Alzheimer’s Disease – the most prevalent type of dementia

In most people, dementia slowly creeps forward like an iceberg.  One watches as a once joyful, vibrant loved one slips deeper into this quagmire, this mind robber.  The slow mental and behavioral deterioration is difficult  to watch as one stands by feeling helpless and frustrated.

Dementia, this umbrella name given to the neurodegenerative set of diseases that steal the minds of loved ones, also is a term used to cover other diseases and conditions where brain cells die. The actual causes of Alzheimer’s are not known.   Researchers agree that many components such as lifestyle, environmental factors and genetics are among the contributors to the development of Alzheimer’s Disease.   Often, mental abilities like memory or judgment decline initially, and then as Alzheimer’s progresses into the middle stages, physical abilities like balance or walking show some deterioration.  Cognitive tests are used to evaluate brain function. Generally physicians choose to rule out other causes, by eliminating some other common causes of the symptoms: reversible causes of confusion such as vitamin B12 deficiency and normal pressure hydrocephalus, untreated hypothyroidism, as well as other types of dementia or delirium.  After diagnosis the average lifespan of an Alzheimer’s patient is 8.4 years.

Although there have been breakthroughs in curing dementia, most physicians still view the diagnosis as being an irreversible condition. Some breakthroughs in small studies and some individual accounts exist demonstrating that Alzheimer’s can be reversed using lifestyle changes as opposed to drug therapies (which have had a 0.04% success rate).  What is needed now is for facilities to open to enable the reversal of symptoms using lifestyle change approaches.

Vascular Dementia – the second most common type of dementia

In most people, dementia slowly creeps forward like an iceberg.  One watches as a once joyful, vibrant loved one slips deeper into this quagmire, this mind robber.  The slow mental and behavioral deterioration is difficult to watch as one stands by feeling helpless and frustrated.

Dementia, this umbrella name given to the neurodegenerative set of diseases that steal the minds of loved ones, also is a term used to cover other diseases and conditions where brain cells die.  Commonly brain cells die due to a lack of blood flow or lack of nutrient availability in an area of the brain.

The second most common type of dementia is  vascular dementia.  Vascular dementia is often caused by an acute, specific event such as a stroke or transient ischemic attack where the blood flow to the brain has been interrupted. It can also develop more gradually over time from very small blockages or the slowing of blood flow.  Unlike the Alzheimer’s type, this dementia is usually directly related to  a head injury, a concussion from a sports injury, strokes, and brain tumors.  The name, vascular dementia, reflects the resulting lack of blood flow to an area of the brain.  Symptoms appear and depending on the location of the injury can affect thinking.  Commonly in small unnoticed strokes one observes confusion, disorientation, and perhaps vision loss.  Depending on the extent of damage to vessels and the surrounding tissue and the area most affected by this interrupted blood flow some symptoms may gradually disappear.  If there is widespread vessel damage one may observe impaired planning and judgment; uncontrolled laughing and crying; declining ability to pay attention; impaired function in social situations; and difficulty finding the right words.  Usually the onset of declining cognitive abilities appears   suddenly.  This decline may appear stable for a period of time until perhaps another event where there is further decline.  In some cases there may be a gradual return of the lost abilities.

Some  remediation success has been seen using the Vielight equipment to help increase blood flow and to help the existing functioning vessels to carry more oxygen to the areas.  You can see results from the studies at the Mediclight Research site.

Although most doctors will still tell you that the causes of dementia are unknown, clearly head injuries are beginning to be understood.   There was even a recent movie made called “Concussion” which illustrates the problems resulting from blood vessel damage in the brain.  We are therefore beginning to understand the need to carefully protect against such damage.  Yet, sports – football in particular – is exceptionally popular and lucrative for players and owners.  Personally, I doubt that the fans watching these games ever give much thought to the hazards to the players.  But as you watch a loved one’s behavior deteriorate before your eyes, give some thought to whether you want your son or daughter to choose a team sport to play where brain injuries are common.  Many other options exist so perhaps direct their interests and abilities into a field where their brains are far less likely to be injured.