An Obesity Gene, Known as FTO, Also May Increase Risk of Alzheimer's Disease And Dementia
A gene known as FTO, which appears to be correlated with obesity in humans, may also increase risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia, according to new research presented today at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease 2010 (AAICAD 2010) in Honolulu, HI. And when a person has certain variants of both FTO and a recognized Alzheimer's risk gene known as APOE, the risk of Alzheimer's could be doubled.
"While scientists know Alzheimer's involves progressive brain cell
failure, they have not yet identified any single reason why cells fail,"
said Maria Carrillo, PhD, senior
director of Medical and Scientific Relations at the Alzheimer's
Association. "However, there is evidence about certain factors that may
increase the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's."
"This is a fascinating early finding, which fits with the known
connections between heart health and brain health," Carrillo said. - Full Story
SO WHAT TO DO? WELL OF COURSE START WITH EXERCISE.
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You will never meet an Alzheimer's survivor - there are none.
Brain health is critical, but when people think about wellness, they often think about the neck down. Yet brain health has a dominant impact on quality of life.
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Help end Alzheimer's - A mind is a terrible thing to waste.
Want to do something for yourself? Read - anything - just read. Also, play computer games or find a hobby to keep your mind and body active. DON'T watch a lot of TV.
True story - and a point to be made.
Paso Robles, Ca. It's 4th of July weekend and we're over next door to
enjoy the pool after we finish putting on a roof for our neighbors
cabana (cabana's a whole other story). It's hotter than hades but
what's new for July in Paso. The whole family's coming over but the
Grandma's have to do a little shopping.
Easier said than done but we decide to bring my 98 year old Grandma over
(Great Grandma to some & even Great Great but I digress) to at
least sit under the shade while the boys play in the pool and the big
boys pound away on the cabana roof. BTW, we had spectacular views of
the North County.
This is on a hill so all the properties have small hills for backyards
and this is no different. So we (myself and Steve) have to haul (let's
just call it carry) Grandma up to the pool - uh, there's no ramp, just
lots of steps or a long walk through the orchard. Grandma could no more
walk up or down those stairs for anything as she barely could get
around with a walker.
All's fine ... until Melinda has to run back to the house. Remember,
the 3 of us guys (including my Dad) are up pounding nails and the boys
are frolicking in the pool (its a very cool pool, with rocks and
waterfalls etc).
I'm knee-deep trying to finish when Steve, who's at the top of the
cabana, says "she's making a run for it" every 30 seconds or so
repeating that and "Grandma's making an escape, she's on the run". I
finally ask what the heck he's talking about and then peer over the top
of the cabana to see, you guessed it, Grandma's already all the way to
the bottom and now walking across the lawn heading for the house ...
with no walker!
OK, I'll admit for about a minute or two, while stumbling to get her
walker and trying to call the house and find out where Melinda went, I'm
shocked looking down at the impossible - How in heck did she get down
that hill and across the yard without the walker? She would have kept
going but a fence and rose bushes stopped her getaway (& yea, she
was grabbing onto these giant rose bushes to steady herself). And note
she did all this with Melinda having been gone less than 5 minutes.
Never shy to goof around.
She was fine if a little winded but without any scrapes. An angel or
two were looking after her for sure but here's something to remember.
People with dementia (including the biggest one Alzheimer's) have to be
looked after constantly and what happens in that blink of an eye - it
can be perilous.
Grandma's in heaven now and to this day, we haven't a clue as to how
someone who needed help to go down just ONE step at a time, went a
couple hundred feet down a hill and through a yard. She would have
said: "Well, from the time I was 3, I lived in Baker Montana". I guess
that was it.
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