Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Resisting Alzheimer’s Disease

Ok one more ... let me know what you think.  This is one of the most important projects we might be able to do.


Resistance


Background of Project

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, ultimately fatal, disorder in which certain types of nerve cells in particular areas of the brain degenerate and die for unknown reasons. There is no known cure.

Regions of the brain that are vulnerable include the amygdala as well as the hippocampus and some areas around the hippocampus. Affected cell populations include cortical pathways involved in catecholaminergic, serotonergic and cholinergic transmission. The scientific study of the nature of this disease and its causes, processes, development, and consequences have led to the belief that is the underlying cause of the classic clinical presentation of memory deficits followed by gradual erosion of judgment, reasoning ability, verbal fluency and other cognitive skills. (Association, 2012)

At the outset of the project Doctor David Lahasky was contacted for validation of the theory that technology could potentially be used to resist the onslaught of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease. After receiving the presentation included in Appendix A of this presentation, Dr. Lahasky responded as follows:

I think the program is great and is very exciting.  The real issue is to detect and begin a program in patients who are in the early stages.  .

There is a great article in the  ANNALS of internal medicine from 2010 on Alzheimer’s disease sponsored by the NIH.  This was not sponsored by a drug company..  In this article it will discuss what little we know about Alzheimer's disease.  It is able to demonstrate that the medications have very little affect.  What impressed me the most was on page 180 regarding cognitive engagement, a large randomized trial of cognitive training consisting of memory, reasoning, and speed over only a 5 to 6 weeks period  showed modest benefits and had a statistically significant effect on reducing the extent of the age-related cognitive decline at a 5 year follow-up.  I was impressed that it only took 5 to 6 weeks to get a 5-year statistically significant improvement. One can only wonder if you 6 months to a year worth of a significant cognitive engagement how much improvement would you actually develop.

Its great hearing from you and hope all is well.

The article in the journal is from August 3, 2010.

David M. Lahasky,M.D.

The catalyst of this project is a personal commitment to an Alzheimer’s Disease patient within the family of, and who is in the direct care of, Timothy and Arelys Tuohy. During the process of performing the care which is an extreme burden on the family, an effort was begun to find a way – any way – to help slow or eradicate the symptoms of this terrible, terminal disease. There are two major considerations as to resisting the onset of these symptoms however and they are well documented in the article cited above by David Lahasky. (Lahasky, 2011)

Social and Cognitive Engagement

Whereas findings on the association of cognitive decline with living alone or being without a partner are inconsistent, a robust association exists between the loss of a spouse and cognitive decline. Limited but inconsistent evidence suggests that increased involvement in cognitive activities in later life may be associated with slower cognitive decline and lower risk for mild cognitive impairment.

Physical Activity and Other Leisure Activities

          Preliminary evidence suggests beneficial associations of physical activity and other leisure activities (such as club membership, religious services, painting, or gardening) with preservation of cognitive function. (Martha L. Daviglus, Carl C. Bell, Wade Berrettini, Phyllis E. Bowen, & E. Sander Connolly Jr., 2010)

         This project then became a passion and obsession as Timothy began to realize there existing technology that could be made or created to help in the process of combatting Alzheimer’s and while it may have been too late for his family member it may not be too late for others. His hypothesis was that a software could be created that would work similarly to Rosetta Stone for function but similar to Facebook for content. The technology to be developed by this project would allow clinicians and family members to upload pictures and short videos (as is done in Facebook) and the software would query the patient by producing an image on the screen and asking the patient who or what it was (similar to Rosetta Stone). Once the patient correctly responded the software would recognize that correct response with happy sounds and praise stimulating the patient to ‘want’ to succeed.

This could also be used in the recovery processes for stroke patients.

Conclusion

       “Dementia” is a canopy term describing a variety of diseases and conditions that develop when nerve cells in the brain die or are no longer function normally. The loss or failure of these nerve cells, named neurons, causes changes in memory, behavior and ability to think clearly. Resistance is intended to allow clinicians to help rebuild neuron path ways by providing a method to replace memories and reroute memory paths. (Lisa Fredman, 2012)

        In Alzheimer’s disease, these brain changes eventually impair an individual’s ability to carry out such basic bodily functions as walking and swallowing. Alzheimer’s disease is ultimately fatal. Alzheimer’s Disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. While Resistance won’t arrest the disease, we may be able to help the patients restore or ‘move’ memories to ‘safe’ locations and open new paths to access them. Professor and Vice-Chair for Education in the Department of Psychiatry at Washington University in St. Louis - School of Medicine, Eugene Rubin writes, If treated early, we may be able to work around the paths of failure. (Eugene Rubin, 2010)
          Stroke like heart attack is blood flow related and in many cases, if treated quickly, can be recovered from. The statistics about stroke are difficult to grasp. Someone suffers a stroke every 45 seconds. 750,000 people in the United States experience a stroke every year, and stroke kills nearly 160,000. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States. About 30% of those who suffer a stroke are under the age of 65. They affect men nearly as often as women and blacks almost twice more often than whites. Resistance can be used to help recovering stroke patients to rebuild their memories as well. (Liaison, 2012)

            Resistance can also be a strong tool to help retrain individuals with Brain injuries. Listed below are Brain Injury Statistics in the State of Florida alone in FY 2009 and FY 2008 from The Annual Report on The Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Program published by the Department of Health.

Total Florida Brain Injuries in the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury program:
            2009          2008

            2741          3050
            Resistance is proposed as a tool to help slow the progress of Alzheimer’s Disease, also as a tool to help recover from stroke and brain injuries.

Works Cited


Alzheimer's_disease. (2012). Retrieved from wikipedia.org: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alzheimer's_disease

Association, A. (2012). Alzheimer's For The Professional. Retrieved from Alzhaimer's Association: http://www.alz.org/professionals_and_researchers_professionals_and_researchers_alzheimers_disease_pr.asp

Eugene Rubin, M. P. (2010). Can Your Brain Have Alzheimer’s Disease, But You Don’t Show Symptoms? Psychology Today, http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/demystifying-psychiatry/201005/can-your-brain-have-alzheimer-s-disease-you-don-t-show-symptoms.

Lahasky, D. (2011). M.D. (T. Tuohy, Interviewer)

Liaison, O. o. (2012). Know Stroke. Know the Signs. Act in Time. Retrieved from National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/stroke/knowstroke.htm

Lisa Fredman, P. B. (2012). 2012 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures. Retrieved from Alzheimer's Organization: http://www.alz.org/downloads/facts_figures_2012.pdf

Martha L. Daviglus, M. P., Carl C. Bell, M., Wade Berrettini, M. P., Phyllis E. Bowen, P., & E. Sander Connolly Jr., M. (2010). National Institutes of Health State-of-the-Science Conference Statement: Preventing Alzheimer Disease* and Cognitive Decline. Annals of Internal Medicine, 176-181.

 

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