First, do no harm? Six reasons to approach anti-amyloid drug Aduhelm cautiously, if at all
6 ways the FDA’s approval of Aduhelm does more harm than good (STAT News):
Like many people, I was shocked when the Food and Drug Administration ignored the advice of its neurological drugs advisory panel and broadly approved Biogen’s new drug, Aduhelm, even for populations never included in the clinical trials to assess the drug.
I am not a casual bystander to this controversial decision. I am a physician who has been treating people with Alzheimer’s since 1982; an early researcher into the biology of amyloid, the brain protein that Aduhelm targets; someone with a strong personal family history of dementia … As I ...
Source: SharpBrains - June 16, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: SharpBrains Tags: Brain/ Mental Health Aduhelm amyloid anti-amyloid dementia FDA Food and Drug Administration neurological drugs Source Type: blogs
Growing backlash against the FDA approval of unproven Alzheimer ’s treatment Aduhelm, by Biogen
ICER Issues Statement on the FDA’s Approval of Aducanumab for Alzheimer’s Disease (Institute for Clinical and Economic Review):
The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) believes that the FDA, in approving aducanumab (Aduhelm™, Biogen) for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, has failed in its responsibility to protect patients and families from unproven treatments with known harms.
Our review of the evidence was concordant with that of many independent experts: current evidence is insufficient to demonstrate that aducanumab benefits patients. The avenue forward has seemed clear: another study would be...
Source: SharpBrains - June 14, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: SharpBrains Tags: Brain/ Mental Health aducanumab Aduhelm Alzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s disease treatment amyloid amyloid plaques amyloid-related imaging abnormalities ARIA Biogen brain swelling clinical benefit FDA ICER Janet Woodcock N Source Type: blogs
Study in China finds that retirement may accelerate cognitive decline, even for those with stable income
This article was originally published on The Conversation.
The Study:
Pension Benefits, Early Retirement and Human Capital Depreciation in Late Adulthood (Papers, arXiv.org)
Abstract: Historically, economists have mainly focused on human capital accumulation and considerably less so on the causes and consequences of human capital depreciation in late adulthood. Studying human capital depreciation over the life cycle has powerful economic consequences for decision-making in old age. Using data from the introduction of a retirement program in China, we examine how the introduction of a retirement program influences ind...
Source: SharpBrains - June 10, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: The Conversation Tags: Brain/ Mental Health Education & Lifelong Learning aging China cognition cognitive decline cognitive-abilities cognitive-functioning cognitive-skills dementia developing countries mental retirement middle-income countries neuropl Source Type: blogs
DARPA-funded nonsurgical neurotechnologies push the frontier of brain-machine interfaces
This article will first overview the DARPA program and the basics of these three programs. Then, a look at the common electronics technologies that are being used in biotechnology at Rice University. Keep reading excellent article HERE, over at All About Circuits.
About DARPA’s N3 program:
Six paths to the nonsurgical future of brain-machine interfaces (DARPA):
Back in 2019, DARPA awarded funding to six organizations to support the Next-Generation Nonsurgical Neurotechnology (N3) program, first announced in March 2018. Battelle Memorial Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics ...
Source: SharpBrains - June 9, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: SharpBrains Tags: Peak Performance Technology & Innovation BCI brain brain-to-brain communication cognitive-skills DARPA human-machine interfacing neural-activity neuroplasticity Next-Generation Nonsurgical Neurotechnology noninvasive neurotechnologie Source Type: blogs
Debate: What is the role of financial advisors and platforms in detecting and addressing cognitive decline among older clients?
Baby Boomers’ Biggest Financial Risk: Cognitive Decline (The Wall Street Journal):
For baby boomers who manage their own nest eggs, a risk is looming that has nothing to do with stock prices or interest rates.
The risk is cognitive decline, which can rob them of their judgment, often without much warning. One big mistake—or a series of smaller ones—can go unnoticed by loved ones, and potentially ravage a lifetime of hard-earned savings.
To mitigate these risks, there are things baby boomers and others can do now to prepare for any problems. In addition, big do-it-yourself investing and trading venues like Vanguard Gr...
Source: SharpBrains - June 7, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: SharpBrains Tags: Brain/ Mental Health Education & Lifelong Learning baby-boomers Charles Schwab cognitive Cognitive Aging cognitive decline Cognitive-impairment Fidelity Investments Money retirement Vanguard Group Source Type: blogs
Brain teasers en espa ñol: ¿cuál es el número que falta en el cuarto triángulo?
(Same brain teaser in English here)
Es viernes y quizás algunos necesitemos un pequeño empujón cognitivo para abordar el fin de semana…
Aquí va un breve desafío matemático: ¿Qué número que falta en el cuarto triángulo?
Aviso a tod@s esos sharp brains: Sí, puede haber más de una respuesta … pero asegúrate de que tu solución funciona bien en todos los triángulos!
_______________
Solución
El número de arriba menos el número de abajo a la izquierda, multiplicado por el número de abajo a la derecha, equivale al número que está dentro del triángulo.
O sea … la respuesta es el número 3.
Si has enco...
Source: SharpBrains - June 4, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Caroline Latham Tags: Brain Teasers En Español acertijos brain teaser for adults brain teasers for kids brain teasers for teens brain-teaser cognitivo desafío matemático ejercicio cognitivo triángulo Source Type: blogs
Don ’t worry, be happy: How excessive worrying may influence the rate of neurodegeneration
Worrying and the Aging Brain (Dana Foundation):
Over the past decade, scientists and clinicians have noted a significant association between common mental health conditions and accelerated brain aging—the changes to brain structure, physiology, and function that are thought to lead to later cognitive decline. Both depression and anxiety disorders, for example, are strongly correlated with the development of dementias including Alzheimer’s disease later in life, yet it has been unclear why. Neuroscientists and gerontologists around the globe have diligently worked to investigate which particular symptoms might contribut...
Source: SharpBrains - June 3, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: SharpBrains Tags: Brain/ Mental Health anxiety anxiety-disorders brain-age brain-aging brain-structure cognitive decline dementia depression neurodegeneration worry Source Type: blogs
Eye-tracking pioneer Smart Eye acquires MIT spin-off Affectiva to augment driver monitoring systems and more
Emotion-detection software start-up Affectiva acquired for $73.5M (TechCrunch):
Smart Eye, the publicly traded Swedish company that supplies driver monitoring systems for a dozen automakers, has acquired emotion-detection software startup Affectiva for $73.5 million in a cash-and-stock deal.
Affectiva, which spun out of the MIT Media Lab in 2009, has developed software that can detect and understand human emotion, which Smart Eye is keen to combine with its own AI-based eye-tracking technology. The companies’ founders see an opportunity to expand beyond driver monitoring systems — tech that is often used in conjunction...
Source: SharpBrains - June 1, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: SharpBrains Tags: Peak Performance Technology & Innovation Affectiva driver monitoring emotional state eye-tracking Human-Factors interior sensing MIT MIT-Media-Lab neurotechnologies Neurotechnology Smart Eye Source Type: blogs
On building better brains at any age, treating Depression vs. Dementia, emerging neurotechnologies, psychedelics, and more
Welcome to a new edition of SharpBrains’ e‑newsletter, featuring eleven new research findings and innovative resources for lifelong cognitive and brain health.
#1. Debate: Are depression and dementia two sides of the same coin? And, if they are, how to best approach treatment?
#2. Either way, the earlier the better, but it’s never too late: New book outlines the five lifestyle pillars to “build a better brain at any age”
#3. “If I were a cardiologist evaluating a patient’s chest pain, for instance, I would speak with the patient, but then I would listen to their heart and measure their pulse and blood pr...
Source: SharpBrains - May 28, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: SharpBrains Tags: Brain/ Mental Health Education & Lifelong Learning Technology & Innovation brain health cognitive cognitive healthcare cognitive--disorders cognitive-health Cumulus Neuroscience dementia depression neurotechnologies psychedelics Source Type: blogs
Akili Interactive Labs raises $160M in equity and debt to transform cognitive healthcare via prescription videogame treatments
Akili raises $110m to build its digital therapeutics pipeline (pharmaforum):
EndeavorRx became the first and so far only approved prescription video game treatment in the US when it was cleared by the FDA last year to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and has also been given a green light in Europe.
It is also being tested for other indications including fuzzy thinking in COVID-19 survivors, a condition sometimes known as ‘brain fog’.
The new funding, which is accompanied by a $50 million loan facility, is earmarked for the continued rollout of the app as well as Akili’s pipeline of prescription ...
Source: SharpBrains - May 26, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: SharpBrains Tags: Attention & ADD/ADHD Brain/ Mental Health Technology & Innovation Akili Akili Interactive Labs attention deficit hyperactivity disorder cognitive healthcare cognitive--disorders digital therapeutics EndeavorRx FDA Neuberger Berma Source Type: blogs
Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled chatbot Wysa raises $5.5M to broaden access to mental health support
Conclusions: Although bonds are often presumed to be the exclusive domain of human therapeutic relationships, our findings challenge the notion that digital therapeutics are incapable of establishing a therapeutic bond with users. Future research might investigate the role of bonds as mediators of clinical outcomes, since boosting the engagement and efficacy of digital therapeutics could have major public health benefits.
News in Context:
Consumer Reports finds unclear, questionable privacy practices and policies among popular mental health apps
Teladoc Health, having acquired Livongo and myStrength, launches integrated ...
Source: SharpBrains - May 24, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: SharpBrains Tags: Brain/ Mental Health Technology & Innovation cognitive restructuring cognitive-behavioral-therapy digital therapeutics mental health benefits mental health platform mental healthcare mindfulness W Health Ventures Wysa Source Type: blogs
Debate: Are depression and dementia two sides of the same coin? And, if they are, how to best approach treatment?
This article was originally published on The Conversation.
News in Context:
Report: 35% of worldwide dementia cases could be prevented by modifying these 9 modifiable risk factors
Repetitive negative thinking may increase (or perhaps be caused by) cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s pathology
Study: Hearing aids may help older adults delay dementia, depression, anxiety, and falls
The post Debate: Are depression and dementia two sides of the same coin? And, if they are, how to best approach treatment? appeared first on SharpBrains. (Source: SharpBrains)
Source: SharpBrains - May 21, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: The Conversation Tags: Brain/ Mental Health Alzheimers-disease antidepressants cognition cognitive decline Cognitive-impairment coronavirus COVID-19 dementia depression hippocampus memory Source Type: blogs
Teladoc Health, having acquired Livongo and myStrength, launches integrated mental health service for the workplace
Teladoc builds out mental healthcare services with myStrength Complete (MobiHealthNews):
Virtual care giant Teladoc is building out its behavioral health services through its latest program, myStrength Complete.
The new offering is designed to give users a single integrated mental healthcare experience. It combines the app-based models of care from myStrength with Teladoc’s on-demand therapists and psychiatrists … The myStrength platform uses evidence-based clinical models such as cognitive behavioral therapy, positive psychology and mindfulness to help treat behavioral health conditions such as depression, anxiety, in...
Source: SharpBrains - May 19, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: SharpBrains Tags: Brain/ Mental Health Technology & Innovation anxiety cognitive-behavioral-therapy depression digital mental health employers health plans insomnia Livongo mental health service mindfulness myStrength Complete Positive-Psychology Source Type: blogs
Study finds MDMA-assisted therapy to be safe and highly effective to treat severe PTSD
We report the findings of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-site phase 3 clinical trial (NCT03537014) to test the efficacy and safety of 3,4‑methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy for the treatment of patients with severe PTSD, including those with common comorbidities such as dissociation, depression, a history of alcohol and substance use disorders, and childhood trauma. After psychiatric medication washout, participants (n=90) were randomized 1:1 to receive manualized therapy with MDMA or with placebo, combined with three preparatory and nine integrative therapy sessions … These da...
Source: SharpBrains - May 18, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: SharpBrains Tags: Brain/ Mental Health Clinical-Trial Ecstasy MDMA MDMA-assisted therapy methylenedioxymethamphetamine Molly post-traumatic-stress-disorder psychedelics Psychotherapy PTSD severe PTSD Source Type: blogs
New book outlines the five lifestyle pillars to “build a better brain at any age”
Like many people over 60, I sometimes lose my keys or forget the names of favorite films. When I do, it makes me wonder: Is this the beginning of cognitive decline? Or, worse, am I fated to follow in the footsteps of my mother, who died of Lewy-body dementia in her 70s?
According to neurosurgeon Sanjay Gupta, CNN medical correspondent and author of the new book Keep Sharp: Building a Better Brain at Any Age, the answer is no. Forgetfulness is normal at all ages, and your genes don’t doom you to dementia. What’s important is taking care of your brain in the best way possible, he argues.
“You can affect your brain’s ...
Source: SharpBrains - May 14, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Greater Good Science Center Tags: Brain/ Mental Health Education & Lifelong Learning brain health brain resiliency Brain-Fitness cognitive decline cognitive strengths cognitive-abilities cognitive-capacities cognitive-reserve dementia exercise forgetfulness keep Source Type: blogs
