| ope for Alzheimer’s Disease | | | | lose it" hypothesis: do people who remain physically |
| Can lifestyle, diet and exercise help protect one from | | | | and mentally active reduce their risk of getting |
| Alzheimer's or at least delay its onset? | | | | Alzheimer's disease? Today’s scientists are |
| Today’s doctors and scientists are combating | | | | combing efforts in molecular biology, neurobiology, |
| Alzheimer’s through breakthrough research | | | | biochemistry, and computer science. Clinical |
| and compassionate, leading-edge care by geriatricians | | | | researchers specializing in the diagnoses and |
| and other specialists. | | | | treatment of patients with dementia are conducting |
| It starts innocuously with forgetfulness, | | | | clinical trials, and studying the normal aging process. |
| absent-mindedness, followed by confusion, an inability | | | | Preserving patients’ abilities |
| to learn, and impaired judgment. Progressing | | | | While people with Alzheimer's disease have problems |
| insidiously to anxiety, hallucinations, and a loss of | | | | with memory, this doesn’t mean they have |
| coordination, Alzheimer’s disease robs people | | | | problems with all aspects of brain function or that |
| of their dignity and families of loved ones. Trailing | | | | they can’t learn new things. Researchers have |
| cancer and coronary heart disease as the third | | | | discovered that Alzheimer's patients can not only |
| leading cause of death, Alzheimer’s afflicts 1 in | | | | learn new tasks, but can also improve their ability on |
| 10 Americans, or an estimated 4.5 million across the | | | | certain tasks. When Alzheimer's patients learn a new |
| country. | | | | motor-skills task, this improved ability can transfer to |
| The cutting edge of Alzheimer’s research | | | | other, similar tasks. Studies are also underway that |
| What makes one person age successfully and | | | | reveal just how early in the disease process motor |
| another develop Alzheimer's? We know that genetics | | | | control is lost and whether practice can slow down |
| can’t account for all victims of this disease. | | | | these changes. |
| For example, if one identical twin gets Alzheimer's, | | | | Drawing and painting can help |
| there’s no guarantee the other twin will | | | | There are also a range of other activities that appear |
| (although their risk is increased). Can lifestyle, diet and | | | | to be preserved in a number of Alzheimer's patients, |
| exercise help protect one from Alzheimer's or at | | | | including drawing, painting and other artistic skills. |
| least delay its onset? How much slowing of memory | | | | Understanding what abilities are spared during the |
| is normal in the elderly and how does this differ from | | | | disease rather than focusing on what goes wrong |
| Alzheimer's? Heralding new hope in the fight against | | | | may help us teach family members and care givers |
| Alzheimer’s, today’s doctors aim to | | | | how to better help Alzheimer's patients as the |
| answer these and other questions as they continue | | | | disease progresses. It’s now common for |
| to make tremendous strides in groundbreaking | | | | painting and other arts to be offered at Adult |
| research. Current research is being conducted at | | | | daycare centers. Doctors are also looking into any |
| several levelsfrom scientific studies that examine | | | | other abilities that are spared during the disease |
| the basic molecular changes in mice to human studies | | | | process to understand which brain circuits are |
| that look into all aspects of Alzheimer’s. | | | | affected early versus late in the disease. |
| From Mice to Mankind | | | | Ounces of prevention |
| Recent research with mice has identified a trigger | | | | What can those in their 40’s and 50’s |
| protein at the molecular level that marks the onset | | | | do to lower their risk of getting Alzheimer’s? |
| of Alzheimer's. This finding has important and useful | | | | Some doctors recommend a multi-level strategy of |
| implications for developing drugs that can target and | | | | good health, exercise and nutrition. What’s |
| possibly halt the disease. There is also some evidence | | | | good for the heart is usually good for brain, so |
| to suggest that aerobic exercise in humans may have | | | | individuals should follow a sensible healthy diet. Avoid |
| an effect on lowering the amounts of the trigger | | | | fatty foods and excessive carbohydrates. Eat fish, |
| protein in the brain. Among the many goals is to | | | | fiber, and plenty of green vegetables and fruits. |
| uncover the connection between loss of cognitive | | | | Other preventive measures include managing |
| function and age. Doctors are also looking into the | | | | hypertensionthe earlier the betterreducing |
| mechanisms causing Alzheimer's disease and | | | | stress, regulating glucose and keeping weight down |
| developing pioneering treatments. | | | | to normal levels. Clearly the battle lines against |
| Successful Agers | | | | Alzheimer's have been drawn. We know what this |
| Doctors are trying to determine what activities, | | | | terrible disease can do. With continued dedicated |
| foods, hobbies, exercise, and medications separate | | | | research, we'll hopefully discover a cure, or at the |
| successful agers from those who get | | | | very least, a way to stem its progression and delay |
| Alzheimer's. One idea gaining attention is the "use it or | | | | its onset. |