The Alzheimer's Epidemic. Danton O'Day
The
Alzheimer’s
Epidemic
Searching for Causes and a Cure
Danton H. O’Day, PhD
Copyright 2013 Danton O'Day,
All rights reserved.
Published in eBook format by eBookIt.com
ISBN-13: 978-1-4566-1356-3
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.
About the Cover
The picture on the cover is an original work by Ronald P. Falcioni titled “Synapse”. This dynamic work suggests the explosive and complex events that occur at brain synapses that ultimately become diminished with the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
Dedication
To Susan, my patient and loving wife, who as an RN has served on the front-lines of eldercare and Alzheimer’s disease counseling. Her advice, insightful guidance and encouragement were central to the completion of this book.
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Dr. Robert Huber, Harvard Medical School, for his critical and helpful comments. I owe a great deal of thanks to Aldona Budniak who gave many constructive comments and provided invaluable editing as the book was being written. Last, I would like to thank my life-long friend Ronald Falcioni who not only provided the cover picture but who also gave some valuable encouragement. Any errors or omissions are my sole responsibility and I welcome readers to inform me of any that they may find.
Danton H. O’Day, PhD
Oakville, ON, CANADA
Preface
The “Alzheimer’s Epidemic” has begun. As the number of aged individuals worldwide continues to grow the epidemic will continue unabated. Alzheimer’s disease will affect one in three families. In addition to the devastating implications of this epidemic to Alzheimer’s sufferers, their families and caregivers, the economic costs to society will be enormous. Around the world governments are struggling with ways to deal with this unrelenting tide that will soon be a medical tsunami that will challenge many societies’ ability to cope. At the front of this attempt to stem the tide are biomedical researchers worldwide who are working diligently to understand the causes of Alzheimer’s, which will allow them to formulate ways to slow the progression of the disease and someday stop it from occurring.
This book looks at this “Alzheimer’s Epidemic” by focusing on the causes and the search for a cure. Other books have dealt in detail with the symptoms of the disease and how to care for those suffering with the disease. I have done research on the proteins linked to the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease and have written several articles on the subject. This book is significantly different from those that have gone before. The content is gleaned from original research and reviews including recent international meetings. With my strong science background, I have tried to write the book in a way that will appeal to the non-scientist reader so citations within the text are avoided. Instead, the reader is directed to the selected list of references at the end of the book. There is also a list of websites that can provide information on the very latest advances in Alzheimer’s research.
At times it is essential to delve into the nitty-gritty of the relevant science. So this book takes the reader well beyond what they can glean from newspapers and magazines. It sets the stage for an in-depth understanding of what is being done and where research is going in the quest to understand the causes and find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.
Danton H. O’Day
Oakville, Ontario, CANADA
Chapter 1
Introduction and Overview
As we progress through the 21st century, the world will be faced with a population dominated by an increasing number of elderly people. Since older individuals often do not work outside the home and have significantly more health issues, the impact on society will be immense. This isn’t their fault, because aging is a fact of life. What is, or more correctly will be, at fault is society’s failure to address the issues raised by this aging population. The goal of this book is to look at a single aspect of aging: The Alzheimer’s Epidemic. In this introductory chapter, we will detail and put into perspective material that will be covered in the book.
The scenarios that the media puts out about our senescing population are sometimes frightening. Old folks, it seems, are going to be a major negative drain on society in a number of ways, not the least of which is living longer and draining funds from old-age pensions. Thus, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) isn’t the only medical problem that faces the aged. The cumulative effect of all of these problems will become a serious issue for society in the future, leading to major medical costs for healthcare and increasing the need for long-term residential accommodation. It might seem a bit incongruous, then, to be looking for ways to improve the health and extend the life of seniors—but curing, stopping or slowing a single disease such as Alzheimer’s will have major benefits on a multitude of levels to Alzheimer’s sufferers, their families, caregivers and society.
The Alzheimer’s Epidemic
Before we begin, we need to get things clear up front. Just what is The Alzheimer’s Epidemic? How can a disease like Alzheimer’s be considered an epidemic? Typically we think of an epidemic as a disease caused by a viral or bacterial infection. However, an epidemic can also be considered to be the widespread occurrence of a disease that greatly surpasses what would normally be expected.
Alzheimer’s disease can be considered an epidemic because it is widespread and continues to spread very rapidly. While it is not caused by a contagious agent, there is one known direct cause of Alzheimer’s disease: that cause is aging. There is an unprecedented growth of elderly populations worldwide. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and the United Nations, this is due not only to the aging of the current population but also to the decline in fertility that is occurring around the world. Thus people are getting older while fewer children are being born.
Things are going to get a lot worse before they get better and the cost to society could be potentially unsustainable. At best, the cost will drain medical resources of all but those countries with the most robust economies. So there is an unquestionable need not only to find a cure but, in the short term, to find ways to diminish the effects of the disease. This is most evident on the frontlines of the disease: the impact on the individual and their immediate family.
The word “dementia” used to be an alternative term for madness. Today dementia is defined as a significant decline in one’s mental functioning. This intellectual decline can involve problems with thinking, reasoning and memory. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia in that it accounts for between 50–70% of all dementia cases. It is estimated that Alzheimer’s disease affects one in eight people who are over 65 years old. The incidence increases with age so that about 42% of individuals over 85 years old are afflicted with the disease. Already the impact of Alzheimer’s worldwide is staggering—more that 24 million people are suffering from the disease.
The problem is these numbers are increasing with a new case of Alzheimer’s disease occurring every 7 seconds. Based on statistical analyses of our aging populations, it is projected that the number of Alzheimer’s sufferers will double