Alzheimer's Reading Room

Alzheimer's Reading Room

Bob DeMarco  //  

 
Jan 29 / 5:37am

Alzheimer's Support Groups and Google Hangout

I read about Alzheimer's caregivers all the time that say they are lonely or don't have anyone to talk too. There is a simple solution to this problem.

By Bob DeMarco 
Alzheimer's Reading Room

I am sitting here wondering if there are any support groups out there built around Google Hangout.

Anybody?

You might be wondering, what is a Google hangout?

If you know what a hangout is, are you pressing the blue Google +1 button and sharing articles from the Alzheimer's Reading Room with your circles?

Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

 
Nov 13 / 5:41pm

Brainy App for Alzheimer's

Researchers from the University of New South Wales have developed a new free app which might help reduce the risk or delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

By Bob DeMarco 
Alzheimer's Reading Room 

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BrainyApp was developed by Alzheimer’s Australia and Bupa Health Foundation to raise awareness of the risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, and to help you live a brain healthy life.

"People need to start thinking about their brain health earlier in life. The changes in the brain that lead to dementia can start when people are in their 30s and 40s," 

Although the evidence is still developing, we are learning that there are a wide range of lifestyle choices and activities that can improve brain health, and which in turn may reduce the risk of dementia." -- Dr Michael Valenzuela, head of the Regenerative Neuroscience Group at the University of New South Wales


Download BrainyApp Today – FREE!

Most of the top notch Alzheimer's scientist believe that lifestyle choices can/might make a difference in the onset of Alzheimer's disease. This is a strong and growing belief.

I share this belief.

Let me make this simple. I would have given my right arm for a few more years with the lovable, real life character, Dotty. My mother.

I think most Alzheimer's caregivers feel the same way I do.

If good lifestyle choices delayed the onset of Alzheimer's by a few years it would be well worth the effort. Besides, sooner or later there is going to be a treatment that either stops, or dramatically slows the progression of Alzheimer's.

Current studies indicated if the onset of Alzheimer's could be delayed by five years the number of persons suffering from Alzheimer's would be cut in half.

Its worth checking out. Plus, its free.

Good enough for me. You decide for yourself.

I have no relationship of any type with Brainy App or its inventors.

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More Insight and Advice for Caregivers 

  • How Alzheimer's Destroys the Brain -- Video
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  • What is Alzheimer's Disease?
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  • What’s the Difference Between Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia
  • Communicating in Alzheimer's World
  • How the Loss of Memory Works in Alzheimer’s Disease, and How Understanding This Could Help You
  • Learning How to Communicate with Someone Suffering From Alzheimer's Disease
  • Alzheimer's World -- Trying to Reconnect with Someone Suffering from Alzheimer's Disease
  • Does the Combination of Aricept and Namenda Help Slow the Rate of Decline in Alzheimer's Patients
  • About the Alzheimer's Reading Room
    •
    Media_http3bpblogspot_vmyfx
    Bob DeMarco is the Founder of theAlzheimer's Reading Room and an Alzheimer's caregiver. The blog contains more than 3,101 articles with more than 452,100 links on the Internet. Bob lives in Delray Beach, FL.

    Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room
     
    Oct 14 / 9:36am

    Alzheimer's Patient Sings and Talks to Parrot (Video)

    Dotty performs live, and talks with Harvey the Parrot

     

     

    Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

     
    Oct 12 / 2:16am

    Dotty Sings Shine on Harvest Moon

    So shine on, shine on, harvest moon,
    For me and my gal.

    By Bob DeMarco
    Alzheimer's Reading Room

    Media_http3bpblogspot_dkffd
    Tonight I took Dotty out for a ride after dark.

    When we went outside we immediately noticed this great big Hunter's Moon. The Hunter's Moon is the moon that comes after the Harvest Moon.

    The Harvest moon is the one closest too, not after the autumn equinox.

    While we were in the car I started singing, Shine on Harvest Moon. Sure enough Dotty joined right in. She couldn't remember all the words, as should be obvious.

    Then we went silent. After a while Dotty started singing again. This time she did a really good job although her voice sounded a little bit funny. When she stopped she started laughing. Then she said, I am losing my voice, and laughed some more.

    It was a really wonderful moment that has me smiling even as I type these words.

    When we arrived back home I kept singing the song and so did Dotty. Then I thought, lets go for it.

    And here she is for your listening pleasure, Dotty singing Shine on Harvest Moon. It is a little loud so you might have to adjust the volume.

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    Bob DeMarco is the Founder of the Alzheimer's Reading Room and an Alzheimer's caregiver. The blog contains more than 2,910 articles with more than 652,100 links on the Internet. Bob lives in Delray Beach, FL.

    Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

    Filed under  //  alzheimers   dotty   music   patient   shine on harvest moon  
     
    Oct 11 / 6:55pm

    Mayo Clinic Study Identifies Earliest Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease

    The group’s work marked the first attempt to define criteria for Alzheimer’s preclinical phase, which is increasingly recognized as a long latent stage of the disease in which Alzheimer’s pathology and biomarkers of that pathology become abnormal, while subjects remain clinically asymptomatic.

    Alzheimer's Reading Room

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    Ronald C. Petersen
    “Without the additional categories we recommend, more than half of all preclinical AD patients would be ‘forced’ into a category that was not descriptive of their current state,” says co-author Ronald C. Petersen, M.D., Ph.D., a neurologist and the Cora Kanow Professor of Alzheimer’s Disease Research at Mayo Clinic.

    “By more clearly defining the stages of preclinical Alzheimer’s disease and categories of elderly subjects who should not be classified as preclinical AD, we can improve its diagnosis and help in the management of this devastating disease.”



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    Mayo Clinic Study Identifies Earliest Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease

    Addressing the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s disease, before a patient shows outward signs of cognitive problems, has sometimes been a challenge for physicians and researchers, in part because they have not been using common and specific terms to describe the disease’s initial phases.

    A Mayo Clinic study recommends adding categories to more effectively identify and treat people and give researchers standard definitions to work with. The study is published in this month’s issue of the Annals of Neurology.

    The researchers assessed new guidelines for preclinical Alzheimer’s disease (AD) that were recently published by a working group formed by the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer’s Association (NIA-AA).

    The group’s work marked the first attempt to define criteria for Alzheimer’s preclinical phase, which is increasingly recognized as a long latent stage of the disease in which Alzheimer’s pathology and biomarkers of that pathology become abnormal, while subjects remain clinically asymptomatic.

    The guidelines represented a significant step forward because evidence increasingly suggests this early phase is the best time to treat the disease.

    The Mayo researchers concluded, however, that the three stages defined by the workgroup are not sufficient to describe all cognitively normal elderly patients. They recommend adding two more groups.

    “The important guidelines developed by the NIA-AA workgroup were a vital step in clarifying the progression of this devastating disease and aiding in earlier diagnosis,” says lead author Clifford R. Jack, Jr., M.D., a Mayo Clinic neurologist and the Alexander Family Professor of Alzheimer’s Disease Research. “Our study builds on that work by recommending two additional sub-groups that merit attention.”

    In addition to stages 1, 2 and 3 identified by the NIA-AA workgroup, the authors suggest two additional categories:

    -- Stage 0: Patients with normal biomarkers and no evidence of cognitive impairment. An estimated 43 percent of all cognitively normal elderly people would be classified as Stage 0.

    -- SNAP patients: Those with “suspected non-AD pathophysiology.” Such patients have normal brain amyloid imaging studies, but abnormal neurodegeneration biomarkers. An estimated 23 percent of cognitively normal elderly patients would fall into the SNAP category.

    “Without the additional categories we recommend, more than half of all preclinical AD patients would be ‘forced’ into a category that was not descriptive of their current state,” says co-author Ronald C. Petersen, M.D., Ph.D., a neurologist and the Cora Kanow Professor of Alzheimer’s Disease Research at Mayo Clinic. “By more clearly defining the stages of preclinical Alzheimer’s disease and categories of elderly subjects who should not be classified as preclinical AD, we can improve its diagnosis and help in the management of this devastating disease.”

    According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than 5.4 million Americans have the disease, and its incidence is on the rise; one American develops the disease every 69 seconds. Alzheimer’s destroys brain cells, causing memory, thinking and behavioral problems severe enough to affect work, family and social relationships. Eventually, it affects the most basic activities of daily living, is incurable and, ultimately, is fatal. Alzheimer’s is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States, and the fifth-leading cause for people 65 and older, association statistics show.

    About Mayo Clinic
    Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit worldwide leader in medical care, research and education for people from all walks of life. For more information, visit www.mayoclinic.com and www.mayoclinic.org/news.


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    Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

    Filed under  //  Alzheimer’s preclinical phase   Earliest Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease   Stage 0   cognitive impairment   health   life news   mayo clinic  
     
    Oct 11 / 2:00pm

    Gantenerumab for Alzheimer’s Disease Removes Amyloid Plaques from the Brain

    Findings help elucidate how this investigational compound may help treat Alzheimer's disease

    By Bob DeMarco
    Alzheimer's Reading Room

    Media_http4bpblogspot_cvabb
    The study described below is early stage Alzheimer's research and medical science. This looks interesting and promising to me.

    Please note, this drug is moving to a Phase 2 clinical trial. The clinical trial will be available in 82 locations all over the world.

    The next phase of investigation will evaluate the effect of gantenerumab (RO4909832) on cognition and functioning and the safety of the drug in patients with prodromal Alzheimer's Disease. Prodromal more or less means early symptoms that might indicate the start up of a disease. In this case Alzheimer's disease.

    If you know someone that is experiencing memory loss beyond what would be considered normal aging, or if you know someone that is starting to have problems doing things that like balancing a checkbook you should consider bringing this clinical trial into their awareness.


    If you are related to someone that has Alzheimer's and you are starting to worry that you might be starting to experience memory problems you should look at this study.

    For anyone that is worried about Alzheimer's and believes they might be having early symptoms of cognitive impairment they should consider this study.

    Here is the best part. You will be tested before entering this clinical trial. This testing will let you know where you stand. If you should be worried and taking action.

    All the testing in a clinical trial is free to the participant. This included the pre-admittance testing.

    For more information including inclusion and exclusion criteria, the available locations and contact information go here, A Study of Gantenerumab in Patients With Prodromal Alzheimer's Disease.

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    Study Shows That Roche's Investigational Drug for Alzheimer's Disease Removes Amyloid Plaques From the Brain

    Roche (RO, ROG, RHHBY) today announced the publication of a study demonstrating that its monoclonal antibody gantenerumab removes amyloid plaques from the brain of patients with Alzheimer's disease. The study "Mechanism of amyloid removal in patients with Alzheimer disease treated with gantenerumab" is published today in the October issue of Archives in Neurology.

    It is the first time that clinical data has been published for gantenerumab, an investigational compound with a mechanism of action targeted at the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.

    Results from Phase I clinical trials and ex vivo studies demonstrated that gantenerumab treatment results in a dose-dependent reduction of brain amyloid, possibly through phagocytosis via brain microglial cells, whereas amyloid load increased in patients receiving placebo treatment.

    "These results and especially the rapidity of the effects observed on amyloid removal are very encouraging and pave the way for the development of a novel treatment for Alzheimer's disease," said Luca Santarelli, Global Head of Roche Neuroscience Disease Translational Area. "Our approach is to utilize biomarkers to diagnose and treat the disease at a very early stage before significant damage to the brain has occurred."

    Gantenerumab is an investigational fully human anti-amyloid beta monoclonal antibody designed to bind to amyloid plaques in the brain and remove them. It is hoped that this approach will slow progression of the disease, an outcome that cannot be achieved with currently approved treatments.

    "Our objective was not only to demonstrate the effects of gantenerumab on brain amyloid, but also to start elucidating its mechanism of action," added Santarelli, "this is extremely important to fully understand the compound's therapeutic potential for Alzheimer's disease."

    Since it is known that amyloid accumulates in patients' brains about 15 years prior to the onset of dementia, ongoing and future clinical studies with gantenerumab will focus on Alzheimer's disease in the early or prodromal phase. It is hoped that early diagnosis and intervention, before significant damage to nerve cells has occurred, will offer optimal benefit to patients.

    About the study

    The effect of up to six months of treatment with gantenerumab at two different doses or placebo on brain amyloid was measured in 16 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease using positron emission tomography (PET) and the radiotracer 11C-Pittsburgh Compound B. In addition, Alzheimer's disease brain slices from an independent patient sample were incubated with gantenerumab at increasing concentrations and with human microglia in an ex vivo phagocytosis assay.

    The next step will be to investigate whether removal of brain amyloid translates into clinical benefit for patients at doses of gantenerumab that reduce brain amyloid and are well tolerated, with a favorable safety profile.

    This is the objective of the SCarlet RoAD trial, which is set to investigate the efficacy and safety of gantenerumab in patients in the early or prodromal stage of Alzheimer's disease. Early or prodromal Alzheimer's disease is a condition in which a person's memory loss is worse than can be expected by the normal ageing process alone, even though their ability to get on with daily activities is not affected to such an extent that they would be diagnosed with dementia.

    The SCarlet RoAD study is currently recruiting 360 patients in 15 countries and will look at the effects that gantenerumab has on participants' ability to remember information, to solve problems and to go about day-to-day activities. For more information: http://www.scarletroadstudy.com/

    About gantenerumab (RG1450)

    Gantenerumab is an investigational fully human anti-A beta antibody, identified and optimized by phage display technology in cooperation with MorphoSys AG, a Munich-based Biotech. It passes the blood-brain-barrier and has a high capacity to specifically bind to cerebral amyloid plaques. While the exact mechanism of antibody-mediated reduction of the amyloid burden is controversial, there is evidence that upon binding of gantenerumab to amyloid plaques brain-resident microglial cells are activated and clear plaques by a process called phagocytosis.

    More information on the putative mechanism of the anti-amyloid action of gantenerumab can be found in a recent article entitled "Gantenerumab: A novel human anti-A beta antibody demonstrates sustained cerebral amyloid-beta binding and elicits cell-mediated removal of human amyloid-beta" published by Roche scientists in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease(2).

    About Roche
    Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is a leader in research-focused healthcare with combined strengths in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. Roche is the world's largest biotech company with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, virology, inflammation, metabolism and CNS. Roche is also the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics, tissue-based cancer diagnostics and a pioneer in diabetes management. Roche's personalised healthcare strategy aims at providing medicines and diagnostic tools that enable tangible improvements in the health, quality of life and survival of patients.

    SOURCE Roche

    Mechanism of Amyloid Removal in Patients With Alzheimer Disease Treated With Gantenerumab


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    Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room
    Filed under  //  Alzheimer’s disease   Amyloid Plaques   Gantenerumab   Prodromal   brain   clinical trial   health   life news   medical science   memory loss   prodromal Alzheimer's   science  
     
    Oct 11 / 12:56am

    Alzheimer’s Can’t Stop Naomi Kliman’s Beautiful Music

    “It’s not unusual for people with the disease to turn to activities that used to give them pleasure . . . It reminds them of who they are.”

    By Max Wallack
    Alzheimer's Reading Room

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    There was a beautiful story in the Boston Globe about Naomi Kliman. Naomi was a music teacher who taught piano for almost 65 years. During her career, she taught over 1,000 students.

    Today, at 82, Naomi lives in an assisted living facility. She has Alzheimer’s disease. Naomi, and her piano, moved into the assisted living facility when she was 80.


    According to John Ziesel, cofounder of ARTZ (Artists for Alzheimer’s),

    “It’s not unusual for people with the disease to turn to activities that used to give them pleasure . . . It reminds them of who they are.”

    About Kliman, John Ziesel says,

    “At a deep level, [Kliman] knows that when she plays she is seen as a pianist and if she stops playing she’ll be seen as a sick person.”


    If you don't see the video go here.

    You can read more about Naomi Kliman here.

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    Media_http1bpblogspot_eggcb
    Max Wallack is a student at Boston University Academy. His great grandmother, Gertrude, suffered from Alzheimer's disease. Max is the founder of PUZZLES TO REMEMBER. PTR is a project that provides puzzles to nursing homes and veterans institutions that care for Alzheimer's and dementia patients.

    Original content Max Wallack, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

    Filed under  //  alzheimers   health   life news   music   naomi kilman  
     
    Oct 10 / 6:58pm

    Poo with an Odor of Mothballs

    First question, did you ever have a problem with poo that smelled like a mothball?

    By Bob DeMarco
    Alzheimer's Reading Room

    Media_http3bpblogspot_igkth
    No, this is not a trick question or trick headline.

    In the comments under the article, Dotty Pood, our reader Mimosa22 mentioned that she had this problem

    Poo with an Odor of Mothballs

    I never heard this one before.



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    I did have one problem that I solved by doing some research. Poo that smelled really really bad.

    To solve that problem we used Align (brand name) Probiotic. Worked like a charm and continues to work.

    First question, did you ever have a problem with poo that smelled like a mothball?

    If so, how did you solve the problem?

    If not, any ideas on how this problem might or could be solved?

    Use the Add New Comments box below to add you solution. Feel free to talk among yourselves about this one.

    I am really looking forward to your comment(s). Don't be shy, enter a comment.

    I wonder if Dr Oz knows the answer?

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    Bob DeMarco is the Founder of the Alzheimer's Reading Room and an Alzheimer's caregiver. The blog contains more than 2,910 articles with more than 652,100 links on the Internet. Bob lives in Delray Beach, FL.

    Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room
    Filed under  //  alzheimers   health   life news   poo   poop  
     
    Oct 10 / 2:00pm

    Understanding Living with Dementia

    “Don't make me feel bad for not being the old me or remind me of what I used to be able to do. Just give me the space to be me”

    By Monica Heltemes

    Mary, a 70 year old woman, a former schoolteacher, church choir member, knitter, and mother of 3 enters a restaurant with her daughter.

    Her daughter is looking forward to a nice chat and meal with her mother. Mary, though, is feeling very anxious. She is not sure about what she is wearing; “ Does it match okay? Am I missing anything?” she wonders. She wants to ask her daughter, so starts “Do I need a…….?

    She wants to be sure she is warm, but cannot think what to ask for. “What do you want?” her daughter responds. The word won’t come, so is forced to say “Oh never mind, it’s not important.”


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    Conversation in the car is difficult, as her daughter rattles on and on about one thing after another. Mary sits quietly and does not try to enter into conversation, lest she say something out of place.

    When they reach the restaurant, the questions begin. “Where would you like to sit?” “Is the sun too bright over here?” her daughter asks. Mary replies, “Whatever you decide is fine”, not knowing how else to answer. After finding a table, her anxiety grows. The tables nearby are loud with conversation.

    When the waitress arrives, she struggles to follow her. “The special of the day is….” She loses the rest. The waitress keeps talking about lunch options, but Mary cannot follow. The menu is no help to her; there are words everywhere, but no words that string together for Mary to describe an item for her.

    Then more questions, “What would you like to eat? What would you like to drink?”, from the waitress. Then her daughter prodding – “go ahead mom, tell her what you want. She is waiting for you.” Mary is overwhelmed and tries to contain her frustration. She finally answers “the special”, although she has no idea what the special is. Mary cannot wait to leave this restaurant.

    Mary has early stage Alzheimer’s disease. The symptoms she experienced in this scenario include memory loss, difficulty multi-tasking, difficulty decision making,communication and word-finding difficulty.

    As the person living with dementia has more difficulties with thinking, they need more help from others. These helpers can be called care-partners and may include family, friends, and neighbors. Often, care-partners do not understand what the person with dementia may be experiencing, thinking, or feeling. Therefore, they may not know how to best help and may inadvertently make things worse.

    I have had the fortune to hear from actual persons living with dementia. Their insights can help care-partners better understand the person’s experience and lead them to better plans and approaches.

    Persons with dementia ask for respect. They ask to not be talked down to or reprimanded. They ask you to understand their memory and thinking limitations. One woman explained, ““If I ask you to repeat something please don't get upset with me. It is because I am trying to understand what you have just said to me.”

    They ask for help in narrowing down choices; in other words, no “20 questions”. Also, help in choosing environments that are not too stimulating. Reassurance, they say, can go a long way. A gentleman pointed out “If you have to repeat something, or explain it again…just have patience because we are walking slow because even the ground itself betrays us.”

    The person with dementia is changing. But with some subtle changes from the care-partners surrounding them, life with dementia can continue on. As another woman summed up “Don't make me feel bad for not being the old me or remind me of what I used to be able to do. Just give me the space to be me”

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    Monica Heltemes is a practicing occupational therapist and owner of MindStart™. MindStart designs hobby-style items, such as games and puzzles, specifically for persons with memory loss. They keep persons with dementia active, while giving support to caregivers, and are quick and easy to use. Visit MindStart (Activities for Persons with Memory Loss) to learn more.

    Media_http3bpblogspot_ciozt
    26 piece Autumn Puzzle


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    Original content Monica Heltemes, the Alzheimer's Reading Room