Center for Disability Resources (CDR) : May 2009

Friday, May 29, 2009

Is Vitamin D Deficiency Linked To Alzheimer's Disease And Vascular Dementia?

ScienceDaily (May 27, 2009) — There are several risk factors for the development of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Based on an increasing number of studies linking these risk factors with Vitamin D deficiency, an article in the current issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease (May 2009) by William B. Grant, PhD of the Sunlight, Nutrition, and Health Research Center (SUNARC) suggests that further investigation of possible direct or indirect linkages between Vitamin D and these dementias is needed.

Low serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] have been associated with increased risk for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, depression, dental caries, osteoporosis, and periodontal disease, all of which are either considered risk factors for dementia or have preceded incidence of dementia. In 2008, a number of studies reported that those with higher serum 25(OH)D levels had greatly reduced risk of incidence or death from cardiovascular diseases.

To view entire article, please click on link above.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

PRO-Parents Calendar

2009 CALENDAR OF WORKSHOPS

THESE WORKSHOPS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC,

LET US KNOW IF YOU NEED ACCOMMODATIONS WHEN REGISTERING.

TO SCHEDULE A WORKSHOP IN YOUR AREA

PLEASE CALL: 1-800-759-4776

* Are workshops for Foster Parents and DSS Staff

5/28/2009

9:00 am - 11:00 am

Is Your Child a Target of Bullying? Workshop

Beaufort Air Station

Building 807

Beaufort, SC

Gayle Munn, PRO-Parents of SC

Region 1, Education Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call:

1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

5/30/2009

9:00 am - 3:00 pm

*Linking Families with Special Education Workshop

Hope Center

901 North Main Street

Sumter, SC

Kim Preston, PRO-Parents of SC

Foster Parent Project - Education Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call:

1-866-863-1512

6/02/2009

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Transitioning Into Special Education Workshop

Georgetown County DDSN

95 Academy Avenue

Georgetown, SC

Gayle Munn, PRO-Parents of SC

Region 1, Education Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call:

1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

6/06/2009

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Transitioning Into Special Education Workshop

Body of Evidence

The Washington Post (May 19, 2009) -- Every year hundreds of people travel to Baltimore for an unusual purpose. They are not here to tour the city's aquarium or sample its fabled blue crabs. They are not in search of fame or money. Other than free lodging, they receive nothing in exchange for their visit, which entails a certain amount of discomfort.

No, these folks, some of whom have made this journey for decades, believe the trip is worth their time and expense because how they live -- calculated according to everything from the strength of their grip to how many apples they consume in a month -- may offer clues to how the rest of us might live better, longer, healthier lives.

These individuals -- homemakers, retirees, doctors and myriad others -- are participants in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA), the country's longest-running study of aging.

By Lori Aratani

Washington Post Staff Writer

To view entire article, please click on link above.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

At the Bridge Table, Clues to a Lucid Old Age

The New York Times (May 21, 2009) -- LAGUNA WOODS, Calif. — The ladies in the card room are playing bridge, and at their age the game is no hobby. It is a way of life, a daily comfort and challenge, the last communal campfire before all goes dark.

“We play for blood,” says Ruth Cummins, 92, before taking a sip of Red Bull at a recent game.

“It’s what keeps us going,” adds Georgia Scott, 99. “It’s where our closest friends are.”

In recent years scientists have become intensely interested in what could be called a super memory club — the fewer than one in 200 of us who, like Ms. Scott and Ms. Cummins, have lived past 90 without a trace of dementia. It is a group that, for the first time, is large enough to provide a glimpse into the lucid brain at the furthest reach of human life, and to help researchers tease apart what, exactly, is essential in preserving mental sharpness to the end.

To view entire article, please click on link above.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Ticket To Work Home-Based Job

NTI, the National Telecommuting Institute has a non-profit program to

assist people with disabilities and home employment called the Ticket

To Work Home-Based Jobs. Most positions are telecommunication,

home-computer jobs.

Wages are from $9 - $15/hour.

Contact information is as follows:

Websiste - www.mytickettoworkathome.org

Phone - 866-501-8387

To view the website, please click on link above.

Down's syndrome reveals one key to fighting cancer

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – People with Down's syndrome rarely get most kinds of cancer and U.S. researchers have nailed down one reason why -- they have extra copies of a gene that helps keep tumors from feeding themselves.

The findings could lead to new treatments for cancer, the researchers reported in the journal Nature on Wednesday, and further study of Down's patients might reveal more ways to fight tumors.

The researchers at Harvard University and elsewhere made use of a new kind of embryonic-like stem cell called an induced pluripotent stem cell or iPS cell. These cells, made from ordinary skin, can be transformed to act like powerful stem cells, the body's master cells.

To view entire article, please click on link above.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Robotic Therapy Holds Promise For Cerebral Palsy

ScienceDaily (May 21, 2009) — Over the past few years, MIT engineers have successfully tested robotic devices to help stroke patients learn to control their arms and legs. Now, they're building on that work to help children with cerebral palsy.

"Robotic therapy can potentially help reduce impairment and facilitate neuro-development of youngsters with cerebral palsy," says Hermano Igo Krebs, principal research scientist in mechanical engineering and one of the project's leaders.

Krebs and others at MIT, including professor of mechanical engineering Neville Hogan, pioneered the use of robotic therapy in the late 1980s, and since then the field has taken off.

To view entire article, please click on link above.

Friday, May 22, 2009

New Gene Linked To Autism Risk, Especially In Boys

ScienceDaily (May 20, 2009) — UCLA scientists have discovered a variant of a gene called CACNA1G that may increase a child's risk of developing autism, particularly in boys.

Classic autism strikes boys four times more often than girls. When including the entire spectrum of autism disorders, such as the milder Asperger syndrome, boys are diagnosed 10 times more often than girls.

The journal Molecular Psychiatry publishes the findings in its May 19 advance online edition. "This is a strong finding," said Dr. Stanley Nelson, professor of human genetics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. "No one has scrutinized the role that CACNA1G plays in autism.

To view entire article, please click on link above.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Children Who Are Depressed, Anxious Or Aggressive In First Grade Risk Being Victimized Later On

ScienceDaily (May 18, 2009) — Children entering first grade with signs of depression and anxiety or excessive aggression are at risk of being chronically victimized by their classmates by third grade, according to a new longitudinal study.

The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Victoria, looked at more than 400 Canadian children beginning in the autumn of first grade. The children were asked about their experiences being bullied (such as being hit, pushed, and shoved, or being teased and excluded from play). Their teachers were asked to report on the children's symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as on their displays of physical aggression. The researchers returned at the end of first, second, and third grades, at which time they asked the children and their teachers to report on the same issues.

Most children (73 percent) showed few symptoms of depression and anxiety over the three years. But 7 percent of the children showed continuously high levels. The remaining 20 percent showed moderate symptoms at first, but these increased over time. Victimization by depressed and anxious children wasn't evident until third grade.

To view entire article, please click on link above.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Neurons That 'Mirror' The Attention Of Others Discovered

ScienceDaily (May 18, 2009) — Whether a monkey is looking to the left or merely watching another monkey looking that way, the same neurons in his brain are firing, according to researchers at the Duke University Medical Center.

"We speculate that the neurons' activity may lie beneath critical social behavior, such as joint attention," said Michael Platt, Ph.D., Duke professor of neurobiology and evolutionary anthropology and senior author of the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "If social inputs to the neurons are disrupted, that might contribute to the social deficits seen in autism and other disorders."

People spontaneously follow the gaze of other people, and this joint attention helps promote social bonding, enhance learning, and may even be necessary for the development of language. People who can't do these things are at a decided disadvantage, and may fail to develop normal patterns of social interaction, Platt said.

To view entire article, please click on link above.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

PAALS: Palmetto Animal Assisted Life Services

PAALS is a 501c3 non-profit organization.

PAALS is a provisional member of the

Assistance Dogs International (ADI).

Misson

Enriching and empowering children and adults with physical disabilities and social needs by training service animals and providing animal assisted educational and recreational activities.

Goals

To train and provide service dogs for individuals with varying abilities. To train assistance animals to create activities for kids with physical and social challenges in South Carolina. To train and provide service animals for various special needs people in our community (ex. Therapy dogs). To increase assistance animal awareness. To provide a program where at-risk youth and/or retired individuals can give back to the community. To provide in training for therapeutic uses (ex. Use in ABA therapy for autistic kids).

Services

PAALS overall goal is to train assistance animals to help individuals with disabilities other than blindness or deafness. These animals can help with a vast array of tasks to assist with physical disabilities, and social needs as assigned assistance animals, or using them through quality programs to groups or organizations that can benefit from our assistance animals.

PAALS, Palmetto Animal Assisted Life Services is not affiliated with Practical Animal Assisted Life Services or the book Practical Partners. Practical Animal Assisted Life Services has recently changed their name to Dogs for Disabled.

To view the PAALS website, please click on link above.

To view the PAALS May 09 Newsletter: http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/226737/12c4baad3d/1582500029/2f8a7b771d/

Age-related Difficulty Recognizing Words Predicted By Brain Differences

ScienceDaily (May 14, 2009) — Older adults may have difficulty understanding speech because of age-related changes in brain tissue, according to new research in the May 13 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. The study shows that older adults with the most difficulty understanding spoken words had less brain tissue in a region important for speech recognition. The findings may help explain why hearing aids do not benefit all people with age-related hearing difficulties.

Although some hearing loss can be a normal part of aging, many older adults complain about difficulty understanding speech, especially in challenging listening conditions like crowded restaurants. Research has suggested that this decline in speech recognition is independent of hearing loss.

To view entire article, please click on link above.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Videoconferencing Can Increase Patient Access To Stroke Specialists

ScienceDaily (May 11, 2009) — A new scientific statement says a remote exam using high-quality videoconferencing equipment is as effective as a bedside stroke evaluation.

Physicians must quickly evaluate stroke patients to determine if they’re eligible for time-sensitive treatment such as tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) that can save brain function and reduce disability. Stroke and brain imaging specialists are often required to perform the evaluation. However, the United States has only an average of four neurologists per 100,000 people, and not all of them specialize in stroke, according to the statement.

Telemedicine, or telestroke, uses interactive videoconferencing via webcams connected to a TV or computer screen, which allows the patient, family and the bedside and distant healthcare providers to see and hear each other in full color and in real time.

To view entire article, please click on link above.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Find local resources, providers, services, and support

Welcome to Autism Source

Welcome to the Autism Society of America's on-line referral database.

Search nationwide autism-related services and supports by location or service type. Autism Source, created in 2004, is the most comprehensive database of its kind. ASA strives to offer only credible and reliable resources to our constituents, therefore we have employed our nationwide network of chapters and collaborated with other autism organizations and professionals throughout the U.S. It is because of these collaborative relationships that Autism Source continues to grow and is kept current with comprehensive resource listings.

To view the website, please click on link above.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Assistive Technology Online Network

Thanks to the Department of Education Regional AT Specialists, we have the following information

Student Summer Camps

Summer Camps in South Carolina

Pattison’s Academy Summer Day Camp

Date: TBD, 5-6 weeks in June & July; 9:00am – 3:00pm

Where: Charleston, SC

Cost: $150 Weekly. Cost includes snacks, field trips, crafts and therapy services (as long as therapists are able to bill Medicaid or private insurance.) Additional funding resources may also be available.

Participants: Ages 1 - 15 years old who have multiple and\or severe disabilities (Physical impairments, visual, hearing, cognitive impairments).

Description: Pattison's Academy Summer Camp provides therapy, enrichment and FUN for children and a nice break for their caregivers.

Contact: http://www.pattisonsacademy.org/Summer_Camp09.html or 843-849-6707

Camp Lion's Den

Date: TBD

Where: Clemson, SC

Cost: N/A

Participants: Ages 7 – 17 with visual impairments

Description: Serving visually impaired children of South Carolina, this program is sponsored by the Mid-Day Lions Club of Anderson, SC and the South Carolina Lions, Inc.

Contact: cuolcamps-L@clemson.edu

Camp Sertoma

Date: TBD

Where: Clemson, SC

Cost: N/A

Participants: Ages 7 - 13 who are underprivileged or have speech/hearing impairments

Description: Sponsored by the Sertoma clubs of South Carolina, the program offers opportunities for fun, skills development and education in an outdoor environment. Children are placed in groups with seven other children according to age and previous camp experience.

Contact: www.campsertomasc.com

Summer Camps outside of South Carolina

Camp Chatterbox

Date: June 21- June 27

Where: Stillwater, NJ

Cost: Cost: $850 for a child and parent. Additional family members may attend Camp for an added fee.

Participants: Ages 5 - 15 who use augmentative & alternative communication devices and a training program for their parents.

Description: Camp Chatterbox gives children an opportunity to interact with other children using AAC systems while learning to use their devices in functional activities. It is sponsored by the Children's Specialized Hospital in Mountainside, NJ.

Contact: http://www.campchatterbox.org

Camp Communicate

Date: August 28 – August 30

Where: Rome, ME

Cost: $375. This fee includes the programming, meals and accommodations for one camper and one parent/caregiver. For information on additional caregiver costs – please see the website.

Participants: Ages 8 - 20, must be accompanied by a caregiver

Description: Camp Communicate is an innovative weekend designed specifically for non-verbal children who use augmentative & alternative communication to communicate. Each camper will have the opportunity to attend workshops and share information and strategies in a supportive environment.

Contact: http://www.pinetreesociety.org/camp_communicate.asp

Courage Camps

Date: Various dates in June & July

Where: Maple Lake, MN

Cost: Varies; some $40; Camp offers scholarships for campers who need financial assistance.

Participants: Varies depending on camp; See website for more information

Description: Large variety of camps for people with disabilities organized by the Courage Camps. Information for two camps is listed below.

For more information contact: http://couragecamps.org/

Literacy Camp

This unique session is for struggling readers (all disabilities), ages 12 - 18, who would like a positive literacy experience. Educators under the direction of Dr. David Koppenhaver and Dr. Karen Erickson, national literacy experts, will be working with campers to determine literacy needs and intervention strategies to begin to address those needs. Campers must be ambulatory and independent with self-care.

For specific information about this session, contact Barb Wollak at bawollak@gmail.com

Augmentative Alternative Communication Camp

This session is for teens, ages 12 - 19, who use synthesized speech devices. This session is not designed for beginning AAC users, but for those users who need to learn more about the capabilities of their device and the importance of communication. Campers participate in all the fun camp activities, such as horseback riding and tubing behind a boat. Device use is encouraged before, during, and after each activity, (except in the water!) Campers are able to meet other teens who use AAC devices as well as interact with a proficient AAC mentor.

For information about this camp visit: http://couragecamps.org/lakeside_summer.html#prog10

Brain Abnormalities Associated With Social Orienting Ability Found In Toddlers With Autism, According To Imaging Study

ScienceDaily (May 7, 2009) — Toddlers with autism appear more likely to have an enlarged amygdala, a brain area associated with numerous functions, including the processing of faces and emotion, according to a new report. In addition, this brain abnormality appears to be associated with the ability to share attention with others, a fundamental ability thought to predict later social and language function in children with autism.

"Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder likely involving multiple brain systems," the authors write as background information in the article. "Converging evidence from magnetic resonance imaging, head circumference and postmortem studies suggests that brain volume enlargement is a characteristic feature of autism, with its onset most likely occurring in the latter part of the first year of life." Based both on its function and studies of changes in its structure, the amygdala has been identified as a brain area potentially associated with autism.

To view entire article, please click on link above.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Autism Diagnosis Often Made Years After It Was Possible

ScienceDaily (May 5, 2009) — "Timely identification and diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can impact a child's development and is the key to opening the door to the services and therapies available to children with autism," says Paul Shattuck, Ph.D., assistant professor at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis. "Unfortunately, our research shows that the average age of autism diagnosis is nearly six years old, which is three to four years after diagnosis is possible."

Shattuck is the lead author of an article on the timing of ASD identification in the current issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

To view entire article, please click on link above.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Presbycusis Gene -- Researchers discover gene linked to susceptibility

ADVANCE (May 4, 2009) by Alyssa Banotai-- In the first genome-wide association study on hearing, scientists have identified a gene they suspect to be linked to a susceptibility to presbycusis.1

Rick Friedman, MD, PhD, decided to study age-related hearing loss based on both his background-a doctorate in genetics-and the make-up of the caseload at the House Ear Institute (HEI), in Los Angeles, CA, where he is a clinician scientist. "We see a lot of patients with presbycusis," he explained, "and there's not a lot we can do for them except hearing aids, and not a lot of people want to wear them because of issues like cost and stigma."

He was interested in using the latest technology in genome mapping to study age-related hearing loss as a complex medical disorder. "We know that 50 percent of patients over the age of 80 have presbycusis, but there's about 50 percent or less that don't. Certainly, some of that could be exposure-related, but for the most part it suggests that age-related hearing loss probably is a complex genetic trait," he told ADVANCE.

To view entire article, please click on link above.

Estrogen Controls How The Brain Processes Sound

ScienceDaily (May 6, 2009) — Scientists at the University of Rochester have discovered that the hormone estrogen plays a pivotal role in how the brain processes sounds.

The findings, published in the May 5 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience, show for the first time that a sex hormone can directly affect auditory function, and point toward the possibility that estrogen controls other types of sensory processing as well. Understanding how estrogen changes the brain's response to sound, say the authors, might open the door to new ways of treating hearing deficiencies.

To view entire article, please click on link above.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Children With Concussions Require Follow-up Care Before Returning To Play, Say Researchers

ScienceDaily (May 5, 2009) — Children hospitalized with concussions should wait until they are seen by a clinician in a follow-up exam before returning to regular sports or playtime activities, according to researchers at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Rather than only consulting a doctor when there are obvious trouble signs after the initial treatment, the Children's Hospital researchers recommend that a qualified healthcare provider perform a formal assessment after hospital discharge but before child resumes exertional activities. The study team used a computer-based testing program created to assess athletes with concussions and determine when it was safe to return to play. The authors found that nearly all the children admitted to the hospital with a concussion had some abnormal brain function during initial testing.

To view entire article, please click on link above.

Friday, May 08, 2009

Program Improves Language Skills In Deaf, Hard Of Hearing

ScienceDaily (May 4, 2009) — Children enrolled before they are six months old in a home-based program that teaches language skills to the deaf or hard of hearing are not only able to achieve appropriate language skills but also to maintain them over time, according to a new study.

The study underscores the importance of appropriate follow-up of newborn hearing screens that determine whether a more detailed evaluation of a baby’s hearing by an audiologist is needed, according to Jareen Meinzen-Derr, PhD, a researcher at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the study’s main author.

Dr. Meinzen-Derr will present her study May 4 at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies in Baltimore.

The researchers studied 328 children enrolled in Ohio’s universal newborn hearing screening program. As is the case in many states, all infants born in Ohio hospitals or birthing centers receive hearing screenings before discharge. These screenings determine whether a more detailed evaluation of a baby’s hearing is needed.

To View the Entire Article, Please Click on the Title Above.

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Asperger's Syndrome: Secret to Success

WebMD March 26, 2008 -- Scientist and autism activist Temple Grandin, PhD, reflects on life with Asperger's syndrome.

While autism spectrum disorder appears on many radar screens today, this wasn't the case when Temple Grandin was growing up in the 1950s. Grandin, now 60, didn't utter a word until she was 3 1/2 years old. As a result, she was labeled "autistic," and her parents were told she should be institutionalized. Fortunately, Grandin's story does not end there.

With the help of early education and a caring nanny, Grandin eventually learned to speak and flourish despite Asperger's syndrome, a developmental disorder marked by severe difficulties in understanding how to interact socially. Today she holds a PhD in animal science, is a professor of animal sciences at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo., and the author of several books including Emergence: Labeled Autistic and Thinking In Pictures. Grandin is also one of the few livestock-handling equipment designers in the world and has designed the facilities in which half the cattle are handled in the United States.

By Denise Mann
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

To view entire article, please click on link above.

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

PRO-Parents May Calendar of Events

THESE WORKSHOPS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC,

LET US KNOW IF YOU NEED ACCOMMODATIONS WHEN REGISTERING.

TO SCHEDULE A WORKSHOP IN YOUR AREA

PLEASE CALL: 1-800-759-4776

* Are workshops for Foster Parents and DSS Staff

5/07/2009

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Individualized Education Program (IEP) Workshop

Clarendon County DDSN

312 Pine Street

Manning, SC 29102

Gayle Munn, PRO-Parents of SC

Region 1, Education Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call:

1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

5/12/2009

7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Positive Behavioral Interventions (PBI) Workshop

Union DDSN

226 South Gadberry Street

Union, SC 29379

Susan Bruce, PRO-Parents of SC

Region 3, Education Coordinator

For More Information or To Register Call:

1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

5/13/2009

12:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Transitioning Into Special Education Workshop

SCAS May Calendar of Events

May 6 9:00-11:00 am drop-in Monthly coffee talk on the first Wednesday of every month at SCAS offices. Families can visit, talk and have coffee with homemade goodies. Children are always welcomed. SCAS offices: West Columbia, Greenville, and Myrtle Beach SC

May 12 5:00-7:00 pm Basic Teaching Strategies and Support for Students with ASD-Session 2 of 5 SCAS HQ

806 12th Street, W. Columbia

May 19 5:00-7:00 pm Basic Teaching Strategies and Support for Students with ASD-Session 3 of 5 SCAS HQ

806 12th Street, W. Columbia

May 23 8:30-11:00 am Strides For Autism- Columbia Honorary Chairs: Dr. Harry Wright of USC and Mr. Joe Pinner of WIS Finlay Park, Columbia, SC

May 26 5:00-7:00 pm Basic Teaching Strategies and Support for Students with ASD-Session 4 of 5 SCAS HQ

806 12th Street, W. Columbia

South Carolina Autism Society 806 12th Street West Columbia, South Carolina 29169 ♦ 803-750-6988

http://www.scautism.org/

To view entire article, please click on link above.

First Neuroimaging Study Examining Motor Execution In Children With Autism Reveals New Insights

ScienceDaily (Apr. 29, 2009) — In the first neuroimaging study to examine motor execution in children with autism, researchers at the Kennedy Krieger Institute have uncovered important new insight into the neurological basis of autism.

The study, published online in the journal Brain’s April 23 Brain Advanced Access, compared the brain activity of children with high functioning autism and their typically developing peers while performing a simple motor task—tapping their fingers in sequence. The researchers found that children with autism relied more heavily on a region of the brain responsible for conscious, effortful movement, while their typically developing peers utilized a region of the brain important for automating motor tasks. Children with autism also showed less connectivity between different regions of the brain involved in coordinating and executing movement, supporting the theory that a decreased ability of distant regions of the brain to communicate with each other forms the neurological basis of autism.

To view entire article, please click on link above.

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Mild Alzheimer's: Photos More Useful Than Words

ScienceDaily (May 1, 2009) — Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have found that pictures allow patients with very mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) to better recognize and identify a subject as compared to using just words. In addition, the researchers found that these patients can rely on a general sense of knowing or familiarity but not recollection to support successful recognition.

These findings appear in the current issue of the journal Neuropsychologia.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has been conceptualized as a transitional stage between healthy aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD). The amnestic subtype of MCI has received a great deal of attention as it has been associated with an estimated tenfold increase in Alzheimer's disease compared to age-matched controls with no cognitive impairment.

To view entire article, please click on link above.

Monday, May 04, 2009

Agents That Speed Up Destruction Of Proteins Linked To Alzheimer's Discovered

ScienceDaily (Apr. 22, 2009) — Taking a new approach to the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's disease, a research team led by investigators at the Mayo Clinic campus in Florida has shown that druglike compounds can speed up destruction of the amyloid beta (A-beta) proteins that form plaque in the brains of patients with the disorder.

Researchers say their study, published in the April 22 online issue of PLoS One, demonstrates that this strategy is a viable and exciting alternative to the approach most drug designers have taken to date.

"Historically, a lot of effort has been made at stopping initial production of A-beta in order to halt development of Alzheimer's disease, but we are interested in what happens to A-beta after it is produced," says the study's lead researcher, Malcolm Leissring, Ph.D., from Mayo's Department of Neuroscience.

To view entire article, please click on link above.

Friday, May 01, 2009

South Carolina Collaborative Assistive Technology Network (SCCATN)

South Carolina Collaborative Assistive Technology Network (SCCATN)
SCCATN Wiki is a new collaborative effort between the South Carolina
Department of Education Assistive Technology Specialists (SCDE ATS),
the South Carolina Assistive Technology Program (SCATP), and the
University of South Carolina Programs in Special Education
(PSE). The wiki will provide resources and supports for Assistive
Technology to professionals, parents, and individuals. It is an
on-going collaborative effort and includes information on upcoming
trainings, conferences, free resources, and best practice information
related to Assistive Technology. If you have Technology resource
information that you would like to contribute to the wiki, please
email that information for review to Stacy Springer (sspringer@ed.sc.gov).
http://sccatn.wikispaces.com/

For more information, please click on the title above.

How Human Ear Translates Vibrations Into Sounds: Discovery Of Ion Channel Turns Ear On Its Head

ScienceDaily (Apr. 28, 2009) — Scientists thought they had a good model to explain how the inner ear translates vibrations in the air into sounds heard by the brain. Now, based on new research from the Stanford University School of Medicine, it looks like parts of the model are wrong.

Anthony Ricci, PhD, associate professor of otolaryngology, and colleagues at the University of Wisconsin and the Pellegrin Hospital in France found that the ion channels responsible for hearing aren't located where scientists previously thought. The discovery turns old theories upside down, and it could have major implications for the prevention and treatment of hearing loss.

To view entire article, please click on link above.