Electronic Nose Created To Detect Skin Vapors
A team of researchers from the Yale University (United States) and a Spanish company have developed a system to detect the vapours emitted by human skin in real time. The scientists think that these substances, essentially made up of fatty acids, are what attract mosquitoes and enable dogs to identify their owners.
Cardiovascular
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What Is Alzheimer's Disease? What Causes Alzheimer's Disease?
- resulting in an increase in both the neurotransmitter"s level and duration of action. Cholinesterase inhibitors are prescribed to treat problems related to memory, thinking, language, judgment and other thought processes. Clinical trials showed that about half of all patients did not get any benefit from this type of drug. Experts believe cholinesterase inhibitors may delay or slow worsening symptoms by about six to twelve months. However, some patients experience longer periods of delay. Examples of cholinesterase inhibitors include: *donepezil (Aricept) - approved in the USA to treat all stages. *galantamine (Razadyne) - approved in the USA to treat mild to moderate stages. *rivastigmine (Exelon) - approved in the USA to treat mild to moderate stages. Cholinesterase inhibitors are generally well tolerated (side effects minimal). Side effects may include: *Diarrhea *Nausea *Vomiting *Loss of appetite *Memantine This medication protects brain cells from damage caused by glutamate, a chemical messenger. It is used to treat moderate to severe stages of Alzheimer"s. Some doctors prescribe memantine along with a cholinesterase inhibitor. Examples include Axura, Akatinol, Namenda, Ebixa and Abixa, and Memox. Memantine is prescribed to improve memory, language, reason, attention, and the ability to carry out simple tasks. A clinical trial showed that patients taking memantine showed a small, but statistically significant improvement in mental function and their ability to carry out daily activities. Memantine is generally well tolerated (minimal side effects) Side effects include: *Dizziness *Drowsiness *Headache *Insomnia *Constipation *Agitation and delusional behavior in some patients. *ACE Inhibitors - researchers from the Wake Forest School of Medicine found that ACE inhibitors that affect the brain by crossing the blood-brain barrier, may reduce inflammation that could contribute to the development of Alzheimer"s disease. *Stem cells - scientists at UC Irvine showed that neural stem cells can rescue memory in mice with advanced Alzheimer"s disease, raising hopes of a potential treatment for humans. *Insulin - Insulin could protect against damage to brain cells key to memory, according to researchers from Northwestern University in the US and the University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. They claim that treating Alzheimer"s disease with insulin, or with drugs to boost its effect, may help people with the condition. What are the complications of Alzheimer"s disease? People with Alzheimer"s disease progressively lose the ability to care for themselves. This makes them more susceptible to accidents and health problems: *Pneumonia - this becomes a significant risk when patients start losing their ability to swallow properly. Food and drink often go down the wrong way - down the air passages into the lungs, rather than into the digestive system. If food or drink gets into the lung there is a risk of pneumonia. *Urinary tract infection - when the patient becomes incontinent it may be necessary to place a urinary catheter. This increases the risk of urinary tract infections. Urinary tract infections can become very serious and life threatening. *Injuries - disorientation and wandering are common symptoms of Alzheimer"s. Patients are much more likely to fall and fracture a bone or sustain a head injury. The risk is greater if they have sleeping problems and get up in the night and wander about while others are asleep. The caregiver (UK/Ireland/Australia: carer) If the caregiver is a close relative, which is usually the case, he/she will go through the sense of grief and loss about the diagnosis. Then they will witness the gradual deterioration of the person they love. They will watch the person they love slowly lose their personality and abilities. A lone caregiver has to undergo a radical change of lifestyle to look after somebody with Alzheimer"s. Caring for a person with Alzheimer"s at home is a challenging task. It is often overwhelming, tiring, and frustrating. A study led by Johns Hopkins and Utah State University researchers suggests that a particularly close relationship with caregivers may give people with Alzheimer"s disease a marked edge over those without one in retaining mind and brain function over time. The researchers reported that the benefit for the patient in slowing cognitive decline was on a par with some medications used to treat the disease. It is crucial that the caregiver receive support, not just for the patient, but also for himself/herself. Written by Christian Nordqvist Copyright: Medical News Today Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News TodayPages: 1 2 [3]