Day 7 - Remember Dementia In November

 

#RememberDementiaInNovember

Day 7 (11/9) – #ViparitaKarani or #LegsUpTheWallPose by @stephieyogini (Steph)

! This helps to balance both hemispheres of the brain and the third eye chakra, it also helps to circulate your blood more efficiently and calms the mind.

#DementiaAwareness – Myths in the Media (Click on link in my bio)

See @nicole_rn (Nicole) for Day 8’s (Thursday, 11/10) pose tomorrow night…it is our LAST day of the challenge!  I have been looking at everyone’s poses and their insightful comments, along with the heartbreaking stories that sadly go along with dementia.  I am so honored to have such a kindhearted group of yogis who are participating in this challenge; you all have been so loving and respectful.  I knew the group of yogis I was cohosting with were wonderful and compassionate people…so it is nice to see that also reflected in the people helping us spread awareness in this challenge. Also, a big thank you to the generous and caring sponsors as well, everyone has their heart in the right place and it is such a joy to witness!! 

AWARENESS

Day 7 – Myths in the Media

The Canadian Review of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias listed myths that were/are perpetrated in the media:

Myth 1 – Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a normal part of aging.  AD is not a normal part of aging, while there is a change in cognition when people age it is a slow decline.  Sadly, many physicians will just brush off problems with memory and related issues because of the age of a patient.

Patients with AD have a much sharper decline, losing two to four points on the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) over a one year-period.  By dispelling the myth “it is just normal aging”, we become less dismissive and monitor cognitive scores more closely to see if the decline is gradual or rapid in our patients.  If the patient has a rapid decline, we can determine it is not normal aging, diagnose AD and propose treatment at an earlier stage, leading to an improved preservation of cognition and function (Lin, 2010, pp. 23-24).

Myth 2 – Mercury dental fillings and flu vaccinations cause AD.  Cavities filled with mercury were thought to be a cause of AD because of the heavy metal’s bad reputation for having ill effects on the body, specifically the brain.  With the media hype, many patients and dentists wanted the mercury removed and replaced, but this only increased the release of the mercury.  The American Dental Association (ADA) feels that mercury fillings are safe and do not cause AD. Even those working in the dental industry and are around mercury, therefore they have greater levels, do not show a connection to AD incidence (Lin, 2010, p. 24).

There was media coverage that flu vaccinations were a cause for AD because of a preservative used, which contained mercury.  The fact that many older adults (65 years and older) get the flu vaccination also happens to be when some display symptoms of AD.  

However, in 2001, as part of the Canadian Study of Health and Aging, 3,682 patients were assessed with regards to previous vaccinations and AD.  The investigators studied previous exposures to diphtheria, tetanus, polio and  influenza vaccines, and did not find an increase in AD.  Rather, there was a reduction in AD rates in patients who had had these vaccinations. Also, in the Netherlands, 26,071 patients older than 65 years of age were studied to determine the effect of influenza vaccines on death.  The results showed that for patients who had regular vaccines, there was a 24% reduction in mortality.  According to the results of these studies we can ascertain that the flu vaccine does not seem to cause AD, but is helpful in preventing deaths (Lin, 2010, p. 24). 

Myth 3 – That aluminum causes AD; this was started after research completed in 1975 on rabbit brains showed neurofibrillary tangles, thought to be the same type found on autopsy of AD patients. People stopped using aluminum foil and pots because of the fear spread by the media.  Further research using nuclear microscopy tests revealed iron, phosphorus and sulfur not aluminum (Lin, 2010, p. 24).

Myth 4 – No family members have AD, I will not get it. Familial AD (FAD).  The opposite is also asked, if my parent has it…will I get it?  FAD is typically found in 5% of all cases of AD, and usually happens early.  There is a higher risk of developing AD if a “first degree relative” has AD, but that is not considered FAD (Lin, 2010, p. 25).

Myth 5 – There aren’t any treatments or cure.  While there is no cure, there are different medications that can be beneficial to some patients with AD that help slow the progression of the disease (Lin, 2010, pp. 25-26).

Myth 6 – Since there isn’t a cure, why is there a need to make a diagnosis?  Chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and hypertension also do not have a cure, but treating them is important.  It is important for an AD patient to be diagnosed since there are many facets to manage, such as medications, personal and home safety, reducing risk of accidents and hospitalizations, and end-of-life matters (Lin, 2010, p. 26).  Treating the whole patient and making sure all their needs are met medically, socially, emotionally…along with their caretakers and loved ones ensures the best outcome.

Myth 7 – The latest medications have all failed.  When new medications do not meet the anticipated outcomes, it is often seen as a failure. 

Each negative trial, however, allows us to strike off that particular strategy and to hone in on alternative strategies, giving us insight into areas that may be more successful.  For example, there is now hope testing oxidative stress pathways and insulin resistance in the brain. Failures are not true failures, but necessary steps on the path to discovering treatments. Unfortunately, human clinical trials take a long time to complete.  Ideally, the efforts in the AD field should be doubled to investigate the possibilities at a faster pace (Lin, 2010, p. 26).

References

Lin, P. (2010). Myths in the Media. The Canadian Review of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other

Dementias, 23-26. Retrieved from http://www.stacommunications.com/customcomm/Back-            issue_pages/AD_Review/adPDFs/2010/October2010/23.pdf