Pre dementia is greater than first thought

Upsurge in 'precursor to Alzheimer's' and related dementias bodes ill
By Mary Brophy Marcus, USA TODAY
The incidence of mild cognitive impairment, often described as a precursor to Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, is much higher than expected, said Mayo Clinic scientists who presented research on Monday at the International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease meeting in Chicago.
Individuals in the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging — a study launched in 2004 that is following 1,786 70- to 89-year-olds from Olmsted County, Minn. — developed mild cognitive impairment at a rate of about 5.3% per year.
HEALTH BLOG: Latest on preventing dementia
Study author Ronald Petersen and his colleagues had calculated that mild cognitive impairment (MCI) rates would have been closer to a 1% or 2% increase a year, based on Alzheimer's rates. "The rate of new MCI cases in this group was considerably higher than anticipated — about three times higher," he says.
The older a person was, the higher the rate, says Petersen, director of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Mayo. Also, men were two times more likely to develop it than women.
People with mild cognitive impairment have memory problems, but their other cognitive skills — like language and problem solving — remain intact. They also are much more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than those in the general population.
ple with mild cognitive impairment have memory problems, but their other cognitive skills — like language and problem solving — remain intact. They also are much more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than those in the general population.
Study: 'Pre-d
click here to see the whole story

Oxidative Stress - An Emerging Approach to Fighting Alzheimer's and Related Dementias

Week of July 27 - August 2, 2008
Alzheimer's Weekly

Anavex is enthusiastic about its experimental medication that fights Alzheimer's andother dementias by battling oxidative stress.

A growing number of publications have supported the idea that oxidative stress may be the real cause of Alzheimer's. For example, in "Involvement of Oxidative Stress in Alzheimer's Disease," published in the Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology in 2006, study leader Dr. Akihiko Nunomura pointed to extensive evidence of mechanistic and chronological links between oxidative stress and a number of key characteristics of the disease.

Interestingly, this research also suggests that amyloid beta, which can act as an anti-oxidant, could in fact be initially produced by the body as it tries to combat the disease, only later turning toxic as the substance accumulates in large amounts. In other words, amyloid-beta could be the body's early protective reaction to the disease - suggesting that its removal from the brain during the early stages of Alzheimer's could in fact do more harm than good.

This theory is consistent with a number of factors for which the amyloid-beta hypothesis has been unable to account. There are reports, for instance, of individuals with amyloid-beta loads equivalent to Alzheimer's patients who do not suffer from the disease, as noted by R. J. Castellani et al in a 2006 article in the American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias.

In addition, scientists have found a weak correlation between the amount of amyloid beta present in the brains of Alzheimer's sufferers and the severity of the illness. Furthermore, even though some test drugs reduce the amount of amyloid-beta in the brain, this is not correlated with substantial improvements in cognitive functioning.

click here to read more

Type 2 diabetes and dementia

Those who have Type 2 diabetes and dementia should eat healthy meals because
Older adults with diabetes experience memory declines immediately after unhealthy meal

Can be offset by taking antioxidant vitamins with meal, but healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables is best defense

June 26, 2008 – Older adults with type 2 diabetes who eat unhealthy, high-fat meals may experience memory declines immediately afterward, according to new research. But, the study found this can be offset by taking antioxidant vitamins with the meal.

There is already growing evidence linking diabetes to cognitive complications in humans. Adults with type 2 diabetes are especially vulnerable to acute meal-induced memory deficits after eating unhealthy foods

click here for the rest of this story

another article

Alzheimer’s vax eliminated plaque, not dementia

Researchers are trying to find out why a vaccine for Alzheimer's would be able to eliminate the beta-amyloid plaque long considered responsible for the disease without actually curing the disease. British scientists tracked patients in the vaccine study for years and performed autopsies on seven volunteers who died during the study. Nearly all the beta-amyloid had been eliminated, but all of the patients suffered severe dementia at the time of their death.

"It may be that these toxic plaques trigger the neurodegeneration, but don't have an ongoing role," said Clive Holmes of the University of Southampton, lead author.

click here to read the whole story

This information is huge and it underscores the importance of adopting healthy strategies to fight Alzheimer's disease and other dementias in ourselves and those we care about

Eat these 8 healthful foods and prevent Alzheimers and other dementias

Put these 8 healthful foods on your table

By Dr. Elizabeth Smoots
Herald Columnist

Loads of evidence indicates that eating whole foods can stave off Alzheimers and other illness and slow down aging. The health protection comes from nutrients in food that you absorb such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytoestrogens, fiber, essential fats and protein, and complex carbohydrates.

click here to read the whole article

Alzheimer Research & Care Funding-How Can You Help?

The hard work of Alzheimer advocates across the country is starting to pay off.

In late June, the US Senate Appropriations Committee and a House Appropriations Subcommittee passed bills with increases to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The proposed overall funding increases to the National Institutes of Health would boost funding for Alzheimer research to approximately $662 million and keep pace with medical research inflation.
While this is far less than the $125 million increase sought by the Alzheimer’s Association, it is significant because it could provide the first increase in federal funding for Alzheimer research in four years.
These same bills would also continue funding for critical programs that support people living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers. (see chart below)
The hard work of Alzheimer advocates across the country is starting to pay off. Lawmakers are listening to constituents about the dire need for increased funding for Alzheimer research and care.
Unfortunately, Congress is not expected to finish work on the bill that funds Alzheimer research this year due to a White House veto threat and shortened Congressional schedule. The proposed funding increases approved by the House and Senate committees will act as placeholders and drive discussions in early 2009 when Congress will likely pass the bills.
We will keep the heat on members of Congress in our local communities through the summer and fall to ensure that the proposed funding increase becomes a reality.

So what can you do
click here to see how to host a party

Invest in your brain to prevent Alzheimers

ABC7 Healthy Living

Program may ward off Alzheimer's disease

click on "Program may ward off Alzheimer's disease
One local neurologist says your brain works like an interest-bearing account.
when you get to this page". For some reason the link directly to it does not eork

Anyway back to the story

When Dr. Marshall Welles was born, ballpoint pens, traffic lights and washing machines did not exist.
The first television I ever saw was at the World's Fair in the 1930s," said Dr. Welles.
How does he stay so sharp and active? His neurologist, Dr. Vince Fortanasce, says it's a four-pronged plan that involves diet, exercise, accentuating the brain's reserves, and rest and relaxation. He calls it the "DEAR" Program, an anti-Alzheimer's prescription.
If you have trouble finding the whole story
email alzheimersideas@gmail.com

Calcium May Be The Key To Understanding Alzheimer's Disease

ScienceDaily (July 17, 2008) — Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have shown that mutations in two proteins associated with familial Alzheimer's disease disrupt the flow of calcium ions within neurons. The two proteins, called PS1 and PS2 (presenilin 1 and 2), interact with a calcium release channel in an intracellular cell compartment.
“The ‘calcium dysregulation’ hypothesis for inherited, early onset familial Alzheimer's disease has been suggested by previous research findings, but our current study identifies a molecular mechanism that makes this hypothesis very compelling,” says lead author J. Kevin Foskett, PhD, Professor of Physiology. “Mutated PS1 and PS2 caused exaggerated cellular calcium signaling in cells through a calcium channel in the endoplasmic reticulum called the inositol trisphosphate receptor [InsP3R], suggesting that it or other proteins in this calcium signaling pathway could be targets for new Alzheimer’s disease therapies.” The study appeared in the June 26 issue of Neuron.
click here for the whole story

Those with Alzheimer's connect with the past

Those with Alzheimer's in the early to mid stages have long term memory recall.

Old favorite programs like Lawrence Welk and Mitch Miller san bring many happy moments to these Alzheimer's persons.

Also magazines and books that remind Alzheimer's individuals of past experiences are a great tool for caregivers and others to use to brighten an Alzheimer's persons day

Here is an excerpt for an article from HealthCentral.com - Arlington,VA,USA
by Carol Bradley Bursack
Tuesday, July 01, 2008

The point of this? My sister was told that her colleague's mother, who was viewing the program, had said to the adult child, "Lawrence Welk looks wonderful. He just doesn't age!" To her, Lawrence Welk is alive and well and not aging, since she's seeing him on television.

click here to read the whole story

Biological Marker For Alzheimer's Holds Promise For Earlier Diagnosis And Treatment

ScienceDaily (July 12, 2008) — Researchers at Robarts Research Institute at The University of Western Ontario have found clear evidence that increases in the size of the brain ventricles are directly associated with cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease.

Ventricles are fluid-filled cavities in the brain. The research, led by Robarts scientist Robert Bartha, shows the volume of the brain ventricles expands as surrounding tissue dies.
Currently, diagnosis for Alzheimer’s relies on neuro-cognitive assessments, such as testing of memory, ability to problem solve, count, etc. Definitive diagnosis is not possible until after death when an autopsy can reveal the presence of amyloid plaques and ‘tangles’ in brain tissue.
Previous research has shown the link between ventricle size and Alzheimer’s over longer time intervals.

click here to read the entire article

Links to related stories

Scientists unlock Alzheimer's riddle

Potential shortcut to diagnosing Alzheimer's developed in London

MRI scan may offer faster way to detect Alzheimer's

This information shows we are getting closer to an earlier diagnosis, better treatment, and a potential cure.

What do you think?

Can tomatoes carry the cure for Alzheimer’s?

Study shows how transgenic plants are used to produce a vaccine against Alzheimer’s disease

8 July 2008

The humble tomato could be a suitable carrier for an oral vaccine against Alzheimer’s disease, according to HyunSoon Kim from the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) in Korea and colleagues from Digital Biotech Inc. and the Department of Biological Science at Wonkwang University. Although their research1, just published online in Springer’s journal Biotechnology Letters, is still in the early stages, it is a promising first step towards finding an edible vaccine against the neurodegenerative disease.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia and it progresses over a long period of time. It is thought to be caused by the accumulation of human beta-amyloid, a toxic insoluble fibrous protein in the brain, which leads to the death of neurons. Reducing the accumulation of beta-amyloid may inhibit the degeneration of the nervous system and therefore prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. One approach is to stimulate the immune system to reduce beta-amyloid in the brain.

Kim and colleagues’ aim was to develop a plant-derived vaccine against Alzheimer’s disease, since beta-amyloid is toxic to animal cells. Tomatoes are an attractive candidate as a vaccine carrier because they can be eaten without heat treatment, which reduces the risk of destroying the immune stimulation potential of the foreign protein. The researchers inserted the beta-amyloid gene into the tomato genome and measured the immune responses to the tomato-derived toxic protein in a group of 15-month-old mice.

They immunized the mice orally with the transgenic tomato plants once a week for three weeks, and also gave the mice a booster seven weeks after the first tomato feed. Blood analyses showed a strong immune response after the booster, with the production of antibodies to the human foreign protein.

The authors conclude: “Although we did not reveal a reduction of existing plaques in the brain of mice challenged with tomato-derived beta-amyloid…this study represents a unique approach in which transgenic plants expressing beta-amyloid protein are used to produce a vaccine.” The team is currently looking at strategies to increase the potency of the tomato-based vaccine, because fresh tomatoes contain only 0.7% protein and levels of foreign protein are even lower.

Reference

Youm JW, Jeon JH, Kim H, Kim YH, Ko K, Joung H, Kim HS (2008). Transgenic tomatoes expressing human beta-amyloid for use as a vaccine against Alzheimer’s disease. Biotechnology Letters (DOI 10.1007/s10529-008-9759-5). This research was supported by the Plant Diversity Research Center of the 21st Century Frontier R&D Program, Korea.

For more info click here

dlick here

fot another press release click here

for more info

Study links low IQ to vascular dementia risk

(Reuters Health)
By Michael Kahn
LONDON (Reuters) - A lower IQ increases a person's risk of developing a common form of dementia, a British study found on Wednesday.
The study published in the journal Neurology examined Scottish children who took a test of their mental ability in 1932 and found that those with lower IQs were more likely to develop vascular dementia decades later.
"In this case these people had the same backgrounds and exposure to environmental factors compared to their counterparts with higher IQs who did not get vascular dementia later in life," said John Starr, a geriatrician at the University of Edinburgh, who led the study.
"There is something about your mental ability that adds further to your risk of vascular dementia."
Vascular dementia, the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer's disease, is often associated with stroke. High blood pressure and smoking are risk factors.
The team also looked at Alzheimer's but found no link between mental ability and that disease, suggesting there is no evidence for the idea that people with higher IQs have a "cognitive reserve" to draw on to delay onset of the condition.

click here to read the whole article

Alzheimer's and alcoholism,are they related?

Many of the now elderly drank during Prohibition. They used to carry around a hip flask. Now you do not see hip flasks. However, you do see a growing number of the elderly with Alzheimers and alcoholism.

There are many reasons why elders consume alcohol to excess. Boredum and an old habit are just a couple. Perhaps they are lonely, have mental illness or are in mental or physical pain.

These senior citizens are extremely good at covering up their addiction and it is only when they are in a crisis situation that their alcoholic ways are discovered.

click here to read this story about Joe.

What do you think?

People With Alzheimer's and Related Dementias Should Avoid Certain Drugs

By Jeanine Kendle
The elderly with Alzheimers or another dementia generally tolerate drugs more poorly than healthy older individuals. Increased sensitivity to certain side effects, difficulty following drug regimens and decreased ability to recognize and report adverse events are common reasons.
The elderly with Alzheimers and related dementias also are susceptible to develop drug- induced cognitive impairment (loss of the ability to reason) than other healthy adults.
Medications with strong anticholinergic side effects, such as antihistamines that cause drowsiness, are well known for causing acute cognitive impairment in individuals with dementia. Anticholinergic-like effects, such as urinary retention and dry mouth, also have been identified in drugs not typically associated with major AC side effects such as narcotics (powerful pain relievers) and benzodiazepines (generally used as tranquilizers or for sleep).

click here to read the whole story

Top ten, 4th of July, activities for those with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias

Author and dementia healthcare professional,Susan Berg, suggests ways to enjoy the holiday with dementia folks that are stress and falure free.

Here are some easy, yet fun things to do on or near the 4th of July together

10. Arrange flowers real of fake. You can use red, white and blue flowers to make the bouquet or centerpiece look patriotic.

9. Plan a picnic or a party from beginning to end

8. Have a picnic perhaps using the ideas from your plans. If the person with dementia does not want to go outside, no problem, have the picnic inside.

7. Go to the beach or the park. Go at off times to avoid the crowd. You can always go on different day. Again if you fear a negative reaction to going to the beach, bring the beach to your home. Get some sand, sea shells and other beach paraphernalia.

6 Have a small get together at home. Hire or have someone to assist the Alzheimers or dementia person.

5. Draw some patriotic pictures. You can use paints, magic markers or crayons. Fireworks are easy to draw.

click here for all the activities