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1 month ago | 
self.com | Jessica Ailani |Alisa Hrustic
There’s so much to process after an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Whether it’s you or a loved one who has this disease, you’re likely working through piles of complicated information, an avalanche of difficult emotions, and a slew of sensitive conversations about what happens next. Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t have a cure, meaning no treatment can reverse the damage that’s already occurred in the brain. But that doesn’t mean life has to come to a screeching halt.
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1 month ago | 
self.com | Jessica Ailani |Amy Norton
Time. In the experience of dementia specialist Suzanne Schindler, MD, that’s what patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease so often want. More time to spend with family and friends, doing the things they’ve always enjoyed. More time, even, to do all the things a lot of us don’t enjoy—like running errands and getting dinner on the table. Until recently, there was no way to buy them more time.
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Jan 17, 2025 | 
self.com | Jessica Ailani |Cathy Habas
When psychologist Elizabeth Edgerly, PhD, visited a man with dementia one morning, she found him warm, friendly, and personable despite his cognitive decline. But later that afternoon, his behavior changed drastically. “He was taking all his clothes off and had no idea who anyone was,” Dr. Edgerly told SELF. The man was experiencing sundown syndrome—a worsening of dementia symptoms that generally occurs in the late afternoon and evening.
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Nov 21, 2024 | 
headachejournal.onlinelibrary.wiley.com | Jessica Ailani |Richard Lipton |Andrew Blumenfeld |Laszlo Mechtler
AE adverse event ALT alanine aminotransferase AST aspartate aminotransferase CGRP calcitonin gene-related peptide CI confidence interval ECG electrocardiogram EM episodic migraine ICHD-3 International Classification of Headache Disorders, third edition PRN as needed QD once daily SD standard deviation TEAE treatment-emergent AE ULN upper limit of normal INTRODUCTION Migraine is a debilitating neurological disease that impacts ~1.1 billion individuals worldwide, with >90% of those individuals...
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Aug 8, 2024 | 
self.com | Jessica Ailani |Erica Sloan
Caring for your brain can be a bit of a black box. After all, even medical researchers aren’t sure why some people make it to old age with their memory and thinking intact while others don’t. What we’ve long known is that engaging in healthy habits for the rest of your body—like eating a bunch of plants, getting quality sleep, and staying active—is good for your mind. But now, science suggests another daily practice that may help you ward off dementia: tending to your teeth and gums.
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Jul 10, 2024 | 
self.com | Jessica Ailani |Audrey Bruno
What you eat affects more than just your tastebuds: It’s well-established that certain nutrients can do your body good, from bolstering your bones to protecting your heart. But what about your brain—can eating specific foods ward off conditions like Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia? For years, lots of promising research has suggested that what you eat can benefit your brain, and a buzzed-about study from earlier this year only supported that connection.
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Jul 3, 2024 | 
headachejournal.onlinelibrary.wiley.com | Richard Lipton |Jessica Ailani |Kathleen Mullin |Jelena M Pavlovic
CGRP calcitonin gene–related peptide MOH medication-overuse headache ODT orally disintegrating tablet INTRODUCTION A new class of medication for the acute and/or preventive treatment of migraine, the small molecule calcitonin gene–related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonists (gepants), was introduced in the United States in 2019 and now includes four agents: rimegepant, ubrogepant, atogepant, and zavegepant.1 In addition to being the only drug class with medicines approved for the acute and...
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Jun 24, 2024 | 
medstarhealth.org | Jessica Ailani
Two new studies now enrolling participants will examine a new botulinum toxin-based treatment for migraine headaches. Migraine headaches are debilitating, painful, and unique to each person who experiences them. To provide effective, personalized treatment, we must have various treatment options. MedStar Health Research Institute is now enrolling participants in two studies of a new medication that could give patients and providers more versatility in treatment.
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Jun 21, 2024 | 
neurologylive.com | Jessica Ailani
WATCH TIME: 5 minutes "Nobody really thinks of migraine as something to celebrate, but personally, I think celebrating the journey [patients have] been on; to take a moment to share with others what they've gone through, how far they might have come but also to talk to others who they might not realize have a headache disorder to share that there are [clinicians] they can see." Advancements in preventative treatment options for migraine present opportunities to improve quality of life and...
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May 7, 2024 | 
neurologylive.com | Jessica Ailani
WATCH TIME: 5 minutes "I think understanding where the person is coming from is first and foremost, even in our busy days, even when we're like 30 patients in and you're like 'I don't have time for this.' Take that moment, take that deep breath, and realize that a lot of the anger comes from their frustration with the disease process, and reflect that back to them." Patients with migraine, one of the most disabling neurological conditions globally, may often experience a substantial...
