August 12, 2013
Today's Top Alzheimer's News
Blogging about Alzheimer's, a musical about Alzheimer's and caregiving, the poor link between Alzheimer's and gum disease (read more).
Must reads
- An August 11, 2013 Mashable article interviewed David Hilfiker, a physician blogging about his Alzheimer's diseases. According to the article, "He was first diagnosed in September 2012, although he'd experienced symptoms of "mild cognitive impairment" five years beforehand. David Googled “natural course of Alzheimer’s” to prepare himself for the next few years of his life."
- An August 10, 2013 Los Angeles Times letter-to-the-editor roundup focused on Alzheimer's and memory lapses. According to Jean Ruecker of Simi Valley, "Without a cure, Alzheimer's will gobble up resources at an alarming rate in the next 30 years.We lack capacity in caregiving, medical and social services to care for all those affected now. What will happen when this disease affects three times as many people?"
- An August 9, 2013 Minneapolis Star Tribune article reported that singer/songwriter Jonatha Brooke debuted a one-woman musical in Minneapolis that chronicled her relationship with her mother during her final stages of Alzheimer’s. According to Brooke, “What was so compelling about being with her these last two years was seeing her basic qualities just amplified...A lot of the complicated personality stuff just fell away and what was left was this core human being who was funny and generous and kind and loving and playful and childlike. It was a great discovery to be left with those elements.”
Research and science
- An August 9, 2013 Nursing Times article highlighted holes in research that linked Alzheimer's to gum disease. According to the article, "While there are many good reasons to brush and floss your teeth regularly, the science behind these stories is not as conclusive as the headlines suggest.The research in question only involved 20 people. It found that substances on the surface of the bacterium known to cause gum disease (lipopolysaccharides) were present in the brain tissue of 4 out of 10 recently deceased people who had Alzheimer’s. The bacteria was not found in the brain tissue of people who did not have the disease, however."
- An August 9, 2013 Mississippi Business Journal article highlighted efforts of state institutions and scientists to combat Alzheimer's. According to the article, "Dr. Ronald Schwartz, a licensed neurologist with the Hattiesburg Clinic, has managed ongoing clinical trials for new therapies and medicines related to Alzheimer’s detection and treatment."