read the full story…]

New RCT suggests memantine is not an effective treatment for dementia in people with Down syndrome

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Our colleagues at the Mental Elf  found this small randomised controlled trial looking at the use of memantine for people with Down syndrome and dementia. The trial is being reported in the Lancet. People with Down’s syndrome are more likely to develop dementia than others and one in three will have the illness as early [read the full story…]

Memantine is not an effective treatment for dementia in people with Down’s syndrome, according to new RCT

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People with Down’s syndrome are more likely to develop dementia than others and one in three will have the illness as early as in their 50s. Despite this high prevalence, there is very little reliable research about drug treatments for this population. This small randomised controlled trial (funded by the drug company Lundbeck) aimed to [read the full story…]

New report from the Alzheimer’s Society makes recommendations for the commissioning of dementia services

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Mental health commissioners will be interested in this new report from the Alzheimer’s Society and MHP Health Mandate, that was published just before Christmas.  It follows on from the publication of the Department of Health’s Dementia Commissioning Pack back in July 2011. The report looks at the current policy landscape and how it relates to [read the full story…]

Significant improvements needed to care for people with dementia in hospital, says national clinical audit

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The first full report of the National Audit of Dementia has identified a need for significant improvements in hospital ward environments, staff training and the overall approach to care delivery for patients with dementia. Although the majority of wards meet basic safety requirements, the audit shows that many had not addressed simple measures that could [read the full story…]

Cognitive reframing may help reduce anxiety, depression and stress in carers of people with dementia

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Cognitive reframing is a technique used to reduce unrealistic or irrational thoughts and think in a more constructive way instead. It’s used as part of cognitive behavioural therapy. Carers of people with dementia sometimes respond inappropriately to the behaviour of the person with dementia. The stress and pressure of caring for their loved one may [read the full story…]

New TV campaign to help people notice the early warning signs and symptoms of dementia

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The Department of Health and the Alzheimer’s Society have today launched a new TV advert and leaflet to encourage people to look out for the early warning signs and symptoms of dementia. Aimed at encouraging more people to seek an early diagnosis of dementia, the campaign targets the family and friends of people at risk [read the full story…]

Statins do not slow down the decline of Alzheimer’s disease, says randomised controlled trial

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Previous studies have suggested that statin therapy might be a useful treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. This randomised controlled trial conducted by a team of researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine set out to determine if the lipid-lowering agent simvastatin slows the progression of symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease. They recruited 406 people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s [read the full story…]

Memantine may reduce fractures and cholinesterase inhibitors may increase syncope in dementia: new systematic review

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Last week I blogged about a study that showed how some dementia drugs may help reduce the progression of the disease and delay admission to care homes for people with the condition. This new systematic review carried out by a research team from Harvard Medical School investigates the potential side effects of two dementia drugs: [read the full story…]