An interesting development for women who are concerned about developing Alzheimer’s in an article by Docguide.com:
Women who use hormone therapy before the age of 65 could cut their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
This is a new study and I’m going to be looking for more information to support it, but it could be another weapon to fight Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
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A ten year study has reversed the theory that aspirin can help prevent or slow Alzheimer’s disease. However, scientists did mention that it seemed like women with Alzheimer’s who took aspirin kept their speaking ability longer than those who didn’t.
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The Alzheimer’s Association says that the funding for Alzheimer’s research for 2007 has been restored. Thanks to everyone who wrote to their representatives to let them know how much this research means to us!
If you haven’t gotten involved in the Alzheimer’s Advocate network yet and want to work to make sure the proposed 2008 budget cuts go the same way, here’s the link. Sometimes a simple email or handwritten letter to your congressperson can make a difference, especially if you tell how Alzheimer’s is affecting your family.
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A survey conducted for Alzheimer’s Foundation of America found some troubling differences in the way different races deal with Alzheimer’s disease:
According to the survey released today, African-American and Hispanic caregivers surveyed were significantly more likely (37% versus 33%) than caregivers of other races (23%) to believe that Alzheimer’s disease is a normal part of the aging process.
Compounding the problem, African-American (70%) and Hispanic (67%) caregivers were also significantly more likely to dismiss the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease as old age than other respondents of other races (53%).
I was happy to hear that additional efforts are being made to reach these caregivers to educate them about Alzheimer’s. Although finding a cure for Alzheimer’s is incredibly important, a cure will not help people who aren’t diagnosed correctly.
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If you’re having nonessential surgery, you may want to ask you doctor to rethink inhaled anesthetics:
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Medicine have discovered that common inhaled anesthetics increase the number of amyloid plaques in the brains of animals, which might accelerate the onset of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
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The News Journal has an interesting article about a woman who uses Music Therapy with Alzheimer’s patients.
Exposing these patients to music from their past — in this case, tunes like “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad,” “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” and favorites from Nat King Cole — can help give them a chance to be “in the moment,” as Cordrey calls it, and able to participate in group activities.
It sounds like a great idea to me. I hope more nursing homes decide to look into this.
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Researchers have found that Herpes may actually be a cause of Alzheimers.
The latest work, announced today, shows a link between a gene and herpes simplex 1, or HSV. The form of the ApoE gene called ApoE-4 is the leading known risk factor for Alzheimer’s. And HSV is the form of herpes that causes cold sores around the mouth. More than 80 percent of Americans are infected with HSV.
While the thought of 80% of our population being in danger of developing Alzheimer’s is terrifying, knowing that researchers may have found the cause of the disease is exciting news.
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“Caffeine is the most widely used psychoactive drug in the world,” says Arendash, a researcher at the Byrd Alzheimer Institute in Tampa. “We think it might protect against Alzheimer’s.”
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From U.S. Newswire:
“This is an auspicious time for accelerating Alzheimer’s disease research, in this 100th year since the recognition of the disease by Dr. Alois Alzheimer on Nov. 6, 1906,” Dr. Tanzi said. “We see the light, we know several things. We know what we need to know… we just need the money to get the tools to stop this disease.”
Dr. Tanzi also talks about the dramatic difference being able to delay onset of the disease by just 5 years can make. He says the cumulative effect of a 5 year delay would mean up to 50% fewer cases in 50 years. He also says that soon people will be testing themselves for the disease instead of waiting and wondering if they will have it.
The Cure Alzheimer’s Fund is working to find a way to slow, stop, or reverse Alzheimer’s disease by 2016, just a decade from now.
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This study on marijuana’s effect on Alzheimer’s disease is exciting news:Â
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have found that the active ingredient in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, inhibits the formation of amyloid plaque, the primary pathological marker for Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, the study said, THC is “a considerably superior inhibitor of [amyloid plaque] aggregation” to several currently approved drugs for treating the disease.
If scientists can use this chemical to create a drug that blocks the brain enzyme that causes Alzheimer’s symptoms, Alzheimer’s could become tomorrow’s measles or polio. This is wonderful news for future generations, especially in families where several people have this disease.
By the way, researchers warn that this does not mean you should drop by your local drug dealer to pick up some dope. Smoking large quantities of marijuana can cause brain function problems.
To read more about the study, visit http://www.scripps.edu/newsandviews/e_20060828/news.html.
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