subject: Are There New Answers For Older People? [print this page] A study published in the journal PNAS, Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences found that people with Alzheimer's have lingering emotions that are linked to memories after the memories are gone. This finding also applies to stroke victims and epileptics because they also have damage to the hippocampus area of the brain. In the study several people with a damaged hippocampus were shown clips from sad movies. Although they couldn't remember the clips 30 minutes later, feelings of sadness remained. Clips from funny and uplifting movies were forgotten too, but all the participants were left in good moods - and that's worth remembering.
A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology linked poor eyesight to a higher risk of dementia. In the study of 625 older Americans over a period of 8.5 years, those who rated their eyesight as very good or excellent were more than 63% less likely to develop dementia. However, 25% of those who rated their eyesight as fair or poor developed the condition. Researchers speculate poor vision contributes to dementia because it prevents older people from being active. Because the researchers found that those with untreated poor vision had the highest risk of dementia, seeing was believing.
A study done at Columbia University discovered diet reduces Alzheimer's risk. For 4 years researchers followed diets of 2,148 healthy people over age 65, checking for Alzheimer's every 18 months. Those least likely to develop the disease ate more olive-oil-based salad dressing, nuts, fish, tomatoes, poultry and cruciferous vegetables. They ate less red meat, organ meat and high-fat dairy products. Because those who adhered closest to the diet had a 40% lower risk of developing Alzheimer's, it's thought heart-healthy foods protect the brain. Considering more than 26 million people worldwide have Alzheimer's, foodstuffs should be healthy stuff.
A study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease found cell phone radiation is an effective treatment for Alzheimer's in mice. Mice that were genetically altered to develop Alzheimer's as they aged were exposed for two 1-hour periods daily to the amount of radiation typically emitted by a cell phone held to a human head. After 7 to 9 months cognitive ability was protected in young adult mice, memory impairment was reversed in older mice that had memory problems and memory was boosted in normal mice to above-normal levels. Hopefully, cell phones can answer the call for an Alzheimer's cure.
