Older volunteers sought for vaccine tests
Scientists from all over the world are racing to find a vaccine for the novel coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19. Here in the D.C. area, researchers at the National Institutes of Health are conducting an important clinical trial, and they’re looking for people ages 56 and older to help test a vaccine. This clinical trial will evaluate the mRNA-1273 vaccine. buy... READ MORE
How do caregivers care for themselves?
When you are caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, it’s easy to neglect your own needs. That can be dangerous, especially if you yourself have a chronic condition like diabetes or multiple sclerosis. According to existing research, “80% of caregivers have a chronic health condition,” said Kyra Mendez, a Ph.D. student at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing.... READ MORE
Help test a new imaging machine at NIH
MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, is a safe, widely used scanning tool that allows doctors to see what lies beneath our surface. MRI uses a magnetic field to generate images. During an MRI, patients are eased into a large, tube-like machine, given earplugs and told to lie still. The scanner is loud, cramped and expensive — but very accurate. It does not emit radiation like X-rays,... READ MORE
Studying mushrooms to fight depression
It’s normal to feel sad after receiving a diagnosis of early Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). But that doesn’t mean there’s no hope for the sadness to lift. A Johns Hopkins University study is testing a potential treatment for these feelings: psilocybin, a psychoactive substance found in mushrooms. “For many people who get a diagnosis of early stage... READ MORE
How to best prevent muscle loss with age
After age 30, adults lose as much as 5% of muscle mass every decade. That phenomenon is called sarcopenia, or aging-related loss of muscle. It’s a vicious circle: If you don’t exercise, you become weaker and even less able to exercise. “If you’re unable to be as active and do as much physical activity, then you’re setting yourself up for a worsening of the problem,” said... READ MORE
Seeking to improve hip fracture recovery
If you know anyone who has broken a hip, you know how traumatic the injury can be. Every year more than 300,000 people over age 65 are hospitalized after hip fractures, according to the Centers for Disease Control. One in four are women, who may have weak, brittle bones because of osteoporosis. Furthermore, up to 75% of people who break a hip never fully recover. “It’s a sentinel... READ MORE
NIH seeks leukemia patients for studies
Fatigue. Weight loss. Night sweats. Frequent infections. Some people with these symptoms are shocked when their doctor diagnoses them with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), a slow-moving cancer of the blood and bone marrow. Although the disease is serious, a diagnosis is not an immediate death sentence; in fact, doctors don’t treat early-stage CLL at all, preferring to monitor its... READ MORE
Drug may reduce stroke, heart attack risk
Every year, about 795,000 people suffer a stroke and about 805,000 people have heart attacks, according to the CDC. Furthermore, people with a history of stroke or heart disease and who are overweight are at risk for another stroke or heart attack. Now a massive study of 17,500 people in more than 700 locations around the world, including 200 in the U.S., is underway to help increase... READ MORE
10,000 dogs needed for study of aging
Can old dogs teach us new tricks? Scientists are looking for 10,000 pets for the largest-ever study of aging in canines. They hope to shed light on human longevity, too. The project will collect a pile of pooch data: vet records, DNA samples, gut microbes and information on food and walks. Five hundred dogs will test a pill that could slow the aging process. “What we learn will... READ MORE
Exploring dental and mental health link
Can better oral hygiene slow the progression of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to Alzheimer’s disease, even for a few years? The question arises after a medical study last January established a link between Alzheimer’s disease and the bacteria that cause gum disease. A new pilot study at the University of Maryland’s Claude D. Pepper Center will take a closer look at the... READ MORE
