MUST READS

According to a March 15, 2019 Newsmax article, UC San Francisco researchers found that keeping skin moisturized could reduce the risk of developing dementia. The skin may be triggering inflammation that is linked to chronic diseases tied to aging, including Alzheimer’s. “The inflammation must come from an organ big enough that very minor inflammation can affect the whole body… As we age, our skin starts to lose moisture and there is a deterioration of the permeability barrier, which keeps water in and bacteria and other pathogens out.  The combination of the two factors result in the release inflammatory cytokines and eventually they reach the bloodstream,” said study senior author Mao-Qiang Man of the Department of Dermatology.

ETHICS

A March 18, 2019 The Daily Beast article spotlighted the story of Noé de la Cruz, who has Alzheimer’s disease and has been detained in an ICE center for the better part of a year. ICE does not have a specific policy regarding people with diagnosed cognitive decline. If he is deported to his native Mexico, he doesn’t have family there that can care for him. Sandra de la Cruz, Noé’s daughter, speaks about the situation. According to the article, “”I understand we have to follow the rules, that’s why we have laws. But sometimes, it’s a different situation. He’s not a dangerous person, he’s just not in a well condition…” Sandra said tearfully. Most heartbreaking, she said, is that her father is forgetting his beloved grandchildren, who still can’t comprehend why their grandfather is detained. “Every time we go to see him, they ask me, ‘when does Papa come back?’”

RESEARCH AND SCIENCE

A March 14, 2019 IFL Science! article looked at how the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease is affected by having distant family with the disease. University of Utah researchers, utilizing data from the Utah Population Database, found that people with one first-degree family member (parents, siblings), and one second-degree relative (grandparents, aunts, uncles, half-siblings), with Alzheimer’s, were 21 times more likely to develop the disease. Those with three affected third-degree relatives (first cousins, great-grandparents, great aunts, great uncles) had a 43 percent higher risk. “We found that having a broader view of family history may help better predict risk. These results potentially could lead to better diagnoses and help patients and their families in making health-related decisions,” said study author Lisa A. Cannon-Albright.

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

A March 16, 2019 ABC 4 News article highlighted the T2 Study to treat Alzheimer's, dementia, and memory loss, which is now recruiting potential participants for a clinical drug trial at Roper St. Francis hospital in South Carolina. Participants will take triulozole, which eliminates the inflammatory process that Alzheimer’s causes in the brain. The state has the eighth highest rate for Alzheimer’s-related deaths.

PROFILES IN COURAGE

A March 17, 2019 The Journal Gazette opinion piece by Patti Hagadorn, who has early-onset dementia, writes about the selective memories that dementia steals. “I remember the good old days, but I cannot remember my address, my husband's middle name, what I ate and where I live. The list is long but not my stamina,” Hagadorn writes. “The bathroom confuses me. Dressing confuses me, counting money and signing papers are a no-no… This disease is terrifying to all who are affected. I watch my family members' faces as I struggle to speak. They always say, “take your time.” But time is not exactly on my side these days.”

FEEL GOOD STORY OF THE DAY

A March 14, 2019 Fox News article showed a video of a three year-old girl, in her princess dress, dancing with her grandfather who has both Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s. The video went viral after it was posted on Facebook.