Department of Brain Health News
The UNLV department of brain health advances research, education, and practice to improve the care and treatment of individuals with brain disorders. Our students receive guidance from faculty who specialize in a range of areas from basic and clinical research in neurodegenerative disease, neuropsychology, and occupational therapy.
Current Brain Health News
Entities sign Memorandum of Understanding to cultivate best-in-class clinical research services for Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.
First-of-its-kind database, supported by Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation, will provide greater access to key data on Alzheimer’s to researchers around the world.
News highlights featuring UNLV students and staff who made (refreshing) waves in the headlines.
News highlights starring UNLV students and faculty who made local and national headlines.
Alzheimer’s treatment studies offer hope as UNLV expert predicts new potential drugs, biomarkers will yield critical insight for future development.
Professor Chih-Huang "Jeffrey" Yu says the new and unique method can make rehab a more effective experience for patients.
Brain Health In The News
The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) today announced a new investment to develop a first-of-its-kind Biomarker Observatory that will provide a comprehensive overview of the Alzheimer's biomarkers pipeline, including blood tests, brain scans, digital devices, and other tools that can help diagnose and monitor the disease. These efforts will be led by renowned clinical trialist Jeffrey Cummings, MD, ScD, Joy Chambers-Grundy Professor of Brain Science at the School of Integrated Health Sciences at University of Nevada, Las Vegas with Co-Principal Investigator Feixiong Cheng, PhD, from the Laboratory of Network Medicine at Cleveland Clinic. This Observatory will fill a critical gap by creating the first thorough overview of the biomarker pipeline, serving as a key resource to catalyze progress in drug development.
Today, Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation® (GAP) and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding a collaboration to accelerate research for neurodegenerative diseases. This includes establishing a state-of-the-art imaging and emerging technology program dedicated to the development and implementation of new and innovative biomarker and diagnostic solutions for central nervous system (CNS) research.
Over the past two years, Eisai and Biogen’s Leqembi and Eli Lilly’s Kisunla, both anti-amyloid antibodies, made history as the first real options to slow cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease. For years, amyloid plaques and tau tangles have been a primary target of Alzheimer’s disease research and drug development, but while affecting these proteins may yield some benefit, the illness continues to progress. Today, multiple therapeutics are in Phase III trials with other targets, suggesting that within the next few years it may become possible to treat Alzheimer’s via multiple pathways.
AXS-05, a novel NMDA receptor antagonist that already has approval for major depressive disorder, shows significant benefit in the treatment of agitation that is associated with Alzheimer’s disease, according to research presented at the 2024 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC).
On Sunday, the Alzheimer’s Association kicks off its international conference and there’s already buzz about a blood test that is between 85% and 90% accurate in identifying Alzheimer’s disease. Having an easy blood test could be game changing. Right now, the only way to confirm an Alzheimer’s diagnosis is with a costly PET scan or an invasive spinal puncture.
The FDA has granted both Fast Track and Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapeutic (RMAT) Designations to Longeveron's Lomecel-B investigational allogeneic medicinal signaling cell (MSC) therapy for the potential treatment of patients with Alzheimer disease (AD).1,2.