Michael Rafii M.D. Ph.D

Co-Director of the Memory Disorders Clinic at UCSD Perlman Ambulatory Care Center in La Jolla, Assistant Professor of Neurosciences at the University of California, San Diego, and Associate Medical Director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study, Dr. Rafii specializes in cognitive disorders, including dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease. His current research interests include neuroimaging and clinical trials. He received his M.D. and Ph.D. from Brown University and conducted neurogenetics research at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Rafii went on to complete his neurology residency at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and fellowship in Dementia and Cognitive Disorders at the University of California, San Diego.

Stress and Alzheimer’s Disease: A Hormonal Connection

Apr 052013

Stress and Alzheimer’s Disease: A Hormonal Connection

Recently, findings were published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease that may help explain why people who are susceptible to stress are at more risk of developing Alzheimer’s and why — increasingly — we are finding evidence that physical activity, which reduces stress levels, may reduce the chances of developing Alzheimer’s. It is widely believed that the stress hormone corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) may have a protective effect on the brain, including the memory changes brought on by Alzheimer’s. CRF is associated [...]

Medicare’s Decision on Whether to Cover Amyloid Brain PET Scans

Alzheimer's & the Brain, Diagnosing Alzheimer's 1 Response »

Feb 212013

Medicare's Decision on Whether to Cover Amyloid Brain PET Scans

Although the FDA approved florbetapir (Amyvid) in April 2012 as a tracer for PET scans in detecting brain amyloid, Medicare has not covered it. The test costs about $3,000 in total and some patients have been paying for it out of pocket. Last month, a Medicare advisory panel voted against medicare coverage for amyloid brain PET scans. Although the technology has been around for eight years, and numerous studies have shown its accuracy in detecting [...]

Where We Are Today in Alzheimer’s Research: A Year in Review

Current Studies, Featured Posts, Risk Factors/ Prevention 7 Responses »

Jan 242013

Where We Are Today in Alzheimer's Research: A Year in Review

One year closes and another begins. Here are the 2012 Alzheimer’s disease research highlights, as well as new directions that we will likely be heading during 2013. Genetic Insights: Among the important discoveries of 2012 was the identification of a genetic mutation that protects people from developing Alzheimer’s disease. The mutation in Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) significantly decreases the amount of beta-amyloid a person makes (about 40 percent), conferring a resistance to developing Alzheimer’s. Just to review, all neurons secrete APP, and [...]

Alzheimer’s 2011: A Year in Review

Current Studies, Diagnosing Alzheimer's 1 Response »

Jan 112012

As 2012 begins, I would like to review some of the highlights of the Alzheimer’s Disease world this past year, and the new directions that we will likely be heading toward in 2012. This year we saw the publication of new diagnostic guidelines for Alzheimer’ s disease formulated by committees sponsored by the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer’s Association. The National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer’s Association also published guidelines for diagnosis [...]

Phase I Alzheimer’s Study: Gantenerumab & Beta-amyloid Plaque Removal

Current Studies No Responses »

Nov 152011

Phase I Alzheimer's Study: Gantenerumab & Beta-amyloid Plaque Removal

Gantenerumab, an antibody that binds to beta-amyloid, clears plaques in a matter of months, report scientists at F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland, in a study published online in Archives of Neurology. The Phase I study of 16 Alzheimer’s patients tested gantenerumab at two doses against a placebo over six months of treatment. Senior author Luca Santarelli and colleagues used positron emission tomography (PET) scans to visualize and compare levels of amyloid plaques in the [...]

Inhaled Insulin for Alzheimer’s Disease: Phase II Clinical Trial Results

Current Studies 5 Responses »

Sep 272011

Dear Readers, The recent results from a clinical trial of insulin for the treatment of AD has garnered a great deal of media attention. Before discussing the research, it is worth reviewing insulin’s role in the brain. Insulin is critical for normal brain function, and abnormal insulin metabolism has been shown to contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Because patients with Alzheimer’s disease also exhibit decreased levels of insulin in the central nervous system, [...]

Guidelines Issued for Alzheimer’s Genetic Testing

Diagnosing Alzheimer's, Risk Factors/ Prevention 1 Response »

Aug 042011

Guidelines Issued for Alzheimer’s Genetic Testing

New guidelines have been developed for the field of Alzheimer’s disease. They were published in the June edition of Genetics in Medicine, and jointly issued by the American College of Medical Genetics and the National Society of Genetic Counselors. The guidelines distinguish between genetic testing for dominantly inherited AD genes and that for the Alzheimer’s susceptibility gene, ApoE . The three early-onset familial AD genes — presenilin-1 (PS1), presenilin-2 (PS2) and amyloid precursor protein (APP) [...]

Cinnamon and Alzheimer’s Disease

Current Studies 11 Responses »

Jul 282011

Plants have a long history as a rich source of new compounds for drug discovery. Cinnamon is widely used by humans, both as a spice and as a traditional medicine. It is, perhaps, one of the oldest herbal medicines, having been mentioned in the Bible and in Chinese texts as long as 4,000 years ago. Previous studies have already demonstrated the potential for herbal extracts to interact with beta-amyloid, and perhaps slow down or even [...]

Recent Developments in Amyloid Imaging

Alzheimer's & the Brain, Current Studies, Diagnosing Alzheimer's No Responses »

Jul 152011

The use of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease (AD) appears to be closer to becoming a clinical tool, based on results from two articles published online in the Archives of Neurology. In one study, Adam S. Fleisher, M.D., from Banner Alzheimer’s Institute in Phoenix, and colleagues, evaluated PET imaging using the tracer florbetapir F 18. The study population included 68 individuals with probable Alzheimer’s disease, 60 individuals with mild cognitive impairment, [...]

A Potential Blood Test for Alzheimer’s Disease

Diagnosing Alzheimer's 2 Responses »

Jun 102011

Oxidation and free radical damage are natural occurrences as our bodies are subjected to toxins and stressors from everything we encounter throughout our lifespan. When oxidation occurs, our bodies respond in the best way they know how: they reach for protective resources from within our cells to combat the damage and maintain our health. If these resources are unavailable, inflammation will occur. The processes of oxidation, free radical production and cell damage are thought to [...]

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