A progress report on the cutting-edge research into Alzheimer‘s Disease and other forms of dementia, this important volume has particular emphasis on topics that are applicable to clinical practice.In this latest instalment, Serge Gauthier, Philip Scheltens and Jeffrey Cummings cover some of the emerging therapies for Alzheimer‘s Disease, including

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a distinctive abnormality of small cerebral blood vessels, one that has intrigued neuroscientists for decades. The time seems right for a book which examines the phenomenon of CAA using a multifaceted approach: What does it produce clinically? How might CAA be imaged? What are the crucial biochemical/cellular events within cerebral vessel walls that lead to CAA? How can in vitro or transgenic experimental systems be used to understand the etiology of, or even potential treatments for, CAA? The editors have assembled key figures in the field of CAA research to examine these (and other) questions in a series of focused chapters that address specific issues of importance in understanding CAA and its clinical manifestations. Comprehending the biology and pathogenesis of this fascinating vascular lesion may even provide clues to less common forms of cerebral microvascular disease that have been recognized for decades (hypertensive microangiopathy) or more recently (CADASIL).

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are no longer objects gathering dust on a shelf; instead, they have become intrinsic in our everyday lives. They are now even taking on an indispensable role in many clinical and rehabilitation settings. In the past decade there has been a surge of interest in using ICT with elderly people, both with and without dementia, in various clinical and research settings. On the one hand, ICT can supplement the assessment of functional ability by more precisely evaluating the nature and extent of functional impairment; on the other hand, ICT can be used to support elderly people in their everyday activities, as well as to ameliorate symptoms and improve quality of life through stimulation and rehabilitation. This is the intention driving the development of Serious Games (SG), which are digital applications (often based on Virtual Reality) specifically adapted for purposes other than entertaining, including rehabilitation, training and education. Finally, ICT can also play a key role in the development of interactive educational programs to support caregivers of people living with dementia. A handful of interesting studies have started to investigate the effectiveness of employing ICT in people with different types of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It is therefore timely to attempt to scope this newly emerging field, as well as to foster a dialogue among the different professionals, including academics, clinicians and computer engineers, working in the area. With this in mind, the Research Topic “ICT for assessment and rehabilitation in Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders” aims to provide new and interesting insights into the current use of ICT in healthy and pathological aging. The intent is also to identify challenges and new perspectives in the field, gather recommendations for the application of ICT in AD and related disorders in clinical practice, and to showcase cutting edge clinical research. The articles included in this Frontier Research Topics have more than achieved this aim and are a perfect illustration of how ICT can be used to enhance the lives of people living dementia and their caregivers.

Alzheimers disease affects 6-10% of the elderly population, causing impairment in cognitive functions and significant disability in daily living for more than ten years. Neurofibrillary tangles, amyloid deposits and neuronal loss are the three hallmarks of Alzheimers disease. Due to insolubility of these unique structures in Alzheimer brain tissue, they were very difficult to study by usual biochemical methods in the past. Active research is now going on to elucidate the pathogenesis of Alzheimers disease. Major topics of neurobiological study of Alzheimers disease include the unraveling of the molecular mechanism of neurofibrillary tangle formation in neuronal and glial cells, the molecular processing of amyloid precursor protein in intracellular organella and in extra-cellular space, and the molecular mechanism of neuronal loss. The articles in this book were selected from contributions presented by leading scientists in this field at the international symposium which took place in Osaka in 2002. This publication is essential reading for all researchers, clinicians, basic and social scientists, neurologists and psychiatrists to promote the understanding of this formidable disease.

The Novartis Foundation Series is a popular collection of the proceedings from Novartis Foundation Symposia, in which groups of leading scientists from a range of topics across biology, chemistry and medicine assembled to present papers and discuss results. The Novartis Foundation, originally known as the Ciba Foundation, is well known to scientists and clinicians around the world.

Assisting someone with Alzheimer’s disease or another illness that causes dementia is incredibly demanding and stressful for the family. Like many disabling conditions, Alzheimer’s disease leads to difficulty or inability to carry out common activities of daily life, and so family members take over a variety of tasks ranging from managing the person’s finances to helping with intimate activities such as bathing and dressing. Key coverage in Caregiving for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders includes: Early diagnosis and family dynamics Emotional needs of caregivers Developmentally appropriate long-term care for people with Alzheimer’s Family caregivers as members of the Alzheimer’s treatment Team Legal and ethical issues for caregivers Faith and spirituality The economics of caring for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease Cultural, racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic issues of minority caregivers Advances in Alzheimer’s disease research Caregiving for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders offers a wealth of insights and ideas for researchers, practitioners, and graduate students across the caregiving fields, including psychology, social work, public health, geriatrics and gerontology, and medicine as well as public and education policy makers.

Society today, writes Stephen Post, is "hypercognitive": it places inordinate emphasis on people's powers of rational thinking and memory. Thus, Alzheimer disease and other dementias, which over an extended period incrementally rob patients of exactly those functions, raise many dilemmas. How are we to view—and value—persons deprived of what some consider the most important human capacities? In the second edition of The Moral Challenge of Alzheimer Disease, Post updates his highly praised account of the major ethical issues relating to dementia care. With chapters organized to follow the progression from mild to severe and then terminal stages of dementia, Post discusses topics including the experience of dementia, family caregiving, genetic testing for Alzheimer disease, quality of life, and assisted suicide and euthanasia. New to this edition are sections dealing with end-of-life issues (especially artificial nutrition and hydration), the emerging cognitive-enhancing drugs, distributive justice, spirituality, and hospice, as well as a critique of rationalistic definitions of personhood. The last chapter is a new summary of practical solutions useful to family members and professionals. -- Peter M. Jucovey

Neuroimaging in Parkinson's Disease and Related Disorders discusses the advances of molecular, structural and functional neuroimaging techniques associated with the etiology, pathophysiology, effects and complications of novel therapies in Parkinson's and related disorders. With new neuroimaging methodologies emerging over the past five years, this book provides a comprehensive overview of new technologies and research. Sections discuss the biomarker value of neuroimaging of the brain to understand disease progression in vivo in actual patients with Parkinson's disease and related disorders. Readers will be updated on in vivo pathology and pathophysiology in Parkinson's disease and in a number of related disorders. Also discussed is the association between clinical symptoms, clinical progression, and molecular, structural, and functional changes in the brain of patients with Parkinson's disease and related disorders. - Comprehensive overview of biomarker value of neuroimaging of the brain to understand disease progression in vivo in actual patients with Parkinson's disease and related disorders - Helps readers understand the in vivo pathology and pathophysiology in Parkinson's disease and in a number of related disorders - Discusses the association between clinical symptoms, clinical progression, and molecular, structural, and functional changes in the brain of patients with Parkinson's and related disorders