Our dementia caregivers support group meeting was conducted May 5 at Lenard’s, located at the AmericInn. Our faithful group was so great to attend. Most of us have lost our loved ones, but we continue to hope others in the community will attempt to come and see what we are all about.
This disease of Alzheimer’s is such a devastating ordeal for many families. We all know it is such a horrible situation for everyone. But there is hope out there for you. Our group is for anyone trying to struggle with a loved one with this problem.
A group from the Mayo Clinic have developed a framework for using MRI scans to differentiate between three common neurodegenerative disorders. The ability to make definite diagnoses early on can make the treatments earlier plus more effective than a single memory test.
Great strides have been made in the area of genetics. With some of the studies, that for instance, those who carry the APOE e4 gene has a major genetic factor, can develop this disease much earlier in life. These findings can support the possibility that this may happen.
And in a stunning reversal of conventional wisdom, they have found that inflammation in the brain is not the trigger that leads up to amyloid deposits in the brain. In fact, the reversal of conventional wisdom is that the inflammation helps clear the brain of these noxious plaques early in the development of the disease. The findings are from the amazing medical advances of the Mayo Clinic. Next month I will inform you on more of the advances that are in the future.
Another fact that I have found quite interesting — now in our country there are 17 million Baby Boomers — 60 to 70 percent will have this disease.
Everyone is encouraged to attend our next meeting which is set for 11:30 a.m. Thursday at Lenard’s.
