Wendy Gammon, M.A., M.Ed.'s Page

Can a drug used to relieve symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis improve speech in Alzheimer’s patients? Yes, maybe……….. Etanercept (trade name Enbrel) is an RA anti-inflammatory drug from Wyeth and Amgen. Enter Dr. Edward Tobinick, director of the Institute of Neurological Research, a private Los Angeles based medical group. Dr. Tobinick is a physician and inventor of a specialized method of injecting drugs into a patient’s neck. Ouch. What Dr. Tobinick did in his frankly unscientific… Continue

In a New York Times article dated June 24, 2008 by Laurie Tarkan, the story of Theresa Lamascola bears witness to what is happening in many nursing homes. It stands as a commentary on how some dementia patients are managed. When daughter Ramona Lamascola sought help for her 88 year old mother's developing anxiety and confusion, the doctor put her on the antipsychotic drug Risperdal. The consquences of this choice were far-reaching for both patient and family. Soon after starting the drug, Ther… Continue

http://www.womansday.com/health/13157/12-ways-to-keep-your-mind-sharp.html At one time or another I have signed up for daily "email drops" telling me everything I need to know including how to grow flowers of award-winning size (No watering! No weeding!!) and how to pay off all my bills in no time at all (Owe nothing on your mortgage and car loans in a few short weeks!!) Lately, I have been getting emails tantalizing me with "deals" on flights from Kansas City to Denver though I live just outsi… Continue

EPIX is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel therapeutics. It is currently partnering with pharma GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to launch the next clinical trial stage of the Alzheimer's drug PRX-03140 taken with and without the well-known AD drug donepezil (Aricept). During initial trials testing the safety of PRX-03140, researchers were excited to measure a positive impact on memory and cognition in some patients. How are thought processes and memory measured in these trials? Patie… Continue

I came across an interesting article in latest issue of Archives of Neurology. Drs. Trachtenberg and Trojanowski give a historical perspective on the word dementia, describing its meaning in medical and social settings. "Dementia" is a general medical term used by doctors to describe a broad group of symptoms common to many brain disorders. Dementia is defined by Merriam-Webster as a "mental deterioration of organic origin." Over the years and across cultures, unfortunately, it has beco… Continue