JohnM Weblog

You do have some control – Alzheimer’s Disease is not inevitable February 4, 2008

   
Alzheimer’s Disease

 This issue takes a look at that sad and debilitating disease Alzheimer’s. As we get older the risks of developing the condition increases to the extent that 1 in 4 will be afflicted at age 85. The outlook is grim when it is considered that comparatively little is known about the condition and there is no effective cure once diagnosed. However, there are some positives in the story, research into the condition and potential drug therapies that will manage it proceeds at a furious pace and secondly it is now thought that preventative measures initiated early in life will have tremendous benefits in later life not only for Alzheimer’s disease but a whole range of health issues.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been known by other descriptors for centuries. Shakespeare in “As You Like It” describes an individuals life stages beginning with infancy and ending with a description of a dependant second childhood. German psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer began treating a fifty year old woman with symptoms of dementia 1901. Although various dementias had already been differentiated and described at the time, his patient showed symptoms apparently different to other previously described dementias.

Examination of his patient’s brain on her death revealed large sections differing from healthy tissue and characterised by “plaques”. In subsequent years what was previously known as “senile dementia” became known as Alzheimer’s disease characterised by the presence in the brain of plaques.

AD is a progressive, degenerative disease and is the most common form, about 70%, of dementias. Plaques are the defining feature of an AD brain producing damaged brain regions where the complex circuitry of the brain has broken down. Until recently it was believed the disease was caused by one, possibly two proteins found in the plaques. Both amyloid plaque (amyloid beta) and tangled neuronal fibres (tau) disrupt the normal organisation and function of the brain with initial onset of the disease in the brain’s temporal lobe, the area responsible for memory and language.

Progression of AD varies with the individual and is marked by three stages, mild cognitive impairment, through moderate to severe, ultimately culminating in death caused by an unrelated medical condition such as pneumonia. There is no effective treatment for AD, current prescriptive drugs attempt to deal with one aspect of the disease, lose their effectiveness after an average of nine months, come with side effects and do not work at all with some sufferers.

Forensic examination of the brain after death is the only certain diagnosis and a brain biopsy is not really a viable alternative. Clinical diagnosis is made on the results of many psychological and physical tests which are about 90% accurate. Test procedures involve subjective elements meaning the interpretation of a set of results may vary from physician to physician.

The developed world is anticipating increases in numbers of AD sufferers of 300%. With the already substantial costs associated with medical and support care expected to balloon, extensive research is underway world wide to

1.      develop a comparatively simple and reliable diagnostic test for the condition, preferably one capable of identifying AD onset at the earliest stages well before clinical symptoms appear.

2.      develop efficient management therapies and preferably treatments capable of reversing symptoms.

Research is uncovering a number of apparent linkages between AD and other conditions previously thought unrelated. In general the underlying mechanisms for these linkages is not known and further complicated by the diversity of the associations. There may be linkages to hormonal changes later in life, diabetes, head injury, limited education, and even just being female. It has been established in a very small percentage of cases that genetic influences play a part. One particularly exciting potential linkage is to diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Poor vascular health may contribute to AD development through the mechanism of sub clinical stroke. It is possible that numerous brain bleeds (stroke) through the breakdown of cerebral capillaries may be the foundation for plaque development. Each breakdown is a micro stroke, too small to cause symptoms which would explain there being no clinical history of stroke and why the very early stages of AD remain undetected.

Whilst management and possibly curative therapies are still some way off healthy lifestyle changes incorporating a good nutritious diet, an exercise regime and cultivation of a healthy psychological state can have enormous benefits in not only preventing or delaying the onset of Alzheimers but for life quality generally.

Good Health

John Munson 

For a more detailed overview on Alzheimer’s disease

 The Healthy Aging Series

 A 10 Minute Guide To Understanding Alzheimers Disease 

And What You Can Do About It  

Disclaimer: This newsletter is for informational purposes only. The information provided in this newsletter should not be construed as personal medical advice or instruction. No action should be taken based solely on the contents of this newsletter. Readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being. Readers who fail to consult appropriate health authorities on any matter contained in this newsletter assume the risk of any injuries that may result. Based on the best judgment available to the author he believes the information and opinions provided here are accurate and sound and does not assume any responsibility for errors, inaccuracies or omissions.