Doctors use telemedicine to help patients with dementia, Alzheimer's

Following a nationwide trend, Kentucky doctors are turning to telemedicine to help patients with memory problems such as those associated with Alzheimer's disease and dementia, reports Allison Elliott with the University of Kentucky.

"State-of-the-art memory evaluations should not be limited to persons that are able tom ake the often long and arduous trip to Lexington," said Dr. Greg Jicha, neurologist at UK's Sanders-Brown Center on Aging. "Taking advantage of Internet technologists to bring expert care into even the smallest of rural communities is a blessing for many families across Kentucky that simply cannot bring a loved one with dementia to Lexington.

Several times a month, physicians with the Sanders-Brown Center will connect to patients in clinics throughout the state. Participating clinics include Harlan Appalachian Regional Health; the Hazard Center for Rural Health; T.J. Sampson Hospital in Glasgow; Trover Clinic in Madisonville; Western Baptist Hospital in Paducah; Owensboro Medical Center; and St. Claire Regional Medical Center in Morehead. (Read more)

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Free conference on Alzheimer's in Louisville Sept. 17

A Washington-based geriatric researcher will join University of Louisville researchers and clinicians a free conference examining Alzheimer’s disease from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Crowne Plaza Louisville Airport Hotel, 830 Phillips Lane, near the state fairgrounds.

“The Journey: Alzheimer’s Disease and Caregiving” will provide information on the risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease, the reasons why certain populations are at greater risk for developing it, and current practices in caregiving. Admission, parking and lunch are free to participants at but pre-registration is required by Sept. 15 to info@alz.org or 1-800-272-3900.

Thomas Obisesan, M.D., chief of geriatrics at Howard University Hospital, will open the meeting. His research is focused on finding a cure for Alzheimer’s and "disentangling the overlap of cardiovascular disease with Alzheimer’s disease risk," a U of L release says. The conference is supported with grants from Eisai Co. Ltd. and the Signature Research Institute. It is co-sponsored by the university and the Greater Kentucky and Southern Indiana Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

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UK gets $7 million for Alzheimer's research

The University of Kentucky has received a $7 million grant to continue its research on Alzheimer's disease. The research is conducted at the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging and involves clinical trials and comparing brains diseased by Alzheimer's to those that are not.

"It is the second major grant announcement for UK in two days," reports the Lexington Herald-Leader's Cheryl Truman. "On Monday, UK received a $14.5 million grant to develop pollution-catching technologies for coal-fired power plants."

The grant proves UK "is not only able to compete among the big boys but be one of the big boys" when it comes to Alzheimer's research and treatment, said Michael Karpf, UK's executive vice president of health administration.

At the Sanders-Brown center, more than 700 research volunteers from around Kentucky take part in clinical trails and a brain donation program, which allows researchers to compare Alzheimer's-affected brains to those that aren't. (Read more)

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HELP FOR ALZHEIMERS DISEASE

The Alzheimer's Association has developed a list of ten warning signs of Alzheimer's disease:

* Memory loss that affects job skills.
* Difficulty in performing familiar tasks.
* Problems with language.
* Confusion about time and place.
* Poor or diminished judgment.
* Problems with abstract thinking.
* Misplacing of things.
* Changes in mood or behavior.
* Changes in personality.
* Loss of initiative.

Natural help is available for Alzheimer's disease. Choline is a lipotropic B vitamin which emulsifies fats and helps to transport fat globules to cells. It is needed for nerve transmission. Choline reduces cholesterol and maintains a healthy liver,kidneys and nerves. It also reduces oestrogen thus decreasing breast lumps and menstrual cramps. It is also used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and to improve the memory.

Vitamin E can also be useful. A recent study has shown that a daily dose of 2000 i.u. of vitamin E can slow the deterioration of Alzheimer's.

Vitamin B12 is also known to help.

See my earlier post about how coffee has been reported as being helpful to treat Alzheimer's disease.

Natural cures for Alzheimer's disease

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Simple help for dementia and alzheimer's disease.

The latest news has suggested that coffee may help dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Although we should not drink it to excess. A few cups of coffee a day may be all that is needed to reverse the effects of Alzheimer's disease, new research suggests.
Scientists have uncovered powerful evidence that caffeine not only helps to stave off the disease but can treat it.
They hope soon to follow up the initial results from animal experiments with human patient trials.
US neuroscientist Dr Gary Arendash, who led the research, said: "The new findings provide evidence that caffeine could be a viable 'treatment' for established Alzheimer's disease, and not simply a protective strategy.
"That's important because caffeine is a safe drug for most people. It easily enters the brain, and it appears to directly affect the disease process."
A key aspect of Alzheimer's is sticky clumps of abnormal protein in the brain called beta amyloid plaques.
Mice with a rodent equivalent of the disease showed a 50% reduction in levels of amyloid protein in their brains after scientists spiked their drinking water with caffeine. The change was reflected in their behaviour as the mice developed better memories and quicker thinking.
Dr Arendash's team studied 55 mice genetically engineered to develop dementia symptoms identical to those of Alzheimer's as they aged.
At the age of 18 to 19 months - around 70 in human years - the mice were showing signs of memory impairment. The researchers then gave half the mice drinking water containing caffeine while the other half continued to drink ordinary water.
Humans receiving an equivalent dose for their body weight would be consuming 500 milligrams of caffeine - or five eight ounce cups of ordinary coffee - a day. The same amount of caffeine can be obtained by drinking two cups of strong "coffee shop" coffee, 14 cups of tea, or 20 cola drinks.

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