The Alzheimers Question

[PigsnieLite]

No, it cant be just physical health. 90% of the Alzheimers afflicted people I help in the nursing home are fairly healthy, non-drinkers, although a few used to smoke. (NO SMOKING in FACILITY!) I guess we better look hard at our aunts & uncles, granmas & granpas!

[JudgeThatMovie9]

Let me put it in a simple way.

You can decrease the chance of Alzheimers by:

1. Reading and understanding the article at hand on a daily routine (Doesn't have to be a novel or book).

2. Job-wise. A job that requires a lot of thinking usually results in a very low risk of the disease.

3. Don't sniff the helium in the balloons daily.


It's more mental than it is physical.

[Claireofthemoon]

Originally Posted by JudgeThatMovie9

It's more mental than it is physical.

Wrong. The below is from Medicinenet.com. I think they're probably better informed than you. http://www.medicinenet.com/alzheimer...ms/article.htm

Who develops Alzheimer's disease?

The main risk factor for Alzheimer's disease is increased age. As a population ages, the frequency of Alzheimer's disease continues to increase. Ten percent of people over 65 years of age and 50% of those over 85 years of age have Alzheimer's disease. Unless new treatments are developed to decrease the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease, the number of individuals with Alzheimer's disease in the United States is expected to be 14 million by the year 2050.

There are also genetic risk factors for Alzheimer's disease. Most patients develop Alzheimer's disease after age 70. However, 2%-5% of patients develop the disease in the fourth or fifth decade of life (40s or 50s). At least half of these early onset patients have inherited gene mutations associated with their Alzheimer's disease. Moreover, the children of a patient with early onset Alzheimer's disease who has one of these gene mutations has a 50% risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

There is also a genetic risk for late onset cases. A relatively common form of a gene located on chromosome 19 is associated with late onset Alzheimer's disease. In the majority of Alzheimer's disease cases, however, no specific genetic risks have yet been identified.

Other risk factors for Alzheimer's disease include high blood pressure (hypertension), coronary artery disease, diabetes, and possibly elevated blood cholesterol. Individuals who have completed less than eight years of education also have an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease. These factors increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease, but by no means do they mean that Alzheimer's disease is inevitable in persons with these factors.

All patients with Down syndrome will develop the brain changes of Alzheimer's disease by 40 years of age. This fact was also a clue to the "amyloid hypothesis of Alzheimer's disease" (see section later in this article).

[JudgeThatMovie9]

@Claireothemoon

Just ask DrPepper. And what's the Source?

[Claireofthemoon]

Originally Posted by JudgeThatMovie9

@Claireothemoon

Just ask DrPepper. And what's the Source?

Ask DrPepper..why? and what source are you talking about? I posted a link.

[JudgeThatMovie9]

^ Which doesn't work.

[tullochnz]

I have never met anyone with it , all I know is people with it end up forgetting everybody and everything that mattered to them in their lives-got to be hard on relatives that.

[Claireofthemoon]

Originally Posted by JudgeThatMovie9

^ Which doesn't work.

Click it again. I had a problem with it at first. Why should I ask DrPepper?

[JudgeThatMovie9]

^ You go and ask DrPepper. I heard he specializes in this kind of stuff.

Ok, the link now works and the source is reliable. The problem is these:

Moreover, the children of a patient with early onset Alzheimer's disease who has one of these gene mutations has a 50% risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Not enough information to determine how this is true.

A relatively common form of a gene located on chromosome 19 is associated with late onset Alzheimer's disease. In the majority of Alzheimer's disease cases, however, no specific genetic risks have yet been identified.

More research has to be done before they can make this conclusion.

All patients with Down syndrome will develop the brain changes of Alzheimer's disease by 40 years of age.

This is why I find this hard to believe (In Bold). Source:

Aging and Down Syndrome Lifespan

Alzheimer’s disease is a common occurrence in people with Down syndrome. Most people (with Down syndrome) seem to begin to show changes characteristic of Alzheimer’s in their brains in their early 40’s. They have come to the conclusion therefore, that there is a connection between Trisomy 21 and Alzheimer’s disease.
Though research is making great progress, the mechanism of these brain changes is still not fully understand. Currently researchers are looking for ways to slow down these brain changes.

[Pelicula]

Alzheimer's Disease - NHS Choices

Also, prevention according to the above link:

• Stop Smoking
• avoid drinking large amounts of alcohol
• eat a healthy, balanced diet, including at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day
• exercise for at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (i.e. cycling or fast walking) every week as this will improve both your physical and mental health
• stay mentally active, for example, by reading, writing or taking an adult education course

The green I follow. Third one is rather important though... eek.