News in brief - Apr 25, 2011

Alzheimer's damage to brain might be apparent 10 years before diagnosis

Areas of the brain affected by Alzheimer's disease might start shrinking up to a decade before dementia is diagnosed, according to a report published online April 13 in Neurology.

Researchers studied 65 adults who had no signs of the neurologic condition. One group of the adults was followed for an average of 11 years, and the other for an average of seven years. Everyone received an MRI at baseline and underwent annual clinical evaluations to determine the level of impairment.

Researchers found that participants with a smaller brain size in the Alzheimer's-related areas of the brain were more likely to develop the disease than those with larger measurements (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21490323). Of the 11 adults who had the lowest MRI measurements, 55% developed Alzheimer's. No dementia was identified among the nine people with the highest measurements.

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Data too weak to link food dyes with ADHD, panel says

There are not sufficient data to support a link between children's consumption of certified color additives in food and hyperactivity or other behavioral problems, according to an advisory committee of the Food and Drug Administration.

The Food Advisory Committee met March 30-31 to discuss a possible association between food dyes and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children. About one in 10 children ages 4 to 17 has been diagnosed with the neurobiological condition, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Although the FDA committee concluded that a link could not be made, it suggested that additional safety studies be conducted. Such studies could include developmental neurotoxicity testing of color additives (www.fda.gov/advisorycommittees/committees
meetingmaterials/foodadvisorycommittee/ucm250901.htm).

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