Volume 14 Issue 11, November 2018

A new publication from the Whitehall study confirms earlier findings that light to moderate alcohol drinkers have a reduced risk of dementia compared with abstainers and heavy drinkers. Importantly, the study follows a cohort from middle age, whereas most previous research on this topic has focused on older adults.

During cluster headache attacks, plasma levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) increase, and trigeminal nerve activation leads to pain. A new study shows that CGRP infusion can induce cluster headache attacks in some patients, with important implications for the investigation of CGRP-targeted therapies in cluster headache.

A new study has shown that peritoneal dialysis and isochronic parabiosis can clear misfolded tau proteins from mouse brain. The findings add to our understanding of how Alzheimer disease-associated proteins can be therapeutically removed by peripheral interventions.

Advances in biomarker research are aiding the development of targeted therapies and prevention strategies for Alzheimer disease (AD). In this Review, an international working group assesses the current status of blood-based AD biomarkers and outlines a roadmap for future research.

Prevention of dementia through moderation of risk factors presents a promising strategy to counter the rising dementia epidemic. In this Review, Kivipelto and colleagues discuss lifestyle-related risk factors for dementia, results from clinical trials of lifestyle interventions and new multinational initiatives that aim to identify and test effective dementia prevention strategies.

In this Review, the authors describe the current data detailing the role of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells (TREM2) in microglial biology and Alzheimer disease (AD), and discuss the possibility of targeting TREM2 as a treatment for AD.

Many disorders of brain and behaviour affect human and veterinary patients. In this Perspectives, Orrin Devinsky and colleagues outline a cross-species approach to understanding neurological and psychiatric conditions, including pain, cognitive decline, epilepsy, anxiety and CNS infections, and propose that collaborations between physicians and veterinarians will generate new insights for therapy development.