Category Archives: Prevention

How to Protect Against Alzheimer’s Disease

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Charles Snelling spent six years taking care of his Alzheimer’s-stricken wife, Adrienne, helpless as he watched the disease steal his college sweetheart. In March, after six decades of marriage, Snelling killed his longtime partner, and then he killed himself. Both were 81. “After apparently reaching the point where he could no longer bear to see the love of his life deteriorate further, our father ended our mother’s life and then took his own life as well,” his children said in a statement. “This is a total shock to everyone in the family, but we know he acted out of deep devotion and profound love.”

Indeed, Alzheimer’s disease unleashes a devastating, sometimes unmanageable burden. It is a leading cause of disability and death, with numbers poised to explode in coming years as the older population grows. (Symptoms typically first appear after age 60.) By 2050, an estimated 16 million people will be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the most common type of dementia, and roughly 5.4 million Americans are currently living with the condition, according to a March report by the Alzheimer’s Association, a nonprofit advocacy group. One person develops Alzheimer’s every second. It’s the 6th leading cause of death in the United States, and the 5th for those age 65 and older. And there’s no cure. “We should be very worried,” says Reisa Sperling, director of the Center for Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

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Can Household Chores Help Prevent Alzheimer’s?

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In recent years, several studies have found that older people are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia if they engage in vigorous exercise, such as jogging, swimming, or brisk walking.

People who are too frail or out of shape to hit the pool or treadmill shouldn’t despair, however. According to a new study, even mundane, low-key tasks like gardening, cooking, and washing dishes can lower the risk of Alzheimer’s if they’re performed often enough.

The study, which was published this week in the journal Neurology, included 716 dementia-free men and women in their 70s and 80s. Compared to the most active people, those with the lowest levels of overall physical activity had more than double the risk of going on to develop Alzheimer’s disease. Greater physical activity was also associated with a slower rate of aging-related memory and cognitive decline.

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Coconut oil offers Alzheimer’s hope

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Oxford University researchers have discovered that coconut oil may help people with Alzheimer’s regain their memory.

Researchers say coconut oil contains unique fats known as ketones, which are thought to nourish the brain.

The results are only temporary, but researchers say the short term effects for dementia patients are astounding.

Dr Peter Clifton, a nutritional scientist, says Alzheimer’s sufferers may ‘remember who they are, who you are, and actually hold a normal conversation’.

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How to fight Alzheimer’s

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Alzheimer’s disease represents a significant threat to the security and enjoyment of our retirement years.According to some experts, by 2050 the number of Americans with Alzheimer’s could be as high as 10 million, and the related health care costs may exceed $1 trillion per year.

But lately there’s been good news in the fight against this deadly disease. Earlier this week, the Obama administration announced a plan to find effective treatments by 2025 and to improve care for Alzheimer’s sufferers. The White House also said this month that it would devote $50 million in 2012 to Alzheimer’s research and seek an additional $80 million in funding for fiscal 2013.

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Tiny electrical shocks to the brain appear to enhance memory

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Lightly shocking a person’s brain just before they learned a new task appeared to strengthen memory in a handful of patients with epilepsy, a tantalizing result that could have implications for Alzheimer’s disease, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

Pacemaker devices known as deep brain stimulators made by Medtronic and St. Jude Medical are already used to calm muscle tremors in patients with Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders, and are being tested for a host of other conditions such as treatment-resistant depression.

The devices are implanted under the skin in the chest with wires leading up the neck connected to tiny electrodes implanted deep in the brain, which produce electrical impulses.

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What to do if you suspect Alzheimer’s

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An early diagnosis can be helpful, medically and personally. The first thing to do is see a doctor, and try not to panic. Not all memory loss is a sign of the disease.

An appointment is missed. A bill goes unpaid. A television remote winds up in the freezer.

Are these harmless senior moments or worrisome warning signs that a parent may be in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease?

Surveys consistently show that Alzheimer’s is the second most feared disease in America, aftercancer. Among those 55 and older, Alzheimer’s sometimes comes out on top.

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