Page 23 - Leisure Living Magazine Holiday 2017

Learn About Early Onset
Alzheimer’s Disease
By Theresa Bowen, Ph.D., Email - theesajb@gmail.com
Early onset Alzheimer’s affects people younger than age 65. About 5-10 percent of people who are diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s develop symptoms before the age of 65 and can be in the early, middle, or late stage of the disease. Some people who experience symptoms before age 65 have sporadic Alzheimer’s which is a more common form of the disease, but others with early onset Alzheimer’s may have “familial” Alzheimer’s disease. Familial Alzheimer’s disease occurs when a genetic predisposition leads to the disease. They may have had a parent or grandparent who also developed Alzheimer’s at an early age.
If you have inherited risk genes they may or may not cause symptoms as early as your 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s. Everyone can seek genetic testing but the Mayo Clinic recommends pursuing genetic counseling first to examine the pros and cons beforehand.
There are many misconceptions of early onset Alzheimer’s. Lisa Genova, author of “Still Alice” is a neuroscientist who earned a Ph.D. from Harvard University. She wrote “Still Alice” to increase awareness about early onset Alzheimer’s. Although the book is about a fictional character diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in her fifty’s, Genova hoped readers would become more educated about early onset Alzheimer’s by reading her book. The National Alzheimer’s Association endorsed her book as notable and correct. In 2015 the book became a popular motion picture.
Research for the book involved continuous communication with 27 people who were in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Genova conducted the research for a year and a half. An accurate diagnosis is very important for early onset Alzheimer’s disease especially to get the best treatment, as well as for personal or professional reasons. In “Still Alice” Alice is a psychology professor at Harvard. The book tells her story from her point of view and the journey after she is diagnosed. Many caregivers have praised and recognized themselves in this relatable book.
Earlier this spring Dr. Genova presented “What you can do to prevent Alzheimer’s.” In
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her presentation she shares the latest science investigating the disease and some promising research on what we can do to build an Alzheimer’s resistant brain. Her examples include: Sleep, cardiovascular health, and creating a cognitive reserve. When we are awake we accumulate waste in our synapses but when we are in deep sleep it cleanses our brain. It is like a power clean for the brain. A single night of sleep deprivation leads to an increase in amyloid beta, a predictor of Alzheimer’s. Cardiovascular health such as high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol all have been shown to increase the risk. A heart healthy Mediterranean diet and exercise (aerobic) can decrease the accumulation of amyloid beta. There are many ways you can delay or prevent Alzheimer’s disease but what if you haven’t done any of them. She advocates creating a cognitive reserve. The average brain has over a trillion synapses. We gain and lose synapsis every day. Every time we learn something new we create new synapsis or pathways. This doesn’t mean doing crossword puzzles. That is simply retrieving information you have already learned. Creating a cognitive reserve means learning a new language, meeting new friends, or reading a book. She recommends that even if you are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s it is important to keep living. You may not remember what happened five minutes ago but you will not lose your emotional memory and how someone made you feel.
If you would like to see more of Dr. Genova’s presentation visit https://www.ted.com/talks/ lisa_genova_what_you_can_do_to_prevent_ alzheimer_s or Google Lisa Genova TED.com
Theresa Bowen, Ph.D. is an Educational Consultant and Distance Education professor. Dr. Bowen earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Toledo, OH.
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