According to Doctors report, a gentle kind of mental decline that often leads to Alzheimer’s is quite higher than expected and more frequent in men than in women.

Based on a Mayo Clinic study of Minnesota residents, the researchers estimated that each year, almost one million Americans slide from normal memory into gentle impairment.

The problem is hovering over half million Americans who are going to develop full-blown Alzheimer’s or other kinds of dementia  and the problem will certainly rise as the boomers get older as the oldest boomer will be of 62 this year.

The lead author, Dr. Ronald Petersen of Mayo scientist says in this connection “a much larger burgeoning problem can be seen out there as people are the higher risk of developing dementia.”

continue reading Alarming increase in pre-dementia cases particularly in men

Dimebon was once used to treat hayfever in Russia, but with the availability of new better drugs, it was taken off the market. Now according to a new study, the drug has the ability to significantly improve the symptoms in Alzheimer’s patients.

It has the ability to improve memory, behavior and aptitude to perform usual activities like eating in dementia patients, the U.S researchers found.

Many experts are quite hopeful about the promising results of these new findings.

The trial that was carried out in Russia, 183 people who had untreated mild to moderate dementia were included and 20 mg of dimebon 20 was given to half of them three times a day while the others were given a placebo.

continue reading Dimebon shows promising results in patients with Alzheimer’s

“Alzheimer’s” is a mental disorder which destroys certain brain cells causing problem with memory, behavior and interaction at home, work and in the society. As the disease progresses, the symptoms might include hallucinations, violent behavior, loss of memory about past events including life history, and forgetting who certain people are.

It gets further distressing when the patients forgetting their spouses or partners start developing intimate relationships outside marriage. Johns Hopkins’ newsletter “Health after 50” tries to lessen the accompanying distress due to these affairs outside marriage and suggests ways to cope up with the emotional health challenge. After all it is very frustrating and sad to see one’s partner losing track of all the memories of the past life and all the intimacies shared with a partner.

Developing an understanding behind the reasons why your partner suffering from ‘Alzheimer’s disease’ seems to forget, who you are would help in reducing the level of anger and mental disturbance. Dr. Peter Rabins, M.D., Professor, Psychiatry and Health Policy, and Director, Division of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neuropsychiatry at Johns Hopkins say, “Many people with Alzheimer’s (and some patients recovering from stroke) develop a condition called ‘prosopagnosia’, which is an isolated inability to recognize familiar faces.” So that’s why they stop recognizing their spouses.

continue reading Coping Up With Emotional Distress with Alzheimer’s Patients Seeking Intimacy outside Marriage