Falling Leaves

Alzheimer’s

It's a bit nippy here in northeast Ohio. We've had frost warnings. The trees are just beginning to turn. How is your memory today? If you're having memory problems, I suggest you get a neurological workup if you haven't already. Wonder what's involved? I'll tell you about mine. Luckily the neurologist, Dr. Rajeet Shrestha, was only 15 minutes away. He's part of an elder care program of University Hospitals, this location near Cleveland.

I had a three-fold interview: nurse, social worker, neurologist. I was asked numerous questions about my physical and mental health and given memory tests-the most trying one was the five-object sequence that I had to repeat immediately and again after a good 10 minutes of information and answering inquiries. I got four right and the fifth with a hint. Everyone (there were four others in the room) was pleased as was the doctor later. The social worker also gave me number sequences to repeat forward and backwards, and some paper and pencil problems. For example, draw the time on the clock.

The neurologist asked some additional health questions. He was stunned at the dosage of one medication I'm on. He did some strength tests like pushing against him, not letting him push against me. Then following his fingers with my eye, some walking.

Doctor Shrestha said my results didn't indicate Alzheimer's. In the test the social worker administered revealed I was two points from dementia. In the end, the doctor diagnosed me with Mild Cognitive Impairment. He recommended, again, that I take a look at my meds, return for a three-hour intensive memory test and get an MRI which might indicate whether or not I've had mini strokes.

Since it's the most common type of dementia, let's take a deeper look at Alzheimer's disease. It was named after the physician who discovered it in 1906, German psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer. Doing an after death exam of a mental patient who had memory loss, paranoia and behavioral changes, the doctor discovered the brain abnormalities we know today.

60 to 70% of individuals with dementia have Alzheimer's, according to the World Health Organization. Fifty-five million people worldwide have dementia; 10 million new cases appear each year. That's one every three seconds.

 In addition to memory loss (short and/or long-term) symptoms include difficulty understanding; confusion in the evening; disorientation; difficulty concentrating; inability to recognize common items; apathy; mood swings; paranoia and hallucinations

The Alzheimer’s Association looks out for memory loss that disrupts daily life. Do you rely on devices or your family members for dates or information you used to be able to access for yourself? Do you lose track of monthly bills or following a family recipe? Do you forget how to use the stove or microwave? Have you gotten lost driving locally? What about preparing a shopping list? Lose the date or can't keep track of time? Struggle with words in a conversation? Misplace things more than you used to? Make, or told you make, poor decisions or become more easily upset?

If you have one or more of these features, make an appointment with your doctor to check things out.

The cause of Alzheimer's is the inability of neurons to communicate with each other. According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers have found what they call tau tangles inside the neurons of Alzheimer's patients brain cells. It’s a substance that looked to me like netting. Also found were plaques which reside outside the cell. Both interfere with the neuron which eventually dies.

Also, Web MD reported the hippocampus is compromised. This pea-sized organ shrinks. This structure holds short-term memories and transfers them to long-term storage.

There are three other types of dementia which we'll discuss later.

Perhaps you saw yourself in some of these symptoms.  Keep in mind that there are others like you. Please remember you are not alone.

Till later...

“Hope is not blind optimism. It's not ignoring the enormity of the task ahead or the roadblocks that stand in our path. It's not sitting on the sidelines and waiting for someone else to come and rescue us. Hope is about believing in ourselves and believing in each other.”     Barack Obama.