Despite the economic downturn and all the other negative news that has bombarded us in the last year, 2010 was a very good year for the advancement of Alzheimer’s awareness, care and research. Although we still do not have a cure, we are one-step closer for the following reasons:
- Biomarker research on the brain. Arguably, this year the most beneficial research in combating Alzheimer’s disease has been on biomarkers, or biological indicators of the disease. It will be years before physicians can begin using such imaging techniques to treat patients, but the explosion of research in this field seems very promising.
- New blood test detects Alzheimer’s. Currently the only definitive way to identify Alzheimer’s is through postmortem analysis, but Texas Tech Health Sciences Center has developed a blood test that may be up to 80% accurate in detecting Alzheimer’s in its earliest stages.
- Silverado Story: A Memory-Care Culture Where Love is Greater than Fear. Loren Shook and Steve Winner, the founders of Silverado Senior Living wrote a book to share their philosophy of memory-care from the perspective of Alzheimer’s experts and futurists.
- National Alzheimer’s Program Act. Congress passed a bill that would create an inter-agency advisory council to address the government’s efforts on Alzheimer’s research, care, institutional services, and other related programs. It is currently awaiting the President’s signature.
- South Korea re-defines Alzheimer’s education. A national initiative in South Korea is implementing an inter-generational education program to bring school children in their younger years to visit senior homes, older children to volunteer with seniors, while college students are immersed in a 3D experience illustrating the challenges of living with Alzheimer’s.
- Maria Shriver partners with Alzheimer’s Association for national campaign. In conjunction with the Alzheimer’s Association, Maria Shriver will help raise awareness on Alzheimer’s disease and encourage people, including the U.S. government, to do more in respect to fighting and understanding the disease.
- Medicare revisions. Beginning in 2011 physicians will be required to identify cognitive problems as part of a Medicare patient’s Annual Wellness Exam.
- Good cholesterol, good for Alzheimer’s. A study in the Archives of Neurology by Columbia University suggests that high levels of “good” HDL cholesterol may reduce Alzheimer’s risk.
- Creating new synapses. In some scientific circles, the failure and loss of synapses is believed to be the true cause of cognitive impairment in seniors. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a cocktail of three naturally occurring nutrients that successfully stimulate the growth of new synapses in the brain.
- Concussion and mild-traumatic head injury awareness. Correlations between concussions and memory-impairment have caused a major rise in concussion research and prevention programs. This year the NFL recruited active and retired players to donate their brain in hopes to further research on concussions. Many universities have also begun studying the long-term effects of concussions on athletes of all ages.
