UWM Researchers Contribute at BTA Conference on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's

By Laura L. Hunt

James Moyer, Jr.

Christine Kovach

The future of treating long-term neurological disorders in the elderly will emphasize increasing comfort and extending the amount of time the patient has to be independent, said a UWM researcher who specializes in care-giving for those with dementia.

Christine Kovach, professor of nursing, was one of two UWM researchers who spoke on innovations in the fields of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases at the Biomedical Technology Alliance (BTA) conference on Neurological Disorders in an Aging Population held yesterday. James Moyer Jr., an assistant professor of psychology, was the other UWM speaker.

Kovach, who gave the morning keynote, explained that society needs to “reprogram itself” to improve care and manage the hidden economic and social burden of such diseases.

“A lot of people believe, ‘we don't have to worry about this population because it doesn't affect the workplace,” she said. “But if you actually look at healing in terms of insurance costs, lost work for caregivers, and lost productivity, it does make a compelling case for where to put the research money.”

Roughly 1 million Americans have Parkinson's disease and 4 million have Alzheimer's, she said, and many of those are cared for by family members. The estimated cost of employee absences and lost productivity due to caregiving is $26 billion in the U.S.

Then there is the human toll. “We base treatment on a cancer model, where initially the focus is on curing the disease and then at some point you change over to palliation [alleviating symptoms],” said Kovach. “Families associate palliation with reduced curative care and giving up hope.”

A new model should include some of both throughout the course of the disease, she said, and should stress a holistic approach to care, addressing not only physical symptoms, but also emotional.

Potential also exists in “enabling” technologies that focus on patients' abilities rather than disabilities, and on friendlier environments for patients with declining abilities.

Another area for innovation will be in “decision-support tools” for nurses and caregivers who need to recognize patient pain when their patients cannot express it. Patients who cannot communicate express pain through other behaviors, such as trying to flee or being combative, she said.

In a panel discussion on Alzheimer's research, Moyer outlined his research which investigates the role of calcium molecules in neurodegenerative diseases and aging. Calcium is an essential signaling molecule in the region of the brain that governs memories and learning, and it's tightly regulated, said Moyer. Too much calcium leads to neuron death, interfering with memory and contributing to neurodegenerative diseases.

Calcium-binding proteins help control the levels of calcium, he said, but those proteins decrease as we age. “Calcium-binding proteins decrease even at middle-age, before any signs that cognitive functioning is impaired,” he said.

Moyer has found less neuron death in aging rats that were given supplements of calcium-binding proteins. He is now testing a protein found in jellyfish as a possible therapeutic drug to inhibit neurodegenerative diseases.

His research also indicates that dementia in Alzheimer's patients begins before the massive neuron loss that characterizes the later stages of the disease, and Moyer believes potential exists to intervene in the process to keep the disease from progressing.

Besides Moyer, UWM faculty who had posters displayed at the conference include Rodney Swain, associate dean of Letters and Science and an associate professor of psychology; Fred Helmstetter, professor of psychology; and David Heathcote, professor of biological sciences.

The BTA was created last year to promote Southeast Wisconsin's regional strengths in biomedical engineering, medical imaging, medical informatics, bioinformatics and technologies to accelerate drug development. Founding institutions of the alliance include UWM, Marquette University, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee School of Engineering, UW-Parkside and TechStar.

It is a partner organization to the Wisconsin Institute for Biomedical and Health Technologies (WIBHT), UWM's interdisciplinary research center focusing on biomedical engineering, health care informatics, and patient treatment efficacy.

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