discovery first recognized in 1906 named after alois alzheimer who first described it almost...
TRANSCRIPT
By Shelby Gillett
The Prevention of Alzheimer’s
Disease
Discovery First recognized in 1906 Named after Alois Alzheimer who first
described it Almost unheard of until the 1980’s
Symptoms were long dismissed as normal human aging
First discovered in a woman in her fifties They first thought she suffered from a
mental illness Autopsy later showed she had dense
deposits of plaques in her nerve cells
What is Alzheimer’s Disease?
Progressive and fatal brain disease Destroys brain and nerve cells
When these nerve cells die, the brain shrinks Causes speech disturbances, disorientation, and
severe short-term memory loss As the disease progresses various abilities
are affected Progressive loss of mental faculties, although the
victim often remains physically healthy
What is Alzheimer’s Disease cont. The brain has 100 billion nerve cells,
or neuron Each of these communicate with many
others to form nerve cell networks Each network has a special job
Ex. Thinking, learning & remembering
In AD increasing numbers of brain cells deteriorate and die causing the networks to shut down and to no longer function
What Causes AD?
Two prime suspects in damaging and killing nerve cells Abnormal structures—Plaques
and tangles Dr. Alzheimer saw these two
abnormalities in his first subject
What causes AD cont. Plaques
Deposits of protein fragments called beta-amyloids Main cause of amyloid plaques in the
brains of AD patients
Tangles Abnormal protein structures inside nerve
cells
What Causes AD cont.
These two abnormalities form in areas important in learning and memory then start to spread to other regions
Scientists believe plaques and tangles somehow block communication among nerve cells and disrupt activities that cells need to survive
“You lose interest in certain things like golfing or doing fancy work. You aren’t as good at things as you used to be and tend to steer away from them. You repeat things a lot. There is confusion. It takes twice as along to get the day in order.”
--Lori McIntyre
What are the Signs? AD comes along with many signs
Some more obvious then others 10 main warning signs
Memory Loss Challenges in solving problems Difficulty completing tasks Confusion with time or place Trouble understanding visual images
“One day you know something, the next day, poof, you just don’t. Sometimes it just gets to you.”
--Lori McIntyre
What are the signs cont. Problems with speaking or writing Misplacing things and losing the
ability to retrace steps Poor judgment Withdrawal from work or social events Changes in mood and personality
The following signs can also be signs of normal aging, but it’s still safe to be checked by a Dr. if experiencing any of these signs
How to Prevent It? Physical Activity--reduces the risk of AD by up to 50%
Lifting weights Running or walking
Mind Stretching Games--help rewire your brain, increasing the number of synapses, or connections, between brain cells Chess Word Scrambles Crossword Puzzles
Can reduce your chances of AD by up to 75%
“So find a piano teacher, sign up for a bridge club or pull out the chess board and challenge your partner or best friend to a round,”
-- Pamela Peeke
Prevention cont. Eating a healthy diet
Fruits & Veggies high in antioxidants Cold-water fish high in omega-3 fatty acids
Consuming a generous amount of omega-3 fats provides essential building blocks for better brain function
Nuts Blueberries (brainberries)
Maintaining a healthy weight Those who are obese are twice as likely to develop AD
Alarming Stats Someone in the US develops Alzheimer’s disease about
every 70 seconds An estimated 23% of people over 65 years of age suffer
from mild cognitive impairment Are you in the prime of your life? You better think
twice..approximately 500,000 Americans under age 65 suffer from AD
The prevalence of AD and other forms of dementia are rising steadily
Facts & Figures As many as 5.3 million people in the United
States are living with Alzheimer’s Alzheimer's and dementia triple healthcare
costs for Americans age 65 and older Alzheimer's is the seventh-leading cause of
death The direct and indirect costs of Alzheimer's
and other dementias to Medicare, Medicaid and businesses amount to more than $148 billion each year
Alzheimer’s Memory Walk Walk towards a world without Alzheimer’s
Raising funds and awareness to stop this devastating disease
Grand Forks, ND– Columbia Mall Saturday, September 11, 2010 Two-mile walk route
Nations largest event to raise awareness and funds for AD care, support and research.
Since 1989 it has raises more than $300 million for the cause.
600 locations nationwide
Conclusion Alzheimer’s disease is not to be
taken lightly 5.3 million people are living with AD
today and the number are rising steadily “Life without memory is essentially
life without life.” (Sandra Cabot)
Let’s prevent this disease!
Websites I used! http://memorywalk10.kintera.org/faf/help/helpEventInfo.asp?ievent=3
34989&lis=1&kntae334989=336BA61AE704473BA9E499E3E0EAF950
http://media.photobucket.com/image/alzheimer%252527s%20awareness/dazzlej2/awareness/alzheimers/alzheimers-awareness.gif
http://www.alz.org/advocacy/2006program/images/charts/5.gif
http://www.foreverlivinghealth.com/images/blueberries.jpg
http://images.free-extras.com/pics/v/vegetables-581.jpg
http://buychesssetnow.com/misc_images/family-playing-chess.jpg
http://reginanuzzo.com/wp-content/walking01.jpg
http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumb_241/1203973701hCd1uv.jpg
http://lancastria.net/blog/?p=1794
http://mirrorreflections.wordpress.com/2008/08/16/alzheimers-disease-an-unsolved-challenge/
http://scrapetv.com/News/News%20Pages/Health/Images/alzheimers-brain.jpg
http://alzdis.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/alois-alzheimer.jpg
http://www.alz.org/memorywalk/