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/