Winter 2008 Newsletter

Scholarships Available for Project Lifesaver in the Charleston Area

Project Lifesaver is a rapid-response partnership with law enforcement that works to recover missing persons with medically diagnosed conditioned, such as adults with dementia or children with a disorder like autism or Down syndrome.  The program works by tracking radio signals emitted by a wrist or ankle bracelet worn by the patient.

Charleston County sheriff's deputies have been training to use the tracking system, which has been established in Charleston with the help of a Justice Assistance Grant.  They have 10 scholarships available to provide Project Lifesaver bracelets to vulenerable individuals at risk for wandering or becoming lost.
For more information, call Charleston County victims services at 745-2250. For the program's Web site, go to www.projectlifesaver.org.

Research Study on Assisted Living and Dementia: Family Members Sought for Interviews in Lowcountry

Susan Kelsey, a Ph.D. student in the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina, is studying the effects on family members of having to move relatives from assisted living facilities to units that specialize in caring for people with dementia, sometimes called "memory care units." Ms. Kelsey would like to interview relatives of people who were asked to make this type of move in order to learn more about their experiences. The purpose of this study is to help families who will have to make these moves in the future and to help administrators of assisted living facilities to improve these moves. You may be eligible if you:

• have placed a parent, spouse or other relative in an assisted living facility and
• subsequently had to move your relative to a memory care unit.

The interview will take about 45 minutes and will be conducted in the Lowcountry region at a convenient time and location. Initial inquiries and all comments during the interview will be completely confidential. If you are interested, please contact Ms. Kelsey at 843.363.5412 or kelsey5@hargray.com.

A VACCINE FOR ALZHEIMER’S: An Update on New Research Trials

 Warachal Faison, MD
Clinical Director
Alzheimer’s Research & Clinical Programs
Medical University of South Carolina  

A Vaccine for Alzheimer’s disease. . . .Could this be?   Vaccines have been developed for small pox, influenza, polio, hepatitis, measles, rubella, mumps, and other diseases.  Often when people travel out of the country, they receive a number of vaccines to protect themselves against diseases.   Given that Alzheimer’s disease affects greater than 5 million people in the United States and it is anticipated that these numbers will triple by 2050, Alzheimer’s disease is indeed a public health concern.  Research efforts have been underway for several years to develop a vaccine to fight against Alzheimer’s disease. 
Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, it is believed that deposits or plaques of amyloid (pronounced am′-uh-loyd),  a protein that gathers in the brain, are the core of the disease.  These amyloid plaques keep our brains from functioning properly—causing memory loss and confusion.  Research is underway to develop medication treatments such as oral medications and vaccines that are aimed to reduce or prevent amyloid deposits in the brain.

HISTORY OF ALZHEIMER’S VACCINE DEVELOPMENT
For the past several years, scientists in medical research centers and pharmaceutical companies have been investigating vaccines for Alzheimer’s disease.  There have been research trials that investigated vaccines infused into the blood stream, vaccines administered through a skin patch, and vaccines administered through nose drops.  Vaccine trials have been conducted in both mice and humans.  One research trial that made some important strides in our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease was an investigation sponsored by Elan and Wyeth pharmaceutical companies in the early 2000s involving human participants.  This study was stopped in 2002, however, when some patients developed brain inflammation (infection). 

A follow-up of participants in the study revealed that some of the participants may have actually benefited from the vaccine.  Data suggested that some participants receiving the vaccine may have had improved memory as compared to those participants who did not receive the vaccine (placebo).  Some patients who received the vaccine also appeared to have reduced amyloid deposits when their brains were examined via autopsy. 

CURRENT NEWS
A number of pharmaceutical companies and medical centers have continued to forge ahead and developed other AD vaccines.  Elan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is currently sponsoring a clinical research trial which investigates a new vaccine called bapineuzumab (pronounced bap-e-new′-zoo-mab). 

Bapineuzumab is expected to reduce the amount of amyloid deposits in the brain.  The vaccine used in this trial is referred to as passive immunotherapy because scientifically developed anti-amyloid antibodies (substances that are aimed at destroying the amyloid deposits) will be directly infused into the participant’s bloodstream with the goal of clearing existing amyloid deposits and preventing the development of amyloid deposits. 

Although this vaccine update is quite hopeful (quite hopeful indeed), it is important to realize that there are several years of vaccine development ahead before we can go to our doctor and get a prescription for an Alzheimer’s disease vaccine.  Yet, participation in research trials offers participants and caregivers the ability to 1) contribute to science, 2) assist researchers and clinicians in finding out new information about Alzheimer’s disease, and 3) play an active role in our fight to stamp out Alzheimer’s disease!

MUSC ALZHEIMER’S RESEARCH UPDATE
MUSC’s Alzheimer’s Research & Clinical Programs has been chosen to participate in two vaccine research trials. One of these vaccine trials includes the new vaccine, bapineuzumab, which is mentioned above.  Another vaccine trial is being sponsored by the National Institutes of Health.  Additionally, Alzheimer’s Research & Clinical Programs has research trials investigating new oral treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.  We are recruiting participants that have Alzheimer’s disease for research trials now!  As with any treatment, there are risks and benefits and patients/caregivers should involve their primary care physicians as well as other support networks in their decision-making.   

Alzheimer’s Research & Clinical Programs continues to take the lead in cutting edge Alzheimer’s research and we are pleased to continue our commitment to educating the public about the latest treatments and research developments.  There is no cost to participate in research trials (includes research trial medication, examinations, laboratory tests) conducted in our office.  Caregivers appreciate the support and 24-hour access to our clinical staff. 

For more information on Alzheimer’s research trials, please contact MUSC Alzheimer’s Research & Clinical Programs:  843.740.1592