10 Things You Should Know About Alzheimer's Disease

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give 5 bilion to the company that finds a cure instead of jest a treatment or it will become a cash cow. and dont tax the money.

don of NC 5:07PM March 25, 2009

I hope that the scientists, the doctors who are working on this will find a cure soon because the baby boomers (like me) will cause the case numbers to sky rocket.
For those of us such as myself who have cared for someone with this wretched disease, it is physically demanding and mentally depressing.
I applaud those who devote themselves to caring for their patients with Alzheimer's.
My grandmother died in the fetal position because of Alzheimer's; although it was not the direct cause of the deaths my uncle and mother, it made their last years miserable, unhappy, confused, and unable to cope.
any support for research, treatment, and care is greatly appreciated by the families.

anonymous of TX 5:03PM March 25, 2009

While reading the metro (metro.us) I came across an article that mentioned Jonathon Porritt, an advisor to Prime Minister Gordon Brown "Will warn that the population of the island must be cut from more than 61 million down to 30million." How do you think they will accomplish this Population Control? My thoughts are, in the coming years expect more viruses, diseases and wars! Everyone should read "Behold A Pale Horse" By William Cooper, Its an eye opener for anyone who reads it with an open mind!

Tommy of MA 5:01PM March 25, 2009

People should be screened to identify APOE genotypes. Those who also are exposed to Herpes A (the oral kind) are significantly at risk for Alz.
Sadly this virus is approx 90% across the 50+ year old age groups. Even though folks don't have cold sores they can still have the virus.
IMHO future research will find that viruses are a significant co-factor in most of these issues. Epi-genetics will be another factor, i.e. how our parents lived effects how our genes are expressed.
My other big concern is nano-polutants. We are already exposed to these in diesel fumes, scented candels and even would you believe sun cream. Our bodies cells have limited defense against these invasive materials that it has not evolved (or created) to cope with.
Just as the financial industry and food industry is un-regulated, so are these other areas. Leaving these problems to the cognicence of corporations that have oposing priorities is not the solution.

moab of CA 4:59PM March 25, 2009

I think the early signs should be the topic of an article, this article mentions it but didn't discuss what they were.

charlene west of FL 4:52PM March 25, 2009

Number 5 lists that 18 Percent of People also have Diabetes and that 23 percent have diabetes. Seems likes there should have been another disease? Parkinsons?

Geoff of OR 4:44PM March 25, 2009

Stop eating foods that are not properly cooked. Stop eating processed meats.
We never had this before. Stay away from fast food places.

Lewis B. Sckolnick of MA 4:40PM March 25, 2009

Has anyone ever studied the quality, not quantity, of a persons sleep in relation to Alzheimer's? We have Alzheimer's in my family. Although I am relatively young, 40, when I don't get proper sleep, less than four hours, for more than a couple of night's in a row. I am woken by my alarm clock in the morning which is so loud I could not ignore or sleep through it. Some mornings I will look at the clock for a minute or more wondering what it is and how do I stop this noise. The numbers on the clock mean something, but what. When the weekend arrives I force myself to make up the sleep, sometimes staying in bed more than 12 hours, and I wake up perfectly fine. I don't drink alcohol.

Rob of NY 4:40PM March 25, 2009

My mother passed away last year after suffering for about 5 years from Alzheimer's. I wish I could believe that keeping the mind active would help stave off the disease, but her situation indicates otherwise. She was a very smart woman who served on the school board for 16 years and did the taxes for the family-business until about age 70. She read constantly and played computer games. She never forgot anything, even the things we all wanted her to forget!
Then she forgot the combination to the safe, she forgot how to drive, she forgot how to cook, she did not recognize her own family and on and on. She lost nearly 80 pounds and indeed her body forgot how to function. My father took care of her for several years but the last 16 months of her life, spent in a very nice nursing home, cost him about $100,000. He would have given up everything he had to take care of her, but it bothered him a great deal to see his money evaporate as she got worse and worse. I wonder how people with no money even begin to deal with this situation.
I hope and pray for a medical solution that will halt the progression and maybe someday cure this terrible disease, but I do not think we can really link its onset to lack of mental activity.

mbstrong of AL 4:27PM March 25, 2009

I watched my Dad progress from a great Salesman to someone i did not know. Through out the process my mother took care of him and it slowly wore her down. In the end my Dad died after an 8 year battle with the disease. Then my mother spent the last four years fighting a variety of diseases that seemed to pop up after my Dad was gone. I guess it goes to show how dedicated my mother was to my Dad. She is still with me but has suffered through cancer and heart issues. Helping my Dad almost cost us her life also. The strange part of this is that my Dad spent the last 8 years in a nursing home with my mom visiting everyday to make sure he got everything he needed to be happy and safe. I cannot imagine what a family goes through who has the patient at home. It was very difficult even with my dad in the nursing home. Thank God for Family.

John Puckett of NC 3:58PM March 25, 2009