The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point

Archive for the 'Alzheimer’s Dementia' Category

Interaction of Ginkgo biloba with antiplatelet drugs

Monday, September 9th, 2013

little-guy2Back in the ‘90s there were several reports of serious interactions in people who used Ginkgo biloba with other “blood thinners” to treat peripheral vascular disease (ie, dementia and claudication).

Researchers at Inje University College of Medicine, in Busan, Republic of Korea, evaluated the effects of G. biloba extracts on the pharmacokinetics of the antiplatelet drug cilostazol (Pletal) and its metabolites. (more…)

Ginkgo biloba fails to prevent Alzheimer’s disease

Monday, December 17th, 2012

Researchers in France participating in the GuidAge Study Group assessed the long-term use of standardized ginkgo biloba extract in elderly adults with memory complaints. (more…)

Cognitive benefits of ginseng and bacopa

Wednesday, October 10th, 2012

Researchers at Swinburne University, in Melbourne, Australia, reviewed the evidence and compared the responses to modafinil (Provigil).

Reportedly, Panax ginseng and Bacopa monnieri have consistent acute and chronic cognitive effects, respectively. (more…)

Review of art therapies in dementia care

Thursday, September 13th, 2012

There’s lots of interest, but nobody ever reviewed the evidence before this.

Researchers at the College of the Holy Cross, in Worcester, Massachusetts, accepted the challenge. (more…)

Support for exercise to preserve cognitive function

Monday, February 27th, 2012

Researchers at the Foundation of Public Health, Mutuelle Generale de l’Education Nationale, in Paris, reanalyzed data from the Women’s Antioxidant Cardiovascular Study (WACS), a cohort of women with prevalent vascular disease or 3 cardiovascular risk factors. (more…)

Music plus art therapy for dementia-related apathy

Thursday, February 16th, 2012

Apathy is prevalent among patients with Alzheimer’s disease and is associated with greater morbidity and worse outcomes.

Researchers in Spain report that the music+art combination reduced apathy in patients with mild or moderate dementia. (more…)

Lowering dementia risk in selected people

Sunday, January 15th, 2012

The presence of the APOE epislon4 gene is a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, examined whether physical exercise alters the association between APOE gene and amyloid deposition in normal adults. (more…)

Omega-3 and the risk of dementia

Sunday, January 8th, 2012

Researchers at the National University Hospital, in Singapore, studied the association between taking long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplements and cognitive decline in an older Chinese. (more…)

B vitamins and the risk of dementia

Saturday, December 3rd, 2011

Researchers at Harvard Medical School, in Boston, examined the effect of taking folic acid, vitamin B-12, and vitamin B-6 on cognitive change in women with cardiovascular disease or risk factors cardiovascular disease. (more…)

Review: CAM for treating Alzheimer’s disease

Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

Dr. Keith Wollen at Washington State University, in Port Angeles, has written a review of treatment options.

Let’s focus on CAM. (more…)

Review: Broad benefits with the Mediterranean diet

Monday, September 26th, 2011

A couple of years ago, researchers at the University of Florence, in Italy, reviewed the effects of the Mediterranean diet on the risk of death and the occurrence of Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s diseases.

Now, they’ve updated their findings. (more…)

Foot massage for patients with dementia

Wednesday, September 21st, 2011

Researchers at Griffith University, in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, studied the effects of foot massage on agitated behaviors. (more…)

Review: CAM to treat memory loss

Thursday, September 15th, 2011

Herbals and other CAM are being aggressively marketed for both prophylactic and therapeutic effects in regard to memory disorders.

Researchers at Beth Israel Medical Center, in New York City, reviewed the evidence. (more…)

Growth through caregiving

Sunday, September 4th, 2011

The conventional view of family caregivers highlights their burdens.

Researchers from Singapore found that caregivers may also find “meaning and enrichment in their caregiving journey.” (more…)

Sumarizing the mental health implications of music therapy

Thursday, August 11th, 2011

Researchers at Kaohsiung Medical University, in Taiwan reviewed the evidence related to music’s effect on people with different mental illnesses. (more…)

Do herbals and dietary supplements affect cognitive decline?

Wednesday, August 10th, 2011

Prof. Ernst and colleagues reviewed the evidence during menopause (more…)

Caffeine and the risk of Alzheimer’s disease

Sunday, August 7th, 2011

One hundred years ago, German physician Alois Alzheimer described “eine eigenartige Erkrankung der Hirnrinde” (a peculiar disease of the cerebral cortex) in Auguste Deter, a 51-year-old woman who had severe memory, language, and behavior problems. His autopsy results revealed a dramatically shrunken brain and unusual abnormalities in and around brain cells (shown here in black).

What’s this got to do with caffeine? (more…)

Melissa to treat agitation in Alzheimer’s disease

Sunday, July 17th, 2011

Researchers at the University of Manchester, in the UK, compared Melissa officinalis aromatherapyalso referred to as lemon balm — to donepezil (Aricept). (more…)

Review: Black chokeberry

Saturday, June 25th, 2011

Products derived from the black chokeberry, Aronia melanocarpa, are claimed to be beneficial in disorders or diseases associated with oxidative stress. But these claims are based primarily on laboratory and animal research.

Researchers at Hebrew University, Jerusalem reviewed the evidence in people. (more…)

Does ginseng aid cognition?

Tuesday, June 21st, 2011

It’s suggested, based on laboratory and clinical studies, that ginseng may have beneficial effects on cognitive performance (reasoning).

This Cochrane review evaluated the evidence in healthy people. (more…)