Most people with Alzheimer’s would agree that one of the unfortunate effects of the disease is its ability to rob them of their quality of life. And what one person considers “quality of life” may not be same as the next person. Some may lose the ability to remember or make sound choices and decisions, while others might experience a decline in their physical or emotional health. There are older loved ones who may not have the desire to participate in activities or do the things that they used to do like attending religious services, going to sporting events or dating and
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Archives for Alzheimer’s Disease
Brain Challenge Test Could Predict Alzheimer's
What if there were a way to spot Alzheimer’s years before it was ever diagnosed? Currently, biomarker tests can help detect the disease twenty years before its onset. The procedure measures abnormal levels of the proteins beta-amyloid and tau, in spinal fluid. These proteins form plaques and tangles which researchers believe contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s. Alternatively, beta-amyloid and tau also help determine if those with underlying factors may be at risk of developing more serious forms of the disease. In addition to biomarker testing, scientists are using brain imaging to record images of any changes in the brain.
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GPS Devices to Help with Dementia and Aging
Wandering is becoming an increasing problem in the U.S. Statistics say that between 60 and 70 percent of loved ones with Alzheimer’s will wander off at some point in their illness. In dementia patients, changes in the brain occur that cause the urge to wander. As, they begin to roam about, Alzheimer’s sufferers look for people, places or things that might be familiar to them – behavior that has a tendency to increase the longer they suffer from cognitive decline. Sadly, many older adults with the disease who wander off become disoriented, can’t remember their name or address and never
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Researchers Find First Step at Preventative Alzheimer's Pill
Scientists are working to determine why the build-up of abnormal proteins in the brain are shown to lead to diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and dementia. Once these foreign proteins begin to accumulate, they become toxic, increasing the risk of brain degeneration in patients. Tau – twisted fibers of protein that form inside of dying cells – is one of the proteins scientists say cause Alzheimer’s and dementia. To help us understand exactly how the tau protein plays a part in the onset of the disease, alz.org describes how tau or tangles form in the brain. Our bodies contain a cell
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Ways to Help Prevent Alzheimer's
The effects of Alzheimer’s can be devastating – in both the lives of those suffering from the disease, and the people around them. Out of more than 100 different forms of dementia, Alzheimer’s is one of the most common. It accounts anywhere between 60 and 80 percent of Americans with dementia. Alzheimer’s affects memory, cognition and mental ability and is largely determined by age, family history and genetics. Certain medical conditions like high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes, have also been shown to increase the risk of cognitive impairment. More and more, medical research is showing signs of
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Is There A Link Between Diabetes and Dementia?
Living with a chronic illness can present its own set of challenges. But when conditions like diabetes are linked to dementia, the importance of finding the connection between the two becomes even greater. For every American aged 65 and older, regardless of whether they receive in-home care services, there are almost eight people who have Alzheimer’s disease. That number increases after age 85 to one in two people. And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2014, more than 29 million Americans were diagnosed with diabetes, while 86 million adults were identified as pre-diabetic. In a study
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Is It Alzheimer's?
There is still so much to know and understand about Alzheimer’s. One thing experts are sure about is that it is a steadily progressive disease that often rears its head before symptoms begin. While almost 40 percent of all dementia patients can point to genes as playing a significant part in their diagnosis most cases, scientists say, occur with no family history or genetic predisposition. FHC searched and found new research stating that in dementia patients, the deterioration of the brain is linked to an abnormal build-up of protein. This accumulation of proteins is said to cause “frontotemporal degeneration.” What
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Discussing Dementia with Family and Friends
Dementia is an illness that can affect everyone that it comes in contact with. Everyday can be a new challenge for both dementia patients receiving outpatient services and their loved ones. It may also be harder for some to accept the diagnosis than others, but it doesn’t lessen the effects of the disease. Although progression in patients is slow, family members can use the time that they spend with their loved one to understand the diagnosis and communicate to the rest of the family the changes that are gradually taking place. Dementia can be managed if properly handled, allowing loved
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Alzheimer’s and Stroke Rehabilitation Patients Benefit from Music Therapy
No one really knows how the brain and body process music. It’s a phenomenon that has remained a mystery for many years. But what doctors have discovered is that music is processed on many levels and with almost every part of our brain. Music therapy is a ritual that was used thousands of year ago when its healing affects were thought to positively influence health and behavior. After the war, musicians would travel around the country to hospitals playing music for veterans who suffered from war trauma. Doctors recognized a noticeable physical and emotional response to the music from their
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New research shows controlling brain inflammation could slow the progress of Alzheimer’s disease
Scientists at Southampton University have discovered a link between inhibiting brain inflammation and slowing the onset of Alzheimer’s in lab mice. The discovery could pave the way for developments of new treatments and preventative measures against the disease. The researchers have already been able to prevent some of the memory and behavioral problems associated with Alzheimer’s by blocking a particular receptor in the brains of the mice. “These findings are as close to evidence as we can get to show that this particular pathway is active in the development of Alzheimer’s disease,” lead researcher Diego Gomez-Nicola explained. “The next step
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