Not Aged, Just Dead!

Dementia is seen in 25 percent of people over 85 years old. The most common form of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, occurs in one in twelve individuals over 65 and one in three individuals over 80. As of now, there is no real cure to the disease, and its effects are irreversible. There are many myths surrounding the cause of Alzheimer’s disease and its treatments. However, being informed about what Alzheimer’s is will help to dispel these myths.

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that impairs learning and memory but may even lead to impaired judgment and mood changes, which may heavily affect one’s daily life. One of the biggest myths out there is that Alzheimer’s disease occurs as a result of age; however, this is not true. There have been many cases of Alzheimer’s disease diagnosed in younger patients. In addition, Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of aging. It occurs as a result of plaque buildup in the brain that becomes toxic to brain cells once excessive levels of deposit have been reached. In addition, as the brain cells degenerate and die, the brain somewhat shrinks, which explains the results of the size difference between a brain with Alzheimer’s disease and a normal brain. Since Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of aging, many people believe that genetics is the cause of it. However, genetics may only be mildly linked to the disease (only 7% of all reported cases are related to genetic onset of Alzheimer’s).

As of now, Alzheimer’s is neither preventable nor curable, but ongoing research is being done to find out if anything can be done. Recently announced by Irish drug company Elan and Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories, the vaccine "AN-1792" contains bits of beta-amyloid. When injected in the human arm, the vaccine stimulates the immune system's antibodies to target amyloid plaques and removes the foreign bodies. This response is hoped to clear out plaques in the brain which cause Alzheimer's disease. This theory, which has been shown to be somewhat successful in rats and safe in humans, though not completely conclusive is a promising discovery towards finding the cure to Alzheimer's Disease. There is, however, growing evidence that a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the risks of Alzheimer’s disease. Remember—treat your body well, and it will treat you well!

To learn more about Alzheimer’s disease, visit this website.

Resources:
1. http://health.asiaone.com/Health/Women%2527s%2BMatters/Story/A1Story20100218-199510.html
2. http://www.alzheimer.ca/english/disease/myths.htm
3. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/brain/episode5/alzheimers/index.html