Developing Diabetes Prior to Senior Citizen Years Increases Risk of Alzheimer's

A new study published in the January 2009 issue of Diabetes indicates that those suffering from diabetes have a significantly greater risk of suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's. Those who develop diabetes in middle age are at the greatest risk.

This study confirms how important it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle in order to reduce the risk of dementia late in life.

• Ten Million Baby Boomers likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s during their lifetime

• Big belly in middle age triples risk of dementia

• High cholesterol levels in your 40s raises Alzheimer's risk

• For elderly, blood pressure spikes mar thinking

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The Alzheimer's Action Plan: The Experts' Guide to the Best Diagnosis and Treatment for Memory Problems

Source: Weili Xu, et al., "Mid- and Late-Life Diabetes in Relation to the Risk of Dementia." Diabetes: January 2009.

The Alzheimer's Caregiver can become the Patient

Previously I wrote, Where are the Alzheimer's Caregiver Helpers? I am trying to make a point on this blog--the Alzheimer's caregiver can become the patient. I don't think this is well known by families of caregivers. Over the last few years I have heard too many stories of caregivers going it alone while their family looks on. Patting the caregiver on the back while you sit on your butt is not enough. I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that caregiving needs to be done in teams. Don't get me wrong here, I do know families that work together when someone becomes ill.

The Alzheimer's Caregiver can become the Patient

The Alzheimer's Action Plan: The Experts' Guide to the Best Diagnosis and Treatment for Memory Problems

Fountain Of Youth In A Wine Drug?

Alzheimer's caregivers and those predisposed to Alzheimer's by birth are likely to be hearing about the new drug resveratrol. The so-called (by me)---Fountain of Youth drug.

Sirtris, a Cambridge, Mass research company is developing resveratrol-based drugs that they believe zero-in on the longevity gene. These drugs are designed to slow down aging. Basically turning a 90 year old into a 60 year old. The also claim it could ward off diseases like Alzheimer's, diabetes, and cancer.

You might also know that reservatrol is found in red wine. The scientist say you would need to drink about 1000 bottles of wine to get what is contained in one Reseratrol pill.

Right now the only way you can get the Reservatrol pill is if you are a mouse. The Company however is moving from experiments with mice to experiments with humans. The good news is if it works it could be available within five years. Keep in mind, only about ten percent of drugs that work in mice work in humans. The good news is ten percent to do work. We can only hope.

Fountain Of Youth In A Wine Rx?

Anti-psychotic medications can be harmful to Alzheimer's patients'

The use of antipsychotic drugs to "control" difficult behavior, agitation, outbursts and sometimes combative behavior of dementia and Alzheimer's patients is soaring. Sales of newer antipsychotics like Risperdal, Seroquel and Zyprexa have more than tripled to $14 billion, up from $4 billion in 2000, according to currently available statistics. Most of this increase can be traced to prescriptions in nursing homes. Current estimates indicate that about one-third of all nursing home patients have been given antipsychotic drugs. Yikes.

There are at least seventeen studies of elderly people with dementia that compared patients taking an anitpsychotic drug with those taking a placebo. These studies indicate that patients taking the drugs die at a rate almost two times the rate of patients taking the placebo over the course of the study.

Studies show that anti psychotic medications can be harmful to Alzheimer's patients'

If it is not Alzheimer's, What is it?

While searching Google, I ran across an interesting article about Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus(NPH) on the ABC 7 website--San Francisco.

This article reminded me that when my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's my cousin Carole sent me an article about Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus(NPH). Of course, like many I was hoping this would turn out to be my mother's diagnosis rather than the dreaded Alzheimer's disease. It didn't turn out as I hoped but I still believe this is worth looking into as an alternative diagnosis.

As time went on, I learned there are many disease that can present as Alzheimer's. One is hypothyroidism. It turned out my mother was suffered from this disease. Correcting this problem with medication helped her; but, it was not the cure for her Alzheimer's disease.

Over the years I learned many diseases can present as Alzheimer's and each time I consulted with my mother's physician about them. Finding and absorbing this information takes time and a lot of research. If you are wondering about these other causes of Alzheimer's I suggest you take a look at these articles. I believe they are helpful, informative, and interesting.

Eight Types of Dementia Defined

Alzheimer's Question, Where can I get the best medical evaluation for my wife?

Is it Alzheimer's or something else?

Most Early Onset Dementia Not Alzheimer's

Not All Dementia Is Called Alzheimer's

The Alzheimer's Action Plan: The Experts' Guide to the Best Diagnosis and Treatment for Memory Problems

Happy New Year

Happy New Year

Wishing each and everyone of you a wonderful new year.