Why do we hear about so many Alzheimer's and Dementia cases now?

You pose some interesting questions, Lilliput. No doubt there are many factors at work here. The one I'm going to focus on is the increase in longevity. I don't think it is the only factor but it is too important to ignore. Why do you think there is so much more trouble during menopause these days? (Bear with me. I will connect this up.) Why are there magazine articles and newspaper articles and research studies and debates about hormones, and other generations just got through it? In 1911 less than one third of all females tived to see the change of life. I don't know exactly what that number is in 2011, but it is a way, way higher percentage of a much larger population. More women are dealing with these issues because more people are living long enough to experience them. Also, the subject is no longer hush-hush. Our society has a different attitude about health subjects than we did a hundred years ago.

Dementia is more common now in part because more people are living to an age where they are suseptible. And it is not a hush-hush topic. My grandmother was pretty sharp into her nineties, but she spent her final years bedridden in a nursing home, not always recognizing her visitors and often off in some world not shared by them. No one ever suggested she had dementia, and she was not counted among dementia statistics at that time. But she no doubt would be now.

I think we cannot minimize the importance of more people of dementia age and better record keeping about health matters. In 1900, about 4% of the population was over 65. In 2000, about 12% of the population was over 65. And the population is much bigger. I don't know if anyone kept track of how many people were "senile" in 1900; lots of agencies track how many are being treated or cared for with dementia in 2000.

I'll bet this isn't the only answer, but I think it is an important one.

Very interesting questions... One thing that goes thru my mind about this, is there has to be a common denominator, some thread that connects it all. I am hearing about new tests to see if we have Alz/dementia, well I for one do not want to know. They are spending money to diagnose but still do not have effective meds to slow down or stop the progression.. And it seems the baby boomers, of which I am one, it is being predicted it will be an epidemic... and because each case is unique within itself, how are they ever going to find the cause....One thing I feel is missing in their research is those of us who deal with it on a daily basis.. they could gather so much data, on med interactions and reactions, behavior changes...how they cope or not cope with change, and the list goes on.. I feel we have a great deal to add to the research but are not being asked to participate... And as Jeanne said, they are keeping track of it now, where no telling how may have passed away undiagnosed... and one of my biggest complaints is how much money we are saving the government with home care, and are never recognized for that.... Guess it will take a revolution of Caregivers to stand up and be heard, but we are all so busy and tired and stressed, we don't' have the energy or brain cells to put into making that happen... I am very interested in what others will have to say about this... great topic, thanks for getting it started.... hugs to you.

ladeeda, you will be glad to know that the caregiver view is not entirely missed by the researchers. My husband is in a study conducted by the Mayo Clinic and each year I fill out forms and have a one-hour interview. The researcher who sees my husband takes my observations and concerns very seriously. I can email him at any time. My husband is donating his brain (after he is done with it!) to this research. All dementia is not Alzeheimer's and the different types of dementia respond differently to various drugs, etc., so having a way to improve the accuracy of diagnosis (before autopsy) would help in getting started on the right treatment plan. The ultimate goal, of course, is to prevent dementia. This is not a local problem and the research efforts are world wide.

That is great news!!! How did you find out about this research and how did you get to be a part of it??? I know many who would be interested in participating in such a study if they knew how to get started.... and how awesome that your husband so involved that he will donate his brain to research... More of us on this sight need to know about these types of things and how to get started and to participate, maybe you could post something for everyone to see, with info... We have huge research hospitals here in Texas, but don't know of any programs for Alz/dementia.... there may be and just have not researched it...
Thanks for the info, will be spreading the word about this... I know some of our elders would love to be able to make a difference in this hateful awful disease....
hugs.

It is a true that cogitive impairment went unrecognized in the past...they called people "senile" or "not all there" and, of course, it was not treated. (most mental illness was not)
Both my fear and curiousity about this topic began when it seemed that an entire industry sprung up around Alzheimers/Dementia. Drug companies are hopping on the band wagon with all kinds of meds that have limited use or dangerous side effects. There are doctors specializing in this area, but the tests are inconclusive and they depend mostly on anecdotal information from families (the famlies should send the doctor their bill), and there are doctors who are misdiagnosing Alzheimers every time an elder walks through the door with a health issue. (it takes too much time to diagnose correctly, ie: a UTI, drug interaction, or simple forgetfulness of age that masks itself as Alz.) And as ladeeda wrote, "They are spending money to diagnose but still do not have effective meds to slow down or stop the progression."
I fear that there are many families who are in a hurry to have their elders diagnosed with Alz. in order to have access to their finances or take control. (I have witnessed this personally.)
I worry that the medical community and other related businesses, such as they are now, are salivating over the prospect of the boomers entering their elderhood. The main focus of most doctors that Mom has seen, is their bottom line. Their two methods of dealing with any patient are: pills and surgery. I would like to see an equal number of research dollars go into natural, non-toxic measures for preventing the disease. Western medicine is so "cure" oriented. Why have the disease first, then try and figure out how to "fix" it....with all the side effects, no less? I am not anti-western medicine, I just think we need better alternatives than the ones we have now.
I would also be interested in how social deprivation impacts Alz. We have always been told "use it or lose it" and I can't help but think that is true of our brains too. The most lively seniors I know are active in their communities and are interested in learning and personal growth...many have physical limitations. So, I wonder if that has something to do with their not having this illness.
When you have a disease that encompasses so many symptoms, I can see how challenging it would be to research it.
L & J: thanks for your input....enlightening!

I am convinced that it is mainly our modern diet. I say this because I have gone through it with my husband and have seen a total reversal within hours of giving him the kind of fat he needed. Many other can say the same. The low fat diets are killing brains that are composed mainly of fat. When we do eat fat we eat the wrong kind because we have been told that vegetable oils are good for us and animal fats and coconut oil that our grandparents ate is bad.
A lot of research has gone into this and is proving that oils like canola are bad and the very best oil for brain health is coconut oil, but the drug companies can't patent it, so they won't accept it. My husband's cognitive skills had gone down to 11 out of 30 and the doctor said I should put him in a nursing home but I found out about coconut oil and started giving it to him and within three hours he was talking in intelligible sentences. Within 2 weeks the doctor saw him and was amazed. He ordered a new test and he was 24 out of 30. Now he is perfectly normal again. If you are interested in his story go to YouTube and check GrandmaCarolFlett or search coconut oil and dementia.

Carol, this is interesting. I have never heard of this natural product being used in Dementia cases. I am a big fan of naturopathy...how did man survive for centuries before drug companies arrived on the scene?

I am very interested in this topic and will look around on the internet for more info. I am not at all surprised that doctors are skeptical. They are "chemistry" oriented. Everytime I ask a new doc if they are open to using both medical and naturopathic remedies they give me a blank stare.

I realize that, as with drugs, we need to use caution with natural supplements as well. But when I hear the long list of side effects of most drugs I am appalled. No doctor will ever discuss the side effects - mostly because THEY do not even know about them. The next thing you know there are all these law suits because of poorly researched pharmaceuticals. Then we keep the lawyers in business.

In my state, naturopathic doctors (NDs) cannot even practice or get a license. So much for choice.

I am glad your hub is doing better with the coconut oil. Are there any known side effects? I would be interested in hearing more.

I agree with you...we have ventured to far into "manufactured diets" and less into what is natural and best for our bodies.

I am wondering if any of our other forum members have tried this supplement and if they saw any noticable changes...

thanks for posting this information.

The only thing that might happen if the body is used to a low fat diet is a bit of diarrhea if you don't start slowly. If you are interested in reading more check Tropical Traditions for one, but there are many more sited about coconut oil.

Carol, I have been reading many articles on this subject right now...fascinating. My Mom has PD and I understand that coconut oil has been shown to reduce tremors for many patients. The biology makes sense....been reading about ketones too. I was just reading an article titled, "An Unlikely Food for a Starving Brain" and the work of Dr. Newport.

I think I may ask Mom to try this for PD tremors. She is so limited in mobility by the tremors and loss of balance. It couldn't hurt.

I noticed that there is a particular type that you need to buy. Correct? I will look at tropical traditions.

Would you consider starting a new thread about this topic? I would really like to see if other members have used coconut oil for both Alz. and PD and their results.

Bruce had bad tremors and they went away completely in about 3 months. I'm not sure how to start a new thread here.

Carol, I did take a look at the video...amazing! I have had other instances in my life wherein a natural substance worked really well only to have my MDs dismiss it or act as if it were a "fluke." I figure that it is my body and I have to do whatever I can to protect it. I do not think that it is in the best interests of the medical community or the drug companies for good health to "break out." Also, there is a holisitc element that is sorely lacking in Western medicine. Most docs are "cure" oriented, where my philosophy is more "prevention" oriented.

Both our environment and diet directly impact our health. As I read more, I can see that this might be a good supplement to add to my diet. Do you use it as well?

To start a new thread, From the Home page: Click on the "Community" bar then, "Ask a Question." In the "What is your Question" box just create a title (ie: "Has anyone had a good result from using coconut oil in treating the symptoms of Alzheimers or Parkinsons.") In the "Add more Details" box, just write what you experienced. You can post titles of web articles, but not web addresses (they will be removed.)

I think this topic merits its own thread...thanks.

I too am very interested in this topic.. Have not heard of this and would love to learn more.... anything that helps beside "drugs" which in the long run have so many side affects I am afraid to even suggest them... so please, start that new thread... it will be interesting to see if any others have tried this and thier resutls, thank you for sharing... hugs to you..

Carol, good for you! I am sincerely glad you found something that worked for Bruce. It deserves to be studied and replicated and publicized if it proves to be generally applicable.

As to the original question of this thread, I have a hard time thinking that we see so much dementia now because we have a widespread deficiency in coconut oil. I doubt that my Nordic ancestors had any more coconut oil in their diets than I do -- less, probably, because they didn't buy movie popcorn. :) Fish oil? Probably. Tropical produce? Not so much.

World wide I would guess that the portion of the population for whom coconut oil would be a "natural" part of the diet would be relatively small.

Again, I am not nay-saying your results. I'm just doubting it answers the question of why we hear of so many dementia cases now.

Jeanne: take a look at the more in-depth articles online. What they (and Carol) have discovered is that we have moved toward a low-fat diet. (which is certainly different that that of our grandparents) The "fats" that feed the brain are no longer a part of our modern diets. We eat less fish, olive oil, etc. and certainly more processed foods that remove nutrients and replace them with artificial ingredients.

True, not all cultures use coconut oil, but they use olive oil, fish oil, etc.

It is so funny how we trust a doctor without question when he or she whips out that Rx pad, but not when someone suggests a natural, safe, and inexpensive remedy. I think it is a cultural shift brought on by drug companies and the need for a "quick fix" for our problems. Natural regimens take discipline and happen over time...not really appealing to the average American. I know that it is hard for my Mom to do anything if she doesn't see an immediate response (like, it two days!).

I read and article recently that said that we had so few manufactured drugs before the 1950s. Now, I can only imagine....

Anyway, this will be an interesting topic to follow...

Wow - what a terrific topic, and great responses as well.

Just a couple of words about myself. I live with, and take full time unassisted care of my 105 yo grandmother. Unfortunately for me, she is an absolutely horrible person. Mean spirited, a liar, swindler, etc. When my mother passed away 7 years ago, somehow in the shock and confusion of that, I promised to take care of my GM "to the end". Huge life-wrecking mistake. I would guess that 98% of the people here could not even conceive that a person of that age could be evil. But there she is every morning - just waiting to boss me around yet another day.

My sister - who fits the selfish sib pattern perfectly - dropped us hot potato-style over 3 years ago. However, in the one email that I received from her since then, she stated "I imagine nothing has changed, she's still an evil liar who treats you like s---." Well, yeah. In fact just yesterday my GM said to me, "I'm gonna buy a gun, and then when you don't do what I tell you, I'll just shoot you." Now obviously that was meant as some kind of "joke", but it is truly representative of the way she thinks.

Anyway, my life with granny has been insanely depressing, and I would never do it again. However, the one and only good aspect of my situation is that I have plenty of time to THINK.

I am a former chess master - top 10 in my home stae - and also a self-taught computer programmer. I love attacking complex logical puzzles. One of my life-long chess friends made enough money to retire in his early forties in order to pursue chess full time. But guess what - he got so interested in alternative health that he basically dropped chess and writes / researches "alternative" health matters instead. (He has been a raw foodist for about 20 years.) We are both extremely skeptical of the conventional doctorin' approach to health.

Now, sorry if that is TMI, but I wanted to explain my perspective before making any other statements.

First, despite my GM being so horrible, both my mother (RIP) and I are just the opposite. Therefore my grandmother gets absolutely great care from me. Meaning, for example, Essential Fatty Acids!

That is the first tie-in to this topic. For 20 years I have owned a copy of Udo Erasmus' book "Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill". You can read some very interesting "user reviews" of it on Amazon, and you'll also see about 80 reviews for "The Coconut Oil Miracle", which is regarded as the better book of the two. Think I'll order that one, pronto.

One thing I can tell you from the Udo Erasmus book is that he points out that with our domesticated meat sources, their fat profiles are radically different from that of their wild counterparts. Kind of like the "free range" idea, but pig vs wild boar, sheep vs antelope (or whatever) etc. Basically too much fat, the wrong kind of fat, and an absence of the right kind of fat.

Anyhow, I agree with jeannegibbs that we shouldn't expect a magic bullet from any one substance, and that 99.9% of our ancestors did not have access to coconut oil. But the fact remains that 99.9% of our ancestors were not eating all of our bad fats either. Plus, they got EFA's from whole foods, seeds, insect contaminants, and so on. So IMO this fat issue is of paramount importance in health / disease research.

Well, it's after 2, got to get ready for another groundhog day.

One last thing.

I was thinking last week that it would be great to have an ongoing topic like "Caregiver's Quest for Super Health", but figured that there might only be 1 or 2 people interested, if that. But seeing the response on this topic, I wonder. Lots to discuss, guaranteed.

Please don't think I am saying that coconut oil is the answer for everyone. But diet is extremely important. We have changed a lot of the way we eat since we made the first discovery about coconut oil and it made such a huge difference. We also found out that nitrites have a huge effect on the brain, and that drugs like beta blockers are deadly.
But the change occurred right after the first dose of coconut oil so in his case I believe that made the biggest difference.
I will try to start that new thread.

Ish: I, too, am not a believer in the "pill" mentality of most Western medicine. And no single natural remedy is a magical cure either. That is why a holisitc approach to health is most beneficial: diet, exercise, clean air and water.... The difficult thing for most Americans is the "maintenance" of health. Most natural approaches take time and persistence. Whereas we "perceive" that popping a pill is so much easier. I often wonder how many people even ask their doctors about a new Rx or do research online....it is frightening.

There are complaints that natural supplements do not go through the scrutiny of the FDA trials. I have noticed so many TV ads for recalls and lawsuits for prescription medications. Several years ago drug companies started pushing bone density drugs on post-menopausal women. Now I understand that many of those drugs actually cause brittle bones and other side effects such as "jaw death" which the drug company describes as "dental problems." Same with some of the Alz. drugs. I lived near one of the Astra-Zeneca facilities - it was bigger and more beautiful than some of our college campuses!

I like your idea of a discussion thread...even if there are just three or four of us who are interested. The reason that we do not have a "vocabulary" when it comes to natural remedies is because there is no profit motive in it. Wellness would just put too many people out of business. ;o)

Carol: your experience was similar to that of Dr. Newport. Her husband had developed early stage Alz. and his doctors suggested a nursing home. She conducted research on certain fats and ketones. I am still sifting through the articles online, but find this promising....at least the side effects of coconut oil are minor...any excessive oil in the body would cause the same. Her husband received an immediate, positive response as well which was documented by medical testing.

A few years ago, scientist discovered a little village in Italy where people seemed to live long healthy lives. They found this astounding...no drug companies in the area, no FDA, no massive facilities for seniors with Alz. Researchers found that their remarkable health and longevity was due to diet, stress-free lifestyle, and clean environment. Duh! "...they seem to be able to eat fatty meats, cheeses and cream sauces without suffering the most serious consequences. Preliminary results have found cholesterol levels of LDL -- the so-called "bad" cholesterol -- that are much lower than those of most Italians, and HDL levels -- the so-called "good" cholesterol -- that are much higher." Their family members, who moved to the US, had significantly higher incidents of illness.

I am not anti-western medicine, but I do think that we need to introduce naturopathy as a "complimentary" discipline in medical schools. There is so much arrogance within the medical community and it is costing us our health. We also need to allow more time for testing of drugs...they are more potent now because the market demands a "quick fix" to every ailment. I had a friend who worked for a major drug company. Her job was in R&D to discover new "designer" drugs - and if necessary - new ailments to go with them.

Also, we need to be good consumers as we are in every other area of our lives. Ask your doctor about any new Rx and don't let them load you up with "samples" that they received from the drug companies. Research the side effects (if one of them is "may cause death" pass on it.) Decide if the benefits outweigh the risks. And look for natural alternatives.

(I have a feeling this is going to be a loooong post.)

Ish and Carol, I appreciate your comments and dicoveries....I would be up for further discussion. I am especially interested for my Mom who has PD tremors...coconut seems to show promise there as well. As with any remedy, natural or not, it may work for some and not for others. But, it is definitely worth investigation.

Here is another resource that I have used for many years: "Prescription for Nutritional Healing, Fifth Edition: A Practical A-to-Z Reference to Drug-Free Remedies Using Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs & Food Supplements" by Phyllis A. Balch. It has been my health and nutrition guide for many years and was recommended by my naturopath when I lived in the west. It is especially great for minor illnesses that docs don't even want to deal with. (I have lots of stories!)

My observations lead me to conclude that Alzheimers (and dementia in general) are more prevalent because of dietary lacks (additives, loss of nutrients, etc) and lack of intense physical activity. It's not just numbers. People who managed to live longer in the last century (and beyond) were healthier, had stronger immune systems than those who didn't survive. As an example, my paternal grandfather who lived to 97 (came from Russia as a young teen with his family around 1904) once told me how many children his mother had carried to term. Of that number only about 50% survived the ever-present tuberculosis.

WOW! Coconut Oil looks like it is good not only for the brain but hair and skin too! Look at youtube...Dr. Newport's effective work on memory.... So it's good for memory and skin which makes sense but I am hoping if I take it my gray hair will go back to dark brown. haha. Where does one purchase Organic Extra Virgin Coconut oil?

Lili, back to the original theme......keep in mind how data is collected. One thing is the sheer # in US population was like 200 mil in the 70's & now is 300mil so the overall # are going to increase just because of that. One reason why we see dementia increasing is because specific data is now available to do the statistics needed to show evidence based diseases than it was before in the 1980's.

Back in my old life I was in public health, in the late 70's the feds (DHHS) had started Health Systems Agencies (HSA) throughout the states. One aspect was funding for statewide health stats based on epidemiology, it was rather piecemeal before that & focused for epidemics (like polio & diptheria). HSA data worked really well as at the same time the bigger hospitals and the bigger insurers (BCBS) were also finally collecting their stats systemwide based on disease/procedural codes. Perfect for dovetailing into the evidence based data that epidemiology does and the HSA's were collecting.

One reason hospitals were doing this wasn't so much for better quality of care BUT was about their ability to get a required Certificate of Need for expansion (which was how HSA's supposedly were going to use to contain health care costs). CON review was done by HSA's - the applicant (hospital) had to have the data to get thru the review and have the application approved - I worked on application review. Alot of this came about as in the 70's, open-heart surgery units were opening left & right (this was super sexy medicine, lots of media/pr, big name docs who were rockstars, every hospital wanted theirs back then) and the morbidity & mortality rate was staggering. HSA's & their CON came about as a way to hopefully curb that and other duplication of services (didn't happen...).

The data became public, so now there was hard # on diseases that weren't there before to that degree. By having the data, you could target getting grants and funding and building for whatever the #'s showed was important. Before the 80's, data was more random and alot was ancedotal, also it was entered by hand or key-punched if the hospital was really tech savvy (!!). The data collection and analysis continues today and it is much more complex. An example of how this works is like when AIDS first started showing up in the 80's, at the beginning it was random in what the guys supposedly died from, then in about 7 years the pattern was able to be tracked so that if you had a,b,c,d,e then it fit the diagnosis of AIDS. And the # of AIDS cases skyrocketed -were there more cases? yes; was it truly skyrocket increase? no, it was because there was more data that could fit the criteria. It's the same that has happened for dementia.

The next big thing with dementia, imho, is the fact that it is now recognized as a terminal disease. This changes what should/could/would be done for care for a disease that is mainly going to be happening to women (6 mil women to 3 mil men 80+ in 2000). I would imagine that the shift w/in the next 5-10 years will be to hospice based palliative care only with no intervention for advanced dementia.
It won't be pretty.

Most good health food stores have several brands of good quality coconut oil.

Igloo: thank you for your well thought out response and perspective. I realize that a lot of our "awareness" comes in the light of research and gathering of statistics. My observations are mostly anecdotal. But, truely, in my youth, I did not know of any elderly person in my orbit that suffered from this type of disorder. Most lived witha family member or worked up until the day they passed. Perhaps families did a good job of hiding it or were embarassed by a member with the condition. Who knows...but there is most definitely an increase in Alz. cases as well as much younger people who are suffering from it as well.
My non-scientific, gut reaction to this "epidemic" leads me to think that this has to do more with changes in our culture that have also brought about changes in our health.
We eat more processed foods. I think our ancestors were closer to more natural diets and food supplies. We have increased the use of pesticides because the public demands more "perfect" looking fruit and vegetables. (haven't seen a worm hole in an apple in years! Even the bees are dying off.) Added to that, is our disdain for anyone over an age that is considered "old." Technology allows us to do almost everything at an unsocial distance so many of our elders (and others too) are becoming isolated. The human spirit is starved for social interaction and our brain needs a work out too. Western medicine never factors in these "soft" skills and needs when it is clear that we are "holistic" beings.
The discussion of good fats and bad fats, that others have mentioned, is an interesting one. It makes sense that we need to feed the brain, too. Perhaps the fats that our government once deemed "evil" in the past need to be looked at again. Certainly the results that some of our forum members have experienced cannot be overlooked.
In light of your frightening statistics about the Alz/Dem effecting more women, and it's grim result in care, is incentive for me (and I hope others) to look into natural alternatives for prevention. If we put as much time and money into researching natural remedies, and changes in lifestyle, as we do for research into artificial drugs that have serious side effects, I think we would all live healthier lives. (For example, so many of our forum members have written that the onset of Alz. occurred after a hospital stay, anesthesia, or new drug therapy.)
However, there is no money to be made in telling someone to change their diet or eat more fruits and vegetables. I am afraid that we are a society of the "quick fix."
I think this is a fascinating topic and I hope others will pipe in with their experiences. It reminds me of that definition of insanity: "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result." We need a change.

As to cultural changes, it is interesting to note that ours is not the only culture seeing the increase of an elderly population and an increase in the incidence of dementia. I see research being done in China, Japan, several South American nations, all over Europe. The dementia "epidemic" is world-wide, not limited to our culture, and not limited to places with our dietary practices.

I have read some excellent thoughts and wanted to add mine. My mother has brain trauma dementia since 1995-16 years or more. She started asking questions over and over, burning pans, looking for her dog in her nightgown in the snow-no shoes. My sister had her declared as having Altz. to put her in a nursing home. My sister had been battling cancer and died. I went to nevada to bring her to live with me. I have gone through her papers-she wrote prolifically, kept a journal with her fears and concerns. She thought the worst thing possible was to be old and be female. She was getting older and lost many friends from around the world. She was a fantastic singer and the dry desert was hard on her voice and lost her accompianist. She traveled the world and worked on projects for international visitors and other humanitarian projects. Family was also important and she was likely very upset regarding some family situations that were very unfortunate. Everything she had put energy into-and looked forward to, used to do and enjoyed doing was slipping away. Her enthusiasm was being killed by constant disappointments. There was really nothing to keep her interested in life..it must have been unbearable to look forward to nothing. I think that when a person has become disillusioned, disappointed and discouraged, there is a way the brain shuts down and the physical body takes over. It's the only way my mother could stay alive. Living without friends or any plans would not have been tolerable-evidently it wasn't. When I brought her to live with me I had no idea it would have been for 5 years. She still remembers me and asks for my sister. I look into her eyes and see her smile and it breaks my heart when I follow my thoughts into the past. Then I think about some of the famous people who have had this-Reagon comes to mind. What was it that made him "lose his mind?" He was health conscious, financially well off, a library to build, places to speak, things to look forward to and likely, many friends. I wonder if he couldn't deal with what he saw happening politically? This is not to be political, just the best example to use of someone philosophically driven and then seeing events from his perspective.
The first letter asks about social aspects. I believe there is a survival instinct that keeps the body going and the mind shuts down. It just may be unbearable for some. Remember the study of elderly nuns that did crossword puzzles and none had Altz.? Their lives never really changed. The trauma of disappointment in family and aspirations and ending a way of life, was not present. The crossword puzzles kept their minds active?maybe. Any of you with close friends or family, if you really search, from their perspective, is it possible that events mounted or they lost what gave them a reason to keep going? Did something they worked on, put their hearts into fall apart? As with anything, there are surely many different causes. The brain is still uncharted territory and much is unknown about how it works. They measure the results, but does the disease cause the brain to stop working or does the brain bring on the disease? If a pill can fix it they will find the cause. If it's a spiritual of psychological cause, it will take many many years. The medical profession has turned to antidepressants. Good psychologists are expensive, time consuming and few and far between. Dealing with "loss" or "needing a reason to live," is ignored and pills are used to mask any problems-so much quicker and easier.

Different pathologies in the brain display themselves as different kinds of dementia. The "tangles" found in Alzheimer's and the "bodies" in Lewy Body Dementia" (for example) result in similar but not identical symptoms. They also respond differently to treatment. Science does not yet know why clumps of alpha-synuclein protein form in the brains of some people, who then develop symtoms of Parkinson's and/or LBD. Personally, I am pretty skeptical that disappointment and loss are what causes these clumps. My husband definitely was not lacking a reason to live when the symptoms appeared in his life. What is going on in a person's life and a person's beliefs and outlook can certainly influence how they cope with a malfunctioning brain, but that doesn't mean those things cause the disease in the first place.

By the way, the tangles and the clumps were both identified about a hundred years ago -- by researchers Alzheimer and Lewy. Just this year scientists identified the "natural" shape of the protein that clumps in the brain. I think you are correct, itsmejana, that much is still unknown about the brain. Scientists all over the world are working diligently to chart the territory and to share their findings world-wide.

its: fascinating and poignant story about your mother. I think social deprevation leads to stress which we already know exacerbates Alz. and perhaps we may find, in the future, causes it as well. Prisoners, held in isolation for many years, exhibit many of the Alz. symptoms. So, I do not think that it is far-fetched to say that isolation and not "exercising" the can cause mental deterioration. As as Jeanne points out, there is no single cause. That is what is so frustrating about the illness. Some medicines and natural remedies work for some and not for others. Alz has the same issues as PD, the names of the diseases are really just an "umbrella" for a variety of symptoms. I hope science continues to research these illnesses. I think we can use all the information we can get. But what bothers me the most is science's hostility toward looking into natural means...IMHO it is because there is no profit motive in helping us ward off illness. So we keep hitting our head on the wall looking for "cures" when some of these things could be prevented in the first place. Even if a small group benefits from natural remedies, isn't it worth looking into. At the very least it "causes no harm."
Every naturopath I had welcomed the addition of western medicine in my health plan. I can not say the same for any MD I visited. I got anywhere from a blank stare to smirky laughter. But whenever I found a natural remedy to something they were unable to deal with, they had no interest in it - even for the benefit of other patients.
When I was younger, and drug companies were less prevalent, doctors really were a combination of MD and ND. T

ooops..continued from above...(hit the submit button accidently)...

They combined what they knew of medicine with what they knew of home remedies. Somehow it worked and seemed more humane.
I find it incredible that someone would go to a doctor and accept a Rx that they have never taken and not ask questions. In fact, many drugs that are given to Alz and PD patients have side effects that increase certain symptoms. Yet the same folks are leary of naturopathy because the "FDA hasn't approved it." How many drugs are pulled from pharmacies because they caused irreparable damage? And now we are keeping the lawyers in business. Why are drug companies allowed to advertise to the general public? Why should a patient be able to go to his or her doc and ask for these brands? Here is the answer: $$$$ I have little faith that the FDA acts in our best interests. Drug companies are aware of "collateral damage" and build funds into their business plan before they release a new drug.
From one of our forum members, I became interested in the claims about coconut oil and read as much as I could. This connection to helping with symptoms of Alz. and PD among others was actually discovered by and MD - a scientist. The amusing (or sad) thing is, some other doctor is now trying to figure out how to "synthesize" it into drug form so he can then market it. Then, I suppose, the FDA will approve it, then some drug company will charge a fortune for it, and it will be deemed a "miracle." Just go buy a jar of pure coconut oil if you want to try it. Geeezzzz.
There are many good, safe, drugs and vacccines on the market...but they are "tried and true" and went through extensive testing in the past before they went onto the market. However, since the mid-50s drug companies saw profit in this untapped market and began producing in record numbers. It may also coincide with the advent of psychiatry.
I am all for choice. And you do need to do your homework and be of the interactions of natural remedies as well. But if one of my choices is a drug with side effect that include permanent physical damage and death and trying a natural remedy that may take more time, but shows results, with no side effects, then it is a no-brainer for me. What do you have to lose?

Have you ever participated in a drug study? Have you ever been in a research project? Have you ever seen what goes into drug testing up close and personal?

Jeanne, hon, not at all "anit-testing" in fact, we need more of it before a drug starts getting used on humans. (it concerns me that we have so many recalls of drugs that have not been around very long) Would just like to see the same companies do testing on natural products or drugs that have fewer serious side effects.
Haven't personally been involved in setting up these tests - but have a good friend who does it for a living and is good at it.

The end result, for me, is that we always come up with what is the best for the common good.

Enjoying the diaglog...we all have a lot to contribute to the discussion....

There has already been a great deal of research about nutrition and life style elements as related to various diseases. Surely we have all seen article after article, tv sound bites and radio interviews, and posters, and health fair handouts telling us we'd be healthier if we ate more fruits and vegetables. It isn't that we haven't spent the money on rigorous research into the health consequences of smoking tobacco. We have. People continue to smoke. Young peopple continue to become addicted. On any company or church pot luck table brownies are more popular than carrot sticks.

Saying that we only spend money on developing drugs is not fair. Lots of research has gone into studies whose outcome did not profit drug makers or other industries. It takes a long, long time, though, for these kinds of studies to have a widespread impact. I have read that there were 100 years between the discovery that lack of vitamin C caused scurvy and the British navy provisioning each ship with citrus fruit (limes). Human behavior is slow to change.

In many districts school lunches have improved nutrionally in recent years. Fast food chains are offering options that at least nod at better nutrition. The gap between what we know and what we do is not the fault of researchers or big-buck drug companies, in my opinion.

If drug companies will potentially profit from selling drugs, it makes sense that they will finance research and testing. That is called capitalism. Who is paying for the basic research into nutrition and lifestyle practices? Taxpayers. Rich benefactors. Small contributions from ordinary people. I don't think that is a conspiracy, just a reality.

It bothers me that so many proponents of more "natural" remedies seem to also have an attitude bordering on conspiracy theory on why more effort is not directed and their pet causes. Many taxpayers are not keen on paying for more studies that are going to tell them to eat more broccoli. :)