A Skin Test for Alzheimer's Disease

Technology Review

Scientists aim to commercialize a test that detects an inflammatory marker in skin.

By Emily Singer


Sick skin: An experimental diagnostic test for Alzheimer’s disease analyzes the activity of an enzyme in skin. Cultured skin cells (green) from a healthy person (top) and a person with Alzheimer’s disease (bottom) are shown here.
Credit: Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute

A novel test that detects enzymes that are dysfunctional in patients with Alzheimer's disease--and that are found both in the brain and in skin cells--is about to undergo large clinical trials. Researchers at the Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute (BRNI), in Morgantown, WV, who developed the diagnostic have also garnered approval from the Food and Drug Administration to test in humans an experimental drug that activates the enzymes--a mechanism that represents a new therapeutic approach to Alzheimer's.

In preliminary clinical trials, the skin test could accurately predict which patients had Alzheimer's disease. Last month, BRNI announced a partnership with Inverness Medical Innovations, a medical diagnostics company based in Waltham, MA, that will fund a larger clinical trial of thousands of patients that is necessary to commercialize the diagnostic.

Currently, Alzheimer's disease can only be definitively diagnosed on autopsy. Physicians diagnose the disease in patients with a combination of cognitive tests to assess mental function, a neurological exam, and brain scans to rule out other problems, such as stroke or brain tumors. But it can be difficult to distinguish between Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, especially at the early stages of the disease.

"We badly need diagnostic tests for people with mild cognitive impairment and other people at risk for Alzheimer's disease, because there may be in the future disease-modifying therapies that could slow onset or progression of the disease," says Sid Gilman, director of the Michigan Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, at the University of Michigan. A method to accurately diagnose patients in the early stage of the disease could also aid in development of these therapies by allowing physicians to test experimental drugs in only those who need it......read more about A Skin Test for Alzheimer's Disease

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Depression Linked to Increased Risk for Alzheimer's Disease

Modern Medicine

Donepezil found to delay progression better than vitamin E and placebo in depressed cohort

HealthDay News) -- For people with mild cognitive impairment, depression is associated with high risk for development of Alzheimer's disease, but the association can be mitigated with the Alzheimer's disease drug donepezil, according to a study in the June 16 issue of Neurology.

Po H. Lu, of the Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research in Los Angeles, and colleagues studied a cohort of 756 people with amnestic mild cognitive impairment who participated in the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study drug trial of donepezil and vitamin E versus placebo. In the current research, the Beck Depression Inventory was used to assess depressive symptoms at study baseline and the cohort was divided into depressed and nondepressed subgroups.

The researchers found that higher Beck Depression Inventory scores were associated with development of Alzheimer's disease. The proportion of depressed subjects progressing to Alzheimer's disease was significantly lower at 1.7 and 2.2 years in the donepezil group, with a marginally significant decreased risk holding at 2.7 years.

"Results suggest that depression is predictive of.....read all of Depression Linked to Increased Risk for Alzheimer's Disease

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Test your memory- test for Alzheimer's disease

Health Newstrack

UK researchers at Addenbrooke's Hospital have created a new cognitive test (TYM) that detects Alzheimer's disease quickly and accurately. The study published online on BMJ.com

Although dementia is common, with an expected prevalence of 13 in 1000 in people aged 65-69 and 122 in 1000 in those over 80, only about half of those affected are diagnosed.

Without a diagnosis, patients and carers cannot access the services they need, so earlier diagnosis is a key component of the National Dementia Strategy in the United Kingdom. However, early diagnosis is not easy and no definitive test exists. In this cross sectional study, Brown and colleagues assess the effectiveness of the "test your memory" cognitive test in detecting Alzheimer's disease.

The test was designed to minimise operator time and to be suitable for non-specialists to use. There were 540 control participants aged 18-95 and 139 patients attending a memory clinic with dementia/amnestic mild cognitive impairment. The new Test Your Memory (TYM) evaluation detected 93% of patients with Alzheimer's disease.

The TYM ("test your memory") can be completed quickly and accurately by normal controls. It is a powerful and valid screening test for the detection of Alzheimer's disease.

If TYM -- test your memory -- is to be adopted more widely it must be validated in a range of settings and different populations.

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Cognitive tests a 'first step' to Alzheimer's diagnosis

Chicago Tribune

The sooner someone is diagnosed with dementia, the better.

Increasingly, that's the mantra of experts in Alzheimer's disease, a condition that robs people of their memories and ability to think.

The Alzheimer's Association is highlighting the message in a new media campaign that began last month on television and is continuing with print ads in local markets.

How does this work? And why deliver a diagnosis of Alzheimer's, an incurable condition that many older people fear, sooner rather than later?



If a family member is becoming confused and forgetful much more often, experts recommend a brief test that can suggest potential dementia. (For 10 possible warning signs of dementia, go to the Alzheimer's Association Web site, alz.org.)

The most common is the Mini Mental State Exam, which asks takers to name several objects, identify the year, date and season, and count backward, among other tasks.

Limitations of the exam include its length and relatively poor ability to identify people with mild cognitive impairment, explained William Thies, chief medical office for the Alzheimer's Association. Mild cognitive impairment is often a precursor to dementia.

A new test by researchers in Britain, called Test Your Memory, may become an alternative. In a recent article in the British Medical Journal, researchers reported the five-minute, self-administered exam detected 93 percent of patients with Alzheimer's.

These brief cognitive tests are "a first step," said Dr. Raj Shah, an Alzheimer's expert at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Further evaluation involves.....read more of Cognitive tests a 'first step' to Alzheimer's diagnosis

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Can Memory Loss Be Prevented?

New York Times

By Anne Underwood

At the age of 78, Bob Branham, a retired computer software developer in Dallas, Tex., took up quilting. It wasn’t his idea, actually. He’d never dreamed of piecing together his own Amish diamond coverlet or rummaging around Jo-Ann Fabrics in search of calico prints. But then he enrolled in a trial sponsored by the National Institute on Aging to assess whether learning a new skill can help preserve cognitive function in old age. By random assignment, he landed in the quilting group.

When it comes to mental agility, we’re more likely to think of crosswords than cross-stitch. But neuroscientists suspect that learning a challenging new skill — a new language, a new musical instrument — may be even more effective than mental games at keeping the brain sharp. And quilting is more complicated than it may seem.

“It’s a very abstract task,” said Dr. Denise Park, a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of Texas at Dallas, who is leading the trial. “You have to picture what the pattern will look like, match fabrics, manipulate geometric forms, mentally rotate objects.”

In Mr. Branham’s case, he also had to learn to use a sewing machine. And while it’s too early to tell if quilting is sharpening his mind, he quickly found that he loved his new pastime. He spends as much as 40 hours a week piecing and stitching, both at home and at the social center that Dr. Park set up for the trial.

“I get ideas and pointers from the instructor and the other participants,” he said. “We have a real good time.”

Memory is among the least understood areas of neuroscience, and the sad truth is that there is no magic pill or potion at present that will prevent our parents’ minds from failing. But a panel of 30 experts from the United States and Europe recently issued a consensus statement on what we do know about maintaining brain fitness (which includes not only memory, but also reasoning, attention and speed of processing). The verdict was that three things are crucial: physical exercise, mental challenges and good health habits in general.

But wait! What about the supplements and software programs we’ve been stocking up on? “There’s a lot of snake oil out there,” warned Dr. Laura Carstensen, director of the Center on Longevity at Stanford University, who co-chaired the panel. In short, don’t count on supplements. (The rationale behind ginkgo biloba is plausible, but there is no scientific evidence it works.) Steer clear of anything that promises to prevent Alzheimer’s disease. (Such a claim would require approval from the Food and Drug Administration, and no product has it.) And look skeptically on software programs. (Most improve performance only on the games themselves, not mental function in general.)

Brandon Thibodeaux for The New York TimesInstead, Dr. Carstensen said,.......read more Can Memory Loss Be Prevented?

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Protein linked to Alzheimer's disease doesn't act alone

EurekAlert

Karen Mallet


GUMC researchers find APP needs to work with 'Reelin' protein to maintain healthy communication between brain neurons

Washington, DC – A team of U.S. investigators led by neuroscientists at Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) are steadily uncovering the role that amyloid precursor protein (APP) - the protein implicated in development of Alzheimer's disease - plays in normal brain function. In the June 10 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience, they discovered that APP interacts with another protein known as Reelin to promote development of abundant connections between brain neurons.

Reelin, named for mice that "reel" around when they don't have the protein, has been thought to be involved in stimulating growth of neuronal dendrites – the branching projections that transmit signals to other neurons. It also has been implicated in some brain disorders, but up until now, little was known about how Reelin interacts with APP.

Researchers say that showing that APP and Reelin work together doesn't have immediate implications for therapeutic treatment of Alzheimer's disease in humans, but they say the work helps provide the background necessary to understand finally why a brain veers toward the progressive memory loss seen in this devastating disease, which impacts 5.3 million people yearly in the U.S..

"In the last 20 years we have made tremendous progress in understanding how APP can become toxic. But I think the flip side is equally interesting: Why does APP even exist in the brain? We are only now just beginning to figure that out," says the study's senior author, G. William Rebeck, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Neuroscience at GUMC.

What has long been known is that mutations in the gene that produces..........read the whole article

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Alzheimer's Disease Could Be Triggered by Brain Toxins

Kitsap Sun

By Elizabeth Smoots

Many people fear losing their mental abilities as they age. If you were to develop a degenerative brain disease, your quality of life would inevitably fall.

No one really knows what causes degenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. The common view is that they’re largely genetic, leading many of us to believe the disorders are beyond our control.

But emerging evidence indicates that toxic environmental exposures, in combination with nutritional, social, and exercise factors, may play a major role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other chronic degenerative diseases, according to Philip Landrigan, MD.

Landrigan is chairman of community and preventive medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.

Here I’ve summarized a report from Landrigan and his colleagues about environmental factors that threaten the health of your brain.

Environmental Risks

Lead: In a study of older men, participants with the highest lead exposure showed.....read the whole thing

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Sydney scientists make Alzheimer's breakthrough

Sudney Morrning herald
Louise Hall

Scientists in Sydney have discovered a way to stimulate the brain's own stem cells, which has the potential to lead to a new treatment for neurological disorders such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.

Bryce Vissel and Andrea Abdipranoto at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research identified a chemical, called activin A, that is essential for the brain's own stem cells to form new nerve cells, and to repair the brain, following neurodegeneration.

Using a mouse model, the researchers showed that, following acute nerve cell damage, the brain immediately acts to repair itself by replacing the damaged nerve cells with new cells.

The researchers then showed that the brain does this by releasing activin A. But when the chemical was blocked, regeneration stopped.

After five years of laboratory testing, the researchers made the surprising finding that activin A has an essential but indirect role in regeneration: it works by inhibiting the replication and activation of inflammatory cells.

Both Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease are associated with a severe inflammation that occurs in response to a loss of nerve cells, said Dr Vissel, Garvan's Head of Research into Neural Plasticity and Regeneration.

"If this inflammation is not properly controlled, it blocks nerve regeneration from the brain's own stem cells," he said.

Activin A appeared to keep the immune system in check so it did not become overactive, allowing regeneration to occur.

"The idea that the brain itself produces an anti-inflammatory that is in turn necessary for regeneration and repair is a very new finding, a finding with significant implications for repair of the brain in chronic neurodegenerative diseases."

Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease result from steady ongoing nerve cell damage in the parts of the brain that control movement and memory, respectively.

At least 300,000 Australians are affected but there is no treatment that will repair the brain or even slow the progression of these devastating diseases.

Dr Vissel said: "We know the brain has the capacity to regenerate. The question is, why do killed or injured nerve cells not get replaced with new nerve cells in Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease?"

The team's breakthrough, published online yesterday in Stem Cells, suggests regeneration could be promoted with anti-inflammatory treatments such as activin A, or other anti-inflammatory drugs.

Dr Vissel said that this..........read the whole article

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Happy Father's Day

Alzheimer's Association

Father's Day is today!
If you haven't already, show Dad, your father-in-law, your grandfathers, and your uncles just how much they mean to you - or you can honor their memory - by creating a special Father's Day Tribute page.

Your Father's Day tribute will be visible for all to see and will help raise Alzheimer awareness, inspiring others to act.
Remember, any tribute gift made will help us promote more Alzheimer research, and enhance important services and programs for more than 5 million Americans with Alzheimer’s disease, and their families. Thank you.

This special dementia book is a great gift and a donation to the Alzheimer's Association will be made for each book sold.

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Perfect phone and plan for a caregiver

Have you been looking for the right touch phone to meet your needs as a caregiver?

At Touch Phones your needs will be met no matter what they are.

As a caregiver of a person with dementia, you do not have a lot of spare time. You do not want to spend it going from place to place to find the right touch phone and plan for you.

Touch Phones offers you everything you need

First of all, they offer, a number of exceptional deals so you can Compare all Touch Screen Phones deals and find the one that is just right for you your family, and your particular situation. If things change that is not a problem because you can get a different plan. It is just so simple.

Second they offer a number of Touch Phone Brands
Apple, Blackberry, LC and Nokia are just four of the 11 brands they carry. You can compare the brands side by side. Thus you are able to make an informed decision.. Plus you just cannot beat the price. They have all the favorite brands.

Third Touch Phones offers seven Touch Phone Networks
Surely you will be able to find the one that is right for you at the right price.

Next, probably not critical are Touch Phone Colors
There are 11 colors to choose from. You can have your loved one with dementia that you are caring for help pick out the color

Besides all this, as if it were not enough Touch Phones offers you a multitude of Touch Phone Free gifts depending on the Touch Phone you choose.

I just can believe all you can get here. You may want to Pay Monthly if your situation is fairly stable. However you can also get Touch Phones pay as you go if you so choose.

I hope you will stop by Touch Phones to check things out. Do it to make your life easier and less stressed. In addition you will get Cheap Touch Screen Phones that are high quality but have a low price on a reliable network.

Last Minute Father's Day Gift

The man with dementia deserves a gift he will ehjoy and will make him smile.

What is this gift for the person with dementia ?

It is a book called Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful, Mind-Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones, and Involved Professionals, a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.

Why this dementia book?

This book improves the dementia persons' day because:
*Baby pictures capture their attention and make them smile

*Focusing on one photograph at a time is not confusing.

*Large print statements are easy to read.

*Activity ideas hold their attention.

*Remembering the "good old days" is fun

*Creative thoughts boost their self esteem

*Focusing on feelings is effortless for them

*Singing familiar songs puts them in a good mood

*Laughter releases endorphins

*Unwanted behavior is lessened.

*Looking at the book independently improves their personal worth

*Visits from friends and family increase because of the visitor packet

Another way you can make those with dementia feel better is to be complimentary. In the early stages, these individuals often realize that something is wrong. Thus telling them good things about themselves and focusing on the abilities they still have rather than on what abilities they have lost.is important.

In addition to sharing the book, you must help the memory challenged person communicate. He may have trouble word finding. Fill in the blanks for him. At the same time, be complimentary and allow ample time for a response.

Also make sure you give out plenty of hugs. Please note that there are a few dementia folks that do not like to be touched.

Information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here are more interesting dementia activities and articles,

Alzheimer's Disease: 5 Tips for Lowering Your Risk

Reader's Digest

There's good news and bad about Alzheimer's disease, which affects more than five million Americans. Current medications only minimally delay progression of the disease, says Lon S. Schneider, MD, who directs the Alzheimer's Disease Research and Clinical Center of California at USC. But evidence is piling up that you can lower your risk of Alzheimer's by making some simple changes in your life, researchers say. What matters most:

Skip the chips. Eating too much fat and cholesterol seems to hasten the onset of Alzheimer's, at least in a recent mice study; in human studies, being obese in midlife raises the risk of later memory problems, dementia, and Alzheimer's. The flip side: A 2006 study of more than 3,700 older adults found that those who ate plenty of vegetables slowed the decline of their mental abilities by 40 percent, compared with those who skimped on their greens.

Take a walk in the sun. A study of nearly 2,000 people last year suggests that vitamin D -- the "sunshine vitamin" -- could help keep your brain sharp. Among volunteers 65 years and older, those with the lowest levels of the vitamin were more than twice as likely to have cognitive impairment as those whose levels were optimal. Your skin makes vitamin D when it's exposed to sunlight, but because the process gets less efficient with age, some researchers also recommend supplements; talk to your doctor.

Exercise your brain. Two recent studies found that people who had spent more years in school or had worked in mentally demanding jobs stayed sharper, even when their brains were damaged by the plaques and tangles of Alzheimer's disease. Lifelong hobbies such as playing cards or doing crossword puzzles might also help protect against the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.

Try a couple of our favorite mind-sharpening games, Word Power and Ken Ken.

Make time for friends. A little chatting can have a big payoff: A Harvard study last year found that socially connected people kept more of their memory intact as they aged -- up to twice as much, according to one measure.

Keep moving. In a study of middle-aged and elderly adults with mild memory problems, those who started walking several times each week scored significantly higher on memory tests after just six months.

Caregivers and healthcare professinals, dementia resource awaits your viewing


Information on being the best you can be caregiver


Here is an interesting dementia activity

Dads with dementia

What will you do with your father or friend who has dementia this Father's Day?

Make him and his caregiver SMILE

How you ask

First you, as the loved one, caregiver, health care professional, or friend, must be upbeat and animated. You must show a genuine interest in them and their problems. This can be difficult. That is why it is suggested that you attend a support group. Don't go through this alone. You will find that many caregivers are in a similar situation to yours. Talking about issues you face will, at the very least, make you feel better. You probably will get some good ideas as well. Groups meet everyday in most areas. here should be a group in your area. Contact your local Alzheimer's Association for more information. You can even join an online support group. Here are a couple: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mymotherhasalzheimers/
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/alzheimers/

Now you are ready to give your dementia friend a brighter day.

As stated earlier the book, Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful, Mind-Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones, and Involved Professionals has made over 100,000 persons with dementia happier. It has done this by giving them a brighter day.

How, you ask:

This book improves the dementia persons' day because:
*Baby pictures capture their attention and make them smile

*Focusing on one photograph at a time is not confusing.

*Large print statements are easy to read.

*Activity ideas hold their attention.

*Remembering the "good old days" is fun

*Creative thoughts boost their self esteem

*Focusing on feelings is effortless for them

*Singing familiar songs puts them in a good mood

*Laughter releases endorphins

*Unwanted behavior is lessened.

*Looking at the book independently improves their personal worth

*Visits from friends and family increase because of the visitor packet

Another way you can make those with dementia feel better is to be complimentary. In the early stages, these individuals often realize that something is wrong. Thus telling them good things about themselves and focusing on the abilities they still have rather than on what abilities they have lost.is important.

In addition to sharing the book, you must help the memory challenged person communicate. He may have trouble word finding. Fill in the blanks for him. At the same time, be complimentary and allow ample time for a response.

Also make sure you give out plenty of hugs. Please note that there are a few dementia folks that do not like to be touched.

You can still encourage a dementia person to do many of the activities that he enjoyed by adapting and modifying them. You could also have all but one or two steps of a project completed ahead of time. Then ask the memory impaired person to finish the task with your assistance, if necessary.

Also helpful is establishing a daily routine that has flexibility. Allow plenty of time to get ready to do something. Have something special in your back pocket in case you have to wait for someone else to get ready.

A must is. NEVER argue. That is a lose, lose situation. Because the dementia person is convinced that his perception of reality is correct and arguing with him will just upset him. You NEVER want to do that since aggressive behavior is likely to follow.

If you get into a situation where the dementia person displays unwanted behavior, divert and redirect .his attention. In other words do something to stop the unwanted behavior, then, redirect him to another activity. The book is a great tool for refocusing and redirecting inappropriate conduct.

The use of therapeutic fiblets (an untruth told to a person with dementia to make him feel better) is a helpful tool to reduce unwanted behavior and will make the dementia individual feel better. For example, he is feeling bad because he thinks he has to pick up his friend in town. In reality, his friend died ten years ago. Tell him someone else is picking up his friend today or say, Before we go, lets pack a snack, or I have to do the dishes. Can you(the dementia person) help me. Get into a discussion about snacks or dishes or his favorite sports team or something else he is interested in. Never tell him his friend is dead. He will be devastated because he will think he is hearing this news for the first time.

Always go with the flow. If things go s planned consider yourself lucky. Expect the unexpected. Try not to get upset if a dementia person displays unwanted behavior in public. Rather find the positive in the situation and go with it.

And remember no matter what, smile and laugh. Tell corny jokes. Regale funny family stories. Just have a good belly laugh every now and then especially if you see or feel tension rising.

Finally, take advantage of adult day care. If you are the primary caregiver for a person with dementia, these settings offer you a much needed break. They also offer the memory challenged person a fun place to be. These centers offer creative ways to get the memory challenged involved. There should be one in your area. For help finding one, contact your local Alzheimer's Association. Many centers have used the book, Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful, Mind-Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones, and Involved Professionals, to increase the happiness of their clients

Over 100,000 people with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia are happier because of the book, Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful, Mind-Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones, and Involved Professionals which, as Dr. Paul Raia says, is a treasure-trove of therapeutic activities that can bring joy and purpose to those with a cognitive impairment. Also key in bringing happiness is the use of all the above suggestions

Now anyone you know with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia can be happier too.

The author is donating money to the Alzheimer's Associatopn for each book that is sold

Know it alz

KnowItAlz

Kathy NC is writing a blog which shows the lighter side of caring for someone with dementia.

Here is an example

Sweet Memories
Sunday, 14 June 2009
Yesterday, Dad and I met our good friends at a neat little festival for a town nearby which was celebrating its 250th Anniversary.

There were crafts, music, art, food and all of the fun involved with a little town having a big celebration.

Dad kept asking me all morning where we were going. Each time I explained that Bethania was 250 years old and they were having a festival with all of the fun activities I just mentioned.

I even reminded him several times that my cousin David and his band would be playing bluegrass music, hoping that might stick.

After the ninth or tenth time he asked me where we were going, I simply replied, "To get some ice cream."

Now that stuck
more KnowIiAlz

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Sunbathing 'could boost your intellect and prevent dementia'

Telegraph.co.uk

Being a sun worshipper could make you cleverer in later life and ward off dementia, claim scientists.

By Richard Alleyne, Science Correspondent

Researchers found that increased levels of vitamin D, obtained from exposure to sun or eating oily fish, could help keep our brains in top condition as we age.

The findings suggest that retirement to warmer climes or taking dietary supplements could boost your brain's ability to stay active later in life.

Scientists at the University of Manchester discovered that higher levels of vitamin D are linked with improved mental ability in middle-aged and older men.

The study, published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, compared the brain agility of 3,133 men aged 40 to 79 at eight test centres across Europe.

They were tested for memory and speed of recollection as well as for mood and physical activity levels, all of which add up to overall mental agility.

Blood samples were then taken to measure blood levels of vitamin D.

The researchers found that men with ..........read about sunbathers Vitamin D and dementia

Here is a great resource dementia for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

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At the Bridge Table, Clues to a Lucid Old Age

New York Times

By BENEDICT CAREY

LAGUNA WOODS, Calif. — The ladies in the card room are playing bridge, and at their age the game is no hobby. It is a way of life, a daily comfort and challenge, the last communal campfire before all goes dark.

“We play for blood,” says Ruth Cummins, 92, before taking a sip of Red Bull at a recent game.

“It’s what keeps us going,” adds Georgia Scott, 99. “It’s where our closest friends are.”

In recent years scientists have become intensely interested in what could be called a super memory club — the fewer than one in 200 of us who, like Ms. Scott and Ms. Cummins, have lived past 90 without a trace of dementia. It is a group that, for the first time, is large enough to provide a glimpse into the lucid brain at the furthest reach of human life, and to help researchers tease apart what, exactly, is essential in preserving mental sharpness to the end.

“These are the most successful agers on earth, and they’re only just beginning to teach us what’s important, in their genes, in their routines, in their lives,” said Dr. Claudia Kawas, a neurologist at the University of California, Irvine. “We think, for example,........read all about the super memory club

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Caring for dementia

Bristol News
By DANIEL O. TULLY

In my practice, I see many families who are caring for a loved one who has dementia. This column will explore the basic phases of dementia, the stresses that caregivers go through, and how to lower these stresses. First here are some dementia facts:

People over the age of 85 years of age are the fastest growing segment of our population.

More than 54 million people provided care to a chronically ill, disabled or aged family member or friend in the last year;

4.5 million people are currently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder in the U.S.A.

The average course of the disease is eight years, but can range from four to 20 years.

Dementia has three stages: early, middle and end stages. In the early stages the patient will experience forgetfulness, become socially awkward and can become lost in familiar settings. During this stage, however, the patient experiences confusion and disorientation, could have speech problems, and will most likely need assistance with their activities of daily living. In the end stages, the patient becomes completely dependent on others.

In most cases, patients live at home and their family members care for them. Usually there is only one caregiver involved. Many times, the caregiver is a spouse or a child. In addition, most caregivers are over the age of 50.

Being a caregiver is extremely stressful. It is so stressful, in fact that the healthy spouse dies before the spouse with dementia more than half of the time. The caregiver frequently experiences depressions, anxiety, anger and poor health (from the stress and self-neglect).

There are also severe financial effects on the caregiver. Many become concerned with having enough funds to pay for their own age-related needs and use substantial resources to provide care. According to the long-term care insurance industry, policy holders with dementia average 18 to 24 months of care at home before they enter a nursing home. Caregivers miss an average of 17 work days per year because of care-giving duties. About a third of caregivers reduced their work hours or report being.....read the whole post

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Great gifts for dads with dementia

Heathnews-stat.com

Finding the right gift for the man with dementia this Father's Day is easy. There are many wonderful items you can buy or make that will make the time you spend together meaningful.

First on the list of gifts is a book by Susan Berg called: "Adorable Photographs of Our Baby -- Meaningful, Mind-Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals". This book features baby photographs that men with dementia will love. This book shares a plethora of ideas and resources for you, the gift-giver. Men with dementia do love babies.

Another gift a dementia dad will fancy is a classic musical video or DVD. He will enjoy watching something from the good old days and singing the songs played throughout the picture. Here are a few suggestions: Top Hat, Swing Time, Follow the Fleet, or Shall We Dance.

Next is a sing a long CD or audio cassette of his favorite songs. One with Mitch Miller is a wonderful choice. You may want to get a sing a long video where loved ones can see and hear performers singing songs they love. A good seies is the Sing Along with Frank Woehrle series.

Here is another idea. Give him hand lotion, a manly scent, of course. Just be aware of any allergies or pain issues he might have. Give him a relaxing hand massage talking about how good the hand massage feels and maybe about the good old days, as well. Yes, men love hand massages

If you cannot afford or do not have time to get these gifts, give the gift of yourself. No matter how hard it is for you to visit, he will appreciate your company even though he may not be able to express it. Take him for a walk. Sing some favorite songs together. Give him a hand massage. Just share some quality time with him. You will both feel better.

Do remember to be upbeat animated and excited about visiting. No arguing, please.

These gifts are simple, inexpensive or free, and can be enjoyed by all.

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Grow old gracefully to keep dementia at bay

TIMESONLINE

Working until you are 70 instead of 65 is one of the ways that you can minimise the risk of brain disease in later life

Dr Mark Porter
The Government is rumoured to be considering raising the retirement age to 70 in an attempt to reduce the national debt — plans that will have been given a useful fillip by new research that reveals postponing retirement can delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

According to researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry, at the Maudsley Hospital, southeast London, every extra year worked delays the onset of dementia by just over a month. So working until you are 70 instead of 65 is likely to give you an extra six Alzheimer-free months. I am not sure that is enough of a benefit to warrant the additional effort, but extending your working life is not the only thing you can do to protect yourself.

One person in 20 over the age of 65 in the UK has some form of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease — characterised by a loss of brain cells, shrinkage and protein deposits forming tangles and plaques throughout the brain — may be the most common form, but it is not the only one. Gradual furring up of the arteries supplying the brain accounts for at least 20 per cent of cases and causes similar impairment to Alzheimer’s with resulting loss of memory and cognitive ability, disorientation and confusion. And, while there isn’t much we can do to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, there is a lot that can be done to keep our brain and its circulation healthy — and the healthier your brain the less noticeable any deficit is going to be.

Use it or lose it. The brain is often compared to.......read the whole article

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Common heart problem raises Alzheimer's risk

By Julie Steenhuysen, Reuters

CHICAGO - Atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm problem, raises the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, especially in people under age 70, U.S. researchers said on Friday.


They said the heart condition boosts the risk of all forms of dementia by 44 per cent. And in people under age 70, it doubles the risk of Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia.


"In patients under age 70, if they had atrial fibrillation, they were 130 per cent more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease," Dr. John Day of Intermountain Medical Center in Utah, who worked on the study, said in a telephone interview.


"It appears to be a much more aggressive form of Alzheimer's disease," Day said.


Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm problem, affecting about 2.2 million Americans. It occurs when the heart beats chaotically, leaving blood to pool and possibly clot. If the clot leaves the heart, it can cause a stroke.


"Previous studies have shown that patients with atrial fibrillation are at higher risk for some types of dementia, including vascular dementia," said Dr. Jared Bunch of Intermountain, who presented the results at the Heart Rhythm Society meeting in Boston.


"To our knowledge, this is the first......read the whole story

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Weight Loss In Old Age May Signal Dementia

ScienceDaily— A new study shows that older people who are thinner or are losing weight quickly are at a higher risk of developing dementia, especially if they started out overweight or obese. The research is published in the May 19, 2009, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

For the study, researchers followed for eight years 1,836 Japanese Americans in Washington state with an average age of 72. During that time, 129 people developed dementia.

The research found that people with lower body mass index (BMI) scores at the beginning of the study were 79 percent more likely to develop dementia than those with higher BMI scores.

In addition, those who lost weight over the study period at a faster rate were nearly....read the whole article

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Caregivers-A source of income

Have you ever thought about going into the wholesale business. It is something that is relatively easy to do. You can devise your own schedule and it is really kind of fun

A website that can give you all the information you need is called www.WholesaleNewsletter.com
This website is set up like a blog with a plethora of articles about how to go about opening your own online business, and it even explains how to have a virtual store front. You can do this in the convenience of your own home.

It appears as if you do not have to buy products but rather use a drop shipping method of product distribution. Of course you can buy products at a wholesale price.

Another thing you want to consider is wholesale sources The wholesale newsletter does a great job explaining different types of wholesale sources and the advantages and disadvantages of buting remanufactured goods.

Another possibility is to set up an ebay storefront. Ebay is changing its structure so that selling and making money for you will be easier.

I hope I have peaked your interest.

If you have a loved one you are caring for full time especially if he or she has dementia, it is much more convenient and cost effective to work from home.

You can even have the person with dementia help you when he or she is in the early stages of the disease

There are many scams out there. It is nice to be able to go to a reliable source like the wholesale newsletter for the author’s valuable information. You will also find comments from readers like yourself. You are able to post comments and ask questions.

There is also a link to Rhinomart where you can get wholesale products.

However, before you do anything read all the information available at the the wholesale newsletter.

I suggest that, at the very least, you subscribe to their newsletter


Happy selling

A Brain Disorder Easily Missed

By JANE E. BRODY

Edward Ferguson, a civil engineer living in Vancouver, Wash., retired at age 65 from a job handling multimillion-dollar contracts. Five years later he could not balance a checkbook, walk without falling, drive a car, control his bladder or recognize his granddaughter

Instead of the active retirement he had anticipated, Mr. Ferguson, now 74, thought he would spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair, incontinent and struggling with dementia. Ten doctors were unable to tell him what was wrong, but an Internet search by his daughter found a condition that seemed to match his symptoms: normal pressure hydrocephalus, or N.P.H.

The disorder involves a build-up of spinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain, causing pressure on nerves that control the legs, balance, bladder and cognitive function. “It’s as if the brain has reverted to babyhood,” Dr. Michael Kaplitt, a neurosurgeon at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, said in an interview. “Like babies, people with N.P.H......READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE

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Playing catch-up with Alzheimer's

Chicago Tribune

By Cory Franklin
May 27, 2009
When Pete Townshend of The Who wrote "My Generation," the 1965 Baby Boomer anthem containing the memorable lyric "I hope I die before I get old," he'd probably never heard of Alois Alzheimer, the German physician who described Alzheimer's disease in 1906. Yet today, their worlds have converged.

Alzheimer's is rising in epidemic proportions in the parents of Baby Boomers, and threatens Boomers themselves. Today, more than 5 million people have Alzheimer's, now the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Deaths increased by 33 percent between 2000 and 2004, while mortality from breast cancer, heart disease and strokes all decreased. The number of people with Alzheimer's rose by 10 percent in the last decade and included more than 5 percentof individuals over the age of 65 and 40 percent of those over 85By 2050, the number of cases is expected to triple to more than 16 million.

That figure includes only the official counts, cases diagnosed in hospitals and medical clinics. There are an unreported number of housebound patients who are by themselves every day because their families can't afford sitters. Alzheimer's accounts for nearly $150 billion of health-care costs annually. Medicare spending alone is expected to triple to $189 billion by 2015, from $62 billion in 2000. In addition to workers hired to care for Alzheimer's patients, there are an estimated 10 million unpaid caregivers, primarily families and friends. The emotional toll on these caregivers is incalculable; they suffer extremely high levels of stress and depression.

Despite all this, the epidemic took the medical community, biomedical industry and government by surprise. When The Who's "My Generation" was released, Alzheimer's was barely mentioned in most medical textbooks. A generation later, most physicians still knew little about Alzheimer's. Lacking answers and unable to help patients......read the whole story

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