Monday, March 8, 2010

Can Testing for Alzheimer's Disease Be Done Using a Simple Word Test?

Yes, someone can use a word test when testing for Alzheimer's disease. You will be surprised to learn there is a relationship between Alzheimer's disease and word recall. Get out your paper, pen and stop watch. See how you do.

Early testing for Alzheimer's disease can have a huge impact. Catching it early has great benefits:

- Alzheimer's take years to develop. People in the early stages can add to the decision making. They can understand the drug options. They can have some control over their treatment.
- The existing drugs work best in the early stages. This may slow damage to the brain.
- Future drugs and treatment options. They may be able to prevent permanent damage to the brain as Alzheimer's advances.

As you can see, the sufferer can greatly improve their quality of life with this early knowledge. Through early testing for Alzheimer's disease and treatment, they could have a better quality of life for longer. They can be there for their loved ones longer. They can possibly delay or eliminate the need for a nursing home. The duration of the burden to care givers may be eased.

Scientists have found a pattern of word loss in Alzheimer's patients. This helps when testing for Alzheimer's disease. It is very consistent. Researchers believe they can identify it by testing for Alzheimer's disease through word loss alone. Patients will forget words they learned later in their lives. Words that they don't use very often.

There was a recent study done with Alzheimer's patients. They interviewed 96 people with the disease. Researchers also quizzed 40 healthy people. All were similar in age. They also had similar cultural and social backgrounds.

They were given the following simple word test. They stopped them after one minute. Here are the questions they answered:

- Name all of the animals you can think of.
- Name all of the fruit you can remember.

How many did you list for each?

Those with early Alzheimer's listed 10 to 15 items in each list. The healthy group listed 20 to 25 items.

We learn words at different ages. Dog and cat are usually learned before the age of 5. Take the word aardvark for another example. It is learned later and is used less often.

Those with early Alzheimer's disease would tend to remember the words learned earlier in life. They would not think of words like aardvark, zebra, or giraffe.

Do you feel concerned after taking this test and understanding the nature of the word loss? If so, I urge you to see a doctor for more testing. The earlier you are diagnosed, the better off you and your family will be.

They cannot tell the difference between cognitive dementia due to normal aging or Alzheimer's. It's possible that the part of the brain where this word loss occurs is the most affected in the early stages of Alzheimer's.

Scientists need to do more testing on other degenerative brain diseases. They need to see if word loss is common in more than just Alzheimer's.

Testing for Alzheimer's disease for early detection is a high priority for researchers. In the coming years, there will be more and better ways for testing for Alzheimer's disease.

In the meantime, you can build up reserves in your brain. This will help you to try to outlive the onset of cognitive dementia. Cognitive dementia is the precursor to Alzheimer's disease.

Building up your brain makes neural pathways stronger. Harder to damage. Research shows keeping your brain active can delay cognitive dementia. Of course diet and exercise play a huge role.

Will you be one of the 35 million living with dementia? Do something NOW to keep your memories - before it's too late!

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Thursday, March 4, 2010

BrianReview.Info Blog: A Purpose in Life Can Hinder Cognitive Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease?

BrianReview.Info Blog: A Purpose in Life Can Hinder Cognitive Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease?

A Purpose in Life Can Hinder Cognitive Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease?

Living longer leads to cognitive dementia. Science is helping us live longer. The population is aging, which is bringing on more cognitive dementia. This is feuling brain research. Read on to find out more about an interesting study. The study explores how a purpose in life may affect cognitive dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

There is more and more research on Alzheimer's disease. They are getting closer to determining the causes, risk factors and prevention. That is great news. Especially for those of us who are at a stage where we can reverse or prevent the onset of cognitive dementia. Cognitive dementia is the precursor to Alzheimer's disease.

A recent study looked at the senses of happiness, purpose, and well being. These are positive aspects of life. They wanted to know if they would affect cognitive dementia. Specifically, they wanted to know if they would decrease the risk.

The study is the Rush Memory and Aging Project. They used 951 people without cognitive dementia. They were asked questions about their sense of purpose, well being and happiness. They followed up for about four years. They found that:

- People less likely to develop cognitive dementia were more positive about their lives.
- People who had more purposeful lives were less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment. They also had a slower rate of decline.

Why there seems to be a cause and effect is debatable. More research is needed. They need to find the biological basis.

Depression is linked with an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease. Study after study has shown this link. Some believe purpose in life is associated with depression. A lower score in purpose of life may also be a higher score in the depression category.

The study raises the following questions, among others:

- Could low purpose in life be clinically treated as depression is treated?
- Could low purpose in life be an early symptom of cognitive dementia?
- Could there be more cognitive dementia because people have a lower sense of purpose?

More and more studies like this show a link between disease and behavior. The following factors that appear to be linked with longer life, decreased mortality, and decreased disabilities are:

- Social activity
- Physical activity
- Higher cognitive abilities
- High purpose in life

Many of these are life style factors we can control.

Studies like these are fascinating. They can result in more questions than they answer. But they are leading us in a good direction. We are getting a better understanding of our minds and our bodies. This understanding can lead us to greater independence, freedom, and control as we age.

We now know more about preventing dementia and Alzheimer's disease. More than ever before. Getting your mind tuned up can delay or reverse cognitive dementia. Keeping your mind sharp and in shape can build up reserves for when you need them. Building up your mind may lead you to never experience the nightmare that is Alzheimer's disease.

Will you be one of the 35 million living with cognitive dementia? Do something NOW to keep your memories -- before it's too late!

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Monday, March 1, 2010

Do You Think You Can Prevent Cognitive Dementia?

Living a long life has made cognitive dementia a new challenge. Science has reduced diseases which is making us live longer. Diseases that used to keep our lives short. Cognitive dementia will happen to anyone who lives long enough. But can you prevent onset?

Science has been getting busy on brain research in recent years. We live in remarkable times. Living to be 100 years old isn't the feat it used to be. We hear of more and more people surpassing this milestone.

As baby boomers are living longer, they are pushing the envelope. Baby boomers think of themselves as forever young. They don't want to live long just to lose their minds. Their self. Their personality. They are the force pushing scientific research on cognitive dementia.

Recent Research shows your brain changes to its circumstances. It continues to be shaped and developed. They call this plasticity. There isn't a maximum capacity or limitation.

This could be good or bad. It's all about what you do with it. If you don't learn new things, parts of your brain will die and whither away. The good news is that you have some control.

You won't be surprised to find that diet and exercise play a very important role. You need to give your brain the right vitamins and minerals to stay and grow strong. Your brain also needs exercise to get enough blood to the deep parts of the brain. The deep parts of the brain are the most vulnerable to cognitive dementia.

You can also build up a reserve in your brain to try to outlive the onset of the cognitive dementia.

When you build up your brain, you make the connections stronger. You can make it strong enough that it will take longer for damage to occur your brain cells.

Research is showing that keeping your brain active helps to build cognitive reserves. You can have an ace in the hole. Like your rainy day fund, you can draw on your reserves when you need them.

The studies are showing the results of building these brain reserves. Many older people operate at a high level of functioning. They are continuing this high level throughout their lives.

If you are concerned about getting cognitive dementia in your older years, you should start today. The sooner you start the better off you will be.

Will you be one of the 35 million living with cognitive dementia? Do something NOW to keep your memories -- before it's too late!

By clicking through on this link you will learn the clinically proven results of Posit Brain Science brain fitness programs. Most over 40 improve.

Who else wants a 10-year rejuvenation?

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Monday, February 22, 2010

Is Alzheimers Prevention Possible?

Alzheimers is one of the scariest diseases of our time. Many worry about getting it. Especially if a parent had Alzheimers disease. The truth is that everyone will eventually get Alzheimers disease. If they live long enough. The chance of getting Alzheimers disease will double every 5 years after 65. By 85, you have a 50% chance of getting it. Can anything be done for Alzheimers prevention?

When you think about Alzheimers prevention, the goal is to delay the onset. You want to out live the appearance of Alzheimers disease. If you can out live it, you may never show any signs. This strategy is helpful with many aspects of aging.

Symptoms start when the brain cannot repair itself. When neurons die faster than they are being replaced. Alzheimers disease begins in the area of the brain that creates new memories.

When any part of the brain can't keep up with dying cells, it will show signs of decline.

Any plan for Alzheimers prevention includes exercise. Exercise boosts brain nerve growth factors. Exercise helps new brain cells to develop. It also makes the links between brain cells stronger. Deep areas of the brain get better blood flow. The deep areas are more prone to cell damage. The risk of dementia can be cut by 50% with regular physical exercise.

Antioxidants help keep cells from getting damaged. You can take vitamin E, vitamin C, coenzyme Q10, and ginkgo biloba. These all protect different parts of cells. These supplements are great for Alzheimers prevention - you can help existing cells stay free from damage.

Over the counter medications, like aspirin, ibuprofen and other anti-inflammatory drugs can help a lot. These "arthritis" drugs can cut your risk of Alzheimers disease by 50%.

There are all the usual suspects as well. Hypertension, stress, alcohol, tobacco, etc. All of these factors can be changed for Alzheimers prevention.

Mental arousal and exercise is just as important as physical exercise. It isn't enough just to work your brain every day. You must take in new information. Look at it like this: mental exercise means gaining new knowledge.

When you do the same thing every day, your brain learns to do it with less energy. When you learn a new game or hobby, it creates new pathways. This improves and maintains less used areas of your brain. Social activities are great for waking up the brain. Studies show mentally active people can reduce decline in overall mental abilities due to age by 50%.

Alzheimers disease can be devastating. But if you catch it early and treat it properly, you and your family may be able to avoid the full effects. Make sure you share all concerns with your doctor for the best treatment schedule. If you haven't been diagnosed with Alzheimers disease, make changes now. Your Alzheimers prevention plan may be able to delay cognitive decay for your lifetime.

Will you or someone you love be one of the 35 million living with Alzheimers disease? Do something NOW -- before it's too late!

By clicking through on this link you will learn the clinically proven results of Posit Brain Science to aid in Alzheimers prevention. Most over 40 improve.

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Saturday, February 20, 2010

Why Does Cognitive Dementia Happen?

Cognitive dementia. It can happen to anyone. If you live long enough. You lose your sharpness as you get older. If you don't do anything to stop it from happening, it will get worse. It will get to the point where you can not take care of yourself. How will this affect me? Why does this happen? Find out the answers to these questions and how you might be able to stop cognitive dementia from happening.

Think of your brain the same way you think of a muscle in your body. You know if your muscles aren't exercised, they will atrophy. They will become useless. This doesn't occur overnight. It's little by little.

Take your stomach muscles for example. How often do you use these muscles throughout the day? Most of us don't use them very much. So you don't grasp what shape they are in. Until you try to do some sit-ups. Then you find out real quick what shape they are in, don't you? That's when you realize there is a problem.

The longer time goes on, the more useless the muscles get. If you don't take steps to reverse the condition.

Working the muscles can usually reverse the condition. Exercise them. Apply weights and move the muscles. Challenge them. Revitalize them.

If you don't exercise your muscles, you will shrivel up. Have you seen older people like that?

The same principles apply to your brain.

Cognitive dementia is similar to when your muscles atrophy. Little by little your brain becomes useless. In the areas that aren't used regularly.

Like the unused stomach muscles, when you try to use that part of the brain, forget it. No go. It'll take some effort.

If you have cognitive dementia, you may withdraw from things you used to do. Because you cannot do them as easily as when you were younger. It's a downward spiral.

It may feel more like work to socialize. Because it's difficult to get the right words out the way you wanted to. You may trip up your words in the middle of a sentence. Or, say things you don't mean.

You don't learn things as fast as you used to. This can be very discouraging. It can stop you from even trying.

Cognitive dementia starts as early as 35. Very gradually the decline takes hold. Usually a cognitive dementia diagnosis would occur in the 60's or 70's.

Decades of decline.

You lose quality and quantity of information from your eyes and ears as you grow older. This is a huge part of the reason for cognitive dementia.

Improving the way you take in information improves your ability to remember it. The faster you process information in your head, the faster you can react. You feel sharp, on top of your game.

What if you could reset your brain? You would have a fighting chance. Find a brain trainer that will improve the quantity and quality of information you take in. One that will benefit you for years to come. This may delay Alzheimer's disease. It may also stop cognitive dementia dead in its tracks! How can you lose?

Will you or someone you love be one of the 35 million living with cognitive dementia? Do something NOW to keep your memories -- before it's too late!

By clicking through on this link you will learn the clinically proven results of Posit Brain Science brain fitness programs. Most over 40 improve.

Who else wants to give their brain a 10-year rejuvenation?

http://www.brainreview.info/positbrainscience

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Can Brain Trainers Help You Keep Up With Ice Skating Action At the Olympics?

One brain trainer won't do everything for you. Brain trainers that do different things will bring different results. Does any of the brain trainers you use help you keep up with fast action? Like when watching the Olympics, the ice skating competitions, for example? If you cannot tell if that ice skater just did a double axel or a triple, you should probably read on.

There are a number of brain trainers available you can purchase. There are many different ways to train your brain for no cost. It would not surprise me if you are using more than one method. Different brain trainers do different things for your mental abilities.

Have you thought about the way you take data in from your eyes?

How fast you process information that you see?

In the winter Olympics, the ice skating competitions are very popular. These athletes are the best skaters in the world. The costumes, the artistry, and the skill of their spins and jumps. It is an amazing athletic achievement. They make it appear effortless. When one falls or otherwise flubs, we are reminded of just how difficult this sport is.

Are you getting the most out of your Olympic experience?

Can you pinpoint the differences between skaters? Can you remember the order of moves in a routine?

With faster visual processing speed, you could answer these questions. You would feel more involved with the event. You could talk about it with confidence.

Do you want to be mentally sharp? An important part is telling the difference between similar items in a quick glance.
You want one of your brain trainers to make your visual system more precise.

With a better visual system, the more information you can extract from a scene. Like when watching ice skaters.

Imagine being able to tell if a pair performed their spins and jumps in unison. Did one just do a triple while the other did a double? Did you see that right?

Yes you did.

And you know it.

Small things like this can have a major impact on your quality of life.

Studies show the brain changes. It changes to fit its current set of circumstances. To effect positive change, your brain must be challenged and rewarded. It must have new or surprising experiences. The training must demand your brain's full attention.

The right brain trainers can reverse cognitive decline. Brain decline that is related to age.

That is huge.

Look into brain trainers that improve the quality and speed of information you take in from your senses. You will be glad you did.

Improve the quality and quantity of info coming from your ears and eyes. Delay cognitive decay in the process. Most over 40 improve.

Click this link for reviews of the most popular brain trainers. Learn how thousands gave their brain a 10-year rejuvenation.

http://www.brainreview.info/braintrainingreviews