ALZHEIMER’S PART 2

AD VIDEO

BIP ON THE BRAIN PiB binds to the beta- amyloid plaque in the brain, and it can be imaged using PET scans

MOST COMMON FORM OF DEMENTIA Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. Dementia is a term for memory loss and other problems with thinking skills. Other types of dementia include: vascular dementia dementia with Lewy bodies mixed dementia Parkinson’s disease Huntington’s disease An estimated five million Americans now have AD

IF YOU’RE A WOMAN, YOU’RE AT HIGHER RISK Nearly twice as many women have AD as men do, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration. A University of California San Diego study found that AD worsens more quickly in women than it does in men.Health Resources and Services AdministrationUniversity of California San Diego study The study also showed that brain shrinkage was more severe in women with AD than in it was in men with the disease. It didn’t explain why this happens, but researchers guess that brain changes in women with AD may be due to other causes.

YOUR HEART AND YOUR HEAD ARE CLOSELY RELATED Heart disease can raise the risk of getting AD. Other conditions that can cause heart disease and are linked to a higher risk of getting AD include: high blood pressure high cholesterol diabetes poor diet a non-active lifestyle Heart disease may also be a cause of vascular dementia, a type of dementia that results from narrowed blood vessels in the brain.

EDUCATION CAN LOWER YOUR RISK According to the Mayo Clinic, the more education you have, the lower your risk of getting AD. You have lower odds of getting AD if you learn new things in old age, such as:Mayo Clinic taking classes learning languages playing musical instruments Doing group activities or interacting with others also may lower your risk.

LINKED WITH A LOSS OF SENSE OF SMELL A person with AD may lose their sense of smell, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).Several studies, including one in the Journal of the Neurological Sciences, suggest that changes in the sense of smell may be an early sign of AD.National Institutes of Health (NIH).Journal of the Neurological Sciences It’s important to note that changes in your ability to smell may also be due to other causes such as: Parkinson’s disease brain injury sinus infection

PREVENTION “Regarding frontal cognitive functions, there were significant improvements in abstraction, organization, motor sequencing, behavior self-control and attention in patients participating in the training group “Regarding frontal cognitive functions, there were significant improvements in abstraction, organization, motor sequencing, behavior self-control and attention in patients participating in the training group Epidemiological studies and some intervention studies suggest that physical exercise may provide positive benefit not only maintain weight, strong muscle and bones but also reduce the risk factors connected to Alzheimer’s disease. Epidemiological studies and some intervention studies suggest that physical exercise may provide positive benefit not only maintain weight, strong muscle and bones but also reduce the risk factors connected to Alzheimer’s disease. Regular cardio vascular exercise increases the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. Exercise also stimulates nerve growth Regular cardio vascular exercise increases the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. Exercise also stimulates nerve growth

MEDICATIONS Currently there are four treatment approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration to treat Alzheimer’s. MILD Symptoms Donepezil (Aricept®), rivastigmine (Exelon®), or galantamine (Razadyne®) Moderate Symptoms Donepezil and Memantine (Namenda®) These drugs work by regulating neurotransmitters, the chemicals that transmit messages between neurons. They may help maintain thinking, memory, and speaking skills, and may help with certain behavioral problems (USDHHS, 2012).

FACT SHEET FOR STUDY GENERAL FACT SHEET

LIFE EXPECTANCY VARIES The time it takes for AD to progress varies from person to person, so it’s hard to predict how long someone with the condition will live. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) reports that older adults usually live three to four years with AD. Younger adults who get the disease may live with the condition for 10 years or more.National Institute on Aging (NIA)