PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Timing is everything: Hormone use may reduce or increase Alzheimer's disease risk in women

2012-10-25
(Press-News.org) MINNEAPOLIS – A new study suggests that women who begin taking hormone therapy within five years of menopause may reduce their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. The research is published in the October 24, 2012, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

"This has been an area of debate because observational studies have shown a reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease with hormone therapy use, while a randomized controlled trial showed an increased risk. Our results suggest that there may be a critical window near menopause where hormone therapy may possibly be beneficial," said study author Peter P. Zandi, PhD, with Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. "On the other hand, if started later in life, hormone therapy could be associated with an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease."

For the study, researchers followed 1,768 women ages 65 and older for 11 years. The women provided a history of their hormone therapy use and the date at which menopause began. A total of 1,105 women had used hormone therapy, consisting of estrogen alone or in combination with a progestin. During the study, 176 women developed Alzheimer's disease dementia, including 87 of the 1,105 women who had taken hormone therapy compared to 89 of the 663 others.

The study found that women who began hormone therapy within five years of menopause had a 30-percent lower risk of Alzheimer's dementia than those who had not used hormone therapy. The risk was unchanged among other hormone users who had begun treatment more than five years after menopause, but a higher risk of dementia was observed among women who had started a combined therapy of estrogen and progestin when they were at least 65 years old.

"While this well-designed study supports the possibility that short-term hormone use may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease, more research is needed before we can make new clinical recommendations for women and their use of hormone therapy," said Victor Henderson, MD, MS, with Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology, who wrote an accompanying editorial.

INFORMATION:

The study was supported by the National Institute on Aging.

To learn more about Alzheimer's disease, visit http://www.aan.com/patients.

The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 25,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, brain injury, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy.

For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit http://www.aan.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.

Media Contacts: Rachel Seroka, rseroka@aan.com, (612) 928-6129
Angela Babb, APR, ababb@aan.com, (612) 928-6102

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Nearly 80 million Americans won't need vitamin D supplements under new guidelines

2012-10-25
MAYWOOD, Ill. - Nearly 80 million Americans would no longer need to take vitamin D supplements under new Institute of Medicine guidelines, according to a study by Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine researchers. Results were published Oct. 24, 2012 in the journal PLOS ONE. The new guidelines advise that almost all people get sufficient vitamin D when their blood levels are at or above 20 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml). Older guidelines said people needed vitamin D levels above 30 ng/ml. Holly Kramer, MD, MPH and colleagues examined data from 15,099 ...

Genome analysis of pancreas tumors reveals new pathway

2012-10-25
HOUSTON -- (October 24, 2012) – , said a Baylor College of Medicine physician-scientist who was part of the local team that took part in the international effort. A report appears online in the journal Nature. "We now know every gene involved in pancreatic cancer," said Dr. William Fisher, professor of surgery and director of the Elkins Pancreas Center at BCM. "This study ushers in a whole new era of taking care of patients with pancreatic cancer. We will look back on this as a turning point in understanding and treating this disease." The study follows a five-year ...

Advanced cancer patients overoptimistic about chemotherapy's ability to cure, study finds

Advanced cancer patients overoptimistic about chemotherapys ability to cure, study finds
2012-10-25
BOSTON––Findings from a nationwide study led by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute suggest that patients with advanced lung or colorectal cancer are frequently mistaken in their beliefs that chemotherapy can cure their disease. The study, published in the Oct. 25 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, found that 69 percent of patients with advanced lung cancer and 81 percent of patients with advanced colorectal cancer did not understand that the chemotherapy they were receiving was not at all likely to cure their disease. Their expectations run counter ...

Future training in bystander CPR needs targeted approach in 'high-risk' neighborhoods

2012-10-25
Residents living in high-income white and high-income integrated neighborhoods were more likely to receive bystander CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) during an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest than arrest victims in low-income black neighborhoods, according to a publication in the Oct. 25 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Arrest victims in low-income white, low-income integrated and high-income black neighborhoods were also less likely to receive bystander CPR. In an effort to look at future CPR training processes and public health planning, researchers ...

Prescription for palliative care: 4 points to improve discussions about dying

2012-10-25
In an editorial appearing in the October 25 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, medical oncologists at Johns Hopkins and Brigham and Women's hospitals provide a four-point plan for integrating palliative care discussions throughout the treatment of patients with terminal illnesses. They write that better planning and communication may improve symptoms, stress, and survival time, as well as lower health care costs at the end of life. The two physicians suggest that their colleagues should discuss palliative care with patients during initial talks about prognosis ...

Gaps in border controls are related to alien insect invasions in Europe

2012-10-25
European countries with gaps in border security surrounding agricultural imports have been invaded by the largest number of exotic insect pests, according to research published Oct 24 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Steven Bacon and colleagues from the Swiss Federal Research Station Agroscope ART and the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. Invasive agricultural pests pose growing environmental and economic problems, threatening biodiversity and costing billions of dollars in economic losses annually. Large volumes of cross-border trade increase the risks of invasion, ...

OHSU researchers test new gene therapy method in human cells... and it works

2012-10-25
PORTLAND, Ore. - Oregon Health & Science University's development of a new gene therapy method to prevent certain inherited diseases has reached a significant milestone. Researchers at the university's Oregon National Primate Research Center and the OHSU Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology have successfully demonstrated their procedure in human cells. It's believed that this research, along with other efforts, will pave the way for future clinical trials in human subjects. The research results are online Wednesday, Oct. 24, in the highly respected journal Nature. Dr. ...

Archer fish hunt insects with water jet 6 times stronger than their muscular power

Archer fish hunt insects with water jet 6 times stronger than their muscular power
2012-10-25
Archer fish knock their insect prey out of overhanging vegetation with a jet of water several times more powerful than the fish's muscles. New research now shows that the fish generate this power externally using water dynamics rather than with any specialized internal organs. The research, published Oct. 24 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Alberto Vailati and colleagues from the University of Milan, provides the first explanation for how archer fish can generate such powerful jets to capture their prey. Other animals like chameleons and salamanders store energy ...

Older adults worse at distinguishing between lifted weights than younger counterparts

2012-10-25
As we grow older, we are less capable of correctly estimating differences in the weights of objects we lift, according to a study published Oct. 24 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Jessica Holmin and Farley Norman from North Dakota State University and Western Kentucky University, respectively. Previous studies have shown that aging is frequently associated with a decrease in muscle mass and consequently strength, making it more difficult to lift objects. As a result, older adults often perceive weights they lift as being heavier than they actually are. In the current ...

Satellite images tell tales of changing biodiversity

Satellite images tell tales of changing biodiversity
2012-10-25
Analysis of texture differences in satellite images may be an effective way to monitor changes in vegetation, soil and water patterns over time, with potential implications for measuring biodiversity as well, according to new research published Oct. 24 by Matteo Convertino from the University of Florida and colleagues in the open access journal PLOS ONE. The authors designed statistical models to estimate two aspects of biodiversity in satellite images: the number of species in a given region, or 'species richness', and the rate at which species entered or were removed ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Osteoporosis treatment benefits people older than 80

Consuming more protein may protect patients taking anti-obesity drug from muscle loss

Thyroid treatment may improve gut health in people with hypothyroidism

Combination of obesity medication tirzepatide and menopause hormone therapy fuels weight loss

High blood sugar may have a negative impact on men’s sexual health

Emotional health of parents tied to well-being of children with growth hormone deficiency

Oxytocin may reduce mood changes in women with disrupted sleep

Mouse study finds tirzepatide slowed obesity-associated breast cancer growth

CMD-OPT model enables the discovery of a potent and selective RIPK2 inhibitor as preclinical candidate for the treatment of acute liver injury

Melatonin receptor 1a alleviates sleep fragmentation-aggravated testicular injury in T2DM by suppression of TAB1/TAK1 complex through FGFR1

Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals Shen-Bai-Jie-Du decoction retards colorectal tumorigenesis by regulating the TMEM131–TNF signaling pathway-mediated differentiation of immunosuppressive dendritic ce

Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B Volume 15, Issue 7 Publishes

New research expands laser technology

Targeted radiation offers promise in patients with metastasized small cell lung cancer to the brain

A high clinically translatable strategy to anti-aging using hyaluronic acid and silk fibroin co-crosslinked hydrogels as dermal regenerative fillers

Mount Sinai researchers uncover differences in how males and females change their mind when reflecting on past mistakes

CTE and normal aging are difficult to distinguish, new study finds

Molecular arms race: How the genome defends itself against internal enemies

Tiny chip speeds up antibody mapping for faster vaccine design

KTU experts reveal why cultural heritage is important for community unity

More misfolded proteins than previously known may contribute to Alzheimer’s and dementia

“Too much going on”: Autistic adults overwhelmed by non-verbal social cues

What’s driving America’s deep freezes in a warming world?

A key role of brain protein in learning and memory is deciphered by scientists

Heart attacks don’t follow a Hollywood script

Erin M. Schuman wins 2026 Nakasone Award for discovery on neural synapse function and change during formation of memories

Global ocean analysis could replace costly in-situ sound speed profiles in seafloor positioning, study finds

Power in numbers: Small group professional coaching reduces rates of physician burnout by nearly 30%

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage: A comprehensive review of CCUS-EOR

New high-temperature stable dispersed particle gel for enhanced profile control in CCUS applications

[Press-News.org] Timing is everything: Hormone use may reduce or increase Alzheimer's disease risk in women