Challenges to Studying Alzheimer's Disease

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Alzheimer's disease is not a normal part of aging and is not something that happens to you later in life no matter what. Alzheimer's disease is a complex devastating disease of the mind that affects over 5.3 million people according to the Alzheimer's Association.
Today, many thousands of scientists, voluntary organizations and healthcare professionals are studying Alzheimer's disease so that they can find ways to manage, treat and one day prevent this terrible disease. The process of studying this disease is challenging for a number of reasons.
Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive disease of the brain. Its main feature is that short term memory is impaired. Eventually there are problems with planning, reasoning, perception and/or language. This happens because of brain cell death and accompanying brain shrinkage.
Early Diagnosos
Early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is helpful for several reasons. Having an early diagnosis and starting treatment in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease can help prevent loss of brain function for months or even years. The underlying process of Alzheimer's disease process cannot be changed. An early diagnosis helps victims and their families develop support networks, take care of legal and financial matters, plan for the future and make living arrangements. Alsom an early diagnosis gives the victim of Alzheimer's disease greater opportunity to get involved with clinical trials for medications that may help combat Alzheimer's disease. Despite all the advantages to early diagnosis, many people live for as long as possible before they go to a doctor. This makes it difficult to study Alzheimer's disease.
Variation Of Symptoms
Just about everyone who has Alzheimer's disease has short term memory loss. What happens next varies from one individual to the next.

Some people may have trouble with their speech. Some can understand what you say, but cannot tell you what they want to say, Some may have difficulty finding the right word to use. Inappropriate behavior...read all of Challenges to Studying Alzheimer's Disease

Can music help Alzheimer's patients build memories?

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Boston Globe

Music triggers memories, even for people with Alzheimer’s disease. A big band recording can help them remember their lives when the song was new. But a new study from Boston researchers suggests that music can also help them form new memories.

Discuss
COMMENTS (1)
Boston University neuroscientist Brandon Ally and his colleagues tested 13 people diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s and 14 healthy adults of similar age to see how well they could recognize lyrics to new, unfamiliar children’s songs. The participants were shown four lines of rhyming lyrics for each of 40 songs on a computer screen. For half the songs, a woman sang the lyrics; for the other half she recited them. After about 10 minutes, the participants were shown lyrics for 40 new songs and the 40 they had previously seen and asked if they recognized them.

People with Alzheimer’s correctly recognized 40 percent of the songs they heard sung compared with 28 percent of songs whose lyrics they heard spoken. The healthy adults didn’t show as much of a difference, recognizing 77 percent of spoken versus 74 percent of sung lyrics. The authors think that the Alzheimer’s patients were drawing on parts of the brain not affected by early memory loss that may respond to music.

If music can help Alzheimer’s patients learn new information, it could help with such tasks as remembering names or when to take daily medications, Ally said, which could allow people to live independently longer during the early stages of the disease.

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Difference Between Dilusions and Dementia

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Delusions are false thoughts with no logical reason for their existence. The main feature of a delusion is the degree to which the person is convinced that the belief is true. Delusions are a symptom of either a medical, neurological or mental disorder. Some people with dementia have delusions.

Dementia is a term that describes a number of conditions that are caused by problems affecting the brain. The most common symptom with all dementias is short-term memory loss.

Types
According to an article in "Psychiatry Research," there are two types of delusions that are recognized. Primary delusions arise suddenly with no connection to a person's normal thought process. Most delusions of this type are seen in conjunction with other "psychotic" symptoms like hallucinations or unintelligible speech. A delusion could be a part of a mental disorder such as manic depression, schizophrenia or generalized brain disorders like dementia. Secondary delusions are seen in people who have no psychiatric symptoms. They are influenced by the person's background (ethnic, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, superstitious) or a current stressful living situation. The person has delusions as part of a coping mechanism during a difficult time in his life. Secondary delusions may also be the result of physical illness, or a side effect of a drug.

There are several types of dementia: Alzheimer's disease (most common), vascular dementia, frontotempotal and Lewy body dementia (least common).
Causes of Delusions
According to the Merck Manual of Healthy Aging, serious physical illnesses such as a bad infection may cause secondary delusions. Brain abnormalities from dementia, a stroke or tumor, excessive consumption of alcohol or sleep deprivation can lead to primary delusions. A side effect associated with some drugs is experiencing delusions.

According to Karl Jaspers, psychiatrist and philosopher, who is the first to define the three main criteria for a belief to be considered delusional, primary delusions (sometimes called true delusions) are described by listing several types. One type is called delusional intuition, where delusions have no outside cause or influence. Another type is delusional perception where a normal concert has a delusional meaning. There is also delusional atmosphere where the world seems evil and the delusional person can somehow get rid of the evilness by having this delusion. Another type, delusional memory, is where a delusional belief is based upon the recalling of a false memory of a past experience.
Causes of Dementia
According to the Alzheimer's Association, dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a group of diseases that affect a persons memory and thinking skills. The causes of all types of dementia are not completely understood. Scientists know that the accumulation of abnormal protein that develops in the brains of many people with dementia affect the communication of one brain cell to another; however why these proteins develop in some people is still at question by the medical profession.

In Alzheimer's disease, the formation and accumulation of abnormal proteins seem to be at the root of this disease. It is unclear why these abnormal proteins develop in the first place.

In vascular dementia, the blood vessels in the brain read all of Difference Between Dilusions and Dementia

How to prevent senile dementia

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The Alzheimer's Association reported that as of July 2009, over 5.3 million Americans suffer from dementia. Senile dementia is a progressive mental decline seen in adults over 65 years of age. It is not a normal part of aging and is not a specific disease. Causes of dementia are many; the condition affects thinking, memory, communication and behavior. Prevention is possible by practicing healthy lifestyle habits.

1Be examined by your doctor annually. Certain types of dementia are treatable and even reversible.

Step 2Avoid unhealthy habits like smoking or excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages.

Step 3Exercise at least 1 hour 3 times a week. In a memory special report entitled, "Guarding Your Memory," published in May of 2009 by Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Sam Wang said that physical exercise is the single most important thing people can do to protect their brains and guard their memory.

Step 4Eat a healthy diet. The Mediterranean diet is ideal. A study published in the August 12, 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association in volume 302, pages 627-637, reports that eating a Mediterranean-type diet and engaging in higher physical activity are independently associated with reduced risk for Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of senile dementia.

Step 5Stay... read all of How to prevent senile dementia

Consent & Competency With Alzheimer's

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Alzheimer's disease is a brain disorder that affects thinking, reasoning, speaking, behavior and normal day-to-day living. As the disease progresses, a person's mind becomes less and less functional. Because of this, many Alzheimer's patients are not competent to consent to medical procedures that affect their care.
Alzheimer's Disease
According to the Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's disease currently afflicts over
5.3 million Americans. The number of those with the disease is increasing annually as the population ages. As baby boomers age, the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease will increase quickly. The number of cases of Alzheimer's disease will probably double by the year 2020. The burden on families of these people and the health care system will be huge as one out of every eight baby boomers most likely will develop Alzheimer's disease.
Consent
Doctors must get the informed consent of patients they are taking care of before starting any treatment. They are obligated to do this by law and medical ethics. Any information must be given to a competent patient who is permitted to make a voluntary choice. When this person does not have the competence to make a valid decision about his treatment, alternate persons to make decisions must be found. The dilemma is the determination of whether patients are competent to make decisions or not. This can be most difficult in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
Capacity
Making valid healthcare decisions requires that ...read all of Consent & Competency With Alzheimer's

How to Discuss Concerns Regarding Early Signs of Dementia

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Does your loved one have more frequent lapses in memory or other problems with thinking or conduct? Dementia is one possible cause of these troubles.
Significant alterations in memory are not normal at any age. Take these changes seriously. A diagnosis of dementia is made after a series of discussions, tests and examinations with your loved one, the doctor and you, as well as with other family members if necessary. Your loved one also needs a physical and neurological examination, which looks at all other possible causes of his dementia.
Difficulty: Moderately ChallengingInstructions
Step 1Decide who should talk to your loved one with suspected dementia. Who has the best rapport with your loved one? Who does she trust the most?

Step 2Talk to him when he is calm and in a good mood. Some people with early signs of dementia exhibit bizarre behavior and bursts of anger.

Step 3Ask her if everything is all ....read all of How to Discuss Concerns Regarding Early Signs of Dementia

MENTAL ILLNESS: Spouses of dementia patients more likely to develop the illness, too

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Compiled from reports by Free Press news services

Previous PageMarried adults who have a spouse with dementia are much more likely themselves to develop dementia, according to a study published last week in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

The study suggested that either the stress of being a caregiver or something about the shared environment of the couple contributes to the second case of dementia.
Researchers from Utah examined 2,442 married people ages 65 and older, none of whom had dementia at the start of the study. They were monitored for 12 years.
During that time, 125 cases of dementia were diagnosed in husbands and 70 cases in wives and 30 cases in which both the husband and wife were diagnosed. The analysis showed that people with a spouse with dementia had a six times higher risk of developing dementia themselves. The risk, however, was much higher for men caring for their wives than for wives caring for their husbands.
"On the positive side, the majority of these individuals with spouses who develop dementia did not themselves develop dementia," said lead author of the study, Dr. Maria Norton of Utah State University

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What Happens to ACH That May Cause Alzheimer's?

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Decreased levels of the chemical acetylcholine are seen in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Acetylcholine has an important role in the communication between all cells in the body, including the brain. Some things happen when you have Alzheimer's disease that interfere with brain-cell communication.
Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease is a brain disorder that slowly gets worse over time and cannot be reversed. Alzheimer's disease limits a person's memory and ability to think, reason, learn, make judgments and communicate. According to an article in the "Journal of Molecular Neuroscience" (Volume 17, Number 2, pages 137-145, from October, 2001), accumulation of excess amyloid protein is associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Acetylcholine
In the early 1900s, acetylcholine (Ach) was the first neurotransmitter to be identified. A neurotransmitter allows communication of information from one nerve cell to another. Acetylcholine is a major neurotransmitter in the brain. It plays an important part in memory, learning and many other brain functions. According to an article in KnowItAlz, an Alzheimer's caregiver community blog, those suffering from Alzheimer's disease have low levels of acetylcholine. The amount of acetylcholine decreases naturally as you age. In Alzheimer's disease, acetylcholine decreases much faster than normal because of the accumulation of two abnormal proteins. These proteins kill acetylcholine-transmitting cells. The gradual death of cholinergic brain cells, cells that transmit acetylcholine, results in a progressive and significant loss of brain function.
Amyloid Plaques
One of the leading characteristics of Alzheimer's disease is the buildup ....read all of What Happens to ACH That May Cause Alzheimer's?

Carbon Nanotubes and Alzheimer's Disease

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According to the Alzheimer's Association, 5.3 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease. There is no cure for this disease. Early detection is one of the best ways to combat the ill effects of Alzheimer's disease because early detection means early treatment, which can afford the best quality of life for a victim of the disease. Carbon nanotubes used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) scans are in the forefront of leading research and testing for helping health professionals make the earliest possible diagnosis for those who may have or develop the disease.
Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia and causes the decrease of intellectual and social abilities severe enough to interfere with a victim's daily life. In Alzheimer's disease healthy brain tissue is slowly destroyed, which causes a steady decrease in the victim's memory and mental capabilities. Alzheimer's disease is not associated with normal aging, but the risk of developing this disease increases as you get older. At present, there is not a cure. There are treatments available, though, that may improve the quality of life of a victim of Alzheimer's disease.
Normal Brain
A person who does not have Alzheimer's disease has a brain that consists of billions of nerve cells called neurons. Each neuron consists of a cell body, dendrites, and an axon. Axons and dendrites together make up nerve fibers. Nerve messages normally travel from one neuron to another. They are separated from each other by narrow spaces called synapses. Neurotransmitters allow messages to cross a synapse. This highly sophisticated process allows the brain to recognize nerve impulses and respond to them appropriately.
Brain Changes
In an Alzheimer's victim read all of Carbon Nanotubes and Alzheimer's Disease

Clinical Description Of Dementia

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A clinical description of dementia has to do with the examination and treatment of patients with dementia. In order to understand how to examine and treat people who have dementia, you must have a basic understanding of the group of symptoms that causes a progressive loss of memory and other intellectual operations.

Definition

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) defines dementia as the decline in many intellectual functions of a patient. The difficulties that a patient with dementia may have include problems with language, planning and judgment, simple calculations, muscular movement as well as memory loss. Dementia is not caused by aging; this syndrome has a multitude of causes. It is caused by brain diseases, infections, injuries tumors, consequences of mental illness and other disorders. As you age, your risk for developing dementia increases. Patients may develop dementia for over 40 different reasons. Some of the causes are reversible. Reversible dementia may be seen with depression, decreased levels of thyroid hormone or vitamin B deficiencies.
.Types & Causes

Primary dementias are characterized by damage that causes brain tissue to waste away. These include Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal lobe dementia and Pick's disease. Multi-infarct dementia is also called vascular dementia. This dementia is caused by blood clots or bleeds in the small blood vessels of the brain. The clots or bleeding cuts off the blood supply to the brain. The brain cells get damaged and may die. Lewy body dementia is caused by the development of Lewy bodies in the brain, which interrupt the transmission of nerve impulses in the brain. Alcoholism or exposure to heavy metals may cause brain damage, leading to dementia. Infectious diseases like HIV and other viruses may destroy brain cells, resulting in dementia. Abnormalities in the structure of the brain, such as hydrocephalus, tumors or subdural hematomas can cause dementia to develop.
.Symptoms

The fourth edition of the DSM talks about certain symptoms that a patient must have to be diagnosed with dementia. One symptom is a moderate decline in a patient's memory. This applies to learning new information and recalling information previously learned. Also the patient must have at least one other mental impairment. It could be problems with expressing or understanding language, an inability to perform movements well known to him like tying his shoes, inability to recognize familiar objects, problems understanding abstract concepts or displaying good judgment. These difficulties must be bad enough to interfere with normal daily life. There may also be personality changes. People with dementia may become paranoid, have delusions, mood swings, anxiety or frequent bouts of anger.
.Examination

The examination to determine if a patient has dementia is long, complicated and has many parts. The first step is for the doctor to take a full history, including a discussion with the family. Next the patient takes a mental status examination (MSE), which evaluates a patient's ability to follow instructions, recall information, communicate in general, perform simple tasks, as well as getting a sense of a patient’s emotional state. A neurological examination is also done. This exam includes an evaluation of a patient's reflexes and cranial nerves. Blood and urine samples are tested to rule out treatable causes of dementia.

A patient, suspected of having dementia may be given a computed tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or a positron-emission tomography (PET) scan. These tests allow the doctor to see if different portions of the brain are abnormal.

.Treatment read all of Clinical Description of Dementia