Alzheimer’s is a cruel disease and is now considered a global epidemic. It is a progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually, people with Alzheimer’s become unable to carry out the simplest of tasks. More and more people seem to be suffering from Alzheimer’s these days. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of Dementia, a disease that affects the brain. It usually starts with some mild memory loss.
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How Many People Have Alzheimer’s?
An estimated 5.5 million people are living with Alzheimer’s in the United States, and at least 50 million people have either Alzheimer’s or some other form of Dementia. One in 10 people over the age of 65 have Alzheimer’s, and about one-third of people over 85 have it as well. The proportion of people with Alzheimer’s when under 65 is 4%.
Who Gets Alzheimer’s?
Two-thirds of people with Alzheimer’s are female. African and Hispanic Americans are more likely to develop the disease than Caucasians. Around 30% of people with Alzheimer’s also have either heart disease or diabetes. Women in their 60’s are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s than breast cancer.
Why Are Women More Likely to Develop Alzheimer’s?
Studies are being conducted to understand this very concerning issue. Previously the fact that women lived longer than men were thought to be behind more of them developing Alzheimer’s. There is a range of research being undertaken. Some studies are looking at heart health while another is reviewing how women metabolize glucose more efficiently. Yet another study is evaluating how socioeconomic factors impact on Alzheimer’s in women.
How Is Alzheimer’s Diagnosed?
As new research is forthcoming, it may be possible to diagnose Alzheimer’s using blood tests or retina tests. However, currently a medical evaluation is required by a skilled physician. At one time the only sure test was by performing an autopsy after a person had passed away. While there is no single test, a medical evaluation will include:
- Patient history
- A physical examination, which could consist of brain scans
- Neuropsychological testing, such as basic questioning
How Does Alzheimer’s Effect The Brain?
Plaques and tangles in the brain are considered some of the main features of Alzheimer’s disease. Another feature is the loss of connections between nerve cells (neurons) in the brain. Neurons transmit messages between different parts of the brain, and then from the brain to muscles and organs in the body.
There are many other complex brain changes that are also thought to play a role in Alzheimer’s disease.
The damage caused by Alzheimer’s initially appears to take place in the hippocampus, the part of the brain essential in forming memories. As neurons die, additional parts of the brain are affected. By the final stage of Alzheimer’s, the damage is widespread, and brain tissue has shrunk significantly.
Who Discovered Alzheimer’s?
The disease is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer. In 1906, Dr. Alzheimer noticed changes in the brain tissue of a woman who had died of an unusual mental illness. Her symptoms included memory loss, language problems, and unpredictable behavior.
After she died, he examined her brain and found many abnormal clumps (now called amyloid plaques) and tangled bundles of fibers (now called neurofibrillary, or tau tangles).
Treatment Options For Alzheimer’s
There is no official cure currently available for people with Alzheimer’s, however, Doctors can prescribe medicines that can help with people’s functioning and thinking. These medicines work best when people are in the early years of Alzheimer’s. There are lots of drugs currently undergoing trials for treating Alzheimer’s, so it would pay to keep checking with Doctors if there are new treatment regimes available.
How To Help Someone With Alzheimer’s
There are several things which you can do to help someone who has Alzheimer’s, as they adapt to the changes in their life:
- Keep lists such as how to tidy the kitchen after preparing a meal
- Label drawers, so they can easily find things
- Write schedules so they can see things like putting the rubbish out on the correct day
- Keep photographs close and write notes on them so they can see the names of their closest family members
Can A Brain Training Device Help Alzheimers?
A brain training or a wearable device such as the Bellabee is available to teach the brain how it’s brain waves should be operating as usual. When the Bellabee is worn on the Alz-Me setting, it shows the brain to send more “normal” brainwaves via the electrical settings of the brain. This kind of treatment is based on Neuromodulation, and the technology has been around for around 15 years.
The Bellabee has been shown to slow this disease down, and people have reported feeling much clearer in the head (less brain fog) when wearing the Bellabee.
With extended use, the Bellabee can slow Alzheimer’s down and help with keeping the memory intact. Several other factors can help delay the onset of Alzheimer’s, including lifestyle and diet choices.
A diet such as Paleo which removes chemicals and food which can cause inflammation has helped many people with Alzheimer’s regain their initial memory loss.
This Study Has Noted Improvements
The Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease has noted, “New results indicate that in-home treatment with a bioengineered head device emitting electromagnetic waves reversed memory impairment of Alzheimer’s patients” in this paper.
This is so encouraging as the people were treated for two one-hour treatments per day over a two month period. The results were that seven of the eight participants demonstrated a 4+ point increase in cognitive performance – which is akin to going back one year in time from a cognitive performance perspective.
Also of note, none of the eight participants wanted to return their head device after this study concluded. As you would hope, none of the participants also exhibited any side effects, either. Post-treatment brain scans were performed, and none exhibited any visible tumors or brain bleeds.
Neurofeedback and Alzheimers
When you work in conjunction with a Neurofeedback Specialist, they can monitor how the brain waves are responding to the Bellabee. While you can just try the Bellabee Alz-Me settings, and this may produce a result, working with a Neurofeedback Specialist, is the most expedient way to ensure that the best settings are used on the Bellabee to help either stop or turn around the Alzheimers Disease.