Possible Causes of Alzheimer's

You may remember years ago when aluminum was blamed for the cause of Alzheimer's. Scientist have since ruled that out. It would have been nice and easy to clean up this Alzheimer's mess if that had been the case. So what causes Alzheimer's? Scientists do not really know.

In Spite of years of research and the information we have about Alzheimer's We still do not know the cause. Could it be Diabetes? Strokes, heart disease, watching too much TV?

Here is what we do know.

There are several things that do increase your risk factor of getting the disease.

Age is the number one risk factor for getting Alzheimer's. Problem solved. We will not get older.

Genetics. Having a family member that has Alzheimer's. Problem solved. Disown your family.

The third risk factor is your lifestyle.

Scientists have found increasing evidence that high blood pressure, high colesterol, low levels of certain vitamins, lack of excercise might be the key to what causes Alzheimer's. Changing our diets, excercising, and spending time playing games or doing puzzles that increase our brain activities is the only risk factor that you or I have any control over. Problem sovled? Possibly!

Blog to stave off Alzheimer's fog

Blog to Cope With Alzheimer's Fog
Mark Baard Email 07.15.02 | 2:00 AM

You're never too old to start blogging -- and to stave off dementia.

Seniors in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, with mild to moderate memory loss, are writing Web logs to help them make sense of their daily lives. And the activity, they say, is slowing the onset of their symptoms.

"Many people, once they're diagnosed with AD, simply give up on life," said Alice Young, a 75-year-old former psychotherapist who divides her time each year between Florida and Minnesota. "And those are the people who go down more quickly."

But Young and others with AD are blogging to keep their spirits high and their minds sharp.

In her journal, Young mixes frank descriptions of her illness with encouraging words and prayers.

"Concentration is coming harder now," reads one entry from November 2000. "I am constantly misplacing/losing things. I go to the Dr. and I am going to ask for another test to see how much I have lost."

More than one and a half years later, on June 17, 2002, Young has become more philosophical about her AD: "Time is getting shorter for me, and I realize it, so I'm 'going for the gusto' as much as I can," she wrote.

Young said she and others with AD keep journals to "exercise the cognitive powers we have as much as possible."

"But I also think it's important to be realistic about AD," Young said.

AD has no known cure, and there is no proof that blogging, or any other form of cognitive exercise, can stem its progress. But AD bloggers say their journals have greatly improved their quality of life, by helping them to recall tasks completed and milestones passed.

"My journal tells me when I've paid the bills, bathed the dogs and fed my flowers -- or when my flowers have bloomed," said Mary Lockhart, 62, an AD patient from Oklahoma City.

Both Young and Lockhart also include pictures of their family and friends on their websites.

Lockhart addresses many of her journal entries to the friends she's made online, hosting live chats for the Dementia Advocacy and Support Network (DASN).

Young and Lockhart both call DASN their "lifeline" for emotional support and information about new medicines, which they hear about from memory-loss sufferers in chat rooms and via e-mail.

Psychologists say the emotional support alone helps AD patients improve their cognitive functioning.

"People who have AD, but have lower levels of depression and anxiety, have better day-to-day functioning with things like using the telephone, shopping and housekeeping," said Rebecca Logsdon, PhD, a clinical psychologist and researcher at the University of Washington's Department of Psychosocial and Community Health.

Source of article

Puzzle for Alzheimer's

An American neuroscientist says "mental aerobics", such as solving crossword puzzles, is an important part of a healthy lifestyle and can minimize the risk of developing Alzheimer's. I'm sure that puzzlers have long suspected this to be the case but now we have confirmation from a credible source. So, the next time someone pooh-poohs your penchant for puzzles, just tell them to read this article. Better yet, print it out and share it with all your non-puzzling colleagues.

Simple cerebral activities such as doing a crossword can help to ward off Alzheimer's disease, says a US scientist.

Neuroscientist Dr Gary Small, director of the centre for ageing at the University of California, says adopting a healthy lifestyle is an important way to minimise the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases.


There is a lot we can do to keep our brains young

Dr Gary Small
This includes keeping physically active, eating a low fat diet with plenty of anti-oxidant foods such as fruit and vegetables and avoiding long-term chronic stress.

But he also advocates exercising the brain by doing what he terms "mental aerobics".

This can include doing crosswords, learning a new language, or writing with your left hand if you are normally right handed.

Dr Small said: "We have done studies repeatedly looking at the brain activity of people at every age, and we are finding that we can see the subtle signs of Alzheimer's of people even in their thirties and forties.

"But genetics is only one third of what predicts brain ageing, the other two-thirds is environment and the lifestyle choices we make, and there is a lot we can do to keep our brains young."

Dr Small has written a book called "Memory Bible".

Brain-very interesting

While I hold no claim to the content of any articles or their content, I thought that their concept was very interesting.

Check this out!

Alzheimer's Disease 10 warning signs

Please note: If you have several of these symptoms, you should see a qualified physician for a complete examination as soon as possible. It may or may not be Alzheimer’s, but it is always best to seek early treatment.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease, which means that symptoms get worse as time progresses. How fast the disease progresses and what pattern the symptoms follow variable from person to person.

The 10 warning signs for Alzheimer’s include:

Memory loss: One of the most common early signs of dementia is forgetting recently learned information. While its normal to forget appointments, names or telephone numbers, those with dementia will forget such things more often and also they will not remember them later.

Difficulty performing familiar tasks: People with dementia often find it difficult to complete mundane, everyday tasks that are so familiar to us that we usually do not think about how to do them. For example, a person with Alzheimer’s may not know the steps for preparing a meal, using a household appliance, driving a car, or participating in their lifelong hobbies.

Problems with language: Everyone has trouble finding the right word sometimes, but a person with Alzheimer’s often forgets simple words or substitutes unusual words, making his or her speech or writing hard to understand. If a person with Alzheimer’s is unable to find his or her toothbrush, for example, the individual may ask for that thing for my mouth, because they may not remember what a toothbrush is called.

Disorientation to time and place: Its normal to forget the day of the week, the current date, or where you are going. However, people with Alzheimer’s can become lost, even in the street that they have lived in for many years. They can forget where they are and how they got there, and they may not know how to get back home.

Poor or decreased judgment: No one has perfect judgment all of the time. However, those with Alzheimer’s may dress without regard for the weather, wearing several shirts or blouses on a hot day or very little clothing in cold weather. People with dementia often show poor judgment about money, giving away large amounts of money to telemarketers or strangers, or paying for home repairs or products that they don’t need.

Problems with abstract thinking: Balancing a checkbook or checking your credit card statement or phone bill can be difficult for all of us at times. However, someone with Alzheimer’s could completely forget what numbers mean or how to add up.

Misplacing things: Anyone can temporarily misplace a wallet or keys. However, a person with Alzheimer’s may put things in unusual places. For example, they may put the toaster in the freezer, or their keys in the vegetable draw of a fridge.

Changes in mood or behavior: Everyone can become sad, angry, or moody from time to time, especially in today’s world. Indeed, it is the people who never become sad or moody that you really need to watch out for ! However, a person with Alzheimer’s can show rapid mood swings from calm to tears to anger for no apparent reason.

Changes in personality: A person’s personality may gradually change as they age. However, the personality of a person with Alzheimer’s can change a great deal very quickly. For example, they may become extremely confused, suspicious, fearful or dependent on a family member.

Loss of initiative: It is perfectly normal for people to occasionally tire of housework, business activities, or social obligations. However, a person with Alzheimer’s may become very passive, sitting in front of the television for hours, sleeping more than usual or not wanting to do their usual or favorite activities.

Helpful website where I found this information